ABNEY (Settlement) EnglishFrom the Old English given name
Abba combined with
eg "island". This is the name of a town in Derbyshire.
AFGHANISTAN (Country) Pashto, Arabic, Urdu, Indian, Hindi, English, German, Dutch, French, ItalianFrom Pashto
افغانستان (Afghanistan), from the Persian ethnic name
افغان (Afkhan) meaning "Afghan, Pashtun" combined with the Persian suffix
ستان (stan) meaning "land of". This is the name of a country in central Asia.
ALBANIA (Region & Country) Late Roman, English, Spanish, ItalianMedieval Latin name for the region that was once occupied by the Illyrian tribe called Albanoi. This is the name of a country in the Balkans.
ALGIERS (Settlement) EnglishFrom Arabic
الجزائر (al-Jaza'ir) meaning
"the islands". This is the name of the capital city of
Algeria, so named because of the islands in its bay.
AMERICA (Region & Country) English, Italian, Romanian, Late RomanFrom the name of the explorer
AMERIGO Vespucci (1451-1512). This is the name of two continents (North and South America). As well, it is commonly used to refer to the United States of America.
ANGOLA (Country) Portuguese, English, Spanish, French, Italian, German, DutchPortuguese form of
Ngola, the royal title of the kings of Ndongo, an African kingdom that was conquered by the Portuguese in the 17th-century. It was a Portuguese colony until 1975, when it became an independent country.
ANNESLEY (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
anne "alone, solitary" and
leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of a town in Nottinghamshire.
ANSLEY (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
ansetl "hermitage" and
leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of a town in Warwickshire.
ANTWERP (Settlement) EnglishFrom Dutch
Antwerpen, meaning uncertain, perhaps from Dutch
werf meaning
"wharf". This is the name of a city in Belgium.
APPLEBY (Settlement) EnglishDerived from Old English
æppel "apple" and Old Norse
býr "farm, settlement". This is the name of towns in England.
APPLETON (Settlement) EnglishDerived from Old English
æppeltun "orchard". This is the name of towns in England.
ARGENTINA (Country) Spanish, English, Portuguese, Italian, Russian, Czech, Croatian, Serbian, Swedish, Norwegian, DanishFrom Latin
argentinus meaning
"silvery", a derivative of
argentum meaning "silver". This is the name of a country in South America, arising from a Latinized form of Spanish
Río de la Plata meaning "river of silver".
ARMENIA (Country) English, Spanish, Italian, Romanian, Greek, Norwegian, Ancient Roman, Ancient Greek, Ancient PersianFrom Greek
Αρμενια (Armenia), which was from Old Persian
Armina, which is itself probably of Armenia origin. This is the name of a country in the Caucasus region, called
Hayastan in Armenian.
ASHLEY (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
æsc "ash tree" and
leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of various towns in England.
ASHUR (Settlement & Region) English, Arabic, Persian, AkkadianFrom Akkadian
𒀸𒋩 (Assur), meaning unknown. This was the capital city of the Assyrian Empire, supposedly named for the god
Ashur, though the god was in fact probably named for the city. The empire, Assyria, was also named for it. The city was destroyed in the 14th century by the forces of Tamerlane.
... [more] ASHWORTH (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
æsc "ash tree" and
worþ "enclosure". This was the name of a town in Lancashire.
ASSISI (Settlement) Italian, English, GermanFrom Latin
Asisium, which is of unknown, possibly pre-Latin, origin. This is the name of a city in central Italy.
ASTON (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
east "east" and
tun "enclosure, yard, town". This is the name of many towns in England.
ATHENS (Settlement) EnglishFrom Ancient Greek
Αθηναι (Athenai), meaning unknown, probably from a pre-Greek language. The Greek goddess
ATHENA was probably named for the city, not vice versa. Athens is a city in eastern Greece, emerging as a powerful city-state in the classical period. It has been the capital of the modern country of Greece since 1834.
AUDLEY (Settlement) EnglishMeans
"EALDGYÐ's clearing" in Old English. This is the name of a village in Staffordshire, England.
AYTON (Settlement) EnglishDerived from Old English
ea "river" or
eg "island" combined with
tun "enclosure, yard, town". This is the name of towns in Berwickshire and North Yorkshire.
BABYLON (Settlement) English, German, Dutch, Biblical, Ancient Roman, Biblical Latin, Ancient Greek, Biblical GreekGreek form of Akkadian
𒆍𒀭𒊏𒆠 (Babili), which appears to mean
"gateway of God", from Akkadian
𒆍 (babu) meaning "gate" and
𒀭 (ilu) meaning "God", though it may in fact derive from a non-Semitic language. This was the name of a major city in ancient Mesopotamia, the capital of the Babylonian Empire. It was located in present-day Iraq.
BAGLEY (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
bagga "bag, badger" and
leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of various towns in England.
BARDSLEY (Settlement) EnglishFrom the Old English name
BEORNRÆD and
leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of a village near Manchester.
BAVARIA (Political Subdivision) English, Late RomanFrom Late Latin
Baiovarii, the name of a Germanic tribe, named after an earlier Gaulish tribe the
Boii. This is the name of a state in Germany (called
Bayern in German).
BEESLEY (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
beos "bent grass" and
leah "woodland, clearing". This was the name of a hamlet or farm in Lancashire, England.
BEIJING (Settlement) Chinese, EnglishFrom Chinese
北 (běi) meaning "north" and
京 (jīng) meaning "capital city". This is the name of the capital of China.
BELGIUM (Country) EnglishFrom Latin
BELGICA, a province in the Roman Empire. Since 1830 this is the name of a country in western Europe. Dutch and French are the main spoken languages.
BELIZE (Country & River) English, Italian, Portuguese, German, DutchFrom Spanish
Belice, earlier
Balis, from the name of the Belize River, which may itself be from Mayan
beliz meaning
"muddy water". This is the name of a country on the Atlantic coast of Central America.
BENTLEY (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
beonet "bent grass" and
leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of several English towns.
BENTON (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
beonet "bent grass" and
tun "enclosure". This is the name of towns in England.
BERGAMO (Settlement) Italian, EnglishFrom Latin
Bergomum, possibly from a Celtic word meaning
"mountain". This is the name of a city in northern Italy.
BETHLEHEM (Settlement) English, BiblicalMeans
"house of bread" in Hebrew, from the roots
בַּיִת (bayit) meaning "house" and
לֶחֶם (lechem) meaning "bread". This is the name of a city in Palestine. It appears in the both the Old Testament and the New Testament, notably as the town where
Jesus is born.
BEVERLEY (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
beofor "beaver" and (possibly)
licc "stream". This is the name of a city in eastern England.
BLACKBURN (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
blæc "black" and
burna "stream". This is the name of a city in Lancashire, England.
BLAKESLEY (Settlement) EnglishFrom the Old English byname
Blæcwulf "black wolf" combined with
leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of a city in Northamptonshire.
BLIDWORTH (Settlement) EnglishFrom the Old English byname
Blīþa "happy, blithe" and
worþ "enclosure". This is the name of a town in Nottinghamshire, England.
BLOXHAM (Settlement) EnglishFrom the Old English byname
Blocca and
ham meaning "home, homestead". This is the name of a town in Oxfordshire.
BOHEMIA (Region) English, Spanish, Late RomanFrom Latin
Boiohaemum, from the name of the Gaulish tribe the
Boii combined with Germanic
heim "home". This is the name of a historical region within the Czech Republic. The region is called
Čechy in Czech, while the country is called
Česko.
BOLOGNA (Settlement) Italian, English, GermanFrom Latin
Bononia, possibly derived from a Celtic word meaning
"settlement". This is the name of a city in northern Italy.
BRADFORD (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
brad "broad" and
ford "ford, river crossing". This is the name of a city in West Yorkshire, as well as several other towns.
BRADLEY (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
brad "broad" and
leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of several towns in England.
BRAZIL (Country) English, Croatian, SerbianFrom the name of a type of tree, called
pau-brasil in Portuguese (
brazilwood in English). It may ultimately derive from Portuguese
brasa meaning "ember". This is the name of a country in South America.
BRISTOL (Settlement) EnglishName of a city in southwest England, derived from Old English
Brycgstow meaning
"the site of the bridge".
BRITAIN (Region) EnglishFrom
Britannia, the Latin name for the island of Great Britain, the land of the Britons. It derives from the name of the Britons, recorded in Greek in the 4th century BC as
Πρεττανικη (Prettanike), and reconstructed as Proto-Brythonic *
Priteni, possibly meaning "tattooed people".
BRITTANY (Region) EnglishFrom
Britannia (see
BRITAIN). This is the name of a region in northwestern France, so called because many Britons settled there after the fall of the Western Roman Empire. It had earlier been called
Armorica. In the Middle Ages it was sometimes called
Britannia Minor to distinguish it from the island of Great Britain. In French, both the island and the region are called
Bretagne.
BRODIE (Settlement) EnglishProbably from Gaelic
broth meaning
"ditch, mire". This is the name of an estate and castle in Moray, Scotland.
BROOKLYN (Settlement) EnglishName of a borough of New York City, originally derived from the Dutch town of
Breukelen meaning either
"broken land" (from Dutch
breuk) or
"marsh land" (from Dutch
broek).
BUCKLEY (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
bucc "buck, male deer" and
leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of a few minor towns in England.
BULGARIA (Country) Late Roman, English, Spanish, ItalianFrom the name of the Turkic tribe of the Bulgars, possibly from a Turkic root meaning "mixed". This is the name of a country in southeastern Europe.
BURNHAM (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
burna "stream, spring" and
ham "home". This is the name of several towns in England.
BURTON (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
burg "fortress, castle" and
tun "enclosure". This is the name of several English towns.
CAIRO (Settlement) EnglishFrom Arabic
القاهرة (al-Qahirah) meaning
"the victorious", in honour of the conquering Fatimid caliph al-Mu'izz li Din Allah (932-975). This is the name of the capital city of Egypt.
CANADA (Country) English, French, Italian, Dutch, Danish, NorwegianDerived from the Iroquoian word
kanata meaning
"village". This word was used by Native Americans to direct French explorer Jacques Cartier to Stadacona. Cartier used the word to refer to the region.
CARLISLE (Settlement) EnglishOriginally called by the Romans
Luguvalium meaning
"stronghold of LUGUS". Later the Brythonic element
ker "fort" was appended to the name of the city. This is the name of a city in Cumbria in northern England.
CARPATHIANS (Region) EnglishFrom Latin
Carpates, possibly related to the Dacian tribe of the
Capri, maybe derived from an Indo-European root meaning
"rock, cliff". This is the name of a mountain range in eastern Europe stretching from
Slovakia to
Romania.
CASTILE (Region) EnglishFrom Spanish
Castilla, ultimately from Late Latin
castellum meaning
"castle". This was the name of a medieval kingdom in Spain.
CATALONIA (Region) EnglishFrom Catalan
Catalunya, of uncertain meaning, possibly from Latin
castellum "castle" or
Gauthia Launia "land of the Goths". This is the name of a region in eastern Spain.
CATHAY (Country) EnglishFrom Old Turkic
Khitai, the name of a people who ruled northern China as the Liao dynasty from the 10th to 12th century, also called the Khitan people. This is an archaic English synonym for
China.
CAWSTON (Settlement) EnglishFrom the Old Norse given name
KÁLFR combined with Old English
tun meaning "enclosure, yard, town". This is the name of towns in Norfolk and Warwickshire.
CHAD (Body of Water & Country) English, SpanishFrom Arabic
تشاد (Tshad), derived from a Kanuri word meaning
"lake, large expanse of water". This is the name of a lake in central Africa, as well as the country that is named after it. The lake also borders Niger, Nigeria and Cameroon.
CHADWICK (Settlement) EnglishMeans
"village belonging to CHAD" in Old English. This is the name of towns in Lancashire and Warwickshire.
CHELSEA (Settlement) EnglishOriginally derived from Old English and meaning
"landing place for chalk or limestone". This is a district in London.
CHESHIRE (Region & Political Subdivision) EnglishShortened form of
Chestershire, a combination of
CHESTER and
shire.
CHESTER (Settlement) EnglishFrom Latin
castrum meaning
"camp, fortress". This is the name of a city in Cheshire, England.
COCKBURN (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
cocc "rooster" and
burna "stream". This was the name of a town in Berwickshire, Scotland.
COLOGNE (Settlement) French, EnglishFrench form of Latin
Colonia, shortened from
Colonia Agrippina meaning "colony of Agrippina", named after the wife of Emperor Claudius. This is the name of a city in western Germany.
COLTON (Settlement) EnglishMeans "
COLA's town" in Old English. This is the name of several English towns.
COLUMBIA (Region, Settlement, Political Subdivision & River) English, Italian, SpanishNamed after the explorer Christopher Columbus, called
Cristoforo Colombo in Italian (see the surname
COLOMBO). This is the name of several cities in the Americas (including the District of Columbia, also called Washington D.C.), and a river in Canada and the United States. It is also a name used historically to refer to the New World.
CONGO (River & Country) English, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, DanishFrom
Kongo, of uncertain origin, the name of a kingdom in central Africa that existed from the 14th to 19th century. The Congo River (also called the
Zaire River) was named after the kingdom. Belgian and French colonies were established in the 19th century, named after the river, which eventually led to two African countries, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire) and the Republic of the Congo.
CRAWFORD (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
crawe "crow" and
ford "ford, river crossing". This is the name various small towns in England.
CROATIA (Country) English, Late RomanFrom Croatian
Hrvatska, from medieval Slavic
Khorvatu, of unknown meaning. This is the name of a country in the Balkan region of southeastern Europe.
CYPRUS (Island & Country) English, DutchFrom Greek
Κυπρος (Kypros), which may get its name from the cypress tree (Greek
κυπαρισσος). This is the name of an island country in the eastern Mediterranean. Although considered one nation by most other countries, the northern part of the island is occupied by Turkish forces and claims independence.
CZECHIA (Country) EnglishEnglish form of
ČECHY (via Polish
Czechy), used as an alternative name for the Czech Republic (and not as a name for
Bohemia).
CZECHOSLOVAKIA (Country) EnglishCombination of
CZECHIA and
SLOVAKIA. This was the name of a country that existed between 1918 and 1993, at which time it split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
DANUBE (River) EnglishFrom Latin
Danubius, from Indo-European
Danu, probably meaning
"river, water". This is the name of a river that flows east through Europe to the Black Sea.
DEBEN (River) EnglishMeans
"deep" in Old English. This is the name of a river in Suffolk.
DEBENHAM (Settlement) EnglishFrom the Old English river name
DEBEN combined with
ham meaning "home, homestead". This is the name of a town in Suffolk, on the River Deben.
DELHI (Settlement) EnglishFrom Sanskrit
दिल्ली (Dilli), possibly from
देहली (dehali) meaning
"threshold", or possibly from the name of a 1st-century BC king. This is the name of a large city in northern India, which includes the district of New Delhi, the Indian capital.
DENMARK (Country) EnglishFrom Danish
Danmark, derived from the ethnic name
Dane, which is possibly from Germanic
den meaning "low ground", combined with
mark meaning "borderland". This is the name of a country in northern Europe.
DERBY (Settlement) EnglishMeans
"deer farm" in Old Norse. This is the name of a city in England.
DEVON (Political Subdivision) EnglishFrom the name of the Dumnonii, a Celtic tribe. This is the name of a county in England.
DUDLEY (Settlement) EnglishMeans
"DUDDA's clearing" in Old English. This is the name of a city in the West Midlands, England.
EATON (Settlement) EnglishDerived from Old English
ea "river" and
tun "enclosure, yard, town". This is the name of several English towns.
ENGLAND (Country) English, German, Swedish, Danish, NorwegianFrom Old English
Englaland meaning
"land of the Angles", the Angles being one of the Germanic tribes that settled in the area in the post-Roman period.
ESSEN (Settlement) German, EnglishFrom older
Astnide, possibly a derivative of Old High German
asc meaning
"ash tree". This is the name of a city in Germany, founded in the 9th century.
ETHIOPIA (Country) EnglishFrom Greek
Αιθιοπια (Aithiopia), derived from
αιθω (aitho) meaning "to burn" and
ωψ (ops) meaning "face", referring to the skin colour of the inhabitants. This is the name of a country in eastern Africa.
EWART (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
ea "river" and
worþ "enclosure". This is the name of a town in Northumberland, England.
FARNHAM (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
fearn "fern" and
ham "home" or
ham "water meadow, enclosure". This is the name of several towns in England, notably in Surrey.
FLANDERS (Region) EnglishFrom Middle Dutch
Vlander, from a Germanic root meaning
"waterlogged", referring to the marshy landscape of Flanders. This is the name of the northern portion of Belgium.
FOULDEN (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
fugol meaning "bird" and
dun meaning "hill". This is the name of a town in Norfolk.
FRANCE (Country) French, EnglishFrom Latin
Francia meaning
"land of the Franks". The Franks were the Germanic tribe who settled in the region in the 3rd century. They derived their tribal name from the name of a type of spear that they used.
FRIULI (Region) Italian, English, SpanishFrom the name of the Roman town of Forum Iulii (now called
Cividale del Friuli) meaning
"forum of Julius". This is the name of a region in northeast Italy.
GARY (Settlement) EnglishCity in Indiana that was named after businessman Elbert Henry
GARY (1846-1927), the founder of U.S. Steel.
GENOA (Settlement) EnglishFrom Latin
Genua, probably derived from
genu meaning
"knee". This is the name of a port city in northwestern Italy. It is called
Genova in Italian.
GEORGIA (1) (Country) English, Italian, Spanish, Late RomanPossibly of Persian origin, maybe from Middle Persian
gurg meaning
"wolf". In Europe the name was long explained as derived from the given name
George. This is the name of a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. It is called
Sakartvelo in Georgian.
GERMANY (Country) EnglishFrom Latin
Germania, first attested in the writings of Julius Caesar, used to refer to the areas east of the Rhine and north of the Danube. The origin of the term is uncertain. This is an English exonym corresponding to German
Deutschland.
GHANA (Country) English, French, German, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Polish, Czech, SlovakFrom the name of the Ghana Empire, which was located in the southwestern Sahara and existed up to the 13th century.
Ghana, meaning
"warrior" in Mande, was actually the title of the rulers, while the empire itself was more properly known as
Awkar. In 1957 this was adopted as the name of the newly independent country of Ghana, formerly the British colony Gold Coast, despite the fact that the country lies outside the empire's territory.
GLYME (River) EnglishMeans
"bright stream" in Brythonic. This is the name of a river in Oxfordshire, England.
GLYMPTON (Settlement) EnglishDerived from the name of the river
GLYME and Old English
tun "enclosure, yard, town". This is the name of small town in Oxfordshire, England.
GRANTHAM (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
grand meaning "gravel" and
ham meaning "home, estate, settlement". This is the name of a town in Lincolnshire.
GREECE (Country) EnglishEnglish form of Latin
Graecia, the name used by the Romans for the land of the Greeks, derived from Greek
Γραικος (Graikos), which is of uncertain origin. It is possibly derived from the city of Graia in Boeotia.
GUINEA (Region, Country & Island) English, Italian, Spanish, GermanFrom Portuguese
Guiné, which is of unknown meaning, possibly of Berber origin. This name was used by the Portuguese to refer to a portion of western Africa. It was also applied by westerners to the island of New Guinea starting in the 16th century. It is now the name or part of the name of the countries of Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea and Papua New Guinea.
HAILEY (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
heg "hay" and
leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of a town in Oxfordshire, England.
HAMILTON (Settlement) EnglishMeans
"crooked hill" from Old English
hamel "crooked, mutilated" and
dun "hill". This was the name of a town in Leicestershire, England (which no longer exists). After the town name became a surname, it was used for several other cities, including ones in Scotland, Canada, Australia and the United States.
HARDEN (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
hara "hare" and
denu "valley". This is the name of a town in West Yorkshire.
HARFORD (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
heort "hart, male deer" or
here "army" combined with
ford "ford, river crossing". This is the name of towns in England.
HARLEY (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
hara "hare" and
leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of towns in England.
HOLLAND (1) (Political Subdivision & Country) Dutch, English, GermanFrom Old Dutch
holt "forest" and
lant "land". This is the name of two provinces (North and South Holland) in the Netherlands. It is sometimes used to refer to the entire country of the
Netherlands.
HOLLAND (2) (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
hoh "point of land, heel" and
land "land". This is the name of several towns in England.
HOLSTEIN (Political Subdivision & Region) German, English, DutchFrom the name of a Saxon tribe, derived from Old Saxon
holt meaning "wood" and
sat meaning "inhabitant". This is the name of a historical region in Germany, near the Danish border. It forms part of the name of the modern German state of Schleswig-Holstein.
HOUSTON (Settlement) Scottish, EnglishMeans
"Hugh's town", from the given name
HUGH and Old English
tun meaning "enclosure, town". This is the name of a town in Scotland. The American city of Houston is named after the Texas governor Sam Houston, whose surname is derived from the Scottish town.
HUNGARY (Country) EnglishFrom Latin
Hungaria, derived from Byzantine Greek
Ουγγροι (Oungroi), from Turkic
Onogur meaning
"ten tribes". This is the name of a country in eastern Europe that was settled by the Hungarians in the 9th century. Because they were identified with the Huns, the
H was added to the beginning of their Latin name. The Hungarian name for the country is
Magyarország.
HUNNACOTT (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
hunig "honey" or the given name
Huna combined with
cot "cottage". This is the name of a small town in Devon, England.
HUXLEY (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
hux "insult, scorn" (possibly) and
leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of a town in Cheshire, England.
INDIANA (Political Subdivision) EnglishMeans
"land of the Indians". This is the name of an American state.
INDUS (River) English, Ancient RomanFrom Old Persian
Hindus, which was from Sanskrit
सिन्धु (Sindhu) meaning
"body of trembling water, river". This is the name of a river in Pakistan and India.
IRAN (Country) Persian, Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Croatian, SerbianDerived from Middle Persian
Eran, related to Old Iranian
Arya meaning
"Iranian, Aryan". This is the name of a country in western Asia, formerly called
Persia in the West.
IRAQ (Country) Arabic, English, Italian, CatalanFrom Arabic
العراق (al-'Iraq), probably derived from the name of the ancient Sumerian/Akkadian city of
URUK. This is the name of a country in the Middle East.
ISRAEL (Country) English, BiblicalFrom the name of the Old Testament hero Jacob, who was also called
ISRAEL. This was the name of an ancient kingdom that existed until the 8th century BC. The modern country of Israel is named for it.
ITALY (Country) EnglishAnglicized form of
Italia, originally applied by the Greeks to the south of the Italian Peninsula. It may have been borrowed from Oscan
Víteliú possibly meaning
"land of bulls". According to Roman mythology, the region was named for
ITALUS, though in fact it was he who was named for the region.
JERICHO (Settlement) English, BiblicalMeaning uncertain, possibly related to the Hebrew word
יָרֵחַ (yareach) meaning
"moon", or otherwise to the Hebrew word
רֵיחַ (reyach) meaning
"fragrant". This is the name of a city in Palestine, mentioned several times in the Old Testament.
JERUSALEM (Settlement) English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, BiblicalFrom Hebrew
יְרוּשָׁלַיִם (Yerushalayim), from an earlier Canaanite form like
Urushalim, probably meaning
"established by (the god) SHALIM". This is the name of a city in Israel and Palestine. Originally a Canaanite city, it was conquered by the Israelites under King
David at the beginning of the 10th century BC. It is now regarded as a holy city by Jews, Christians and Muslims.
JORDAN (River & Country) English, Danish, Norwegian, Croatian, Serbian, German, Swedish, Finnish, Polish, BiblicalRiver that flows between the countries of Jordan and Israel. The river's name in Hebrew is
יַרְדֵן (Yarden), and it is derived from
יָרַד (yarad) meaning
"descend" or
"flow down". The river has lent its name to the country to the east (in German, Swedish, Finnish and Polish this is only the name of the river, with the name of the country taking a different form).
KENDAL (Settlement) EnglishFrom the name of the river
KENT combined with Old English
dæl meaning "valley, dale". This is the name of a town in Cumbria.
KENT (Political Subdivision & River) EnglishPossibly from a Brythonic element meaning
"border, edge, coast". This is the name of a historic kingdom and modern county in southeastern England, called
Cent in Old English,
Cantium in Latin. It is also the name of a river in Cumbria, northwestern England.
KIMBERLEY (2) (Settlement) EnglishCity in South Africa that was named after John Wodehouse, 1st Earl of Kimberley (1826-1902). His title was taken from the name of the town of
KIMBERLEY (1) in Norfolk.
KOREA (Country) English, German, Dutch, Finnish, CzechFrom medieval Latin
Corea, itself derived from
GORYEO, the name of a kingdom that ruled most of the Korean Peninsula from the 10th to 14th centuries. This is the name of two countries, North and South Korea.
Hanguk and
Joseon are the Korean names for the countries.
KURDISTAN (Region) Kurdish, Arabic, English, French, German, RussianFrom Kurdish
کوردستان (Kurdistan), from the Persian ethnic name
کرد (Kord) meaning "Kurd" combined with the Persian suffix
ستان (stan) meaning "land of". This is the name of the region in the midst of Iran, Iraq and Turkey that is primarily inhabited by the Kurdish people.
KYNASTON (Settlement) EnglishMeans
"CYNEFRITH's town" in Old English. This is the name of hamlets in Herefordshire and Shropshire.
LANGLEY (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
lang "long" and
leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of numerous towns in the United Kingdom and North America.
LAYTON (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
leac "leek, herb" and
tun "enclosure, yard, town". This is the name of towns in England.
LINCOLN (Settlement) EnglishDerived from Brythonic
lindo "lake, pool" and Latin
colonia "colony". This is a city in eastern England, called
Lindum Colonia by the Romans.
LINDSEY (Region) EnglishMeans
"LINCOLN island" in Old English. This is the name of a region and historical kingdom in Lincolnshire.
LINTON (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
lind "linden tree" or
lin "flax" combined with
tun meaning "enclosure, yard, town". This is the name of several towns in the United Kingdom.
LINWOOD (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
lind "linden tree" and
wudu meaning "wood, forest". This is the name of a few English towns.
LITHUANIA (Country) EnglishFrom a Latinized form of Lithuanian
Lietuva, possibly derived from the name of the small river Letavka. This is the name of a country in the Baltic region of northern Europe.
LORNE (Region) EnglishPossibly from the name of the legendary king of Dál Riata, Loarn mac Eirc. This is the name of a region in western Scotland.
LORRAINE (Political Subdivision) French, EnglishUltimately from Latin
Lothari regnum meaning
"kingdom of LOTHAR". Lothar was a Frankish king, the great-grandson of Charlemagne, whose realm was in the part of France now called
Lorraine, or in German
Lothringen.
LYNDON (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
lind "linden tree" and
dun meaning "hill". This is the name of a few towns in the United Kingdom.
LYON (Settlement) French, English, GermanFrom Latin
Lugdunum, derived from the name of the Celtic god
LUGUS combined with Gaulish
dunon meaning "hill fort, citadel". This is the name of a city in central France.
MARCHE (Political Subdivision) Italian, EnglishFrom the plural of Late Latin
marca meaning
"borderland, march", of Germanic origin. This is the name of a region in central Italy, named for the March of Ancona, a frontier region in the Carolingian Empire.
MARLOW (Settlement) EnglishMeans
"remnants of a lake" in Old English, from
mere "lake" and
lafe "remnants, remains". This is the name of a town in Buckinghamshire, England.
MARRAKESH (Settlement) EnglishFrom Arabic
مرّاكش (Marrakush), possibly from Berber
Murt n Akush meaning
"land of God". This is the name of a city in
Morocco.
MEXICO (Country & Settlement) English, FrenchFrom Spanish
México, itself derived from Nahuatl
Mehxico. There are many theories regarding the ultimate origin, including Nahuatl
metztli meaning "moon" combined with
xictli meaning "navel". This is the name of a country in North America, as well as its capital city (the country is named after the city). In French
Mexico is the name of the capital city, while the country is called
Mexique.
MILAN (Settlement) English, FrenchFrom Latin
Mediolanum, perhaps derived from Celtic elements meaning
"middle of the plain". This is the name of a major city in Italy.
MONGOLIA (Country, Political Subdivision & Region) English, Spanish, ItalianFrom Mongolian
монгол (mongol), the name for the Mongolian people, possibly from
монг (mong) meaning "brave". This the name of a region in eastern Asia, now divided between the country of Mongolia (historically called Outer Mongolia) and the Chinese region of Inner Mongolia.
MONTANA (Political Subdivision) EnglishDerived from Latin
montanus "mountainous". This is the name of an American state.
MOROCCO (Country) EnglishThe name of a country in North Africa, named after the city
MARRAKESH. In Arabic the country is named
al-Maghrib (see
Maghrib).
NAPLES (Settlement) EnglishFrom Latin
Neapolis, from Greek
Νεαπολις (Neapolis) meaning
"new city". This is the name of a city in southern Italy, originally founded as a Greek colony.
NEPAL (Country) Nepali, Indian, Hindi, English, German, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, SanskritFrom Sanskrit
नेपाल (Nepal), of unknown meaning. This is the name of a landlocked country in south Asia.
NETHERLANDS (Country) EnglishFrom English
nether meaning "lower" and
land, referring to the low-lying position of the country. This is the name of a country in northwestern Europe. It is sometimes called
Holland in English, though this is properly one of its subregions. In English it is usually referred to using the definite article,
the.
NIGER (River & Country) English, French, Italian, German, Dutch, Swedish, Croatian, Serbian, Late RomanMeaning unknown, possibly of Berber origin, though influenced by Latin
niger "black". This is the name of a river in western Africa (and a country that is named after it).
NIGERIA (Country) English, French, Italian, Spanish, GermanFrom the name of the
NIGER River, applied in the 19th century to the British colonial territory in western Africa. It continued to be used after the territory became an independent country in 1960.
NILE (River) EnglishFrom Latin
Nilus, which was from Greek
Νειλος (Neilos), possibly of Semitic origin meaning
"river". This is the name of a long river in Africa.
NINEVEH (Settlement) English, BiblicalFrom Akkadian
𒉌𒉡𒀀 (Ninua), possibly related to
𒄩 (nūnu) meaning
"fish". When written, the name is usually prefixed with
𒌷 indicating a city. This may have referred to an aspect of
Ishtar, as from an early time the city was a center of worship of the goddess. The cuneiform symbols used to represent the city's name depict a fish within a house.
... [more] NORWAY (Country) EnglishFrom Old English
Norþweg meaning
"north way". This is the name of a country in Scandinavia in northern Europe.
NUBIA (Region) English, Late RomanPossibly derives from the Egyptian word
nbw meaning
"gold". This was the name of an ancient region and kingdom in Africa, south of Egypt.
ORLEANS (Settlement) EnglishEnglish form of
ORLÉANS. This is the name of several towns in the Americas, notably the city of New Orleans in Louisiana.
PADUA (Settlement) English, German, Spanish, DutchFrom Italian
Padova, Latin
Patavium, of unknown meaning. This is the name of a city in northern Italy.
PAKISTAN (Country) Urdu, Punjabi, English, Italian, French, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Polish, Slovak, Russian, Bulgarian, Croatian, SerbianFrom Persian
پاک (pak) meaning "pure" and the suffix
ستان (stan) meaning "land of". The name was coined in 1933 by the Pakistani nationalist Choudhry Rahmat Ali who justified it as an acronym of Punjab, Afghania, Kashmir and Sindh, plus the final three letters of Baluchistan.
PARIS (Settlement) French, English, GermanFrom the ancient Celtic tribe known as the Parisii. This is the capital city of France.
PAVIA (Settlement) Italian, EnglishFrom Late Latin
Papia, of unknown meaning. This is the name of a city in northern Italy. In classical Latin it was called
Ticinum.
PERSIA (Country) Ancient Roman, English, Spanish, ItalianLatin form of Greek
Περσις (Persis), from Old Persian
Parsa. This is the name used in the West for a region in western Asia, as well as several empires that were based there, including the Achaemenid Empire, Parthian Empire, and Sasanian Empire. This was also the Western name for the country of Iran until 1935, when the king requested that the native name
Iran be used instead.
PERU (Country) English, Portuguese, German, DutchFrom Spanish
Perú, older
Birú, which was possibly derived from the name of a chieftain (who nevertheless resided in modern-day Panama).
PESARO (Settlement) Italian, EnglishFrom Latin
Pisaurum, of uncertain meaning. This is the name of a city in central Italy.
PETRA (Settlement) Ancient Greek, EnglishFrom Greek
πετρα (petra) meaning
"rock". This was the Greek name of the capital city of the Nabataeans, which may have been known as
Raqmu to its Semitic inhabitants. Its ruins lie in
Jordan.
PEYTON (Settlement) EnglishMeans
"PÆGA's town". This is the name of a town in Sussex.
PHILADELPHIA (Settlement) Biblical, EnglishMeans
"brotherly love" from Greek
φιλεω (phileo) meaning "to love" and
αδελφος (adelphos) meaning "brother". This was the name of a city in Asia Minor mentioned in Revelation in the New Testament. It is now known as
Alaşehir (in Turkey). It is also the name of a city in the United States.
POLAND (Country) EnglishFrom the name of the Slavic tribe of the Poles, derived from the medieval Slavic word
polje meaning "field", combined with
land. This is the name of a country in eastern Europe.
PORTUGAL (Country) Portuguese, English, French, Spanish, Galician, Catalan, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Croatian, SerbianFrom
Portugale, which was derived from
PORTUS CALE, the old name of the city of Porto. The name of the city was later applied to the entire country.
PRAGUE (Settlement) English, FrenchFrom Czech
Praha, possibly from the Slavic root
práh meaning
"ford". This is the name of the capital city of the Czech Republic.
PRIESTLEY (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
preost "priest" and
leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of a few small towns in England.
PROVENCE (Region) French, English, GermanFrom Latin
provincia meaning
"province", a Roman territorial division. This is the name a region in southern France, originally acquiring its name because it was the first Roman province beyond the Alps.
QUEBEC (Settlement & Political Subdivision) EnglishEnglish form of French
Québec, derived from the Algonquin word
kepec meaning
"narrows", referring to the Saint Lawrence River near Quebec city. This is the name of a Canadian province and also the capital city of that province.
RAMSEY (Settlement) EnglishMeans
"garlic island", derived from Old English
hramsa "garlic" and
eg "island". This is the name of villages in England.
RAYNE (Settlement) EnglishPossibly from an Old English word meaning
"shelter". This is the name of a town in Essex.
RENNES (Settlement) French, EnglishFrom Latin
Condate Riedonum, derived from the name of the Gaulish tribe of the Redones. This is the name of a town in Brittany, France.
ROMAGNA (Region & Political Subdivision) Italian, English, GermanFrom Latin
ROMANIA, in this case the name of a historic region on the Adriatic coast of Italy (part of the modern administrative region of Emilia-Romagna).
ROMANIA (Country & Region) English, Italian, Ancient RomanFrom Latin meaning
"land of the Romans" (see
ROME). This is the name of a country in eastern Europe, so named in the 16th century because of its historic and linguistic connections to the Roman Empire.
... [more] ROME (Settlement) English, French, DutchMeaning uncertain, from Latin
Roma. This is the name of the capital city of Italy, formerly the capital of the Roman Kingdom, Republic and Empire. According to legend the city was named for
ROMULUS.
ROMILEY (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
rum "roomy, spacious" and
leah "woodland, clearing". This was the name of a town that is now part of Greater Manchester.
ROYSTON (Settlement) EnglishMeans
"Royse's town" in Old English. The given name
Royse was a medieval variant of
ROSE. This is the name of a town in Hertfordshire.
RYLEY (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
ryge "rye" and
leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of a town in Lancashire, England.
SAMARRA (Settlement) Arabic, English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, French, GermanThis is the name of a city in Iraq, the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate in the 9th century. It was possibly built at the site of the ancient Assyrian city of
Surmarrati, which is of uncertain meaning.
SANDFORD (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
sand "sand" and
ford "ford, river crossing". This is the name of several towns in England.
SAXONY (Region & Political Subdivision) EnglishFrom the name of the Germanic tribe of the Saxons, ultimately derived from Germanic
sahs meaning "knife". This is the name of a historical region in Germany, and appears in the names of the German states of Saxony, Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt.
SCHWYZ (Settlement & Political Subdivision) German, English, SpanishMeaning uncertain, possibly related to Old High German
suedan "to burn" or possibly of Celtic origin. This is the name of a town (and a canton named for it) in central
Switzerland.
SCOTLAND (Country) EnglishMeans
"land of the Scots", from Latin
Scoti meaning "Gaelic speaker". This is the name of a country (part of the United Kingdom) in the north of the island of Great Britain.
SEABROOK (Settlement) EnglishFrom the old name of a river combined with Old English
broc "stream". This is the name of a town in Buckinghamshire, England.
SELBY (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old Norse
selja "willow, sallow" and
býr "farm, settlement". This is the name of a city near York in England.
SENEGAL (River & Country) Portuguese, English, Spanish, Italian, GermanFrom Portuguese, possibly from the name of the Berber Zenaga people of northern Senegal. This is the name of a river in western Africa, and a country named after it. It gained independence from France in 1960.
SHERBORNE (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
scir "bright" and
burna "spring, fountain, stream". This is the name of several towns in England.
SIDNEY (Island) EnglishMeans
"wide island", from Old English
sid "wide" and
eg "island". This is the name of a place in Surrey.
SLOVAKIA (Country) English, Norwegian, FinnishFrom
Slovák, the Slovak form of medieval Slavic
slovene, referring to the tribe of the Slavs. This is the name of a country in central Europe.
SOMALIA (Country) English, Italian, Spanish, German, PolishFrom the ethnic name
Somali, of uncertain meaning. The Somali people connect it to their mythical ancestor
Samaale. Italian and British colonists applied the ethnic name to the Horn of Africa region in the 19th century. It became an independent country in 1960.
SPAIN (Country) EnglishDerived from
Hispania, the Latin name of the Iberian Peninsula, which is of uncertain origin. It could be derived from Punic
I-Shaphan meaning
"land of the rabbits".
STIRLING (Settlement) EnglishMeaning unknown. This is the name of a city in Scotland.
ST JOHN (Settlement) EnglishName commemorating Saint
JOHN. This is the name of several towns in England.
STOCKHOLM (Settlement) Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English, German, Dutch, FrenchFrom Swedish
stock "log" and
holme "islet". The islet probably referred to Helgeandsholmen in central Stockholm. This is the name of the capital city of Sweden. The first written mention of the name occurs in 1252.
SUDAN (Country) English, Arabic, German, ItalianFrom Arabic
سُود (sud) meaning
"black", referring to the darker skin of the inhabitants. This is the name of a country in Africa. In Arabic it is properly written with the definite article:
السُودان (al-Sudan).
SWEDEN (Country) EnglishFrom Middle Dutch
Zweden, ultimately from the Old Norse ethnic name
Svíar "Swede", itself possibly from Proto-Norse
Swihoniz meaning "one's own tribe". This is the name of a country in northern Europe.
SWITZERLAND (Country) EnglishFrom
Switzer, a word meaning "Swiss", ultimately derived from the name of the Swiss town and canton of
SCHWYZ, plus
land. This is the name of a country in central Europe.
SYDNEY (Settlement) EnglishCity in Australia that was named after Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney (1733-1800). His title originally came from the name of its first holder, Robert
SIDNEY (1563-1626).
SYRIA (Country & Region) English, Polish, Ancient Roman, Ancient GreekFrom Greek
Συρια (Syria), which was probably a variant of
ASSYRIA, used in an expanded sense to refer to the northern Levant. This was the name of a province of the Roman Empire. It is now the name of a country in western Asia, having gained independence from the Ottoman Empire early in the 20th century.
TATHAM (Settlement) EnglishFrom the Old English given name
TATA combined with
ham meaning "homestead". This is the name of a town in Lancashire.
TATTON (Settlement) EnglishFrom the Old English given name
TATA combined with
tun meaning "enclosure, yard, town". This is the name of a town in Cheshire.
TEHRAN (Settlement) Persian, EnglishFrom Persian
تهران (Tehran), meaning unknown. This is the name of the capital city of Iran.
THORNLEY (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
þorn "thorn" and
leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of several towns in England and Scotland.
THORNTON (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
þorn "thorn" and
tun "enclosure, yard, town". This is the name of several English towns.
TIMBUKTU (Settlement) English, Arabic, Central African, BamilekeMeaning uncertain. It could be derived from Songhai meaning
"hollow, hole", or from Berber meaning
"place of small dunes". This is the name of a city in central Mali. Descriptions of the city's wealth and remoteness first reached Europe from the 16th-century Berber author Leo Africanus. Since then the city has been used in Western Culture as a symbol for a distant, mysterious place.
TOKYO (Settlement) Japanese, English, FrenchFrom Japanese
東 (tō) meaning "east" and
京 (kyō) meaning "capital city". This is the name of the capital of Japan.
TRENT (1) (River) EnglishRiver in England, possibly from the Celtic elements
tri "across" and
sant "travel", a reference to its frequent floodings.
TRENTON (Settlement) EnglishMeans
"TRENT's town". This is the name of a New Jersey city established in the 17th century by William Trent.
TURKEY (Country) EnglishFrom Latin
Turcia, derived from the ethnonym
Turk, which is from Old Turkic possibly meaning "ancestry". This is the name of a country situated on the Anatolian peninsula.
UPTON (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
upp "up" and
tun "enclosure, yard, town". This is the name of various towns in England.
URAL (Region & River) Russian, English, German, Turkish, BashkirMeaning unknown, possibly from Turkic
aral meaning
"island, boundary". This is the name of a mountain range and a river in western Russia.
URUK (Settlement) Akkadian, EnglishFrom Sumerian
𒌷 (uru) meaning
"city". This was the name of a city-state of ancient Sumer (later Akkad and Babylonia). It was inhabited until the time of the Islamic conquest of the area.
VALENCIA (Settlement & Region) Spanish, Italian, English, GermanThe name of a city and surrounding region in eastern Spain, originally named in Latin
Valentia (Edetanorum) meaning
"strength (of the Edetani people)", and derived from Latin
valentius "strength, vigour", from
valens "strong, vigorous". Besides the city in Spain, this is also the name of a city in Venezuala.
VICTORIA (Political Subdivision, Settlement & Body of Water) EnglishFrom the given name
VICTORIA. It has generally been bestowed in honour of Queen Victoria (1819-1901). This is the name of many places in the former British Empire, including an Australian state and a Canadian city.
WAKEFIELD (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
wacu "wake, vigil" and
feld "field". This is the name of a city in England.
WALMERSLEY (Settlement) EnglishMeaning uncertain. The final element is Old English
leah "woodland, clearing". The first element may be a given name such as
WEALDMÆR or
WEALHMÆR. This is the name of a town near Manchester.
WARSAW (Settlement) EnglishFrom Polish
Warszawa, derived from the given name
Warsz, a short form of
WARCISŁAW. This is the name of the capital city of Poland.
WARWICK (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
wer "weir, dam" and
wíc "village, town". This is the name of a town in England.
WASHINGTON (Settlement & Political Subdivision) EnglishMeans
"settlement belonging to Wassa's people", from the given name
WASSA and Old English
tun meaning "enclosure, yard, town". This is the name of a town in northern England. It is also the name of the capital city and a state in the United States, both named after the president George Washington (1732-1799), whose surname was derived from the name of the English town.
WEMBLEY (Settlement) EnglishMeans
"WEMBA's clearing" in Old English. This was the name of a town that is now part of Greater London.
WESTCOTT (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
west "west" and
cot "cottage". This is the name of several towns in England.
WESTLEY (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
west "west" and
leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of a few small English towns.
WHITNEY (Settlement) EnglishProbably from Old English
hwit "white" and
eg "island". This is the name of a small town in Herefordshire.
WICKHAM (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
wíc "village, town" (of Latin origin) and
ham "home, settlement". This is the name of a few towns in England.
WILLEY (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
wilig "willow" or
weoh "idol, image" combined with
leah "woodland, clearing". This is the name of a few towns in England.
WILLOUGHBY (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
wilig meaning "willow" and Old Norse
býr "farm, settlement". This is the name of several towns in England.
WILTON (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
wilig meaning "willow",
well meaning "well, spring, water hole", or the name of the River
WYLYE, combined with
tun "enclosure, yard, town". This is the name of various towns in England.
WINCHESTER (Settlement) EnglishDerived from
Venta, of Celtic origin, and Latin
castrum meaning "camp, fortress". This is the name of a city in southern England.
WINSLOW (Settlement) EnglishMeans
"WINE's hill" in Old English. This is the name of a town in Buckinghamshire.
WINTHROPE (1) (Settlement) EnglishMeans
"Wine's village", from the given name
WINE and Old English
þrop "village". This is the name of a town in Lincolnshire.
WINTHROPE (2) (Settlement) EnglishMeans
"Wigmund's village", from the given name
WIGMUND and Old English
þrop "village". This is the name of a town in Nottinghamshire.
WINTON (Settlement) EnglishMeans
"WINE's enclosure" in Old English. This is the name of various towns in England.
WORTHAM (Settlement) EnglishFrom Old English
worþ "enclosure" and
ham "home, settlement". This is the name of a town in Suffolk.
WYLYE (River) EnglishPossibly from a Celtic word meaning
"tricky". This is the name of a river in southern England.
WYMONDHAM (Settlement) EnglishFrom the given name
WIGMUND combined with Old English
ham "home, settlement". This is the name of a town in Norfolk.
YORK (Settlement & Political Subdivision) EnglishFrom
Eboracum, the Latinized form of a Brythonic name like
Eburacon meaning
"yew". It was altered by association with Old English
Eoforwic meaning
"pig farm". This is the name of a city in northern England. The American city and state of New York were named after the Duke of York (James II of England).
YOXALL (Settlement) EnglishDerived from Old English
geoc "oxen yoke" and
halh "nook, recess". This is the name of a town in Staffordshire.
ZAIRE (River & Country) Portuguese, EnglishOlder name of the
Congo River, said to be derived via Portuguese from Kikongo
nzadi o nzere meaning
"river swallowing rivers". This was also the former name of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
ZEALAND (Country) English, Danish, Norwegian, SwedishFrom Dutch
Zeeland, from Middle Dutch
Seelant, derived from
see "sea" and
lant "land". This is the name of a province in the western Netherlands (now typically called
Zeeland in many languages). It is also borne by the country of New Zealand in the southern Pacific, which was named by the Dutch in the 17th century.