Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Chita(Political Subdivision)Russian "birch mat" or "clay" or "dirt (on the shore), slate, coal" or "blue" or "black earth (coal slate), coal" or "dwelling" or "upper reaches" or possibly the short form of a diminutive of a diminutive of a name that means "conception" (possibly referring to "The Immaculate Conception")
Chittagong(Settlement)Bengali, English The etymology of Chittagong is uncertain. One explanation credits the first Arab traders for shatt ghangh, where shatt means "delta" and ghangh stood for the Ganges. The Arakanese chronicle states that a king named Tsu-la-taing Tsandaya, after conquering Bengal, set up a stone pillar as a trophy or memorial at the place since called Tst-ta-gaung as the limit of conquest... [more]
Chittagong(Political Subdivision & Settlement)English From Bengali চট্টগ্রাম (Chottogram) of uncertain meaning. This is the name of an administrative division of, as well as a city in, Bangladesh (officially named Chattogram).
Chiyoda(Settlement)Japanese From Japanese 千 (chi) meaning "thousand", 代 (yo) meaning "generation" and 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy"... [more]
Choctaw(Settlement)English (American) A city in Oklahoma. From the name of the Choctaw people, although the city has no cultural relation to the Choctaw nation.
Choibalsan(Settlement)Mongolian In honor of Communist leader Khorloogin Choibalsan, who took part in the Mongolian Revolution of 1920. This is the name of a city in Mongolia.
Chonburi(Political Subdivision & Settlement)Thai From Thai ชล (chon) meaning "(body of) water" and บุรี (buri) meaning "city, town", so named for the nearby Gulf of Thailand. This is the name of a province of Thailand as well as said province's capital city.
Chorasmia(Region & Political Subdivision)Ancient Greek, Ancient Roman, English, Greek Ancient Greek and Ancient Roman name for the region of Khwarazm in Central Asia. It was named after the Chorasmians, a local Iranian tribe who were known as Χωράσμιοι (Chorasmioi) to the Greeks and as Chorasmii to the Romans.... [more]
Chorasmië(Political Subdivision & Region)Dutch Dutch form of Khwarazm via its Greek and Latin name Chorasmia.
Choresmien(Political Subdivision & Region)German German form of Khwarazm via its Greek and Latin name Chorasmia.
Chornobyl(Settlement & Other)Ukrainian From Ukrainian чорний (chornyy), meaning "black". Chornobyl is the name of a power plant that had a meltdown in 1986 as well as a Ukrainian village near the plant. The English form is Chernobyl.
Christchurch(Region)English Christchurch is a New Zealand city that was founded in 1850. The name was given in 1848 before the city even existed. It was given by J R Godley of the Canterbury Associtaion who went to Christ Church College in teenagehood.
Christiania(Settlement)Norwegian (Archaic) Named in honor of Christian IV (1577-1648), king of Denmark-Norway. This was the name of the capital of Norway between 1624 and 1925.
Christmas Island(Island)English (Australian) Name of an Island in Australia, it was named Christmas Island because of the date it was found (December 25)
Chubetsu(Mountain)Japanese Chubetsu-dake (or Mount Chubetsu in English) is apart of the Daisetsuzan National Park in Hokkaido.
Chukotka(Political Subdivision)Russian, English Derived from the Russian name Чукчи (Chukchi), referring to the native people who originally inhabited the area. The word Chukchi is derived from Chukchi Chauchu meaning "rich in reindeer", used by the Reindeer Chukchi people to distinguish themselves from the Maritime Chukchi (the Anqallyt meaning "sea people")... [more]
Chumphon(Political Subdivision & Settlement)Thai From Thai ชุม (chum) meaning "come together, assemble, gather" and พร (phon) meaning "blessing". The second element may be a corruption of พล (phon) meaning "force, strength, power" or, alternately, the entire name may come from a corruption of อุทุมพร (uthumphon) meaning "gular fig tree"... [more]
Chūō(Settlement)Japanese From Japanese 中央 (chūō) meaning "centre, middle, central". This is the name of a special ward of Tokyo as well the name of wards in multiple other cities throughout Japan. It is also the name of a city in Yamanashi Prefecture.
Chuvashia(Political Subdivision)English From Russian Чувашия (Chuvashiya), derived from the name of the Chuvash people. The ethnic name чӑваш (chavash) is of uncertain meaning, possibly from Turkic yabal meaning "quiet, peaceful, slow", from a Turkic root meaning "friendly, peaceful" or from Tabghach, the Old Turkic name for the Tuoba, a Xianbei clan in Imperial China... [more]
Cilacap(Political Subdivision & Settlement)Indonesian, Javanese, Sundanese Derived from Javanese tlacap meaning "corner, point, end", so named for the sharp angle made by the end of a local bay. This is the name of a regency and city in Indonesia.
Cilegon(Settlement)Indonesian, Sundanese Derived from Sundanese cai meaning "water" and legon meaning "arch, bay, cove". This is the name of a city in Indonesia.
Cill Dara(Political Subdivision & Settlement)Irish The Irish name for County Kildare. Means "church of the oak" in Irish.... [more]
Cill Mhantáin(Political Subdivision & Settlement)Irish Irish name for the county of Wicklow. Meaning "church of Mantan". It is named after a peer of Saint Patrick. Mantan had his teeth knocked out by Irish pagans, and then he was renamed Mantan, which means "toothless one".
Cimahi(Settlement)Indonesian, Sundanese From the name of a river derived from Sundanese cai mahi meaning "enough water". This is the name of a city in Indonesia.
Cincinnati(Political Subdivision)English Means "curly-haired", from Latin cincinnatus (see Cincinnatus). This is the name of a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States which was named in honor of the Society of the Cincinnati, named after the Roman consul Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus (born c. 519 – c. 430 BC).
Circassia(Country & Region)English, Italian From Turkish Çerkes or Russian Черкес (Cherkes) referring to the Circassian (Adyghe) people. The name is of uncertain meaning, possibly derived from Kerkety, the name of a Circassian tribe, or from Persian چهار کس (čahâr kas) meaning "four people"... [more]
Cirebon(Political Subdivision & Settlement)Indonesian, Sundanese, Javanese Either derived from Javanese caruban meaning "mixed, assorted" (likely a reference to the region's mixed cultural influences) or from Sundanese cai meaning "water" and rebon meaning "shrimp, prawn"... [more]
Ciscaucasia(Region)English, Italian, Spanish Means "on this side of the Caucasus", derived from Latin cis meaning "on this side of" combined with the latinized Greek noun Caucasia meaning "the Caucasus" (both the mountains and their namesake region)... [more]
Clare(Political Subdivision)Irish From the Irish word clár, meaning "plank", after a bridge that was placed across the River Fergus outside Clarecastle.... [more]
Clare(Settlement)English Possibly derives from Latin clarus, meaning "clear, bright", describing the clear nature of the Chilton Stream that flows through the town. The name first appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Clara.... [more]
Clare(Political Subdivision)Irish (Americanized) Two towns in the USA are named after County Clare, Ireland: Clare, Iowa (incorporated 1892; Webster County); and Clare, Michigan (incorporated 1891; in Clare and Isabella counties). ... [more]
Clarecastle(Settlement)Irish A town in Clare, Ireland, named after Clare Castle, which stands on an island in the narrowest part of the River Fergus... [more]
Cleveland(Settlement & Other)English This is the name of several settlements, mainly in the United States, as well as a geographical region in Yorkshire, England; in both cases, the name comes from the combination of the Middle English words cleve ("cliff") and land.... [more]
Cloquet(Settlement & River)English (American) Transferred use of the French surname Cloquet. The river in Minnesota may have been named for French doctors Hippolyte and Jules Cloquet, and the city was named for the river.
Clyde(River)Brittonic, Scottish Gaelic, English The name Clyde originates from the Brittonic Celtic word Clud or Clota, which may mean "the holy one" or "the cleansing one", referring to the river's significance. In Scottish Gaelic, it is known as Abhainn Chluaidh (abhainn = "river", Chluaidh = "Clyde")... [more]
Coachella(Settlement)English (American) A city in California. Possibly from Spanish conchilla, referring to a type of seashell commonly found in the area.
Coahuila(Political Subdivision)Spanish Meaning uncertain. It is most likely of Nahuatl origin, with possible meanings including "flying serpent", "place of many trees" or "place where serpents creep". This is the name of a state of Mexico, formally known as Coahuila de Zaragoza.
Cohasset(Settlement)English (American) A town in Massachusetts. From Massachusett conahasset possibly meaning "long rocky place" or "fishing promontory".
Coimbra(Settlement)Portuguese From Latin Conimbriga, itself derived from the name of an ancient tribe known as the Conii and Old Celtic brigā meaning "hill, fortress". This is the name of a city in Portugal.
Colombo(Settlement)English Probably from the old Sinhalese word kolamba meaning "ferry" or "port". It is popularly believed to be derived from Sinhalese කොලොන් තොට (kolon tota) meaning "port on the river Kelani" or කොල අඹ (kola amba) meaning "leafy mango grove", altered with influence from the name of Italian explorer Christopher Columbus or Latin columba meaning "dove"... [more]
Colorado(Political Subdivision)English (American) Name of a state in the United States, named after the Colorado river, from Spanish colo + "colored" rado "reddish", "ruddy".
Colossae(Settlement)Greek either "Establishing a Temple or Shrine" or "to Punish" or "Dyed Wool," but no direct connection to "the Colossus of Rhodes"
Columbia(Region)English Columbia is a supercontinent from the paleoproterzoic era.
Columbus(Settlement)English Named after famous Italian explorer Christopher Columbus. This is the name of several settlements in the United States, including the capital city of the state of Ohio.
Comancheria(Country)Spanish This is the Spanish term for the Comanche empire, territory which is different areas of states in America.
Conakry(Settlement)French, English The capital of Guinea. Its name is derived from Kɔnakiri, a local village populated by the Susu, a Mande speaking ethnic group.
Conception Bay(Body of Water)English Calque of Medieval Portuguese Baía da Conceição, "Bay of the Conception," named for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.
Condom(Political Subdivision)Occitan Condom, also referred to as Condom-en-Armagnac, is a commune in southwestern France in the department of Gers, of which it is a subprefecture.... [more]
Connacht(Political Subdivision & Region)Irish From the name of the medieval ruling dynasty, the Connacht, later Connachta, meaning “descendants of Conn”, referring to the legendary king Conn of the Hundred Battles.... [more]
Connecticut(Political Subdivision)English (American) Name of a state in the United States, from the name of the Connecticut river, from Algonquian quinnitukqut "at the long tidal river," from kwen "long" + ehtekw "tidal river" + enk "place".
Connellsville(Political Subdivision)English Connellsville is a city in Pennsylvania.
Conroe(Settlement)English Transferred use of the surname Conroe. The city in Texas was named for Isaac Conroe, a cavalry officer for the Union during the American Civil War.
Constanța(Settlement)Romanian This is the name of a romanian city which is also the biggest port in Romania. It's greek name is Tomis.
Cook Islands(Political Subdivision & Other)English A self-governing in free association territory of New Zealand. It was named after Captain James Cook, who visited the islands during the 1700s.
Cooksville(Settlement)English Cooksville was named after Jacob Cook, an American settler who established a stagecoach stop and inn in the early 19th century. The area was originally known as "Harrisville" but was renamed after Cook, who became a prominent figure in the community.... [more]
Copacabana(Island)Various A resort on the Atlantic coast of Brazil that is near Rio de Janeiro.
Copperopolis(Settlement)English From the English word "copper" and the Greek polis meaning "city". Copperopolis was a mining community in Montana.
Coquet(River)English A river in Northumberland, England. Its name originates from words of a local Brythonic-Celtic language, equivalent to the Welsh coched, meaning 'red, brown'.
Coquitlam(Political Subdivision & Settlement)English The name "Coquitlam" comes from the Halkomelem word kʷikʷəƛ̓əm, meaning "red fish up the river," referring to the traditional importance of salmon to the local Coast Salish peoples.
Coralville(Settlement)English From the English word "coral" and ville meaning "city". The name of the city in Iowa was derived from coral fossils found along the nearby Iowa River.
Corásmia(Political Subdivision & Region)Portuguese Portuguese form of Khwarazm via its Greek and Latin name Chorasmia.
Corasmia(Political Subdivision & Region)Italian, Spanish Italian and Spanish form of Khwarazm via its Greek and Latin name Chorasmia.
Corcaigh(Political Subdivision & Settlement)Irish Irish form of Cork.
Cordele(Settlement)English From the English given name Cordelia. The city in Georgia was named for Cordelia Hawkins, the daughter of Colonel Samuel Hawkins, the president of the Savannah, Americus and Montgomery Railway.
Corfu(Settlement & Island)Greek The name Corfu is the Venetian and Italian meaning “city of the peaks. It’s from the Byzantine Greek meaning “crests of the peaks”. This is the name of a city and an island ... [more]
Cork(Settlement & Political Subdivision)Irish A county and city in Ireland. Meaning "swamp".
Corleone(Settlement)Italian From Sicilian Cunigghiuni or Curliuni of uncertain meaning, possibly of Arabic or Latin origin. This is the name of a town in Sicily.
Corner Brook(Settlement)English The name Corner Brook likely refers to the brook (small stream or creek) that runs through the area, combined with the word "corner" to denote its location at a significant bend or junction in the landscape... [more]
Cornwall(Political Subdivision & Region)English, Dutch An English county or country, a place next to Devon at the bottom of southwestern England, derived from Old English Cornwealas which eventually turned into Cornwall... [more]
Coruscant(Other)Popular Culture Coruscant is a fictional planet in the 'Star Wars' universe. The planet is an ecumenopolis -- the surface is almost entirely covered by one city. The name is derived from Latin coruscant "vibrating, glittering, sparkling"... [more]
Cotabato(Political Subdivision & Settlement)Filipino, Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Ilocano, Tagalog, English From Maguindanao Kutawatu meaning "stone city", from kuta meaning "city, fort" and wato meaning "stone, rock". This is the name of both a province and a city in the southern Philippines.
Cotonou(Settlement)French The name Cotonou comes from Fon origins, meaning, "by the river of death".
County Down(Political Subdivision)Northern Irish The name "Down" likely comes from the Irish "Dún" meaning "fort", referring to the ancient fortifications in the area. "County Down" refers to the administrative division in Northern Ireland.
Courtaney(Settlement)English Courtenay is a city on the east coast of Vancouver Island, in the Canadian province of British Columbia.
Cox's Bazar(Settlement)English Named in honour of British diplomat Captain Hiram Cox (1760-1799), who served as an officer of the East India Company. This is the name of a city in Bangladesh.
Cozcatl(Other)Aztec Cozcatl is a masculine name that means “jewel” in the Nahuatl language. Of Aztec origin.
Crawfordjohn(Settlement)Scottish A village in Southern Scotland. It's name is of Scots origin and means 'Crow's ford of John'. See Crawford.
Crete(Island)English From Ancient Greek Κρήτη (Krete) of uncertain meaning. It may come from Krus, a mythological hero, whose name is unexplained. Another theory is that it is derived from Luwian kursawar meaning "island" or kursattar meaning "cutting, sliver"... [more]
Crevichon(Island)Norman Islet in the Channel Islands, England. Means "isle of crabs, crayfish, and cranes", due to the abundance of those animals in the area.
Crimea(Country, Political Subdivision & Region)English, Italian, Spanish From Crimean Tatar Qırım, which is of uncertain origin. It may have been derived from a corruption of Latin Cimmerium or Greek Κιμμερικόν (Kimmerikon), the name of an ancient city, from Old Turkic qurum meaning "protection, defense" or qirum meaning "fosse, trench", or Ancient Greek κρημνοί (kremnoi) meaning "cliffs"... [more]
Crimée(Country, Political Subdivision & Region)French French form of Crimea.
Crna Gora(Country)Montenegrin, Bosnian, Croatian, Macedonian, Serbian Montenegrin form of Montenegro, which several other Balkan countries have adopted as their name for the country. The name literally means "black mountain", as it is derived from the South Slavic adjective crn meaning "black" combined with the South Slavic noun gora meaning "mountain".
Crompton(Settlement)English From Old English crumbe ("bent") + tun ("town"), referring to its location on a river bend. It is the name of a former town now part of Shaw and Crompton.
Cuba(Country)English From the Taíno language. The exact meaning of the name is unclear but it may be translated either as 'where fertile land is abundant' (cubao), or 'great place' (coabana). Authors who believe that Christopher Columbus was Portuguese state that Cuba was named by Columbus for the town of Cuba in the district of Beja in Portugal.
Cudahy(Settlement)English (American) Transferred use of the Irish surname Cudahy. The city in California was named for Michael Cudahy, a meat-packing baron and local landowner.
Cuillin(Mountain)English The Cuillin (Scottish Gaelic: An Cuilthionn or An Cuiltheann) is a range of rocky mountains located on the Isle of Skye in Scotland.
Cumberland(Region)English A historical English county, covering the Northern half of modern-day Cumbria. It derives from the Brythonic combrogi, meaning 'fellow-countrymen'.
Cumbernauld(Settlement)Scottish A town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. The name in its present form is most likely derived from Gaelic comar nan allt meaning 'meeting of the waters'. However, early forms containing Cumyr- hint at a Cumbric predecessor derived possibly from Common Brittonic *cömber-ïn-alt (Welsh cymer-yn-allt), perhaps meaning 'confluence at the hill'.
Cumorah(Mountain)Mormon This is the name of the hill where the Nephite known as Moroni buried the golden plates. It is located in New York.
Cupertino(Settlement)English From the name of Italian saint Joseph of Cupertino (1603-1663), who hailed from the town of Copertino in Apulia, Italy. This is the name of a city in California.
Curaçao(Political Subdivision & Island)Dutch, English From Portuguese Curação of uncertain origin, possibly from a name used by the indigenous peoples of the island. This is the name of an island country in the Caribbean Sea that is part of the Netherlands.
Cuzco(Political Subdivision & Settlement)Inca (Hispanicized), Quechua (Hispanicized), Spanish (Archaic) Traditional spelling of Cusco, a city in Peru which was the capital of the Inca Empire. Cusco is the Hispanicized form of Quechua Qusqu meaning "rock, boundary stone; heap of earth and stones; nucleus; navel; bed, dry bed of a lake".
Cwm Gwaun(Settlement)Welsh Cwm Gwaun (English: Gwaun Valley) is a community and valley in north Pembrokeshire, Wales. The name itself is derived from Welsh cwm "valley" and gwaun "heath, moor".