10 Baby Names Inspired by U.S. Cities

You might like the sound of a city’s name and choose it as a moniker for your newborn bundle of joy. It might have significance for you, or it might just have a great story behind it. For Los Angeles mom Sophia H. and her husband, it was all three.

“Our daughter is named Paris, but it’s not the city in France,” Sophia told Mom.com.

“She’s actually named after Paris, Texas, which is the name of our favorite movie and what we watched on our first date,” she explained, referencing the Wim Wenders arthouse film from the ’80s. “But we really liked the name Paris already, and it makes a great story because everyone always assumes she was named after Paris, France.”

Baby naming consultant Taylor Humphrey thinks that fg your baby after places or moments that have meaning to you can be a good option. “Inspecting the important areas of your life can inspire thoughtful name choices,” Humphrey told Today Parents.

“I recently worked with a client who had met and fallen in love with her husband one summer on a vacation in Parker Lake,” she explained. “They were looking for a unique, avant-garde-sounding name, and ultimately chose ‘Parks’ as the middle name for their son. When you know where to dig, and what to dig for, you will find all types of wonderful, hidden treasures.”

Here are some popular U.S. city names, according to the database on the Social Security Administration (SSA) website.

Popularity rank in the US: #617

Die-hard Red Sox fans and American Revolution aficionados, this name’s for you. Massachusetts’ capital city is known for its Irish population, passionate sports fans, palpable history, and killer seafood. It didn’t make the top 1,000 names for girls, but this name could be used for either gender.

Popularity rank in the US: #72 (girls)

Meaning: Broken land

Brooklyn isn’t in the top 1,000 names for boys, but David and Victoria Beckham chose this name for their son. It’s also the name of supermodel Brooklyn Decker, proving that this name is perfect for the genetically lucky. The New York borough’s name comes from the Dutch word “breukelen.”

Popularity rank in the US: #684 (girls)

Wyoming’s capital was named after an Algonquian tribe that lived in the area when the state was settled. It’s most commonly given to girls, though men — including famed Broadway star Cheyenne Jackson — can carry this name, too.

Popularity rank in the U.S.: #253 (boys), #645 (girls)

Meaning: Meadow dwelling

Growing up with this name, your child might be asked “Who shot J.R.?” long before he has any idea what that means. Before it was the setting of the nighttime soap and Cowboys headquarters, Dallas was a Scottish name and one of the few unisex names that’s not super popular right now.

Popularity rank in the US: #124

Meaning: James

Even on a bad day, San Diego’s a good place to be. This surfer’s haven got its name from an explorer who landed there in 1602 and named it after his favorite saint. Although Diego is often said to be equivalent to the name James in Spanish, this increasingly popular moniker isn’t exclusive to boys born of Latino heritage.

Popularity rank in the US: #694 (boys)

Meaning: Hugh’s town or village

It’s the largest city in Texas, home to major sports franchises, the hometown of Beyoncé, and the last name of the late, great Whitney (sniff). As a name, Houston — which was originally a Scottish surname — has a little something for everyone.

Popularity rank in the US: #442 (boys)

Memphis’ musical cred is rivaled by few other American cities. Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash lived and recorded there, as did countless other rock, country, and bluegrass artists. The city takes its name from the capital of ancient Greece. Today, the name is as cool and under-the-radar as some of the musicians who still flock there.

Popularity rank in the US: #251

Pay tribute to Music City by using a shortened version of Nashville. This name is strong and rugged. And if you’re a fan of the late ’90s buddy-crime show Nash Bridges, starring Don Johnson as the title character (hey, nobody’s judging), that’s just a bonus.

Popularity rank in the US: #317 (girls), #261 (boys)

If you’ve ever visited Phoenix during the summer, you know that it’s appropriate for this city to share its name with a bird that is consumed by flames. The phoenix always rises from the ashes, though, so this name is a powerful one for a child of either gender.

Popularity rank in the US: #76

Meaning: Grassy plain

Savannah is lush, charming, and just a little mysterious. This city’s name, which can be traced back to the word “zabana” used by the Taino people to describe grasslands, is as sugary and Southern as sweet tea.

Need more inspiration to name your baby after a U.S. city? These might fit the bill:

• Paris
• Alexandria
• Austin
• Bronx
• Cali
• Charlotte
• Jackson
• Lexington
• Orlando
• Raleigh
• Valencia