Place Names for Babies

If you're looking for a really untouristed place name, Aquitaine could be it. Aquitaine is a region of France that includes both Bordeaux and Biarritz and is famous for such food and drink as its pates and cassoulets, Armagnac brandy and Bordeaux wines.

A Greek island and popular summer destination, Paros received its name after Parus, a son of the Arcadian king Parrhasius.

With its ties to tranquil Walden Pond, and harmonious meaning, this could be a modern virtue name.

Chenoa is the Native American name for the Kentucky River. This name has come into prominence as the stage name of Argentine singer María Laura Corradini Falomir. In the US it is given to a handful of girls each year.

Son of Sicily.

Fargo as a baby name? Though we haven't heard of any babies named for this frigid North Dakota city, it's certainly on the map of possibilities.

Jakarta, the name of the capital and largest city of Indonesia, is located on the island of Java. Both Jakarta and Java could make interesting and unusual choices for a girl.

Tessin is a German surname drawn from several places in or near the Mecklenburg region of northeastern Germany. Rare as a first name, it can work for boys or girls.

Unexplored Moroccan place name, conjuring up images of camels and palm trees and domed minarets.

The Egyptian city of Luxor was the ancient city of Thebes, at one time the capital of Ancient Egypt. The name derives from the Arabic term al-ʾuqṣur, meaning "the palaces" or "castles."

Originally the name of a town in northern England, Airton and common variant Ayrton have taken on lives of their own as first names in Portugal and Brazil. This version is closely associated with Brazilian soccer player Airton Ribeiro Santos.

More distinctive than Grace and more creative than Presley, Graceland is a contemporary name that could catch on with parents searching for a unique honorific.

Pronounced Bah-hah, this name of the Mexican peninsula attached to California makes for an out-of-the-ordinary possibility.

Also a dog breed

A southwestern city name that could make a distinctive alternative to Dallas.

A geographical name that does the samba...and was also borne by a Celtic saint: a winning combination. Well used in the Creole community.

Similar in sound to Meredith, this could be an interesting choice for parents looking for a unique name. Merri is an obvious and appealing nickname.