Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Wabash(Settlement & River)English (American) A river and various cities in the United States. From Miami-Illinois waapaahšiiki meaning "it shines white, pure white", after the white limestone making up the riverbed.
Wabasha(Settlement)English (American) Transferred use of the Dakota given name Wabasha. The city in Minnesota was most likely named for Wabasha II, a chief of the Dakota people.
Wabasso(Settlement)English (American) A city in Minnesota. From Ojibwe waabooz meaning "rabbit, snowshoe hare".
Waco(Settlement)English (American) A city in Texas, named for the Waco subdivision of the Wichita people, who are indigenous to the area.
Waconia(Settlement & Body of Water)English (American) A city and lake in Minnesota. From Dakota meday wa ko ni ya meaning "lake of the fountain, lake of the spring" or "out of the water comes life".
Wadling(Body of Water)Arthurian Cycle A lake in Inglewood Forest, which formerly existed under High Hesket (Cumbria), ten miles south of Carlisle. It is the setting for the Middle English poem The Awntyrs off Arthure at the Terne Wathelyne... [more]
Wadsley(Other)English Name of a suburb of the City of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England.
Waggaman(Settlement)English (American) Transferred usage of the surname Waggaman. The settlement in Louisiana is named for George A. Waggaman, the US Senator for Louisiana from 1831-1835.
Wagoh-ox-oan(Other)Mormon The tenth great star according to Mormon cosmology. The meanings of the first three parts of the name are uncertain, while the fourth part is, according to Joseph Smith, the name for a symbol representing a compound of Zub-zool-oan, whose meaning is given as "the beginning" or "first".
Wahiawā(Settlement)Hawaiian A settlement in Hawaiʻi. The name is derived from the Hawaiian phrase wahi a wā meaning "place of the wa people".
Waikato(River)Maori From the Māori word wai, meaning "water", and kato, meaning "flow; current". Together, this is often translated as "flowing water". The Waikato River is the biggest river in Aotearoa New Zealand, and is often referred to by locals as the 'Mighty Waikato'
Waine(Other)Mormon The ninth great star according to Mormon cosmology, which is preceded by Venisti and succeeded by Wagoh-ox-oan.
Walkden(Settlement)English (British) The name Walkden or Walkeden derives from the Old English 'denu', a valley, belonging to a man possibly called Wealca.
Wallonia(Political Subdivision)English Region of southern Belgium characterized for being primarily French-speaking. Other languages spoken are German, Walloon, Lorrain, Luxembourgish, Picard and Franconian.
Walpole(Settlement)English The name of two places in Norfolk and Suffolk. The place names probably derive from Old English walh "foreigner, Briton, serf" (genitive plural wala) and pol "pool", though the Norfolk place name may have Old English wall "wall" as the first element.
Walton(Settlement)English The name of several villages in England, particularly Lancashire. Named from Old English wale, meaning 'Celt, foreigner' (Compare Wales) and tun, meaning 'town, village'.
Wanaque(Settlement)English (American) A river and city in New Jersey. The name is possibly derived from a Lenape word meaning "land of sassafras".
Wank(Mountain)Upper German The Wank is a mountain in southern Germany, situated in the Loisach valley close to the Austrian border in the southwestern Ester Mountains range near Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
Wapakoneta(Settlement)English (American) A city in Ohio. The name is possibly derived from the Shawnee word wa-po'kanite meaning "the place of white bones".
Wapsipinicon(River)English (American) A river in Iowa, from Ojibwe waabiziipiniikaan-ziibi, "river abundant in wild artichokes".
Wapusk(Other)Cree National park in Manitoba, Canada. From the Cree word for polar bear, 'wâpask'.
Warba(Settlement)English (American) A city in Minnesota. The name is derived from either the Ojibwe word wiiba meaning "early, soon" or wayiiba meaning "early, in a little while, soon".
Warrenville(Political Subdivision)English Warrenville is a city in Illinois. It is also the name of a village in DuPage County.
Watauga(Settlement, Body of Water & River)English (American) A river, lake, and several settlements in the United States. Possibly meaning "river of islands", "the land beyond," or "beautiful river, beautiful water" in an unknown Native American language, likely Cherokee.
Wateree(River)English (American) A river in South Carolina. From the name of the Wateree Native American people.
Waterford(Settlement)Irish A city in Southern Ireland. Its name derives from Old Norse veðra, 'ram' (Swedish vädur, 'ram', See Wetherby) and fjord, 'fjord'.
Waterloo(Settlement)Flemish, English The name of multiple town and cities throughout the world, most notably the Battle of Waterloo, in 1815, where Napoleon was defeated. From the Flemish and Middle Dutch words 'water' and 'loo' (meaning forest, marsh).
Wauconda(Settlement)English (American) A village in Illinois. While the meaning of the name is unknown, local legend claims that it is named for a Native American leader whose name meant "spirit water".
Waukegan(Settlement)English (American) A city in Illinois. The name is derived from the Potawatomi word wakaigin meaning "fort, fortress".
Waukesha(Settlement)English (American) A city in Wisconsin. Likely an Anglicization of Ojibwe waagoshag meaning "foxes" or derived from the Potawatomi name Wau-tsha.
Waupun(Settlement)English (American) A city in Wisconsin. From Ojibwe waubun meaning "east, morning, dawn".
Wausau(Region & Settlement)Indigenous American (Latinized, Rare) Term used in many Native American languages with varying similar meanings such as "to see from a distance" or "to hear from a distance." It was the Native American name for a valley in central Wisconsin that is still refered to as such by locals... [more]
Wauwautosa(Settlement)Algonquian Wauwautosa (an edge city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is named after the Potawatomi Chief Wauwataesie and the Potawatomi word for "firefly".
Waveney(River)English The name of a river that forms much of the boundary between the counties of Suffolk and Norfolk in eastern England. It is derived from Old English wagen meaning "quagmire" and ēa "meaning "river; running water, stream."
Waverton(Settlement)English Possibly means "Weaver Town" from Old English waver meaning weaver, and ton meaning town.
Wawa(Settlement & Body of Water)Ojibwe Name of a town and lake in Ontario, Canada. From the Ojibwe wording wewe, meaning "wild goose"
Wawanakwa(Settlement)Popular Culture, Algonquian (?) Might mean "feathers of wild geese, water-related wild goose" from Ojibwe wewe meaning "wild goose" (?) combined with nakwa meaning "feathers, water-related" (nakwamay resemble phonetic elements in Algonquian that mean “feathers” or “water-related” elements in other names) (?).
Wawina(Settlement)English (American) A township in Minnesota. From Ojibwe waawiinaa meaning "I mention him often".
Waxahachie(Settlement)English (American) A city in Texas. Possibly from the Alabama term waakasi hachi meaning "calf's tail", or from the Muscogee compound word wakyhyce meaning "cow river".
Wear(River)English A river in North-East England. It is taken to be of Old Celtic origin and meant 'blood-colored water', referring to the reddish-brown color of the river. In modern Welsh, the name would be waed dwr, 'blood water'... [more]
Weehawken(Settlement)English (American) A city in New Jersey. The name is most likely from a Lenape language, and has been suggested to mean "maize land", "place of gulls", "rocks that look like trees", or "at the end".
Weh(Island)Indonesian The name of an island in Indonesia, derived from Acehnese wèh meaning "move, go away, leave". The name probably refers to either the splitting of the original island into separate, smaller islands or the island's break off from Sumatra.
Wekiwa(River)English (American) Two rivers in Florida. The name is derived from the Creek-Seminole word wekiwa meaning "spring".
Wellington(Settlement)English From Old English Weolingtun meaning "wealthy estate". Wellington is the capital of New Zealand. It is also the name of several settlements throughout the English-speaking world.
Wenatchee(Settlement)English (American) A city in Washington. From the name of the Wenatchi people, who are indigenous to the area.
Wenji-maajiijiwang(Body of Water)Ojibwe Ojibwe name for the headwaters of the Mississippi River. From the Ojibwe word wenji-maajiijiwang meaning "where the river begins".
Wenlai(Country)Chinese Chinese form of Brunei. 文萊 or 文莱 (Wénlái) is the spelling more commonly used in mainland China while 汶萊 or 汶莱 (Wènlái) or (Wénlái) is the prominent spelling in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Southeast Asia.
Wenningsted(Settlement)North Frisian Derived from North Frisian winning "gained land" and Low German stede "settlement".
Westminster(Settlement)English From Middle English Westmestre, equivalent to west + minster.
West Virginia(Political Subdivision)English (American) Name of a state in the United States, The western, transmontane, counties of Virginia; separated from Virginia during Civil War.
Westwego(Settlement)English (American) Possibly from the English phrase "west we go", as the city in Louisiana was a major crossing point on the Mississippi River during the westward migration of Euro-American colonizers.
Wetaskiwin(Settlement)English (Canadian), Cree A city in Alberta. From the Cree word wiitaskiiwin ispatinaw, meaning "the hills where peace was made".
Wetherby(Settlement)English A town in West Yorkshire. It's name derives from Old Norse veðra, 'ram' (Swedish vadur, Norwegian vær) and byr, 'farm'. See Waterford.
Weybourne(Settlement)English The name Weybourne is derived from the Old English elements "wæge" (meaning "ford" or "shallow crossing") and "burna" (meaning "stream" or "brook"). The name likely refers to a stream or crossing in the area... [more]
Wharekauri(Settlement)Maori This is misnomer of the Chatham Islands and Chatham Island. A Maori man made this mistake before 1835. This came from a settlement on Chatham Island named Wharekauri. The Maori have called Chatham Island that to this day.
Whitewater(River)English A river in Minnesota. The name is derived from the English words "white" and "water", a translation of the river's Dakota name.
Why(Settlement)English (American) Small community in Arizona State, US. Arizona law stated that a settlement's name must have at least 3 letters, so the towns founders named the town, which was situated on a Y-section, "Why" instead of "Y"... [more]
Wichita(Settlement)English Name of a city in Kansas, named after the Native American tribe Wichita. Possibly from Wichita We-chate hatchee, "Red Water River".
Wicklow(Political Subdivision & Settlement)Irish, Old Norse Town and county in Ireland. From Old Norse 'víkingalág' or 'vikinga-ló', meaning "meadow of the Vikings".
Wigan(Settlement)English A town in Northern England. Its etymology is uncertain but may represent Brittonic *wig, "a dwelling" (c.f. Welsh gwig), with the nominal suffix -an. Another possibility is that Wigan preserves a personal name corresponding to Gaulish Vicanus, Old Breton Uuicon or Welsh Uuicant.
Wildomar(Settlement)English (American) A city in California. The name is derived from the first syllables of the names William Collier and Donald Graham (the city's founders), and Margaret Collier Graham (Graham's wife and Collier's sister).
Willimantic(Settlement)English (American) Various cities in the United States. Of either Mohegan-Pequot or Narragansett origin, probably meaning "place near the evergreen swamp".
Willmar(Settlement)English Transferred use of the Belgian surname Willmar. The city in Minnesota is named for Leon (Chadwick) Willmar, an agent for the European bondholder of the St... [more]
Wiltshire(Political Subdivision)English The name of a county in southwest central England, earlier Wiltonshire, derived from Wilton (once the county's principal town) and Old English scir meaning "shire, administrative division".
Windhoek(Settlement)Afrikaans, Dutch, English This is the capital and largest city of Namibia. It’s unknown how this place got it’s name, most think it’s from the Afrikaans word wind-hoek, which means ''wind corner''... [more]
Windsor(Settlement)English City in Ontario, Canada, from an English surname that was from a place name meaning "riverbank with a windlass" in Old English (a windlass is a lifting apparatus). This has been the surname of the royal family of the United Kingdom since 1917.
Winkler(Political Subdivision & Settlement)German, English The city of Winkler was named after Valentin Winkler, a German land agent who helped settle the area. The surname Winkler is of German origin, derived from "Winkel", meaning "corner" or "angle", which could refer to a geographical feature or a person living in such a place... [more]
Winnebago(Political Subdivision & River)English (American) A river and county in Iowa. From Ojibwe Wiinibiigoo ("Winnebago, Ho-Chunk"), an exonym for the Ho-Chunk people who lived in the area.
Winnemucca(Settlement & Body of Water)English (American) A dry lake and city in Nevada, both named for Chief Winnemucca, a leader of the Northern Paiute people who are indigenous to the area.
Winnetka(Settlement)English (American) A city in Illinois. The name is said to be derived from a Potawatomi term meaning "beautiful place".
Winnibigoshish(Body of Water)English (American) A lake in Minnesota. From Ojibwe wiinibiigoonzhish meaning "filthy water, brackish water".
Winnipeg(Settlement)English Name of a city in Manitoba, Canada Ojibwe wiinibig "dirty waters", from wini "dirty" + nibi "water".
Winooski(Settlement & River)English (American) A river and multiple settlements in the United States. The name is derived from the Abenaki word winoskik meaning "at wild onion land".
Winterberg(Region, Settlement & Mountain)German The name of towns in German and Switzerland, as well as a mountain chain in South Africa and several mountains in Germany. From German Winter meaning "winter" and Berg meaning "mountain, hill".
Wirral(Region)Arthurian Cycle A barren wilderness in northern Britain through which Gawain rode in his search for the Green Chapel.
Wisconsin(Political Subdivision)English (American) Name of a state in the United States, from French Ouisconsin, likely from the Miami word Meskonsing "it lies red".
Wolfville(Settlement)English (Canadian) A Nova Scotia town in the Annapolis Valley. Home of Acadia University. Formerly named Mud Creek, it was renamed Wolfville in 1830 after the town's postmaster, Elisha DeWolf.
Woodstock(Settlement)English Name of many towns and cities throughout the world. Means "wood place".
Woolhope(Settlement)English (British) Means "Wulfgifu's valley", derived from the Old English feminine given name Wulfgifu and Middle English hop meaning "small valley"... [more]
Wrexham(Settlement)English Wrexham is a city and the administrative centre of Wrexham County Borough in Wales. It is located between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley, near the border with Cheshire in England... [more]
Wrocław(Settlement)Polish From the Old Polish names Wrocisław, Wrócisław or Warcisław, meaning a return to glory. Cognate with Czech Vratislav. It is associated with Vratislaus I of Bohemia, the legendary founder, but the first records of the city appear decades after his death... [more]
Wryeton(Settlement)English Middle English Wry(e) may mean "bent", "twisted" combined with the "ton" ending.
Wuhan(Settlement)Chinese From a portmanteau of 武昌 (Wǔchāng) and 汉口 (Hànkǒu), the names of two of the three towns combined to form modern Wuhan. This is the name of the capital city of the Chinese province of Hubei.
Württemberg(Political Subdivision & Region)German, English Etymology uncertain. Originally referred to a castle near Stuttgart, and increased its scope as the owners increased their possessions. Scholars have rejected the derivation Wirth am Berg, meaning "innkeeper/host on the hill/mountain"... [more]
Wusuli(Region, Body of Water & River)Chinese Sinicisation of Usuri. The wording used in Mainland PRC is 乌苏里, while the wording used in Taiwan is 烏蘇里.
Wyoming(Political Subdivision)English (American) Name of a state in the United States, from Algonquian chwewamink "at the big river flat," from xw "big" + e:wam "river flat" + enk "place".