Whether it’s the place you currently reside, somewhere you lived in the past, a favorite vacation spot or somewhere you’ve always wanted to visit, there’s a good chance there are a few spots in the U.S. that hold a certain significance to you. Naming your child after a magical place held so close to your heart gives her a great story to share for the rest of her life.
At MooseRoots, we compiled a list of city, state and county names that are now being used as first names. We then ranked these from least to most popular using Social Security Administration data from 2014 (the most recent year). You probably have a few favorite place ideas of your own, but this list will help ensure you don’t inadvertently overlook a strong contender.
The name you give your child is the way he’ll be identified forever, so you want to choose something very special. Keep reading to learn what the most popular baby names inspired by famous American places are, and to see if any are the right fit for your little one on the way.
#28. Washington
Only 13 baby boys in the U.S. were named Washington in 2014, earning it the rank of 6,563. The name of the state, the nation’s capital and the first president of the U.S. is currently trending way down.
#27. Raleigh
Raleigh is an unusual male name that has enjoyed steady popularity across decades. It was most common in 1891, when it was the 349th most popular name for baby boys. In 2014, it ranked No. 1,459, as just 111 newborn boys were named Raleigh.
#26. Montana
The name Montana is very unusual and is declining in popularity. Only 124 newborn girls were given the name in 2014, earning it the rank of 1,694.
#25. Bronx
If you’re looking for an uncommon name for your son, Bronx could be a great choice. Only 127 baby boys were named Bronx in 2014, which made it the 1,345th most popular name.
#24. Denver
Denver is a male name that means “crossing, Dane, ford.” It was most popular during the 1920s, when it had an average rank of 456. Over the last decade, it has seen a slight decline in popularity, with a 2014 rank of 1,052 and only 187 boys named Denver.
#23. Eugene
The name Eugene means “noble, well-born” and has been borne by a number of early saints, a 5th-century bishop of Carthage, a 7th-century bishop of Toledo, and four popes. It reached peak popularity in 1920 as the 20th most common male name, but has since trended way down, ranking No. 790 in 2014.
#22. America
If you’re looking for a patriotic name to give your daughter, it doesn’t get much more on-point than America. It has been trending way down in popularity over the last decade, as it was the 410th most common name for baby girls in 2002. In 2014, a total of 323 female newborns were named America, earning it the rank of 846.
#21. Dayton
Dayton was most common in the 2000s, when it had an average rank of 516. Over the last decade it has seen a slow decline in popularity, ranking No. 702 in 2012, with just 345 baby boys named Dayton.
#20. Orlando
Orlando is a form of the male name Roland, and is the name of the hero in Shakespeare’s comedy “As You Like It.” Over the last decade, this Italian name has experienced a significant drop in popularity, ranking just No. 558 for baby boys born in the U.S. during 2014.
The biggest year for the name Orlando was 1975, when held the rank of 246.
#19. Virginia
The name Virginia was given to the first American child with English parents, who was born in Roanoke, Va., in 1587. It was the seventh most common name for female newborns during the 1920s, but has since seen a sharp decline in popularity.
In 2014, Virginia ranked No. 581 for baby girls in the U.S., with just 519 given the name.
#18. Helena
Helena is the Latinate form of Helen. It is of Greek origin and ranked No. 502 in popularity for female newborns in the U.S. during 2014.
In 2014 the name Helena was also the 74th most popular name for baby girls in Spain, 107th in Norway and 64th in Iceland.
#17. Chandler
Chandler means “candle” and was originally the name for a craftsman who made and sold candles. In 2014, it ranked No. 420 for male newborns in the U.S., which is a notable decline from when it was the 151st most common name in 1999.
#16. Carolina
The name Carolina is a form of Caroline, and is typically considered to be a reference to North and South Carolina. A total of 779 baby girls in the U.S. were named Carolina during 2014, giving it the rank of 407.
Carolina also made the top 200 list in Spain in 2014.
#15. Aspen
Aspen is a female name mainly derived from the U.S., which originally denoted a beloved tree with quivering leaves. The name’s prevalence is also thought to be influenced by the trendy ski town in Colorado.
Aspen was the 397th most common name for baby girls born in the U.S. during 2014, and has seen steady popularity.
#14. Phoenix
The name Phoenix is currently the most popular it’s ever been, earning a rank of 355 for male newborns in the U.S in 2014.
It is derived from a mythological bird that is said to reincarnate from its ashes upon dying. The state capital of Arizona is thought to have been given the name because tracings of ancient indigenous dwellings were found in the area and the new settlement represented a fresh start on the site.
#13. Dakota
Dakota is a female name that is currently trending up. A total of 1,136 baby girls were given the name in 2014, earning it a rank of 285.
In 2014, it was also the 192th most common name in Northern Ireland.
#12. Trenton
If you want to give your son a name with New Jersey roots, Trenton could be a great choice. The name is based on the city in the Garden State, which was originally called Trent’s Town.
In 2014, it earned the rank of 305, with 1,143 baby boys in the U.S. named Trenton.
#11. Georgia
The Latinate name Georgia is the female form of George, and was the name of famed artist Georgia O’Keefe and a 5th-century saint. It is currently trending up in the U.S., and was the 243th most common name for baby girls born during 2014.
Georgia also made the top 200 lists in Ireland, England and Wales, Scotland, New Zealand, and Northern Ireland in 2014.
#10. Dallas
Named for the surname of George Mifflin Dallas — the man the Texas city is named for —Dallas has English and Scottish origins, and was most popular in the 1930s, when it had an average rank of 263. It has been trending up over the last decade, and was the 268th most common name in 2014.
#9. Francisco
The name Francisco is the equivalent of Francis, and is sometimes used as a reference to the California city. It is of Spanish and Portuguese origin, and was the 232th most common name for male newborns in the U.S. during 2014.
Francisco was also the 44th most popular name is Spain in 2014.
#8. Diego
Diego is a male name of Spanish origin. It has seen steady popularity in the U.S. and earned the rank of 129 in 2014.
Since 2012, Diego has also made the top 200 list in Belgium, Switzerland, Spain and Italy.
#7. Lincoln
This local name from the city of Lincoln means “lake, settlement” and is thought to pay homage to President Abraham Lincoln. It has been more popular than ever over the last few years, earning the 2014 rank of 87, with 4,785 baby boys in the U.S. named Lincoln.
#6. Savannah
If you want your daughter’s name to have Southern roots, Savannah could be a great option, as it is thought to be derived from the Georgia and South Carolina cities. In 2014, it ranked No. 39 for baby girls born in the U.S., with 5,433 named Savannah.
The name also made the top 200 lists in England and Wales in 2013, and New Zealand in 2014.
#5. Austin
Austin is the medieval form of the Latin name Augustinus. Despite its 2014 rank of 66 for male newborns, the name has been slowly declining in popularity over the last decade in the U.S.
In recent years Austin has made the top 200 lists in England and Wales, Scotland, New Zealand, and Northern Ireland.
#4. Brooklyn
Brooklyn is thought to pay tribute to the New York City neighborhood, which was originally named Breukelen by Dutch settlers. In 2014 it was the 26th most popular name for baby girls in the U.S., and its current trending up.
It was also the 73rd most popular name in New Zealand in 2014.
#3. Charlotte
The French name Charlotte is the female form of Charles. Over the last few years, it has been more popular than ever in the U.S., and was the 10th most common name for baby girls in 2014.
This name is also very popular internationally, and since 2012 it has made the top 200 lists in Belgium, Ireland, England and Wales, Scotland, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, and Norway.
#2. Madison
Madison is derived from the medieval woman’s name Madde — a short form of Madeleine or Maud — and rose to popularity in the U.S. as a tribute to President James Madison. It has been trending down over the last decade, but was still the ninth most popular name for female newborns in the U.S. in 2014.
Since 2013, the name has also made the top 200 lists in Ireland, England and Wales, Scotland, New Zealand, and Northern Ireland.
#1. Jackson
The name Jackson originally meant “son of Jack,” but has also been used in the U.S. to honor President Andrew Jackson, Confederate General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson and painter Jackson Pollock. It is very popular in the U.S., earning the 2014 rank of 17, with a total of 12,121 baby boys given the name.
Jackson has also made the top 200 lists in England and Wales, Scotland, New Zealand, and Northern Ireland in recent years.
