Place Names for Babies

A limerick is an often humorous form of poetry with five lines (the last of which is the punchline). Limerick could be a fun choice for families with Irish heritage or a good sense of humor.

While Maui was a male trickster god in Polynesian mythology, the well-known Hawaiian place name Maui can work for either gender.

This evocative place-name is rising in popularity -- despite (or perhaps because of) the unfortunate association with an airplane that went missing in March 2014.

Brixton, the name of a neighborhood in London, is one of the fastest-rising place-names for baby boys, up more than 100 points on the most recent US popularity list. Besides its association with the place, Brixton combines several major trends in boys' namesL It's got two syllables, ends with the letter n, and has an x in the middle

A picturesque city in eastern France that would make an unusual and stylish addition to the list of place names off the map.

American place and tribe name, derived via French from the Dakota word ayúxba "sleepy ones".

Visitors to Hawaii's Garden Isle may want to commemorate the island's beauty with this place-name.

A town in Catalonia, sometimes used as a unisex name.

Despite its similarity to Game of Thrones' Tywin Lannister, Tywyn is a genuine Welsh town name meaning "sand dune" or "sea shore".

If you live in the city, you might call your urban baby Urbana; if you live in the suburbs--don't even think of Surbana.

An interesting Canadian province and city name that has some literary history as the name of a character in Dickens's Bleak House; could make a distinctive choice for parents with northern roots.

Sex doesn't belong in a baby name.

Unlike many other western city names, Tulsa has not proved attractive to parents. The name derives from Tallasi, meaning "old town" in the Creek language. Elvis Presley played a character named Tulsa in the 1960 musical comedy G. I. Blues.

Malibu, the name of a California beach city, evokes sunshine, surfing, and glamour. With its fashionable "oo" sound — as seen in names like Luna and Ruby — Malibu is an unexplored place name worth considering.

As far as Texas place names go, Houston is more unique than Austin and Dallas and more attractive than Marfa.

This romantic name of a city in Yemen was chosen for her son by supermodel Liya Kebede.

Evocative of the beautiful South Pacific islands; we've also heard Samoan used as a name.

Some parents are turning to rivers and other bodies of water in the search for undiscovered place-names, and this has the feel of a Viennese waltz.