Newark(Settlement)English (British) Newark-on-trent/Newark is a market town in the UK , Founded 1054 or 1123. Old names are Newarcha , Niweweorche and Newerche (in the book Domesday).... [more]
New Bern(Settlement)English New Bern was settled in 1710 by Swiss and Palatine immigrants led by Christoph von Graffenried. They named the settlement after Bern, the capital of Switzerland.
Newcastle(Settlement)English A city in North-East England. It simply denoted the site of a New Castle, as this is where a castle was erected by William the Conquer in 1080.... [more]
New New York(Settlement & Island)Popular Culture New New York is the name of the main city from Futurama, which was built over Old New York after it was destroyed.
Nha Trang(Settlement)Vietnamese Possibly from Eastern Cham YjaTran, Ea Trang or Ea Dran (literally meaning "reed river"), all names for the Cái River. This is the name of a city in Vietnam.
Niadi(River, Other, Political Subdivision & Settlement)Kongo, Central African The name of both a river and a valley in Southwest Republic of the Congo.
Niagara(Body of Water, Settlement & Region)Iroquois Name of a popular waterfall, a town, and region, in Canada. Derived from the Iroquois word Onguiaahra, meaning either "the strait", or "bisected bottom lands"
Niamey(Settlement)English, Armenian, Danish, Finnish, French, Italian, Slovak, Spanish Of uncertain origin; there are several theories on the origin of the name. It may be derived from a combination of Zarma words nia ("tree") and me ("shore where water is drawn"), or from the phrase "Wa niammané" ("take this city"), reportedly said by a Kalle clan chief... [more]
Nice(Settlement)French, English Founded by Greek colonists and given the name Νίκαια (Nikaia), ultimately derived from Greek νίκη (nike) meaning "victory". Nice is a city on the south east coast of France.
Nicosia(Settlement)English From a French corruption of Greek Λευκωσία (Lefkosia), which is of uncertain meaning. The most probable theory states that it is derived from the Greek phrase λευκό περιουσία (lefko periousia) meaning "white estate"... [more]
Nida(Settlement)Lithuanian The name of a Lithuanian resort town located at the westernmost point of Lithuania and the Baltic states, close to the border with the Russian Kaliningrad Oblast exclave. It is said to be derived from Old Prussian nida meaning "fluent."
Nidaros(Settlement)Medieval Scandinavian From the the name of the River Nid (see Nidelva) combined with Old Norse óss denoting the city's location near the river. This was the former name of Trondheim.
Niigata(Political Subdivision & Settlement)Japanese From Japanese 新 (nii) meaning "new" and 潟 (kata) meaning "lagoon". This is the name of a city in Japan, as well as the prefecture in which the city is located.
Ninh Bình(Political Subdivision & Settlement)Vietnamese From Sino-Vietnamese 寧 (ninh) meaning "peaceful, tranquil, serene" and 平 (bình) meaning "level, even". This is the name of a province of, as well as a city in, Vietnam.
Nininger(Settlement)English Transferred use of the surname Nininger. The township in Minnesota was named for John Nininger, the brother-in-law of Alexander Ramsey, an early governor of Minnesota.
Nipigon(River & Settlement)Ojibwe Town and river in Ontario, Canada. From the Ojibwe word Alimipigon, possibly meaning "where the water begins".
Nipissing(Body of Water & Settlement)Algonquin Lake and town in Ontario, Canada. From the Algonquin word meaning "big water"
Nishinomiya(Settlement)Japanese From Japanese 西 (nishi) meaning "west", the unwritten possessive marker の (no), and 宮 (miya) meaning "temple, shrine, palace"... [more]
Nixa(Settlement)English Named after one of the towns first civic leaders, Nicholas A. Inman. Originally supposed to be called 'Nix' before the inclusion of Inman's middle initial.
Niza(Settlement)Spanish Spanish for the city of Nice, France.
Noblesville(Settlement)English From the English surname Noble and ville meaning "city". The city in Indiana was named for either James Noble, one of the first two Senators from Indiana, or Lavina Noble, the fiance of city founder Josiah Polk.
Nonthaburi(Political Subdivision & Settlement)Thai From Thai นนท์ (non) meaning "pleasure, delight, enjoyment" and บุรี (buri) meaning "city, town". This is the name of a province of, as well as a district and city in, Thailand.
Notion(Settlement)Ancient Greek From Greek Νότιον (Notion), meaning "southern". This was the name of a city-state on the west coast of Anatolia, near present-day Izmir, Turkey.
Nottingham(Settlement)English Dervied from its Old English name "homestead of Snot's people"; the initial S was lost in the 12th century, due to the influence of Anglo-Norman French (the combination of sn- is alien to French). Name of a city in Nottinghamshire, from which the county gets its name.
Nouakchott(Settlement)French, English From Arabic نواكشوط (Nuwakshut), itself from Tamazight Nawākšūṭ meaning "place of the winds" or inua u-kshut meaning "made of wood, made of sticks". This is the name of the capital of Mauritania.
Nur-Sultan(Settlement)Kazakh, English, Russian From the given name Nursultan. This is the name of the capital city of Kazakhstan, which was renamed in honour of former president Nursultan Nazarbayev (1940-)... [more]
Nusantara(Region & Settlement)Indonesian, Javanese Derived from Old Javanese nūsāntara meaning "outer islands" or "other islands", from nūsa meaning "island" and antara meaning "interval, interspace, between, other" (both of Sanskrit origin)... [more]
Nusantara(Region & Settlement)Indonesian, Javanese Derived from Old Javanese nūsāntara meaning "outer islands" or "other islands", from nūsa meaning "island" and antara meaning "interval, interspace, between, other". In Indonesia this term is used to refer to the Indonesian Archipelago, while outside of Indonesia it has been used to represent the broader Malay Archipelago... [more]
Ōda(Settlement)Japanese From Japanese 大 (ō) meaning "big, great" and 田 (ta) meaning "field, rice paddy". This is the name of a city in Japan.
Odense(Settlement)Danish From Old Norse Óðinn's vé meaning "Odin's sanctuary". This is the 3rd largest city in Denmark and the birthplace of Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875), the author of fairy tales such as 'The Little Mermaid' (1837), and 'The Snow Queen' (1844).
Ōita(Political Subdivision & Settlement)Japanese Means "large division" in Japanese.
Ojai(Settlement)English Derived from a hispanicized form of the Ventureño Chumash word ʼawhaʼy which meant "moon". This is the name of a city and valley in Southern California.
Oka(Settlement)Mohawk Unknown meaning. Name of town in Quebec
Okayama(Political Subdivision & Settlement)Japanese Means "hills and mountains" in Japanese.
Okemos(Settlement)English (American) A city in Michigan, named after Chief John Okemos of the Ojibwe people. The surname Okemos is an anglicized form of Ojibwe ogimaans meaning "little chief".
Okinawa(Political Subdivision, Settlement & Island)Japanese From Japanese 沖 (oki) meaning "open sea" and 縄 (nawa) meaning "rope, cord", possibly from an archaic word for a type of rope used to catch fish. This is the name of a prefecture and city in Japan, as well as the name of a group of islands (along with the main island within that group).
Omaha(Settlement)Sioux Siouan people of northeastern Nebraska, 1804, Maha, perhaps from Omaha umaha, perhaps literally "upstream (people), against the flow." The Nebraska city was founded in 1854.
Omeyocan(Settlement)Aztec, Aztec and Toltec Mythology It means "the place of duality." The word is composed of ōme ('two') and -yō (suffix for abstractions), which gives ōmeyōtl or duality; and -cān (place).
Onalaska(Settlement & Body of Water)English (American) Various cities in the United States and a lake in Wisconsin. After Unalaska, a volcanic island in Alaska which was mentioned in the poem "The Pleasures of Hope" by the Scottish poet Thomas Campbell.
Onamia(Settlement & Body of Water)English (American) A city and lake in Minnesota. From Ojibwe onamanii-zaaga'iganiing, which itself is derived from onaman meaning "red ochre, vermilion" and zaaga'igan meaning "lake".
Oneida(Settlement)English (American) A city in New York. From the name of the Oneida people, who are indigenous to the area.
Onslow(Settlement)English Meaning, "a place within the liberty of Shrewsbury, in Salop', the original and still confusingly used, name for the county of Shropshire.
Opa-locka(Settlement)English (American) A city in Florida. From Seminole opa-tisha-wocka-locka or opatishawockalocka meaning "wooded hummock, hot and dry hummock".
Opelika(Settlement)English Derived from Muscogee (Creek) opilwa lako meaning "large swamp". This is the name of a small city in the American state of Alabama.
Opelousas(Settlement)English (American) A city in Louisiana. From the Opelousa people, who were indigenous to the area.
Oran(Settlement)English, French From the Arabic name وهران (Wahran), which is ultimately derived from the Berber root hr meaning "lion". This is the name of a city in Algeria.
Orinda(Settlement)English A transferred use of the given name Orinda. The city in California was likely named for the Anglo-Welsh poet Katherine Philips, who wrote under the pen name Orinda.
Orival(Settlement)French Derived from Latin aurea vallis meaning "golden vale/valley," the name belonging to three communes (one since defunct), located in the Seine-Maritime & Somme départements of northern France and Charente département of western France.
Orthanc(Settlement)Literature A fortress in JRR Tolkien's Lord of the Rings series. Likely from the fictional Sindarin language orod, "mountain", and thanc, "cleft, split".
Ōsaka(Political Subdivision & Settlement)Japanese Alternate transcription of Osaka.
Osaka(Political Subdivision & Settlement)Japanese From Japanese 大 (ō) meaning "big, great" and 阪 (saka) meaning "slope". This is the name of a city in Japan, as well as the prefecture in which the city is located.
Osawatomie(Settlement)English (American) A city in Kansas. Its name derives from a portmanteau of Osage and Potawatomi, two Native American nations indigenous to the area.
Osgiliath(Settlement)Literature A city in JRR Tolkien's 'Lord of the Rings' series. Meaning "city of the stars", from the fictional Sindarin language ost, "fortress, city" and gil "star".
Oshawa(Settlement)English (Canadian) A city in Ontario. From Ojibwa aazhawe, meaning "a cross, the crossing place".
Oshkosh(Settlement)English (American) Transferred use of the Menominee name Oshkosh meaning "claw". Chief Oshkosh was a leader of the Menominee Native Americans, who are indigenous to the area.
Osijek(Settlement)Croatian Osijek is the fourth largest city in Croatia... [more]
Oskaloosa(Settlement)English (American) A city in Iowa. Meaning "black rain", from Mvskoke-Creek oske "rain" and lvste "black". A local legend claims that Ouscaloosa was the Creek wife of Seminole chief Osceola... [more]
Oslo(Settlement)Norwegian Meaning uncertain. Possibly a combination of Old Norse áss meaning either "ridge" or "Æsir god", and ló "meadow, clearing". Oslo is the capital city of Norway... [more]
Ostia(Settlement)Ancient Roman, Italian From Latin ōs, meaning "mouth", transferred to mean "opening, entrance". This was a major port city in Ancient Rome, which is still the name of a coastal area of the modern city of Rome.
Otsego(Settlement)English (American) From Mohawk or Oneida otsego, meaning "place of the rock". The city in Minnesota is named for the county in New York.
Ōtsu(Settlement)Japanese Means "large port" in Japanese. The kanji that make up the name are 大 (ō), meaning "big, large", and 津 (tsu, Japanese kun reading of jīn), meaning "port"... [more]
Oulu(Settlement)Finnish From the name of the Oulu River (Finnish: Oulujoki). Oulu is probably taken directly from the Finnish dialectal word oulu meaning "flood water". Oulu is the capital city of Northern Ostrobothnia.
Overbrook(Settlement)English This place name meaning "over the brook" is the name of a city in Kansas.
Oviedo(Settlement)Spanish, Asturian One of the best-known theories suggests that the term Oviedo comes from the union of urbs and vetus, which in Latin means "old city." Other theories relate it to "ovem" (sheep), and possibly meaning "place full of sheep"
Owatonna(Settlement)English (American) From the Dakota name for the nearby Straight River, Wakpá Owóthaŋna.
Oxford(Settlement)English This is the name of a city in England meaning 'ford of the oxen'. It is well known for being the location Oxford University.
Padang(Settlement)Indonesian, Minangkabau Means "field, plain" in Indonesian. This is the name of the capital city of the Indonesian province of West Sumatra.
Pafuri(Political Subdivision & Settlement)Tsonga The name "Pafuri" originates from the Tsonga language and refers to a region in the northernmost part of South Africa near the Limpopo River.
Pakokku(Settlement)English From Burmese ပခုက္ကူ (pahkukku), meaning uncertain. This is the name of a city in Myanmar.
Pakse(Settlement)Lao, Thai Means "mouth of the river" from Lao ປາກ (pak) meaning "mouth" and ເຊ (se) meaning "river". This is the name of a city in Laos.
Palabuhanratu(Settlement)Indonesian, Sundanese Means "queen's harbour" from Sundanese palabuhan meaning "harbour" and ratu meaning "queen". This is the name of a city in Indonesia.
Palana(Settlement & Body of Water)Russian "having a Waterfall"
Palembang(Settlement)Indonesian Meaning unclear, possibly from the prefix pa- denoting location combined with Malay limbang meaning "to pan gold, to wash rice" or lembang meaning "to cause (water) to flow" or "lowland basin, valley" (a reference to the area's geography as a wetland)... [more]
Palo Alto(Settlement)English Name of a city in California, from Spanish palo "(tree) stick" + alto "tall".
Palu(Settlement)Indonesian Uncertain, possibly from Mandarese topalu'e meaning "raised land" or Kaili bolovatu or volovatu referring to a type of local bamboo. This is the name of a city in Indonesia.
Panay(Settlement & Island)Filipino Panay is the sixth-largest and fourth-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total land area of 12,011 km2 and a total population of 4,542,926, as of 2020 census... [more]
Pandosia(Settlement)Ancient Greek Pandosia (Ancient Greek: Πανδοσία) was an ancient city of Bruttium, in what is now Calabria, southern Italy. According to Livy it was situated near the border between Bruttium and Lucania (now Basilicata).
Panevėžys(Settlement)Lithuanian Means "along the Nevėžis" referring to the Nevėžis River in Lithuania. This is the name of a city and county in northeast Lithuania.
Parañaque(Settlement & River)Filipino The City of Parañaque was founded on November 30th, 1572. It is one of the 16 cities making up the NCR of the Philippines. It has a land area of 47.69 km2 and has 665,822 people living in it as of the 2015 census... [more]
Parepare(Settlement)Buginese, Indonesian The name of a city in Indonesia, derived from the Buginese phrase bajiki ni pare meaning "ports in this region are good".
Pariaman(Settlement)Indonesian, Minangkabau From Arabic بر أمان (barr 'aman) meaning "safe land, secure land". This is the name of a town in West Sumatra province, Indonesia.