Are you looking for inspiration for your child’s name? Do you want them to feel well-traveled and worldly right from the moment they are born? Naming your child after a place can give them an exotic flair or a sense of home, depending on the city you choose.
Some of the best American places to name your baby after are Brooklyn, Austin, Phoenix, Arizona, and Lincoln. For more exotic names, choose a foreign place like Nairobi, Sakura, Florence, Sicily, or Petra. You can also choose the names of natural places, like Everest, Sierra, Savannah, and Sahara.
Read on to get a complete list of 102 beautiful places to name your baby after. Whether you choose one of the names on this list or not, you’ll gain a little insight into each name and some inspiration of which names you love–or don’t.
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is a famous borough of New York City that lies across the East River from Manhattan. The city of Brooklyn was named after Breukelen, a Dutch village.
Paris
The city of love and romance will always hold a special place in the hearts of those who’ve visited and those who’ve only ever wished to do so. Paris, France, is a beautiful name for a girl or boy.
Austin
Austin is the state capital of Texas and is often touted for its rich music and cultural scene. The lively city also has plenty of parks and lakes, and a nearby Formula One racetrack makes this name an all American tribute.
Chelsea
Chelsea is an area of London, England, bordering the River Thames. The district has been known for its role in pop culture and serving as home to artists throughout the ages, such as Oscar Wilde, The Beatles, and The Rolling Stones.
Madison
This name is popular throughout the US, as 28 states each have a city named Madison.
Aspen
Aspen, Colorado, is a popular skiing destination for visitors from around the world. The picturesque town is settled high in the Rocky Mountains, offering winter sports in the cold seasons and brilliant hiking, rock climbing, and mountain biking in the summer.
Adelaide
The coastal city of Adelaide lies just northeast of Kangaroo Island, in Australia. The metropolis is known for its museums, seafood, and rich wine culture.
Raleigh
Raleigh is the capital city of North Carolina and is known for its universities, oak trees, and is a prosperous place to live.
London
London, the city that will always be imitated, never replicated. London, England, holds a vast amount of history for people worldwide with its influence on arts, culture, law, finance, tourism, and development.
Victoria
While many people think Vancouver is the capital of British Columbia, it is the city of Victoria that holds the title. Named for Queen Victoria, the idyllic city is located on an island off the west coast of Canada and is famous for being a snow-free location in the northern country.
Rome
The Ancient city of Rome has been around for almost three thousand years and has been crucial to the development and urbanization of human life.
Sydney
Sydney, another coastal city in Australia, is known for its graceful skyline consisting of the climbable Sydney Harbor Bridge and the Sydney Opera house.
Asia
The most populous continent on earth, Asia, has risen in popularity as a name, usually used for females and sometimes spelled Asa, or Aja.
Arizona
The southwest state of Arizona contains the breathtaking Grand Canyon, and the name means “small spring.”
Dakota
North and South Dakota are also states in the US, named for the Dakota people. In the language of the Dakota people, the name means “ally” or “friend.”
Savannah
While Savannah is a richly cultured city in Georgia, it is also a natural ecosystem. The word refers to a grass/woodland where the trees grow too far apart to create a canopy.
Dallas
Dalla is a city in northern Texas.
Florence
A city in Central Italy, Florence has been home to many artists and still contains some of the most notable works of Renaissance-era art and architecture.
Geneva
Geneva is the second-highest populated city in Switzerland.
Camden
Camden is a city just outside of Sydney in Australia. Camden Town is also another popular borough of London, England.
Georgia
The state of Georgia is known for its biodiversity, its sweet state-grown fruits, including peaches, and its significance in the civil rights movement.
Sahara
The impressive Sahara desert covers most of North Africa, making it the world’s largest hot desert.
Helena
Helena is a city in Montana, and the name means shining light.
India
Exotic and culture-rich, India is an elegant name for females popular in the US.
Alexandria
This is the name of the second-largest city in Egypt, on the picturesque Mediterranean coastline.
Juno
Throughout America, four states have a city named Juno, including Georgia, Tennessee, Washington, and Texas.
Jackson
Dozens of cities throughout the world carry the title “Jackson,” which makes sense given its popularity as a surname for hundreds of years.
Israel
Israel is a country in the middle east and is considered by Christians, Muslims, and Jews to be the “Holy Land.”
Milan
The fashion capital of Italy, Milan, is famous for its fine dining, fashion, and nightlife.
Jersey
Short for New Jersey, this name makes a nod to the state between New York and the Atlantic Ocean.
Kenya
Kenya is a coastal country in Western Africa. Kenyan is a popular variation for males.
Aurora
The gorgeous light show in the sky known as the northern lights is properly called Aurora Borealis. Aurora is also a city in Ontario, Canada.
Lincoln
Lincoln is the capital city of Nebraska, named after Abraham Lincoln.
Cheyenne
Another capital of a state, Cheyenne, belongs to Wyoming.
Daytona
Daytona Beach in Florida is home to the famous Daytona International Speedway, where the most prestigious race in NASCAR takes place, the Daytona 500.
Phoenix
A vibrant city in Arizona, Phoenix is home to plenty of night clubs, golf courses, and luxury spas.
Sicily
Sicily is an autonomous region of Italy and lies just off the “toe of the boot,” referring to Italy’s shape. Fine wine and rich pasta sauces are staples of this largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.
Jordan
Jordan is a historical country in Western Asia, serving as a home to humans since the Paleolithic Era.
Petra
Speaking of Jordan, Petra is a city of prominence in the country, being a feat of architecture and archaeology. The city is carved into a cliffside of Pink Sandstone, containing caves, temples, and tombs.
Catalina
Santa Catalina Island lies southwest of Los Angeles and is renowned for being a natural yet luxury getaway from busy LA life.
Columbus
Columbus, the most populous city in Ohio, is known for successful sporting teams, science centers, and universities.
Kingston
Kingston is the capital city of Jamaica, where it has been an epicenter for trade, economy, and culture for the region.
Berlin
Stay ahead of the curve and name your child after the capital of Germany, where the Berlin Wall came down in 1961.
Diego
Short for San Diego, a southern city in California.
Francisco
Short for San Francisco, a central-northern city in California.
Devon
Devon is a county in England with an idyllic coastline, mild climate, and a well-loved tradition of afternoon tea with scones, known as the Devonshire Cream Tea.
Kent
There are many Kent’s throughout the world, from Kent, Michigan, to Kent, South East England, and Kent, British Columbia.
Laredo
Laredo is a city in southern Texas that touches the Mexican border.
Wyatt
Wyatt is a very small town on the southeastern point of Missouri. Only 319 people lived there in the 2010 census.
Zurich
The largest city in Switzerland is Zurich, famous for its secure banks and prosperous financial district.
Montana
Montana is a biologically diverse state in the USA, which stretches from the Great Plains to the epic Rocky Mountains.
Ireland
This name needs no explanation, and naming your child after this island in the lush British Isles will surely bring them a touch of Irish luck.
Hudson
It is named for the Hudson River, which runs north to south through the state of New York. It originates in the awe-inspiring Adirondack mountains and finishes in a bay between New York City and Jersey City.
Paxton
Paxton is a city in Illinois that was named in 1859 after a prestigious architect, Sir Joseph Paxton.
Wyoming
Wyoming is the most spacious state in the US when it comes to population and population density.
Nairobi
This beautiful name is referring to the largest city in Kenya.
China
The culture-rich country of China has grown in popularity as a first name for girls.
Everest
Everest is the highest mountain above sea level and is sure to give your child a sense of adventure and courage from day one.
Kailua
Kailua is a picturesque town on the east coast of the Hawaiian island, Oahu.
Orlando
This city in Florida rules over Orange County, where theme parks, tourism, and performing arts are highly regarded.
Ferrara
Ferrara is a city in northern Italy, known as a point of inspiration for artists, poets, and architects alike.
Hola
Hola is a quaint town in Kenya with a busy market and an agricultural irrigation infrastructure.
Odessa
Odessa is a port city in Ukraine on the shores of the Black Sea. The name Odessa is both mysterious and alluring, with old-world splendor.
Bali
This province of Indonesia is a must-visit spot for sun-seekers around the world. Bali is an island that boasts white sand beaches, historic temples, volcanic ranges, and pristine waters.
Denver
Denver, Colorado, is a starting point for many outdoor adventurers heading to the nearby Rocky Mountains. It is also popular for local craft breweries, the music scene, and professional chefs.
Houston
Houston is the third city in Texas to make this list, and it seems the state has a knack for coming up with visually and orally appealing names.
Genoa
Genoa is the birthplace of Christopher Columbus, who was a Maritimer that did the city justice by exploring the world’s waterways and found the Americas by accident.
Jakarta
Jakarta is Indonesia’s capital and has epic nightlife, tourist attractions, and is a common starting-off point for many travels through Southeast Asia.
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital city of Finland. The epic architecture, Finnish saunas, and cultural museums make this a gracious namesake for a boy or girl.
Islay
Islay is the south-most island off the west coast of Scotland. The postcard place is famous for its smokey, peaty whiskeys like Bruichladdich and Ardnahoe.
Kyoto
Kyoto is a Japanese city home to a multitude of Buddhist temples, traditional gardens, and festivals.
Manila
Manila is the Philippines’ capital and has a diverse culture with many influences from the past 300 years. The city shows a mixture of Spanish colonial buildings, contemporary architecture, and significant Filipino institutions.
Oslo
Norway’s capital is Oslo, and a city with plenty of green spaces, museums, and ski jumps.
Olympia
Olympia is a city in Greece, near the historic site of Olympia where the oldest Olympic games took place.
Rio
Rio, as in Rio de Janeiro, is a massive city in Brazil. This location is known for its 125-foot Statue of Jesus, called “Christ the Redeemer,” its lively Carnival festival, and the 2.5 miles long Copacabana beach.
Africa
Straight to the point, this name is exotic and familiar at the same time.
Congo
Another name related to Africa, Congo, refers to two countries that border the Congo River.
Tundra
Instead of referring to any one place, tundra is a type of geographical location where flora growth is impeded by cold temperatures, short springs, and harsh soil. Tundras have a quiet power, and the lack of trees allows for legendary views and landscapes.
Sierra
Sierra Leone is a country on the coast of West Africa. Sierra is also Spanish for mountain or mountain range.
Alaska
Alaska is the northernmost state in the US, with access to many natural resources like Pacific and Atlantic fishing, bison, and epic landscapes.
Caspian
Named after the Caspian Sea, the world’s largest landlocked water body is often called the world’s largest lake.
Persia
Persia was part of an ancient region of modern-day Iran, and it contributed significantly to the culture of the Iranian people.
Acadia
Acadia was a colony of New France in the Northeastern part of North America. It contained parts of Quebec, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Maine.
Cameron
Cameron is a small town in Missouri that is the inspiration for names of men and women alike.
Blair
There are multiple cities in the US with Blair, but that makes it no less special of a name.
Nicola
Nicola Valley is a small grassland valley in British Columbia that also borders on the gorgeous Nicola Lake.
Flint
Flint is a city in Michigan, a state in the USA. Flint has been used as both a surname and a first name and is closely related to Flynn and Finn.
Ogden
Ogden is north of Salt Lake City in Utah. Ogden famously homed speakeasies during the prohibition era and is now known for shopping and dining.
Quincy
Quincy is a city in Massachusetts that borders Massachusetts Bay in the Atlantic Ocean.
Tyler
Tyler, yet another city in Texas, has been a popular name for boys for years. Use is for your daughter to put an edgier spin on the name.
Madrid
Madrid is Spain’s capital and is known for populous boulevards where shopping, dining, and “being seen” are all a key part of the culture.
Domingo
Short for Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, is a sunny destination for travelers. Domingo also means “Sunday” in Spanish.
Valletta
Valletta is the capital of the Mediterranean Island of Malta, where wine, desserts, and beaches reign supreme.
Nicosia
Nicosia is the capital of Cyprus, an island country near Greece. The name is foreign and romantic, having an upper-class ring to it.
Monaco
Monaco is a city on the French Riviera near Italy and boasts sunshine, wine, and style as its staples.
Havana
Havana is the main city and epicenter of Cuba, another island country with sandy beaches, vigorous nightlife, and healthy tourism.
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British colony that lies on the Southernmost tip of Spain.
Athens
The largest city in Greece, Athens was named for Athena, the Greek goddess of war.
Venice
Venice lies in northeastern Italy and is well-known for its lack of roads. Instead of pavement, the city’s main transportation is by boat and traveling along the many canals that run through the buildings.
Riga
Riga is the capital of Latvia. While it is not necessarily famous in the US, Riga is an aesthetically pleasing city with a rich history of its people.
Sakura
Sakura is a city in Japan, where it means “cherry blossom.” Sakura festivals are extremely culturally important in Japan. The brief blooming of the cherry trees fills the city in the spring, and people from around the world gather to absorb the splendor.
Summary of Places To Name Your Baby After
There are so many marvelous words globally; it seems a shame not to take advantage of them when naming your child. Select any of the names on this list of 101 places to name your baby after, and you’ll give your child a sense of belonging, no matter where they go.
