Barring already established names like [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f], [name_f]Georgia[/name_f], [name_m]Paris[/name_m], [name_f]London[/name_f] etc. And controversial names like [name_f]India[/name_f]
But unexpected place names like [name_m]Memphis[/name_m], Tacoma, [name_m]Denver[/name_m], [name_m]Charleston[/name_m], [name_m]Tennessee[/name_m], [name_f]Louisiana[/name_f] etc. (sorry for lack of international names, US based here!)
Would you use a place name that you had no personal connection to?
I would! I have a place name myself, it’s a much more uncommon one though. [name_f]My[/name_f] parents met and then later got married there so it made perfect sense for them! Personally, I love the names [name_f]Venice[/name_f], [name_f]Vienna[/name_f] and Lucca/Luca and I have no personal connection to them, apart from the fact that I have been to [name_f]Venice[/name_f] on holiday. I would use them in a heartbeat and don’t see any reason not to!
I think so! I’ve always really liked the name [name_m]Denver[/name_m] but have no connection to the city. If I used it, though, it would be because I like the look and sound, and not in honor of the city or because it’s a place name, if that makes sense.
I personally wouldn’t do it, I just find it a little odd! I guess in your case with US cities it may be a bit less weird since they’re cities within your own country (although I personally still would just find it a little silly if I named my own child after a region of my country I have nothing to do with, like [name_f]Thessaly[/name_f] for example), but it becomes weirder when it involves an international location, especially one that you’ve never been to. It’s harmless (most times), it just seems odd to me!
I know several people who have or have given their child a a place name and it’s always a good conversation starter and fun to hear the back story. I even know a couple who named their child the name of the street they met on (Meade) Or someone who used a favorite landmark (Wrigley) for their son. And golf fans with a daughter named Augusta. I think it’s not uncommon in the USA so we are fairly used to it. It’s so vast with so many cities and landmarks etc that there’s a lot to choose from or be inspired by without it necessarily even being overtly obvious or avant garde. And then when you expand your options beyond those boarders there’s endless potential. People name their children after other people who have had meaning to them or positively affected them in some way, but physical locations can do this for us too or hold a lot of memories, so why not be able to honor it too. As long as the name brings you joy and doesn’t negatively affect the child, then it could be pretty cool and fun to have a place name I think! I love when I hear the not so obvious ones actually. It’s a great way to learn something new about a person or about their parents. I’m looking forward to hearing more replies on this genre.
Two of my children have a place name. With one I have a connection to the place, with the other the place itself doesn’t have a special significance to us but it’s the title of a song. But if I really liked a place name I have no connection to, I’d still use it.
Some place names I like but have no connection with: [name_m]Memphis[/name_m], [name_m]Athen[/name_m] / [name_m]Athens[/name_m], [name_f]Aberdeen[/name_f], [name_m]Oslo[/name_m], [name_m]Yosemite[/name_m], [name_f]Venice[/name_f], [name_m]Rome[/name_m], [name_f]Lucerne[/name_f]
I guess it depends how name-y it felt and other associations it has?
[name_m]Just[/name_m] using your examples, I would consider:
[name_m]Charleston[/name_m] (Charlie, [name_m]Charles[/name_m], dancing)
[name_m]Denver[/name_m] (Denny, the character in [name_f]Beloved[/name_f], similar to [name_m]Dexter[/name_m], [name_m]Dennis[/name_m], Declan),
[name_m]Tennessee[/name_m] (the writer, similarity to [name_f]Tess[/name_f], [name_f]Essie[/name_f], Tanner)
[name_f]Louisiana[/name_f] (Louise + Ana)
Tacoma and [name_m]Memphis[/name_m] (though I like it), I’m not sure on it.
For me it really depends. My family is Irish and a lot of Irish place and city names like Dublin, Cork and Belfast would be just very weird to have as a given name (from an Irish cultural perspective). Likewise in Great Britain, calling your child something like Manchester or Edinburgh would be odd. There’s just too many unwanted or negative connotations there. I would probably be more comfortable using the name of a place from a country whose culture I am less familiar with, because I’m less likely to have these negative associations (for example, Italian place names).
I think I would. If you use a name like that, it will become a strong personal connection for you and your kiddo, so I would just make sure to do some research about the place if it’s not one you are familiar with.
I love [name_m]Denver[/name_m] from your list. Others I love are [name_m]Montana[/name_m], [name_m]Kenai[/name_m], [name_m]Rhodes[/name_m] (not exactly [name_f]Rhode[/name_f] [name_m]Island[/name_m], but close), [name_m]Maine[/name_m], [name_m]Calgary[/name_m], [name_f]Geneva[/name_f], [name_m]Oslo[/name_m], [name_m]Raleigh[/name_m], and [name_f]Vienna[/name_f].