Place Names for Babies

A noveau place-name and surname combo.

For sailors or jazz lovers. Or smokers of menthol cigarettes.

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

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.

Lindus or Lindos was one of the most important towns in ancient Rhodes. Lindus also was the native place of Cleobulus, one of the Seven Sages of Greece.

A city name that sounds more legit than most because of its similarity to Peyton and other such names in circulation.

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

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

Wild, lovely place in western Ireland makes wild, lovely name.

This name of Angola's capital city has occasionally been used for baby girls.

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

Cool tropical Latin word name.

With so many other places translating to first names, why not this major Japanese city -- especially if it holds some personal significance.

Place-name that suggests the highest heights and carries a hippyish aura.

Columbia is a rarely used name with many associations. From the eighteenth century it has been used as a female personification of the United States, often appearing as a flag-draped patriotic figure. And as such it's inspired a plethora of place and company names, from the District of Columbia to Columbia University to Columbia Records, and songs like "Columbia, Gem of the Ocean." A character called Columbia appears in The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Popular etymology derives this West African country's name from the Wolof words sunu gal, "our canoe". It's an appealing image, of a nation of people all in the same boat. Some country names have taken off as baby names, but this one, not yet.

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.

A fun, unexpected way to honor your home state or a Mary in your life. As geographical girl names such as Ireland, Scotland, and Oakland slowly rise up the charts, Maryland could be a future favorite.