Place Names for Babies

This state name -- it comes from the Ute Indians -- has a strong but feminine sound.

The name of an island in the English Channel that might make an attractive first name, but would work better for a boy.

Valletta is the capital city of Malta. It takes on an air of attractiveness via model Amber Valletta and could make an appealing alternative to the somewhat dated Valerie.

Back in the 5th century, Gwynedd was a kingdom in northern Wales, though in modern times, it is both an unusual, unisex name and a Welsh county. For girls, it is more familiar in its modern form, Gwyneth or Gweneth.

The historic name for the south-west corner of Wales, deriving from the British tribe of the Demetae.

This is one place-name we'd put off-limits, for obvious reasons.

A minimalist choice, Uz is the Biblical home of Job. It's also the name of a character in the Bible, the father of Aram and the grandson of Shem, as is Uzziah. Uz is one of those names that could go either way depending on the personality of your child: super-cool or scuzzy. Proceed with caution.

The name of a port town in Maine, named after the birthplace of one of its founders Alexander Shapleigh, of Kittery Court, Devon, England.

Place name and surname that sounds a tad snooty.

Moorish region and city in Spain that makes a melodic and unusual first name.

Variant of Kendall

An unexplored choice, evocative of the snowcapped Andes, with a pleasant, catchy sound.

Iceland is a futuristic place name that works as well for babies as Ireland. We predict it's going to be one of the top baby names of 2050, along with other girl names that end in land, such as Scotland, Graceland, and Zealand.

This Canadian city name would make a unique but very wearable choice for a son or daughter. Cal is a good nickname — skip Gary.

Bardou is a bright-as-a-button name that despite its zippy, modern feel is actually as old as the earth.

An island off the coast of Florida makes an intriguing name choice. Sanibel was originally named Santa Isybella, after Queen Isabella of Castille, and was later shortened to San Ybel and eventually Sanibel. Would make a unique alternative to Annabel or Isabel.

An actual Hawaiian first name would convey the aura of the islands more originally and effectively.

Lacks the cachet of some newer place-names.

Ischia is an Italian island thought to be a derivative of the term "insula major", meaning "island par excellence."