Abuja(Settlement)Western African, Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, English From Abu-Ja, a nickname of 19th-century monarch Abubakar Jatau (sometimes referred to as "Abu"), who founded what is now the city of Abuja in 1828. By some accounts, he was described as having fair skin, which possibly earned him the nickname Ja meaning "red" in Hausa... [more]
Aenon(Region)Biblical The region where John the Baptist baptized people after baptizing Jesus in Bethany-beyond-the-Jordan according to the Gospel of John... [more]
Ai Cập(Country)Vietnamese Vietnamese form of Aiji, from Sino-Vietnamese 埃及 (Ai Cập).
Aichi(Political Subdivision)Japanese Means "knowledge of love" in Japanese.
Aichi(Political Subdivision)Japanese From Japanese 愛 (ai) meaning "love, affection" and 知 (chi) meaning "wisdom". This is the name of a prefecture of Japan.
Aiken(Settlement)English Transferred use of the English surname Aiken. The city in South Carolina was named for William Aiken, the president of the South Carolina Railroad.
Akita(Political Subdivision & Settlement)Japanese From Japanese 秋 (aki) meaning "autumn" and 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy". This is the name of a city in Japan, as well as the prefecture in which the city is located.
Akkad(Country, Region & Other)Semitic Not available.
Aklan(Political Subdivision & River)Filipino, Hiligaynon, Tagalog Derived from Aklanon akean meaning "where there is boiling or frothing", in reference to the flow of water at the shallow mouth of the Aklan River. This is the name of a province of, as well as a river in, the Philippines.
Akron(Settlement)English A city in Ohio. From the Ancient Greek word ἄκρον (akron), meaning "summit, high point".
Aktau(Settlement)Russian, English From Kazakh Ақтау (Aqtau) meaning "white mountain", derived from ақ (aq) meaning "white" and тау (tau) meaning "mountain". This is the name of a city in Kazakhstan.
Åland(Island)Finland Swedish Either derived from Old Norse *Ahvaland meaning "land of water" (from ahva "water"), or from Finnish Ahvenanmaa "perch land" (from ahven "perch"). Åland is an autonomous archipelago province in the Baltic Sea... [more]
Albay(Political Subdivision)Filipino, Central Bikol, Tagalog From Spanish al baye meaning "the bay", shortened from the former names La Baye la baye and Bay la Bay. This is the name of a province of the Philippines.
Alele(Settlement)? Alele is a village in Wallis and Futuna. It is located in Hihifo District on the northeast coast of Wallis Island.
Altai(Political Subdivision & Mountain)Altai, Russian, Mongolian, Kazakh, English From the Turkic roots altun meaning "gold" and tag meaning "mountain". This is the name of a mountain range in Central and East Asia as well as two territories of Russia.
Altay(Political Subdivision & Mountain)Altai, Russian, Mongolian, Kazakh, English Altai, Russian, Mongolian and Kazakh alternate transcription of Altai as well as an English variant.
Amani(Settlement & Political Subdivision)Georgian Georgian form of Amman.
Amapá(Political Subdivision)Portuguese (Brazilian) Of uncertain origin. It may come from Tupi amapá, meaning "the place of the rain"; from a Nheengatu term meaning "island" or "land that ends", or from an Arawak term denoting the Hancornia amapa, a local species of tree; or from a Northern Geral term indicating a local species of tree... [more]
Ambon(Island & Settlement)Indonesian Meaning uncertain, perhaps derived from Ambonese bong or ombong meaning "dew", so named because the mountain peaks on the island are often covered in dew. Alternately it may come from the Dutch name Amboina of Papiamentu origin... [more]
Anjou(Other)English, French From the name of the former county/duchy/province centered around the city of Angers in the Loire Valley of western France, which is in the present-day département of Maine-et-Loire. It was the cradle of the House of Plantagenet who ruled England from the twelfth century, of whom the current royal family are descendants... [more]
Annwn(Settlement & Other)Welsh Possibly from ande-dubnos, a common Gallo Brittonic word that literally meant "underworld".
Anoka(Settlement)English (American) A city in Minnesota. Possibly from Dakota anoka meaning "on both sides, from both sides" or Ojibwe anoki meaning "I work".
Ansan(Settlement)Korean Combination of 安 (안, ān, "peace") and 山 (산, san, "mountain"), thus "peaceful mountain". This is the name of a city in South Korea.
Anzio(Political Subdivision)Italian City on the shore of Italy. In Roman times it was known as Antium.
Aomen(Political Subdivision & Settlement)Chinese Means "bay gate" from Chinese 澳 (ào) meaning "inlet, bay, deep cove" and 门 (mén) meaning "gate, door". This is the Chinese name for Macau.
Aonia(Country)English This was an ancient name of the country of Boeotia in Greek legend, allegedly derived from that of the hero Aon. Aonia was a region sacred to the Muses, whom the English poet Alexander Pope called the "Aonian maids".
Aosta(Region & Settlement)Italian From the Latin name Augusta Praetoria Salassorum, itself named after Emperor Augustus. This is the name of a city and valley in the north-western corner of Italy.
Apsny(Country)Abkhaz From Abkhaz аԥсуаа (apsuaa), the native name of the Abkhaz people. The ethnic name itself is of uncertain meaning; one theory suggests that it means "land of the soul" or "land of mortals"... [more]
Aqyar(Settlement)Crimean Tatar, Tatar From Crimean Tatar aq meaning "white" and yar meaning "cliff" or shore, coast". This is the Crimean Tatar and Tatar name for Sevastopol.
Aragó(Country, Political Subdivision & River)Catalan Catalan form of Aragón.
Ardea(Settlement)Late Roman Means "heron" in Latin. A town in Italy.
Areni(Settlement)Armenian The name of a village in Vayots Dzor province in Armenia, famous for the world's earliest known winery, Areni-1.
Arhel(Settlement)Tagalog Tagalog form of Algiers via the Spanish form Argel.
Århus(Settlement)Danish, Swedish Danish alternative form of Aarhus, as well as the Swedish form.
Arica(Settlement)Spanish It is the name of province, and town in Chile. It is also the name of a town in Colombia.
Arnor(Country)Literature A former kingdom in JRR Tolkien's 'Lord of the Rings' series. From the fictional Sindarin language ar meaning "high, noble, royal" and dor meaning "land, dwelling".
Artan(Country & Region)Persian Artan was the name of Dariush’s father in law.
Assam(Political Subdivision)English Most likely related to the name of the Ahom people, itself of unclear origin. This is the name of a state in northeastern India.
Aswan(Political Subdivision & Settlement)Arabic Derived from Egyptian swnw possibly related to swn meaning "to trade, to buy" or swnt meaning "trade, price". This is the name of a governorate and city in Egypt.
Atoka(Settlement)English (American) A city in Oklahoma, named after Choctaw leader Captain Atoka. The name Atoka is derived from Choctaw hitoka or hetoka meaning "ball ground".
Bahia(Political Subdivision)Portuguese (Brazilian), Portuguese, English Literally "bay" in Portuguese, this name comes from the Bay of All Saints (Baía de Todos os Santos), for which a Portuguese captaincy was named. This is the name of a state in Brazil.
Bajka(Settlement)Hungarian Bajka is a village and municipality in the Levice District in the Nitra Region of Slovakia.
Ba Lan(Country)Vietnamese From Sino-Vietnamese 波蘭 (Ba Lan) possibly from Chinese 波蘭 (Bōlán) or Min Nan 波蘭 (Pho-lân). This is the Vietnamese name for Poland.
Balba(Country)Mongolian Derived from Mongolian ᠪᠠᠯᠪᠤ (balbu), ultimately from Sanskrit नेपाल (Nepal) of unknown meaning. This is the modern Mongolian name for Nepal.
Bắc Kạn(Political Subdivision & Settlement)Vietnamese From Sino-Vietnamese 北 (bắc) meaning "north" and Vietnamese � (cạn) meaning "arid, dry". This is the name of a city in Vietnam as well as the province in which the city is located.
Bdoté(Island & Body of Water)Sioux From Dakota bdoté meaning "place where two or more bodies of water converge".
Bedok(Settlement)English, Malay Derived from Malay beduk meaning "drum", referring specifically to a type of drum used to signal prayer times. This is the name of a planning area and town in Singapore.
Berea(Settlement)Biblical (All) Berea (also Beroea) was an ancient city of the Hellenistic period and Roman Empire now known as Veria (or Veroia) in Macedonia, northern Greece. It is a small city on the eastern side of the Vermio Mountains north of Mount Olympus... [more]
Bihar(Political Subdivision)Indian The name "Bihar" comes from the Sanskrit word "Vihara," which means "monastery" or "abode." Bihar has a rich Buddhist heritage, and historically, it was home to numerous Buddhist monasteries and centers of learning.
Birka(Settlement)Old Norse, Old Swedish Possibly taken from a Latinization of Norse Bjǫrkey "Birch island", although some believe it's derived from Old Norse birk "market place". Birka was a Viking age town and an important trading and market place during the Viking Age located on the island Björkö (modern form of Bjǫrkey) in Lake Mälaren, outside of Stockholm, Sweden.
Black(Body of Water)English The Black Sea is a sea lying between Europe and Asia. Its name comes from the English word "black", likely due to the dark color of its waters.
Bogor(Settlement)Indonesian, Sundanese Means "sugar palm" (a type of tree) in Indonesian. This is the name of a city in West Java province, Indonesia.
Bohol(Island & Political Subdivision)Filipino, Cebuano, Tagalog, English From Cebuano bo-ol referring to a type of fruiting tree found on the island. This is the name of an island province of the Philippines.
Boise(Settlement)English Most likely from French, but of uncertain ultimate origin. One account states that it may come from a story of a French-speaking person who yelled "Les bois! Les bois!" ("The woods! The woods!"); another account is that the name comes from the phrase la rivière boisée ("the wooded river").... [more]
Bokeo(Political Subdivision)Lao Means "gem mine" in Lao.
Bokeo(Political Subdivision)Lao Means "gem mine" from Lao ບໍ່ (bo) meaning "mine, pit, shaft" and ແກ້ວ (keo) meaning "gem, jewel". This is the name of a province of Laos.
Bombo(Mountain & Other)Kongo, Literature, Popular Culture The name of a hill in the border between southernmost mainland Congo Brazzaville and westernmost DRC; the meaningful name of a little known Tarzan inspired character.
Breda(Settlement)Dutch Breda is a city and municipality in the southern part of the Netherlands, located in the province of North Brabant. The name derived from brede Aa ('wide Aa' or 'broad Aa') and refers to the confluence of the rivers Mark and Aa.
Brill(Settlement)English, Dutch (Anglicized) English form of Brielle, the name of a town and historic seaport in the Netherlands, which comes from Proto-Celtic *brogilo meaning "enclosed area, hunting preserve".
Busan(Settlement)Korean From Sino-Korean 釜山 (Busan) meaning "cauldron mountain", from 釜 (bu) meaning "cauldron, pot, kettle" and 山 (san) meaning "mountain". This is the name of a city in South Korea.
Cadix(Political Subdivision & Settlement)French French form of Cádiz.
Cádiz(Political Subdivision & Settlement)Spanish From Arabic قادس (Qadis), ultimately derived (via Latin) from Phoenician 𐤂𐤃𐤓 (gdr) meaning "wall, compound". This is the name of a province and city in southwestern Spain, historically known as Gades in Latin and Γάδειρα (Gadeira) in Greek.
Cà Mau(Political Subdivision & Settlement)Vietnamese From Sino-Vietnamese 哥 (cà) meaning "to sing" and 毛 (mau) meaning "fur".
Cà Mau(Political Subdivision & Settlement)Vietnamese Derived from Khmer ទឹកខ្មៅ (tuk khmaw) meaning "ink" (literally "black water"), from ទឹក (tuk) meaning "water" and ខ្មៅ (khmaw) meaning "black". This is the name of a province of, as well as a city in, Vietnam.
Capiz(Political Subdivision)Filipino, Capiznon, Hiligaynon, Tagalog, English From Spanish Cápiz, itself from Capiznon kapis referring to the shell produced by the windowpane oyster (genus Placuna). This is the name of a province of the Philippines.
Caria(Region)Ancient Greek Caria was an ancient province near the Aegean Sea in Asia Minor.
Ceará(Political Subdivision)Portuguese (Brazilian) Most likely from Tupi ceará, probably a combination of the words cemo ("to sing loudly", "to scream") and ara ("small macaw, parakeet, jandaia"), thus "the jandaia sings". Another interpretation is that the name means "river originating from the mountains"... [more]
Cehia(Country)Romanian Romanian form of Čechy, used as a name for the Czech Republic.
Çekia(Country)Albanian Albanian form of Čechy, used as a name for the Czech Republic.
Cèkia(Country)Acehnese Acehnese form of Čechy, used as a name for the Czech Republic.
Ċekja(Country)Maltese Maltese form of Čechy, used as a name for the Czech Republic.
Çekya(Country)Turkish Turkish form of Čechy, used as a name for the Czech Republic.
Celje(Settlement & Political Subdivision)Slovene From Latin Celeia (the Roman-era name of the settlement), from Ancient Greek Κέλεια (Keleia) of unknown origin... [more]
Celle(Settlement)German Celle is a town and capital of the district of Celle, in Lower Saxony, Germany.
Ceres(Settlement)English Various cities around the world. The city in California is named for Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture.
Ceuta(Settlement)English, Spanish, Portuguese The settlement below Jebel Musa was later renamed for the seven hills around the site, collectively referred to as the "Seven Brothers". In particular, the Roman stronghold at the site took the name "Fort at the Seven Brothers"... [more]
Châu Á(Region)Vietnamese From Vietnamese châu meaning "continent" and Á meaning "Asia". This is the Vietnamese name for Asia.
Chawa(Political Subdivision & Island)Thai Thai form of Java.
Chbon(Country)Khmer Khmer form of Japan via the French form Japon.
Cheju(Political Subdivision, Settlement & Island)Japanese Japanese form of Jeju.
Chekh(Country)Mongolian Mongolian form of Čechy, used as a name for the Czech Republic.
Cheko(Country)Japanese, Korean Shortened form of Japanese チェコスロバキア (Chekosurobakia) or Korean 체코슬로바키아 (Chekoseullobakia) both referring to the historical country of Czechoslovakia... [more]
Chiba(Political Subdivision & Settlement)Japanese From Japanese 千 (chi) meaning "thousand" and 葉 (ha) meaning "leaf". This is the name of a city in Japan, as well as the prefecture in which the city is located.
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")
Chvea(Political Subdivision & Island)Khmer Khmer form of Java.
Clare(Political Subdivision)Irish From the Irish word clár, meaning "plank", after a bridge that was placed across the River Fergus outside Clarecastle.... [more]