So we’ve had [name]Brooklyn[/name], [name]Bronx[/name], [name]London[/name], [name]Paris[/name]…and I don’t think the trend is ending any time soon. I was just wondering what was the next big place name and I remembered reading a biography of [name]Jane[/name] [name]Austen[/name] and she had an aunt named…[name]Philadelphia[/name]! Obviously dear [name]Jane[/name]'s aunt was before [name]Philly[/name], PA. So she must have been named after the place in the New Testament. (they’ve been doing place names for awhile)
I don’t know how I feel about it, I just thought it was interesting and that the Nameberries were sure to have some insight!
It has some pretty cute nn potential though.
[name]Philadelphia[/name] as a name really does predate [name]Philadelphia[/name] as a city. Biblical place names were occasionally used on children in those days, since Biblical names were fashionable. I kind of like [name]Philadelphia[/name] as a name myself. [name]Even[/name] though [name]Philadelphia[/name] is pretty, it might not work for everyone. I think [name]Della[/name] would be a good nickname for it.
I actually found [name]Philadelphia[/name] on numerous genealogies from [name]Jane[/name] [name]Austen[/name]'s time ([name]Jane[/name] [name]Austen[/name]'s own included), and was shocked to see it as a name. But then I got used to it. Some of the women were born before 1700, so the name is older than the city.
I’ve seen [name]Philadelphia[/name] used elsewhere. I checked the [name]Ellis[/name] Island immigration website and found at least 30 women named Filadelfia, the Italian form of the name. Most of these women came from southern [name]Italy[/name] (in particular, a lot seemed to come from southeastern [name]Sicily[/name]). Many Greek names see usage in Italian. This is due to the Greek influence. Some are quite common, but others are rather uncommon.
Overall, my view on [name]Philadelphia[/name] as a name is positive. I would like to see it used these days. (If you’re confused about the [name]Ellis[/name] Island website, it lists people who came to the US from the 1890s to the 1920s.)
My guess is that Biblical place names will be the next big thing. Some of them are quite cool.
[name]Canaan[/name]
[name]Galilee[/name]
[name]Jericho[/name]
[name]Shiloh[/name]
[name]Nazaire[/name] (French for [name]Nazareth[/name])
[name]Belen[/name] (Spanish for Bethlehem)
Some cool American state names that aren’t used very often but are ripe for picking.
[name]Alabama[/name]
Kansas
Nebraska
[name]Tennessee[/name]
Alaska
[name]Missouri[/name]
[name]Philadelphia[/name] had been named by 1701. Her aunt was born in 1730.[/quote]
Oh thanks for the insight! Still, wouldn’t you think [name]Austen[/name]'s family probably looked to the Bible not the New World for their daughter’s name?
and [name]Nazaire[/name] is so pretty looking! I like that isn’t the most accepted version of [name]Nazareth[/name].
I definitely think new place names will start to come out of the woodwork in the near future. I don’t see [name]Philadelphia[/name] becoming super popular for a few reasons- 1) It’s not really a place most people want to name their kid for ([name]Brooklyn[/name] is a “hip” place, [name]London[/name] & [name]Paris[/name] are chic- not saying there’s anything wrong with [name]Philly[/name] though) 2) it’s super long and 3) It doesn’t quite fit with other name trends. But, you never know, it could happen! I live in the Northeast and I would feel really weird naming my child [name]Philadelphia[/name]. Some other place names that I can see taking off:
[name]Boston[/name] - it ends in N and is already rising in popularity.
[name]Memphis[/name] - it has that cool, star-baby sound.
[name]Alabama[/name] - can lead to the ever popular [name]Allie[/name] nickname, plus Bam is kind of cute too.
[name]Sahara[/name] - fresher than [name]Savannah[/name], sounds like [name]Zahara[/name], but without the [name]Jolie[/name]-[name]Pitt[/name] connection.
[name]Cairo[/name] - sounds very modern and ends in “o”
[name]Aspen[/name] - fresh and unisex.
[name]Dublin[/name] - ends in “N” and I can see this being used to honor Irish heritage.
[name]Hudson[/name] - already really popular but I can see this in the top 50 soon, though I’m not sure everyone associates it as a place name.
[name]Raleigh[/name] - is very on trend sound wise.
[name]Roma[/name] - modern day [name]Florence[/name].
My favorite biblical place name is [name]Gilead[/name], which I don’t think was mentioned yet. I could see these taking off, but it would take something like a celeb using them (like the [name]Jolie[/name]-Pitts using [name]Shiloh[/name]) to get the trend started.
It’s funny you should mention using [name]Philadelphia[/name] as I name, because strangely it was one of my grandfather’s favorites. I’ve been debating [name]Philadelphia[/name] off and on, some days I like it, others not so much. But, I certainly think it could work! I especially like the idea of using [name]Delphie[/name] or [name]Della[/name] as a nickname. : )
I’m actually a big fan of unusual place names. [name]Tennessee[/name], [name]Alabama[/name], [name]Louisiana[/name], [name]Carolina[/name], [name]California[/name], Kansas, etc. Usually I like states more than cities, but [name]Philadelphia[/name] is an exception! I was born there!
I like:
[name]Ailsa[/name] - as in [name]Ailsa[/name] [name]Craig[/name], [name]Scotland[/name]
[name]Islay[/name] - an island in [name]Scotland[/name]
Asmara - city in Ethiopia, I think it’s pretty
Orissa - it’s a part of [name]India[/name]
[name]Tyne[/name] - river, I really like the sound
[name]Odessa[/name] - I’ve already seen it on a real-life person
[name]Arran[/name] - Scottish island, for a boy
[name]Bergen[/name] - town in Norway, lovely for a boy, [name]IMO[/name]
[name]Brecon[/name] - Welsh mountain range, for a boy
I used to want to name a daughter Annapolis (after Annapolis, Maryland.) It is still a guilty pleasure name. I also like [name]Lucca[/name] after [name]Lucca[/name], [name]Italy[/name].
Some other possibilities:
Bremen
[name]Boston[/name]
[name]Raleigh[/name] (love, but maybe too trendy)
[name]Vienna[/name]
[name]Danube[/name]/[name]Donau[/name] (after the river)
Rhine (also the river.)
Idk if these were mentioned before but I could see [name]Tucson[/name] and [name]Sedona[/name], both places in [name]Arizona[/name] being used as names.
When first became popular in my area, I about flipped a lid over [name]Cambria[/name]. Then it shot up in popularity and it seemed like every little girl around me was a [name]Cambree[/name] or [name]Cambria[/name]. My ex really loved it for a girl, actually. He’d of loved to have a little [name]Claudio[/name] and [name]Cambria[/name]'s running around.
I think biblical place names are getting big, like [name]Eden[/name]. I could see [name]Phoenix[/name] for boys and [name]Florence[/name] for girls, maybe.
We’re using it as a mn because of Coheed&[name]Cambria[/name] not [name]Cambria[/name], [name]CA[/name] though.