I’ve been thinking about place names today and I have a couple of questions if you feel like answering them! No pressure to answer all of them!
If you were to use a place name, would you want to have a connection of some kind with the place or would you be happy to use it because because you like the sound or meaning? Would this very much depend on the name?
What are your favourite place names? They can be as well-known or obscure as you like, from mainstream, unusual, to purely guilty pleasure, from real places to legendary, mythical or historical!
What middle or first names would you give to any of the names on my place name list below? No need to do all of them unless you want to - just whichever inspire you or that you like!
I wouldn’t want a place name near me like the name of the state I liked in or a major city in my state. I think that would be strange for the human with the name. I tend to like place names for the sound or with mythical place names the image they evoke.
[name_f]My[/name_f] favorite place names are [name_f]Avalon[/name_f], [name_f]Eden[/name_f], [name_m]Brighton[/name_m], [name_m]Dresden[/name_m], [name_f]Thessaly[/name_f], [name_f]Odessa[/name_f], and [name_m]Hastings[/name_m].
[name_m]Five[/name_m] names from your names: [name_f]Waverly[/name_f] [name_f]Auretta[/name_f], [name_m]Brighton[/name_m] [name_f]Bloom[/name_f], [name_f]Florence[/name_f] [name_f]Estelle[/name_f], [name_f]Thessaly[/name_f] [name_f]Briar[/name_f], [name_f]Elsinore[/name_f] [name_f]Leona[/name_f]
For me, most of the place names I like because of their sound/look, and it’s more of a coincidence that they’re also places. However, if they weren’t places, maybe I’d find the names more “out there”/less familiar and then wouldn’t like them as much, as I tend to like more familiar names? It’s hard to say. But for your specific question I’d say no, I don’t need any personal connection to the place to like a place name - in fact, I’m totally neutral on the actual places of most place names I like.
For girls, the ones coming to mind that I like are [name_f]Georgia[/name_f], [name_f]Virginia[/name_f], [name_f]Eden[/name_f], [name_f]Brooklyn[/name_f], [name_f]Carolina[/name_f], [name_f]Florence[/name_f], [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f], [name_f]Joliet[/name_f], [name_f]Victoria[/name_f], [name_f]Petra[/name_f], [name_f]Adelaide[/name_f], [name_f]Alaska[/name_f], [name_f]Olympia[/name_f], [name_f]Augusta[/name_f], [name_f]Savannah[/name_f], [name_f]Arizona[/name_f], [name_f]Sydney[/name_f], [name_f]Abilene[/name_f], and [name_f]Alberta[/name_f]. For boys, [name_m]Denver[/name_m], [name_m]Dallas[/name_m], [name_m]Santiago[/name_m], [name_m]Rainier[/name_m], [name_m]Cairo[/name_m], [name_m]Austin[/name_m], [name_m]Memphis[/name_m], and [name_m]Houston[/name_m] come to mind. As you can probably tell, most of them (especially for girls) are well-established as names, often totally separate from being a place name. I’m sure there are more I like as well that just aren’t coming to mind at the moment.
@Dragonrescuer I get that - I do think it would be odd to named near a place right near to you! [name_f]Avalon[/name_f], [name_f]Thessaly[/name_f], [name_m]Dresden[/name_m], [name_f]Eden[/name_f] and [name_f]Odessa[/name_f] are lovely and I’m really enjoying [name_f]Waverley[/name_f] [name_f]Auretta[/name_f], [name_f]Thessaly[/name_f] [name_f]Briar[/name_f] and [name_f]Elsinore[/name_f] [name_f]Leona[/name_f].
@EagleEyes ooh that’s an interesting point about the names feeling more out there without the grounding quality of being a place name - I guess without being a place, something like [name_m]Brighton[/name_m] or [name_f]Bristol[/name_f] might feel odd as a name choice.
[name_f]Joliet[/name_f], [name_f]Petra[/name_f], [name_f]Florence[/name_f], [name_f]Alaska[/name_f], [name_f]Olympia[/name_f], [name_f]Savannah[/name_f], [name_f]Abilene[/name_f], [name_m]Rainier[/name_m], [name_m]Memphis[/name_m] and [name_m]Denver[/name_m] as all very cool!
Also loving: Carisbrooke [name_m]George[/name_m], [name_m]Brighton[/name_m] [name_m]Felix[/name_m], [name_f]Adelaide[/name_f] [name_f]Vita[/name_f], [name_f]Astoria[/name_f] [name_f]Lilac[/name_f], [name_f]Abilene[/name_f] [name_f]Rose[/name_f], [name_m]Caspian[/name_m] [name_m]Rupert[/name_m]. [name_m]Elias[/name_m] Alum, [name_f]Hazel[/name_f] [name_f]Geneva[/name_f] , [name_f]Iona[/name_f] [name_f]Ruby[/name_f], [name_m]Denver[/name_m] [name_m]Isaac[/name_m], [name_f]Maisie[/name_f] [name_f]Lourdes[/name_f], [name_f]Nina[/name_f] [name_f]Clovelly[/name_f], [name_m]Yves[/name_m] Rookley, [name_f]Amaya[/name_f] [name_f]Soledad[/name_f], [name_m]Orlando[/name_m] [name_m]Tomas[/name_m], [name_f]Avalon[/name_f] [name_f]Lucy[/name_f], [name_m]Nolan[/name_m] [name_m]Everest[/name_m], [name_f]Sasha[/name_f] [name_f]Villette[/name_f], [name_m]Edgar[/name_m] Salinus, [name_m]Arthur[/name_m] Bembridge, [name_m]Nevis[/name_m] [name_m]Gideon[/name_m], [name_m]Tristam[/name_m] [name_m]Fife[/name_m], [name_m]Samson[/name_m] Lulworth, [name_f]Kinvara[/name_f] [name_f]Lucille[/name_f], and [name_f]Elsinore[/name_f] [name_f]Sveva[/name_f]
Yes, I don’t think I’d use a place name if I had no connection to it at all. Two of my children have a place name (one as a first and one as a middle) and there’s a connection with both of them. But I wouldn’t want it to be something too obvious, like where they were born or let alone conceived. I prefer the connection to be more subtle. I have a soft spot for place names and to most of those I have no connection at all, so I’d never actually use those. I just like them.
Some of my favorites are: [name_m]Athens[/name_m] / [name_m]Athen[/name_m], [name_f]Aberdeen[/name_f], [name_m]Oslo[/name_m], [name_f]Venice[/name_f], [name_m]Memphis[/name_m], [name_f]Bethlehem[/name_f], [name_m]Rome[/name_m], [name_m]Oxford[/name_m], [name_m]Nazareth[/name_m], [name_m]Arbel[/name_m], [name_m]Glasgow[/name_m], [name_m]Fife[/name_m] & [name_m]Limerick[/name_m]
I imagine that could lead to some very awkward conversations with some curious children
[name_m]Athens[/name_m], [name_m]Oslo[/name_m], [name_f]Venice[/name_f], [name_m]Memphis[/name_m], [name_m]Oxford[/name_m], [name_m]Nazareth[/name_m], [name_m]Fife[/name_m] and [name_m]Arbel[/name_m] are very cool!
I would personally want a connection to the place but if not I wouldn’t mind it seeming like a node to someone in my family. The exception for me would be [name_m]Caspian[/name_m] since I just love the name and I also don’t think of it much as a place name! As for family names, one of my great grandma’s was named [name_f]Theresa[/name_f]. I love the idea of using [name_f]Thessaly[/name_f] as a way to honour her
Besides [name_f]Thessaly[/name_f] and [name_m]Caspian[/name_m], some other place names I like that have meaning to me are [name_f]India[/name_f], [name_f]Kenya[/name_f] and [name_f]Geneva[/name_f]. I also love [name_f]Vienna[/name_f] and [name_f]Florence[/name_f] for a girl and [name_f]Loire[/name_f] for a boy (even though I’ve heard it more used for girls.) I would consider [name_f]Geneva[/name_f] for a first or middle name for a future daughter, but I think I would leave [name_f]India[/name_f] and [name_f]Kenya[/name_f] for a future fur baby
I’m terrible at coming up with combos because I get way too stressed trying to come up with good ones so I’m going to leave that. I love your list though! There’s so many good names in there
Wait Truro from where? Nova Scotia or in the UK? I want to hope it’s from the UK?
Summary
Because my connection with Truro in my province is very run down, filled with gloom and hard drugs. Like it’s normal for teens to just do hard drugs because that’s all there really is to do with no infrastructure for other activities. It’s tragic but it’s my association to the name-so I think for anybody in the Maritimes it wouldn’t be a good association to the name.
So perhaps wanting associations and connections with the name depends on the actual location that you chose the name from, and or if there are any negative connotations that people in the community have for a town or city of the same name nearby.
It’s the same with Windsor here.
Its kind of why I really like Oslo as a name and I really want to do lots of things in Norway but I’m also scared if I went to Oslo that it may or may not ruin the name for me so I guess having or wanting a connection to the place name depends on personal experiences with a town or city of said name
I really love Rio, Oslo, and Alexandria as place names. I’m on the fence with Ireland but it’s slowly making it’s way to my heart, I didn’t like it at first though but it has a soft comforting and strong charm to it.
Another one I love is Corsica and Aspen! And Jackson and Austin of course, but I feel like people don’t think of them as a place names since they’ve been so established and popular in many countries.
I keep editing to add more names sorry But lately I’ve been in love with Grenada it hits a sweet spot of place names for me, unique, but beautiful
Last edit I think Auckland could be a potential candidate for a boys name!
Waverly Magnolia,
Memphis Wilber
Avalon Acacia
Bristol Gwyneth
Oslo Levi /Oslo Finneas
Cherith Valentina
I did mean from the UK That is so interesting - [name_f]Windsor[/name_f] has kind of posh vibes here, whereas Truro is a cathedral city - tbf, I’ve never been there, and just like the sound - which I guess feeds into the questions as you say, because what might have bad associations for some, might just sound good to someone else? I feel similar when people mention [name_f]Sutton[/name_f] or [name_m]Kingston[/name_m], maybe even [name_f]London[/name_f] - they’re place names in my head and not ones I’d want to honor
[name_m]Oslo[/name_m], [name_f]Alexandria[/name_f] and [name_f]Rio[/name_f] are good ones - and [name_f]Corsica[/name_f]! (my mum met a [name_f]Corsica[/name_f] recently!) [name_f]Grenada[/name_f] is charming too!
If I were to use a place name, I would prefer to have some kind of connection to the name, but that doesn’t necessarily have to be a direct connection to the place. [name_m]Just[/name_m] using a place name for its sound or vibe would feel random to me, unless it’s already also established as a given name. I must admit that just for fun I do like to browse through an atlas and pick geographical names that could work as human names (or as pet names!).
[name_f]My[/name_f] favourite place names are [name_f]Athene[/name_f] (Athens), [name_f]Verona[/name_f] and Rijn (Rhine).
i wouldn’t use a place name exactly bc of this reason! name meanings are so important to me, and if it’s not my fav place in the world i don’t think i could use the name even if i love it. i do love rio but i don’t connect it to rio de janeiro. since my main language is spanish, the word itself is my first association.
most of these are guilty pleasures but cairo, milan, memphis, paris, india, sienna, vienna, atlanta, europa, america, oceania, janeiro, jamaica, amazonia, alaska & everest
It’s a plus for me if there is a connection, but I don’t necessarily need one. The only times I would really avoid a place name is if I live close or there’s a high likelihood my child would move there or if the place feels politically fraught / appropriative for me to use.
Yes! this is so fun
[name_f]Athene[/name_f], [name_f]Verona[/name_f] and Rijn are so lovely! Is Rijn said differently to Rhine?
[name_m]Loving[/name_m] the clunky cool [name_f]Helga[/name_f] [name_f]Elsinore[/name_f], the sweet [name_m]Floris[/name_m] Mitihian, the cool [name_m]Caspian[/name_m] [name_m]Max[/name_m], and lovely [name_f]Thessaly[/name_f] [name_f]Soraya[/name_f]
that makes sense - and with [name_f]Rio[/name_f] too! I do wonder at what point a place name becomes just a name - and how that differs because of associations!
[name_m]Cairo[/name_m], [name_m]Milan[/name_m], [name_m]Memphis[/name_m], [name_f]Oceania[/name_f], Janeiro, [name_f]Alaska[/name_f] and [name_m]Everest[/name_m] are lovely - and Amazonia is cool; I remember thinking it would be a cool (though GP) middle
that’s an important consideration - I wonder if having the name would put someone off going/moving somewhere or encourage them to go instead!
Swansea (never though of this one before - so cool), [name_f]Kiska[/name_f], [name_m]Zealand[/name_m], and [name_f]Avonlea[/name_f] are lovely!
[name_m]Loving[/name_m] Carisbrooke [name_f]Emily[/name_f], [name_m]Everest[/name_m] [name_m]Auden[/name_m], [name_f]Waverley[/name_f] [name_f]Anya[/name_f] and [name_f]Elsinore[/name_f] [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f]
, [name_f]Iona[/name_f] [name_f]Ruby[/name_f], [name_m]Denver[/name_m] [name_m]Isaac[/name_m], [name_f]Maisie[/name_f] [name_f]Lourdes[/name_f], [name_f]Nina[/name_f] [name_f]Clovelly[/name_f], [name_m]Yves[/name_m] Rookley, [name_f]Amaya[/name_f] [name_f]Soledad[/name_f], [name_m]Orlando[/name_m] [name_m]Tomas[/name_m], [name_f]Avalon[/name_f] [name_f]Lucy[/name_f], [name_m]Nolan[/name_m] [name_m]Everest[/name_m], [name_f]Sasha[/name_f] [name_f]Villette[/name_f], [name_m]Edgar[/name_m] Salinus, [name_m]Arthur[/name_m] Bembridge, [name_m]Nevis[/name_m] [name_m]Gideon[/name_m], [name_m]Tristam[/name_m] [name_m]Fife[/name_m], [name_m]Samson[/name_m] Lulworth, [name_f]Kinvara[/name_f] [name_f]Lucille[/name_f], and [name_f]Elsinore[/name_f] [name_f]Sveva[/name_f]
so I guess having or wanting a connection to the place name depends on personal experiences with a town or city of said name
it hits a sweet spot of place names for me, unique, but beautiful 
