Samarkand(Settlement)English, Russian, Ukrainian, Tatar From Uzbek Samarqand, derived (via Persian) from Sogdian smʾr/smā́r meaning "stone, rock" and knδh/kąθ meaning "fort, town, city". This is the name of a city in Uzbekistan.
San Antonio(Settlement & River)English Means "Saint Anthony" from Spanish san "Saint" + Antonio, a Spanish form of the given name Anthony. The river was named after San Antonio de Padua by the first governor of Spanish Texas, Domingo Terán de los Ríos in 1691... [more]
Sandhurst(Settlement)English Old English, meaning "sandy thicket of trees." A place name. In England, the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (named after the village it is located) is the prestigious British Army officer training centre.
San Diego(Settlement)English Name of a city in California, meaning "Saint Diego" from Spanish san "Saint" + the given name Diego.
Sandringham(Settlement)English Derived from the Old English: "sand" hring "ring"/"circular" ham "homestead". "Sandy circular homestead". The name of a village in Norfolk, where Sandringham House, one of the Queen's country retreats is located.
San Francisco(Settlement)Spanish, English The name of several places in the Spanish-speaking world, in honour of Saint Francis. One noteworthy place is the city of San Francisco in the US state of California.
San Gabriel(Settlement)Spanish, English The name of several places in the Spanish-speaking world, in honour of Saint Gabriel, including one city in the US state of California.
San Jose(Settlement)English Name of a city in California, meaning "Saint Joseph" from Spanish san "Saint" + Jose, a Spanish form of Joseph.
Santa Clara(Settlement)English, Spanish Name of a city in California, named for Saint Claire (Spanish for “Saint Claire”)
Santa Clarita(Settlement)English (American) Means “little Saint Clare” in Spanish. This is the name of a city in California.
Saragossa(Settlement)English From Çaragoça, the medieval form of the Arabic name سرقسطة (Saraqusṭa), from the Roman name Caesaraugusta, which is the combination of two Roman names Caesar and Augusta.
Sarajevo(Settlement)Bosnian, Serbian, Croatian, English From Turkish saray meaning "palace, mansion, house" and ova meaning "plain, lowland" or the Slavic suffix -evo used to indicate place names. This is the name of the capital city of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Saratoga(Settlement)English (American) From Mohawk se-rach-ta-gue or sa-ra-ta-ke meaning "the hillside country of the quiet river”. Several places in the United States were named for the city in New York, which was the site of a famous battle during the American Revolutionary War.
Sartell(Settlement)English Transferred use of the English surname Sartell. The city in Minnesota was named for Joseph B. Sartell, who owned a local flour mill and the Sartell Brothers Lumber Company.
Sauquoit(Settlement & Body of Water)English, Oneida From the Oneida word sa-da-quoit, meaning "smooth pebbles in a stream."
Sausalito(Settlement)English The name of a city in California, derived from Spanish sauzalito meaning "small willow grove".
Savannah(Settlement)English Likely from the Savannah River, which probably derives from a variant name for the Shawnee people (natively called Ša·wano·ki, meaning "Southerners") that began to settle near the river in the 1860s... [more]
Scarborough(Settlement)English The name of a city in England. It is mentioned in the folk song "Scarborough Fair" about a fair held in the Middle Ages. A notable version of this song is the one by Simon and Garfunkel.
Scituate(Settlement)English (American) A city in Massachusetts. From Wampanoag satuit meaning "cold brook".
Scunthorpe(Settlement)English Scunthorpe is a large industrial town in the unitary authority of North Lincolnshire in Lincolnshire, England of which it is the main administrative center.... [more]
Seattle(Settlement)English From the given name Seattle, named in honour of Suquamish and Duwamish chief Seattle (1786-1866). This is the name of a city in the United States.
Sedbergh(Settlement)English A small town in rural Northern England. Its name derives from Old Norse sed, meaning 'sand' and berg, meaning 'mountain', referring to the mountainous location of Sedbergh and possibly the sandstone hills.
Sedona(Settlement)English A city in Arizona. Transferred use of the given name Sedona.
Selkirk(Political Subdivision & Settlement)Scottish, English The city of Selkirk was named after Thomas Douglas, 5th Earl of Selkirk, a Scottish nobleman who established the Red River Colony in the early 19th century. The name Selkirk comes from Old English and Old Norse, meaning "hall (or manor) by the church" (sel = "hall, manor," kirk = "church")... [more]
Seoul(Settlement)Korean, English Means "capital" in Korean, probably derived from Sillan 서라벌 (Seorabeol), the name of the capital of the ancient kingdom of Silla (which is now the present-day city of Gyeongju). This is the name of the capital city of South Korea.
Seremban(Settlement)Malay, English Possibly from Malay seremban, the name of a children's stone-tossing game. This is the name of a city in Malaysia.
Seton(Settlement)English A Scottish place, Seaton near Longniddry, "is so named because it was held from the 12th century by a Norman family de Sey, from Say in Indre. Other places of this name, for example those in Cumbria, Devon, County Durham, Northumbria, and Yorkshire, are mostly named with Old English sæ "sea, lake" and tun "enclosure, settlement"... [more]
Seville(Settlement)English From Spanish Sevilla, ultimately derived (via Arabic and Latin) from Phoenician 𐤔𐤐𐤋𐤄 (shplh) meaning "plain, valley, lowland". This is the name of a city in Spain.
Shah Alam(Settlement)Malay, English From the name of Sultan Hisamuddin Alam Shah (1898-1960), the second monarch of Malaysia and the sixth sultan of Selangor. This is the name of the capital city of the Malaysian state of Selangor.
Shakopee(Settlement & River)English (American) A city and creek in Minnesota, named for the Chief Shakopee III, a leader of the Dakota people, who are indigenous to the area.
Sheboygan(Settlement & River)English (American) A city and river in Wisconsin. From Menominee sāpīwǣhekaneh meaning "at a hearing distance in the woods".
Sherbrooke(Settlement)English Sherbrooke is believed to be named after Sir John Sherbrooke, a British military officer and governor of Nova Scotia. The name likely follows the English naming tradition of using the surname of notable figures to name towns or settlements... [more]
Sheridan(Settlement)English Transferred use of the surname Sheridan. The city in Wyoming was named for General Philip Sheridan, who fought for the Union in the American Civil War.
Sherrwood Park(Settlement)English The name Sherwood Park likely draws inspiration from Sherwood Forest in England, a name associated with the legendary tales of Robin Hood.... [more]
Sidon(Settlement)Arabic, English Sidon or Saida is the third-largest city in Lebanon. It is located in the South Governorate, of which it is the capital, on the Mediterranean coast.
Siem Reap(Settlement)Khmer, English Means "submission of Siam", from Khmer សៀម (Siem) referring to Siam (or Thailand) and រាប (reap) meaning "submissive, obedient, tame"... [more]
Skipton(Settlement)English A town in North Yorkshire, England meaning "sheep town".
Smara(Settlement)English Meaning unknown. Smara is a Moroccan-controlled city in the disputed Western Sahara.
Snohomish(Settlement & River)English (American) A city and river in Washington State. From the name of the Snohomish people, who are indigenous to the area.
Sofia(Settlement)Bulgarian, English Capital of Bulgaria named after the Saint Sofia Church located in the city. The name was first used by Bulgarian tsar Ivan Shishman in the 14th century.
Soquel(Settlement)English Soquel is a census-designated place (CDP) in Santa Cruz County, California, United States approximately 75 miles (120 km) south of San Francisco, and forms part of the north coast of Monterey Bay.... [more]
Sortobe(Settlement)Kazakh, Russian, English, Ukrainian Meaning uncertain, possibly of Dungan origin. This is the name of a town in southern Kazakhstan.
Spalding(Settlement)English This is the name of several places in England, USA, Canada and Australia, including one located in the eastern English county of Lincolnshire.... [more]
Sparta(Settlement)English, Czech, Danish, Finnish, German, Icelandic, Manx, Polish, Ancient Greek, Ancient Roman From Doric Greek Σπάρτα (Sparta) and Attic Greek Σπάρτη (Spartē), which is of uncertain origin but possibly derived from σπάρτον (sparton) meaning "rope, cable" - a reference to the cords laid as the city’s foundation boundaries, though this could be just a folk etymology.... [more]
Springville(Settlement)English (American) The city of Springville in Utah was named after Fort Springville, a fort that religious leader Brigham Young ordered to be built to be turned into a town as soon as possible.
Spruce Grove(Settlement)English The name Spruce Grove refers to the abundance of spruce trees in the area and the original natural landscape of the settlement. Established as a small agricultural community in the late 19th century, it grew alongside the development of the Canadian railway... [more]
Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte(Settlement)English From Sinhalese ශ්රී ජයවර්ධනපුර කෝට්ටේ (shri jayawardhanapura kotte) meaning "blessed fortress city of growing victory" or "fortified city of victory"... [more]
Srinagar(Settlement)English From Hindi श्रीनगर (shrinagar) comprised of श्री (shri) meaning "radiance, splendour, beauty" and नगर (nagara) meaning "town, city"... [more]
St Albert(Settlement)English, French (Quebec) Named after Albert Lacombe, a Roman Catholic priest who founded the St. Albert Mission in 1861 to serve the Métis people and local settlers. St. Albert is located in Alberta, Canada, and is part of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region.
Stamps(Settlement)English Stamps is a city in Arkansas, a state in the southern United States of America. This is where the author and actress Maya Angelou spent most of her childhood.
Statham(Settlement)English This is the name of a hamlet in the civil parish of Lymm, part of the borough of Warrington in Cheshire (Lancashire before 1974) in northern England. See Statham on the surname site for more information.
Stephenville(Settlement)English, French The name Stephenville likely originates from the French surname "St. Pierre" or "Ste. Pierre", reflecting the area's early French settlers. Over time, the town was named after Stephen, a prominent figure in its early history, with the suffix "-ville" (French origin) meaning "town" or "settlement".... [more]
St Johns(Settlement)English, French The name St. John's is derived from the Christian feast day of Saint John the Baptist, which is celebrated on June 24th. Early European explorers (likely Portuguese or English) arrived in the area on that day in the 16th century and named the location in honor of the saint.... [more]
Stoneleigh(Settlement)English Stoneleigh is a small village in Warwickshire, England.
Sturgis(Settlement)English Transferred use of the English surname Sturgis. The city in South Dakota was named for General Samuel D. Sturgis, who fought for the Union during the American Civil War.
Sukhumi(Settlement)English From Georgian სოხუმი (sokhumi) of uncertain origin. It may be from Georgian ციხე (tsikhe) meaning "fortress" combined with the suffix ომი (omi) denoting a geographical location or from Svan ცხუმ (tskhum) meaning "hornbeam"... [more]
Summerside(Settlement)English The name Summerside is believed to be a combination of "summer" and "side". The term "side" likely refers to the coastal location of the town, while "summer" could be a reference to its pleasant weather or seasonal significance... [more]
Sundance(Settlement)English A city in Wyoming named for the Sun Dance ceremony held by various local Native American nations.
Sunderland(Settlement)English A port city in North-East England. Derives from Old English sundor, 'separate' (c.f German sondern, 'but, instead') and land, 'land'.
Sunnyvale(Settlement)English From the English words sunny and vale meaning "valley". This is the name of a city in California.
Superior(Settlement & Body of Water)English Name of the largest of the North American Great Lake Chain as well as a city in Wisconsin bordering it. In the case of the lake, it is an Anglicization of French superieur meaning "upper" (referring to its position north of Lake Huron)... [more]
Surat(Settlement)Gujarati, English A city in India, derived from Arabic سورة (surah) meaning "surah", the name for the chapters of the Qur'an.... [more]
Surprise(Settlement)English Several places in the United States, including a city in Nebraska and a city in Arizona. From the English word "surprise".
Surrey(Settlement)English The name Surrey originates from the Old English "Sūþrige," meaning "southern district" or "southern region," derived from sūþ ("south") and rige ("region"). Surrey, British Columbia, was named after Surrey, England, by an early settler who thought the view of the Fraser River reminded him of the Thames in England... [more]
Swannanoa(Settlement & River)English (American) A river and a settlement in North Carolina, as well as a village in New Zealand named for the river. From Cherokee Suwa’lĭ-Nûñnâ’hĭ meaning “the trail to Suwa’li". Suwa’li, also called Joara, was a nearby kingdom... [more]
Swift Current(Settlement, Body of Water & River)English Swift Current is a translation of the Cree phrase "kisiskâciwan", meaning "it flows swiftly", referring to the fast-moving waters of the Swift Current Creek. The name was translated into English by early European explorers and settlers... [more]
Swindon(Settlement)English Previously it was called Suindune which could have been derived from the Old English words "swine" and "dun" meaning "pig hill" or possibly Sweyn's hill which was probably the owner’s name
Tahlequah(Settlement)English (American) A city in Oklahoma. Most likely from Cherokee di li gwa meaning "grain, rice".
Taichung(Settlement)English From Chinese 台中 (Táizhōng) literally meaning "Taiwan center", from 台 (tái) referring to Taiwan and 中 (zhōng) meaning "middle"... [more]
Taipei(Settlement)English, Japanese From Chinese 臺北 (Táiběi) derived from 臺 (tái) referring to Taiwan and 北 (běi) meaning "north". This is the name of the capital city of Taiwan.
Tallentire(Settlement)English A village in Cumbria, England. From Cumbric tal-y-tir, probably meaning 'end of the land'.
Tampa(Settlement)English After the city of Tampa in the state of Florida. Tampa is from a Calusa word, the Calusa being the Native American tribe that once lived in the area. The exact word in unknown; it may have meant "sticks of fire", possibly referring to lightning, or "the place to gather sticks"... [more]
Tangier(Settlement)English From Latin Tingis, itself from the Punic root tng of uncertain origin. It may have been derived from Berber tingis meaning "marsh", based on the old Berber name ⵜⵉⵏⴳⵉ (Tingi)... [more]
Taos(Settlement)English (American) From the Taos word tə̂o (“village”). The word may come from Spanish tao meaning «tau cross ensign», ultimately from the name for the Greek letter tau.... [more]
Tashkent(Settlement)English, Russian From Uzbek Toshkent meaning "stone city", from tosh meaning "stone" combined with Turkic kend meaning "city". This is the name of the capital city of Uzbekistan.
Tbilisi(Settlement)Georgian, English, Russian Derived from Georgian თბილი (tbili) meaning "warm", given in reference to the area's sulfuric hot springs. This is the name of the capital city of Georgia (the country).
Teluk Intan(Settlement)Malay, English Means "diamond bay" in Malay, from teluk meaning "bay, bend, gulf" and intan meaning "diamond". This is the name of a town in Malaysia.
Ternopil(Political Subdivision & Settlement)English, Ukrainian, Dutch, Turkish Means "Tarnowski's city" in Ukrainian, borrowed from Polish Tarnopol, from the Polish surname Tarnowski, named after the Hetman Jan Amor's family name, combined with Greek πόλις (pólis) "city"... [more]
Texarkana(Region & Settlement)English Portmanteau of Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana. This refers to a Texas-Arkansas-Louisiana border region, as well as the region's principal cities: Texarkana, Texas, and Texarkana, Arkansas.
Thebes(Settlement)English, Ancient Greek (Anglicized) Perhaps ultimately from Semitic teba "chest, box". This is the name of a city in Boeotia, Greece, which played an important role in many Greek myths (as the site of the stories of Cadmus, Oedipus, Dionysus, Heracles and others).
The Hague(Settlement)English Originally named des Graven Hage, literally meaning "the count's wood" in medieval Dutch. This is the administrative and royal capital city of the Netherlands and the capital city of the South Holland province.
Thermopolis(Settlement)English (American) A city in Wyoming. From Ancient Greek θερμόςthermós meaning "warm, hot" and πόλιςpólis meaning "city".
Thessaloniki(Settlement)English, Greek The city's name derives from the Greek words Θεσσαλός (Thessalós) referring to the region of Thessaly and νῑ́κη (nī́kē) "victory, success"; literally translating to "Thessalian victory"... [more]
Thetford(Settlement)English From the Old English þeodo "people" and "ford". The name of a town in Norfolk.
Thimphu(Settlement)Bhutanese, Tibetan, English From Bhutanese ཐིམ་ (thim) meaning "to sink" and ཕུ་ (phu) meaning "high ground, foothill, upland" or "to fly". This is the name of the capital city of Bhutan.
Thingwall(Settlement)English A town in England. From the Scandinavian 'Þingvöllr', meaning "the meeting place of the assembly".
Thompson(Political Subdivision & Settlement)English The city of Thompson was named after John F. Thompson, chairman of International Nickel Company (INCO), which established the community as a mining town in the 1950s. The surname "Thompson" is of English and Scottish origin, meaning "son of Thomas", with Thomas deriving from the Aramaic word "tʾoma" meaning "twin."
Tiberias(Settlement & Body of Water)English, Biblical Derived from Tiberius, the name of the second Roman emperor. This is the name of a city located on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee... [more]
Toppenish(Settlement)English (American) A city in Washington State. Likely from Sahaptin txápniš meaning "protruded, stuck out". The name refers to a nearby landslide.
Towanda(Settlement)English Means "burial ground" in Nanticoke, an Algonquian language.
Trafalgar(Region, Other & Settlement)Spanish, English The name of both a small Spanish peninsula and a beloved British city square, which is most likely derived from Taraf al-Ghar (طرف الغار 'cape of the cave/laurel') or Taraf al-Gharb (طرف الغرب 'extremity of the west'), both of which are of Arabic origin.
Trece Martires(Settlement)English, Filipino Means "thirteen martyrs" in Spanish, referring to the Thirteen Martyrs of Cavite. This is name of the de facto capital city of Cavite, Philippines.
Tripoli(Settlement)Greek, Italian, English Derived from Ancient Greek Τρίπολις (Tripolis) meaning "three cities", from τρι (tri) meaning "three" and πόλις (polis) meaning "city"... [more]
Trowbridge(Settlement)English It could be derived from the Old English treow-brycg which means “tree bridge”... [more]
Truckee(Settlement)English (American) A river in California and Nevada. From the name of a Northern Paiute medicine chief and prophet, Truckee.
Truth Or Consequences(Settlement)English Truth or Consequences is a city in the U.S. It was named after "Truth or Consequences", the radio show.
Tucson(Settlement)English Of Spanish origin, meaning "black hill."
Tulsa(Settlement)English From Muscogee Tallasi, meaning "old town". This is the name of a city in the US state of Oklahoma.
Tupelo(Settlement)English A city in Mississippi. From the English word "tupelo", referring to a kind of tree common in the area.
Turin(Settlement)English, French, German, Piedmontese, Russian From Latin Augusta Taurinorum, itself from Taurini, the name of a tribe. This is the name of the capital city of Piedmont, in northern Italy.
Tyre(Settlement)English, Arabic Tyre is the fourth largest city in Lebanon after Beirut, Tripoli, and Sidon. It is the capital of the Tyre District in the South Governorate. It is known as Sour or Sur in Arabic.
Ukiah(Settlement)English (American) A city in California. From Pomo yokáya meaning "deep valley, south valley".
Ürümqi(Settlement)English From Uyghur ئۈرۈمچى (ürümchi), which may have been derived from Mongolian ᠦᠯᠡᠮᠵᠢ (ülemji) meaning "great", a short form of the phrase ᠦᠯᠡᠮᠵᠢ ᠶᠢᠨ ᠰᠠᠶ᠋ᠢᠬᠠᠨ ᠪᠡᠯᠴᠢᠭᠡᠷ (ülemji-yin say᠋iqan belchiger) meaning "great pasture" or "beautiful pasture"... [more]
Vail(Settlement)English Vail is a home rule municipality in Eagle County, Colorado, United States.
Valdosta(Settlement)English The name of a city in southern Georgia, United States, taken from that of George Troup (1780-1856)'s plantation; Troup, the 32nd Governor of Georgia, named Valdosta after Piedmontese Val d'Osta meaning "Aosta Valley", a place in the Italian Alps... [more]
Vallejo(Settlement)Spanish, English The name of a city in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, which was founded by Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo (1807-1890), a Californio military leader and landowner... [more]
Valletta(Settlement)Maltese, English From the name of 16th century French nobleman Jean de Valette. This is the name of the capital city of Malta.
Val Verde(Settlement)English (American) A town in New Mexico. Meaning "green valley", from Spanish val "valley" and verde "green".
Van(Settlement)English Derived from the surname Vance. Van is a town Texas, USA.
Vancouver(Settlement & Island)English (Canadian) City and Island in Canadian province British Columbia, named after the explorer George Vancouver.
Vientiane(Settlement)English, French French form of Lao ວຽງຈັນ (Wiangchan) meaning "city of sandalwood" or "city of the moon" from Lao ວຽງ (wiang) meaning "city, town" and ຈັນ (chan) meaning "sandalwood" or "moon"... [more]
Vilnius(Settlement)Lithuanian, English From the name of the Vilnia River, which is derived from Lithuanian vilnis meaning "wave, ripple". This is the name of the capital city of Lithuania.
Viroqua(Settlement)English From the Spanish Veragua. A town in Wisconsin.
Volodymyr(Settlement)Ukrainian, English, Czech, French, Italian, Slovak Transferred use of the Ukrainian given name Volodymyr. The city in Ukraine was named for Vladimir I Sviatoslavich, the Prince of Novgorod and Grand Prince of Kiev.
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".
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".
Wakonda(Settlement)English (American) A city in South Dakota. From Dakota wakor or waukon meaning "wonder, miracle, marvel, sacred, medicine".
Walkden(Settlement)English (British) The name Walkden or Walkeden derives from the Old English 'denu', a valley, belonging to a man possibly called Wealca.
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'.
Waseca(Settlement)English (American) A city in Minnesota, derived from the Dakota word washecha, meaning "rich, fertile".
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).
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".
Waverton(Settlement)English Possibly means "Weaver Town" from Old English waver meaning weaver, and ton meaning town.
Wawina(Settlement)English (American) A township in Minnesota. From Ojibwe waawiinaa meaning "I mention him often".
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.
Westminster(Settlement)English From Middle English Westmestre, equivalent to west + minster.
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]
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".
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.
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]
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]
Winnipeg(Settlement)English Name of a city in Manitoba, Canada Ojibwe wiinibig "dirty waters", from wini "dirty" + nibi "water".
Wisley(Settlement)English It is a small village in Surrey, England.
Wixom(Settlement)English Transferred use of the English surname Wixom. The city in Michigan is named for Willard Clark Wixom, a local landowner.
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.
Woodbury(Settlement)English From Old English wudu, “wood” and burg, “fortified place”.
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]
Wryeton(Settlement)English Middle English Wry(e) may mean "bent", "twisted" combined with the "ton" ending.
Xi'an(Settlement)Chinese, English Means "western peace" from Chinese 西 (xī) meaning "west" and 安 (ān) meaning "peace, quiet"... [more]
Yamoussoukro(Political Subdivision & Settlement)English, French, Danish, Portuguese In honor of Yamousso, a Baoulé queen and great-aunt of President Félix Houphouët-Boigny (1905–1993), with the addition of the suffix kro ("village"). This is the name of the de iure capital city of Côte D'ivoire, as well as the name of the district around it.
Yangon(Settlement)Burmese, English Means "end of strife" in Burmese, from ရန် (yan) meaning "enemy, danger" or "quarrel" combined with ကုန် (gon) meaning "to run out, end". This is the name of the largest city in Myanmar, which served as the country's capital until 2006... [more]
Yankton(Settlement & Body of Water)English (American) The city in South Dakota was named for the Yankton tribe of the Western Dakota, who are indigenous to the area; Yankton itself is derived from Dakota Iháŋktȟuŋwaŋ, meaning "village at the end".
Yaoundé(Settlement)English, Catalan, Danish, Dutch, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Welsh, Yoruba From the outpost of Jaundo, founded between 1887 and 1889 by German explorers Lt. Richard Kund and Hans Tappenbeck and named so after the local Ewondo people, also known as Yaunde. The name could also have been a German rendition of the Ewondo expression mia wondo ("peanut farmers")... [more]
Yarmouth(Settlement)English The name Yarmouth is derived from the town of Yarmouth in Norfolk, England. The name is thought to be a combination of "Yare", the name of a nearby river, and "mouth", which refers to the mouth of the river... [more]
Yellowknife(Settlement)English (Canadian) Yellowknife is the name of the capital and only city of Northwest Territories in Canada.... [more]
Yeovil(Settlement)English (British) Derived from the Celtic river name, 'gifl' meaning forked river - which was an earlier name for the River Yeo, which runs through Yeovil.
Yerevan(Settlement)Armenian, English, Russian Meaning unknown. It may be from Yervand, the name of a 3rd-century BC Armenian king (also known as Orontes IV), or from Էրեբունի (Erebuni), an ancient Urartian fortification and city... [more]
Yonkers(Settlement)English Name of the 4th most populous city in New York state, a variant of Dutch Jonkers, jonker, "young gentleman", derived from Dutch jong "young".
Yorkton(Settlement)English Yorkton was named in 1882 by members of the York Farmers' Colonization Company, a group of settlers from Toronto (then called York). The name "York" honors York, England, and follows a common British colonial tradition of naming places after locations in the United Kingdom... [more]
Yucaipa(Settlement)English (American) A city in California. From Serrano yukaipa't meaning "green valley".
Zaragoza(Settlement)Spanish, English From Çaragoça, the medieval form of the Arabic name سرقسطة (Saraqusṭa), from the Roman name Caesaraugusta, which is the combination of two Roman names Caesar and Augusta.
Zephyrhills(Settlement)English A city in Florida. From the English word "zephyr" or the Ancient Greek deity Zephyr and the English word "hill".
Zionsville(Settlement)English Various cities in the United States. From Zion and ville, meaning "city".
Zzyzx(Settlement)English The name of a place in Southern California, in the Mojave Desert, which was the site of the Zzyzx Mineral Springs and Health Spa from 1944 to 1974, run by self-proclaimed medical doctor and Methodist minister Curtis Howe Springer (1896-1985)... [more]