Uncommon Place Names for Girls
- Calgary
Origin:
Canadian place nameDescription:
A familiar Canadian city name that could easily translate to use as a baby name. Cal and Callie are potential nickname options.
- Cambria
Origin:
Place-nameDescription:
Most names that start with Cam- are on the upswing, so why not this obscure term for Wales as well as for a prehistoric time period.
- China
Origin:
Place-nameDescription:
Long before the current place-name craze, a pair of the more daring pop singers of the Age of Aquarius picked this name for their daughters. Jefferson Airplane's Grace Slick used the conventional spelling, the Mamas and the Papas's Michelle Phillips went further afield with Chynna (of the group Wilson Phillips).
- Corsica
Origin:
Place-nameDescription:
Corsica, the picturesque Mediterrean island birthplace of Napoleon, makes an easy switch from atlas to baby name book, with its delicate, feminine ending. Just don't consider neighboring island Sardinia.
- Cuba
Origin:
Place-name, AfricanMeaning:
"where fertile land is abundant, great place; born on Wednesday"Description:
Cuba Gooding Jr. notwithstanding, this sounds better for girls.
- Cambray
- Canberra
- Caria
- Catania
- Claremont
- Cordova
- Dacia
Origin:
Latin place-nameDescription:
Dacia is an ancient place-name -- it was in Eastern Europe -- as lacy as Dacey, but more substantial.
- Dallas
Origin:
Place name, surnamed and IrishMeaning:
"skilled"Description:
A name with a bit of glamor but also cowgirl vibes, Dallas entered the US Top 1000 for girls in 1992. It fell out of style during noughties, but reappeared in 2012 when other gender neutral names like River, Sawyer, Rowan, and Blake were also climbing fast.
- Denali
Origin:
Place-name and Native AmericanMeaning:
"the great one"Description:
Alaska's Denali National Park is the home of the highest mountain in the US, officially renamed Denali in 2014, endowing the name with a lofty feel. Twice as many girls as boys were given the name in 2021, but the gender gap is closing.
- Denver
Origin:
English or French place-name and surnameMeaning:
"green valley or from Anvers"Description:
Yet another creative character name from Toni Morrison, Denver was a daughter of Sethe's in the novel Beloved. Today Denver is most familiar as the name of the largest city in Colorado, used almost equally for girls and boys.
- Devon
Origin:
English place-nameDescription:
This spelling of Devon, as opposed to Devin or Devan, makes it a pretty and popular British place-name, evoking the beautiful county of farmlands and dramatic seascapes and moors in southwest England. A stylish ambi-gender name particularly well used in the early nineties, Devon remains an attractive option--though be aware that at this point in time, it is used more frequently for boys.
- Ellora
- Ennis
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"from the island"Description:
Irish town names are now fair game -- as are most other places with connections to Ireland -- but are much better suited to boys.
- Everest
Origin:
Place-name, world's tallest mountainDescription:
Everest has an attractive enough sound and lofty enough meaning to come into style, à la Sierra. George Lucas bestowed this aspirational name on his baby daughter.
- Emden