Favorite or unusual place names for girls
Trying to brainstorm more unusual place names than London, Paris, Georgia, or even Eden and Ireland. Any suggestions?
Also, dont feel limited to cities or countries. I'm really liking Élysée and Elsinore right now (as in the Champs and the Hamlet locale).
Also, dont feel limited to cities or countries. I'm really liking Élysée and Elsinore right now (as in the Champs and the Hamlet locale).
Replies
My favorite is probably Nyssa!
I'm a racing fan thus explaining Daytona.
Pomona
Daytona
Pomona
Daytona
Firenze
Vienna
Sahara
Adelaide
Jamaica
Columbia
India
Juno
Lima
Kenya
Jordan
Eritrea
Athens
Vienna
Sahara
Adelaide
Jamaica
Columbia
India
Juno
Lima
Kenya
Jordan
Eritrea
Athens
Elsinore -- wheeeee! Nn Elsie?
Sorry for any repeats (stock combos in parenthases):
Connemara (Connemara Inez)
Montserrat
Petra (Petra Vivien)
Bristol (Bristol Meredith)
India (India Christabel, India Mirabel)
Ife ("EE-fay," ancient Nigerian city)
Kenya
Philadelphia (Philadelphia Ruth)
Avonmore (Avonmore Kate)
London (London Isabella)
Devon (Devon Elizabeth)
Olympia (Olympia Delphine)
Columbia (Columbia Joan)
Arden (Do literary forests count?)(Arden Valeria "vah-LEHR-ee-uh")
Clare (Clare Siobhan)
Erin (Erin Cathleen)
Europa (if that counts)(Europa Gervaise)
There are other place names that I can't quite see as a fn, but they work wonderfully well in combos like:
Alice Bantry
Gabriela Kinsale
Julia Braemar
Tovah Seychelles
Bronwen Hibernia
Diana Lismore
Anna Tralee
Sorry for any repeats (stock combos in parenthases):
Connemara (Connemara Inez)
Montserrat
Petra (Petra Vivien)
Bristol (Bristol Meredith)
India (India Christabel, India Mirabel)
Ife ("EE-fay," ancient Nigerian city)
Kenya
Philadelphia (Philadelphia Ruth)
Avonmore (Avonmore Kate)
London (London Isabella)
Devon (Devon Elizabeth)
Olympia (Olympia Delphine)
Columbia (Columbia Joan)
Arden (Do literary forests count?)(Arden Valeria "vah-LEHR-ee-uh")
Clare (Clare Siobhan)
Erin (Erin Cathleen)
Europa (if that counts)(Europa Gervaise)
There are other place names that I can't quite see as a fn, but they work wonderfully well in combos like:
Alice Bantry
Gabriela Kinsale
Julia Braemar
Tovah Seychelles
Bronwen Hibernia
Diana Lismore
Anna Tralee
This message was edited 3/26/2013, 12:32 PM
I've always loved the hypothetical sister set of Verona and Ravenna.
I also like Sézanne a lot.
I'm in transport and I come across loads of beautiful place names that would work as well as names, examples I can think of right now (mainly from France & Germany):
Romilly
Chantilly
Fleury
Avallon
Vallée (not really a place name, but hypothetically fun to consider :P)
Hassel
Kassel
Marlen
Basel
Halle
I also like Sézanne a lot.
I'm in transport and I come across loads of beautiful place names that would work as well as names, examples I can think of right now (mainly from France & Germany):
Romilly
Chantilly
Fleury
Avallon
Vallée (not really a place name, but hypothetically fun to consider :P)
Hassel
Kassel
Marlen
Basel
Halle
Sorry for repeats! I haven't read the other replies yet.
Vulcanos:
Teide -- Tenerife, Canary Islands
Etna -- Italy
Hekla -- Iceland
Katla -- Iceland
Surtsey -- Iceland
Eyjafjallajökull -- Just kidding ;)
Greek islands:
Irakleia -- Also called Heraclea.
Kea
Nikolos
... Many Greek place names could work as names IMO.
Ancient cities:
Alexandria
Troy or in Swedish: Troja
Pompeii
Olympia
Pella
Other:
Nicaea -- Latin for Nice.
Tigris -- A river.
Euphrates or in Swedish: Eufrat -- A river.
I can't think of many male sounding place names.
I might be back with more later...
Vulcanos:
Teide -- Tenerife, Canary Islands
Etna -- Italy
Hekla -- Iceland
Katla -- Iceland
Surtsey -- Iceland
Eyjafjallajökull -- Just kidding ;)
Greek islands:
Irakleia -- Also called Heraclea.
Kea
Nikolos
... Many Greek place names could work as names IMO.
Ancient cities:
Alexandria
Troy or in Swedish: Troja
Pompeii
Olympia
Pella
Other:
Nicaea -- Latin for Nice.
Tigris -- A river.
Euphrates or in Swedish: Eufrat -- A river.
I can't think of many male sounding place names.
I might be back with more later...
This message was edited 3/26/2013, 6:46 AM
Tenerife has always intrigued me, as a word / name. I think it's the "reef" sound in it. I find it very alluring. I'm not sure if I would put it on a boy or a girl. Neat to consider it. Thanks for reminding me. :-)
Great list!
Great list!
Geneve- French for Geneva.
What about Sanibel? I saw it recently, and it looks and sounds a bit like Isabel, but still different. I haven't decided about it yet.
Neenah for Nina? It's a Wisconsin city, sounds the same.
Nicea- I found 2 in my family tree.
What about Sanibel? I saw it recently, and it looks and sounds a bit like Isabel, but still different. I haven't decided about it yet.
Neenah for Nina? It's a Wisconsin city, sounds the same.
Nicea- I found 2 in my family tree.
This message was edited 3/26/2013, 5:37 AM
I love it when children are named for places that were particularly significant to their parents, and am always on the look out for names that come from the places I love. I am not sure that I would feel comfortable using a place name unless I had spent time there. I imagine naming your child, and later discovering that the place did not sit well with you...
Chaing Mai - I've never seen it used, but I think Chaing Mai would work. And since I love the town with its river cafes, ancient temples and walled moats, the name feels poetically beautiful while being relaxed.
Lhasa - I taught a girl named Lhasa once. Here father had spent a number of years living and working in Tibet. She was a smart, spunky, will-strong little spirit who would suddenly display maturity and compassion beyond her age, so the name has taken on these characteristics for me.
Acadia and Camden- Girls I went to university with who were named for places in Maine.
Ravenna (Ravenna Woods) and Elliott (Elliott Bay) are young girls I have met named for places around Seattle.
I also thing Malaysa & Andorra are workable.
Chaing Mai - I've never seen it used, but I think Chaing Mai would work. And since I love the town with its river cafes, ancient temples and walled moats, the name feels poetically beautiful while being relaxed.
Lhasa - I taught a girl named Lhasa once. Here father had spent a number of years living and working in Tibet. She was a smart, spunky, will-strong little spirit who would suddenly display maturity and compassion beyond her age, so the name has taken on these characteristics for me.
Acadia and Camden- Girls I went to university with who were named for places in Maine.
Ravenna (Ravenna Woods) and Elliott (Elliott Bay) are young girls I have met named for places around Seattle.
I also thing Malaysa & Andorra are workable.
I love it when children are named for places that were particularly significant to their parents, and am always on the look out for names that come from the places I love. I am not sure that I would feel comfortable using a place name unless I had spent time there. I imagine naming your child, and later discovering that the place did not sit well with you...
Chaing Mai - I've never seen it used, but I think Chaing Mai would work. And since I love the town with its river cafes, ancient temples and walled moats, the name feels poetically beautiful while being relaxed.
Lhasa - I taught a girl named Lhasa once. Here father had spent a number of years living and working in Tibet. She was a smart, spunky, will-strong little spirit who would suddenly display maturity and compassion beyond her age, so the name has taken on these characteristics for me.
Acadia and Camden- Girls I went to university with who were named for places in Maine.
Ravenna (Ravenna Woods) and Elliott (Elliott Bay) are young girls I have met named for places around Seattle.
I also thing Malaysa & Andorra are workable.
Chaing Mai - I've never seen it used, but I think Chaing Mai would work. And since I love the town with its river cafes, ancient temples and walled moats, the name feels poetically beautiful while being relaxed.
Lhasa - I taught a girl named Lhasa once. Here father had spent a number of years living and working in Tibet. She was a smart, spunky, will-strong little spirit who would suddenly display maturity and compassion beyond her age, so the name has taken on these characteristics for me.
Acadia and Camden- Girls I went to university with who were named for places in Maine.
Ravenna (Ravenna Woods) and Elliott (Elliott Bay) are young girls I have met named for places around Seattle.
I also thing Malaysa & Andorra are workable.
Sorry for sounding like Ms Know-All, but it's Chiang Mai and Malaysia.
I also know a woman from Maine named Castine, after one of the coastal towns. (pronounced cass-teen).
Never go to Nineveh... I heard that place has a bad reputation.
Sorry, this was supposed to be under original post!
I like Honiara and Taormina for a girl. Honiara is the capital of Solomon Islands and Taormina is a beautiful town in Sicily.
Other place names that could serve as proper names:
Alexandria
Annecy
Avila
Barletta
Bronte (a town in Sicily)
Chania
Constanta
Derry
Evora
Geneva
Hamilton
Havana
Jericho
Kandy
Lhasa
Lima
Manila
Medina
Merida
Mirissa
Morelia
Olinda
Padova (Padua)
Salamanca
Sevilla
Siena
Sintra
Sirmione
Tirana
Valencia
Valletta
Varna
Verona
Vienna
I like Honiara and Taormina for a girl. Honiara is the capital of Solomon Islands and Taormina is a beautiful town in Sicily.
Other place names that could serve as proper names:
Alexandria
Annecy
Avila
Barletta
Bronte (a town in Sicily)
Chania
Constanta
Derry
Evora
Geneva
Hamilton
Havana
Jericho
Kandy
Lhasa
Lima
Manila
Medina
Merida
Mirissa
Morelia
Olinda
Padova (Padua)
Salamanca
Sevilla
Siena
Sintra
Sirmione
Tirana
Valencia
Valletta
Varna
Verona
Vienna
This message was edited 3/26/2013, 1:27 PM
I've seen Verona used- they're in the obits when I've seen them, though.
Cyrene does sound like it should be a name!
Yeah, I think so too, and Lydda and Alinda.
Eden is pretty!
Virginia is not particularly unusual, but I've always liked it. (A cousin of my mom's is Virginia Claire, which I find absolutely beautiful.) Same for Savannah.
Avon
India
Brooklyn (I like -lyn names too much.)
Rouen
Jericho is cool, but would have to be a boy's name.
Virginia is not particularly unusual, but I've always liked it. (A cousin of my mom's is Virginia Claire, which I find absolutely beautiful.) Same for Savannah.
Avon
India
Brooklyn (I like -lyn names too much.)
Rouen
Jericho is cool, but would have to be a boy's name.
I've always liked Jericho for a boy or girl. Canaan is kind of cool for a boy. A GP of mine is Alaska- I think it's sweet with the nn Allie.
Also, Tribeca (actually TriBeCa I suppose) has always sounded like a name to me, since it's so similar to Rebecca. Not that I care for it myself.
ETA: I also have a soft spot for Italian city names- I think they make wonderful names for people. Some I like are: Rome/Roma, Genoa/Genova, Firenze, and Montesilvano (GP).
Also, Tribeca (actually TriBeCa I suppose) has always sounded like a name to me, since it's so similar to Rebecca. Not that I care for it myself.
ETA: I also have a soft spot for Italian city names- I think they make wonderful names for people. Some I like are: Rome/Roma, Genoa/Genova, Firenze, and Montesilvano (GP).
This message was edited 3/25/2013, 8:01 PM
Berlin. I think it makes a great place name.
Always really been into Odessa.