Unique Place Names for Babies

From the name of the river which flows through Pakistan, India, and Tibet.

Most parents would prefer London for their daughters.

With other mountainous names on the rise, such as Everest, Summit, and Monty, Alps could be a cool, rugged option and serve as an alternative for Ace, Alvin, or Atlas.

Strong, spare, and highly unusual -- there were no babies recorded of either gender receiving this name in one recent year -- place-name referring to the northernmost state in New England. All state names qualify as distinctly American names.

This geographical name with Iroquois roots has a lot going for it: a strong sound, a vigorous o ending, and -- a quality prized today -- rarity.

A Puritanical virtue name and also a place name, belonging to the state capital of Rhode Island and several other towns and cities in the US.

Place-name mentioned in the New Testament and not yet on the name map. Philadelphia Thursday was the character played by Shirley Temple in John Ford's 1948 "Fort Apache."

Barra is a Gaelic-speaking island in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland, that’s been inhabited since the Neolithic era. A male nickname for Finbarr in Ireland, as well as a stand-alone name, Barra was used by George R.R. Martin as a girl’s name. It means ‘fair-haired’.

Kauai is known as the Garden Isle of Hawaii. Ironically, it qualifies as a baby name based on spelling variation and homonym Kawhi, as in basketball star Kawhi Leonard.

Quito is a place-name (it's the capital of Ecuador) with lots of lively energy--as long as it's pronounced correctly.

Volcano name for an active, bubbly child -- but be careful -- volcanoes do erupt.

Rhythmic name with both religious and geographical ties, commonly heard in Latin countries.

Madeira is an island off Morocco where the wine comes from. Despite the alcohol association, Madeira has a gorgeous sound.

One of several fascinating names used in Charlaine Harris's Midnight, Texas books and the NBC adaptation thereof, Fiji is a pleasingly quirky place name that's been little used for babies. Though it has been used quite a lot for fancy bottled water, we don't think it quite qualifies as a water name.

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

Judea — also spelled Judaea — is a mountainous region in the Middle East historically part of Jerusalem, that is significant in religions like Judaism and Christianity. As Jude and Judah dominate in the charts, and fresh Biblical place names like Jericho and Galilee feel stylish as ever, Judea holds a lot of potential.

Lovely, international, tea-scented possibility undiscovered by baby names.

After Dallas, Austin, and Houston, the new cowboy on the block. Old-school Western nickname: Tex.

Maybe if you spent your honeymoon there. We did say maybe. Bermuda was used in the 17th century, such as Bermuda Rolfe.

A pleasant and adaptable place name for a part of Tel Aviv.