Abakan(Settlement & River)Russian, English Derived from the name Abakhan which is the name of a mythological Turkish khan (king). His name means "bear's blood" in the Khakas language, and was bestowed to the present-day Abakan River and the city of the same name... [more]
Aberdeen(Settlement)English (Rare) A city in Scotland, stemming from the prefix aber- meaning 'river mouth', and the suffix -deen, which could possibly be referring to the rivers don and dee.
Abkhazia(Country)English From Russian Абхазия (Abkhaziya) from Georgian აფხაზეთი (Apxazeti), which is derived from აფხაზი (Apxazi), the Georgian name for the Abkhaz people... [more]
Abruzzo(Political Subdivision)Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese From Late Latin Aprutium, itself probably from Praetūtium, which defined the territory in which the tribe of the Praetutii lived. This is the name of a region in southern Italy.
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]
Abyssinia(Country)English The name of Ethiopia until the early 20th century.
Accra(Settlement)English Derived from Akan nkran meaning "fire ant". This is the name of the capital city of Ghana.
Addis Ababa(Settlement)English, Danish, Turkish From Amharic አዲስ አበባ (ʾädis ʾäbäba), meaning "new flower". This is the name of the capital city of Ethiopia.
Aden(Settlement & Body of Water)English From Arabic عدن ('Adan) derived from Akkadian edinu meaning "plain, lowland", itself from Sumerian eden meaning "plain, open country". This is the name of a city in Yemen as well as a gulf between the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea (the Gulf of Aden).
Adygea(Political Subdivision)English From Russian Адыгея (Adygeya), which is from Adyghe адыгэ (adyge), the endonym of the Circassian (Adyghe) people. The ethnic name is of uncertain meaning, though it may mean "mountain between seas" or "mountain by the sea"... [more]
Agadir(Settlement)Arabic (Maghrebi), Berber, English, French Means "fortified fortress, wall" in Central Atlas Tamazight, ultimately from Phoenician gdr meaning "wall, compound". This is the name of a city in Morocco.
Aire(River)English The name of a river in Yorkshire in England which passes through Leeds. Of uncertain etymology, probably of Celtic origin.
Airton(Settlement)English The name of a small village and civil parish in the Craven district of North Yorkshire in England, also known as Airton-in-Craven. It is derived from a combination of Aire (referring to the river) and Old English tun meaning "enclosure, yard, town."
Alabama(Political Subdivision)English Name of a state in the United States, from the name of the Native American tribe Alabama meaning "thick cutters," from Choctaw albah "medicinal plants" and amo "to clear".
Alaska(Political Subdivision)English Derived from Russian Аляска (Alyaska), which in turn is derived from Aleut alaxsxaq meaning "object to which the action of the sea is directed". Alaska is the largest of the 50 American states, located northwest of the United States mainland and bordering Canada.
Albany(Settlement)English Name of the capital in New York, renamed after British acquisition in 1664 in honor of the Dukes of Albany (House of Stuart), hence a name borne by their retainers.
Alberta(Political Subdivision)English Name of one of the 12 provinces in Canada, named after Princess Louise Caroline Alberta (1848–1939), the fourth daughter of Victoria, Queen of Canada, and Albert, Prince Consort.
Albuquerque(Settlement)English (American) Albuquerque, New Mexico’s largest city, sits in the high desert. Its modern Downtown core contrasts with Old Town Albuquerque, dating to the city’s 1706 founding as a Spanish colony.
Alderney(Island)English, Medieval Scandinavian One of the Channel Islands in England. It may be a corruption of 'adreni' or 'alrene', derived from Old Norse, meaning "island near the coast". Alternatively, it may come from other old Norse words; 'alda', meaning "swelling wave', 'renna', meaning "strong current', and -ey, meaning "island'.
Alor Setar(Settlement)Malay, English From Malay alor meaning "river, stream" and setar meaning "gandaria" (a type of fruit). This is the name of the capital city of the Malaysian state of Kedah.
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.
Altham(Settlement)English Meaning "river meadow of the swans" hamm elfitu.
Amherst(Settlement)English Name of a town in Massachusetts, and name of a college, UMass Amherst.
Amoy(Settlement)English (Archaic) Older variant of Xiamen based on the Zhangzhou Hokkien romanization 廈門 (Ēe-mûi).
Anaheim(Settlement)English Union of Ana, referring to the nearby Santa Ana River, and the German suffix heim ("home"). This is the name of a city in the US state of California.
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]
Ankara(Settlement)Turkish, English Derived from Ancient Greek ἄγκυρα (ankura) meaning "anchor, hook". This is the name of the capital city of Turkey.
Anmer(Settlement)English Derived from the village of Anmer, in Norfolk. It stems from the Old English aened "duck" and mere "pool".
Ann Arbor(Settlement)English (American) The name of a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, the county seat of Washtenaw County located in the south of the state.... [more]
Ansonia(Political Subdivision)English An eponymous city in Connecticut's Naugatuck River Valley named for founder Anson Green Phelps. In the 19th and early 20th centuries Ansonia was an manufacturing hub; one successful business was the Ansonia Clock Company, which sold world-wide... [more]
Antananarivo(Settlement)Malagasy, French, English Means "city of thousand" in Malagasy, from the prefix an- combined with tanana meaning "city, town" and arivo meaning "one thousand". The name was chosen by Merina King Andriamasinavalona (1675-1710), who renamed the city in honour of the thousand soldiers who captured the site under the rule of King Andrianjaka... [more]
Antigua and Barbuda(Country)English The history of Antigua and Barbuda can be separated into three distinct eras. In the first, the islands were inhabited by three successive Amerindian societies. The islands were neglected by the first wave of European colonization, but were settled by England in 1632... [more]
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".
Appalachia(Region)English Appalachia is the name of a cultural region in the Eastern United States. The meaning of the name is unknown, but it is ultimately of Native American origin, as the region was named after a Native American tribe.
Apperley(Settlement)English Means "apple clearing". From æppel "apple" and leah "woodland, clearing"
Apulia(Political Subdivision)English, Ancient Roman, Polish, Spanish From Latin Apulia, itself of unknown origin, perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ep-, meaning "water". This is the name of a region in southern Italy.
Arizona(Political Subdivision)English (American) Name of a state in the United States, originally as the name of a breakaway Confederate region of southern New Mexico, organized roughly along modern lines as a U.S. territory in 1863. From Spanish Arizonac, probably from a local name among the O'odham (Piman) people meaning "having a little spring"... [more]
Arkansas(Political Subdivision)English (American) Name of a state in the United States, from the French pronunciation of the Quapaw people who lived on the Arkansas River.
Arlington(Settlement)English Three possible places called Arlington in Gloucestershire, Devon, and East Sussex.
Arrington(Settlement)English Arrington, a place in Cambridgeshire, named from an Old English byname, Earn(a), meaning ‘eagle’ + -inga- ‘people or followers of’ + tūn ‘settlement’.
Ashgabat(Settlement)English From Turkmen Aşgabat, from Persian عشقآباد (eshq abad) meaning "city of love", derived from عشق (eshq) meaning "love, passion" and آباد (abad)# meaning "city"... [more]
Askrigg(Settlement)English A village in rural Northeast England. It is derived from the Old Norse askr, 'ash tree' (c.f Swedish ask, 'ash tree') and hryggr, 'ridge' (c.f Swedish rygg, 'ridge, spine', German rücken, 'spine', Scots rig, 'ridge').
Astana(Settlement)Kazakh, English, Russian Means "capital city" in Kazakh, ultimately from Persian آستانه (astaneh). This was the name of the capital city of Kazakhstan until 2019, when it was renamed Nur-Sultan.
Auckland(Settlement)English The Baron Auckland and the Earl of Auckland are titles of the English nobility. The first Baron Auckland, William Eden, had the city of Auckland in New Zealand named after him. Bishop Auckland is a town in the county of Durham in Britain which has lent its name to the title... [more]
Auroville(Settlement)English The name of an indian town built by UNESCO located in southern India. It was built as an experimental town to see how is the world without politics, money or polution.
Austin(Settlement)English Named after several people bearing the first name Austin or its surname counterpart Austin... [more]
Austria(Country)English Medieval Latin word meaning "eastern borderland" Austriaca is the Latinised form of the Old High German name for the country, Ostarreich, which means 'eastern kingdom'; ostar meaning 'eastern' and reich meaning 'kingdom' in Old High German.
Ayutthaya(Country & Settlement)Thai, English Derived from Sanskrit अयुध्य (ayudhya) meaning "invincible, unconquerable". This was the name of a kingdom (as well as one of its capital cities) that reigned from 1350 to 1767, considered the precursor of modern Thailand.
Azerbaijan(Country, Political Subdivision & Region)English, Basque, Indonesian, Malay From Persian آذربایجان (azarbayjan), which is from Middle Persian Ādurbādagān referring to Atropates, an ancient Persian governor under the Achaemenid Empire... [more]
Azores(Political Subdivision & Region)English, Greek, Spanish From Portuguese Açores meaning "goshawks", the plural of açor meaning "goshawk". This is the name of an archipelago located in the North Atlantic Ocean and one of the two autonomous regions of Portugal.
Badley(Settlement)English Habitational name from Badley in Suffolk or Baddeley Green in Staffordshire, both named with the Old English personal name Bad(d)a + lēah ‘woodland clearing’.
Baghdad(Settlement)English, Italian, Malay, Uyghur From Arabic بغداد (baḡdād), itself from Persian بغداد (baǧdâd), probably from Middle Persian bgdt, meaning "given by god", from Old Persian *Bagadātaʰ... [more]
Bagshaw(Settlement)English Means "Bacga's thicket" or "Bacga's copse". Derived from the Anglo-Saxon given name Bacga and the word sceaga "thicket, copse"
Baguio(Settlement)Filipino, Ilocano, Tagalog, English Hispanicized form of Ibaloi bagiw meaning "moss". This is the name of a city in the Philippines.
Bahamas(Country)English The name of the Country in the Caribbean. The Bahamas is a coral-based archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean. Its 700-plus islands and cays range from uninhabited to packed with resorts. The northernmost, Grand Bahama, and Paradise Island, home to many large-scale hotels, are among the best known... [more]
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.
Baikal(Body of Water)Russian, English From Buryat Байгал (Baygal) of uncertain origin, perhaps from the Turkic roots baj meaning "rich" and kol meaning "lake" or from Mongolian байгалийн нуур (baigaliin nuur) meaning "natural lake"... [more]
Bakersfield(Settlement)English Named after a person bearing the surname Baker. The city in California was named after former colonel Thomas Baker of the Ohio Militia, who moved to the area in 1863.
Baku(Settlement)English, Russian, Persian From Azerbaijani Bakı from Persian باکو (baku), which is of uncertain meaning. One popular etymology suggests that it means "wind-pounded city" from Persian باد (bad) meaning "wind" and کوبیدن (kubidan) meaning "to pound, to beat", given in reference to the area's frequent storms and high winds... [more]
Bali(Political Subdivision & Island)Indonesian, Balinese, Javanese, English Derived from Sanskrit बलि (bali) meaning "offering, tribute". This is the name of an island and province in Indonesia.
Baltic Sea(Body of Water)English Meaning uncertain. Possibly derived from Latin balteus "belt". The Baltic Sea is a sea in Northern Europe. The name was first used, as Mare Balticum, by Adam of Bremen in the 11th century... [more]
Baltimore(Settlement)English Baltimore is an independent city in the state of Maryland within the United States.
Bandar Seri Begawan(Settlement)Malay, English Means "town of the radiance of the gods" from Malay bandar meaning "town" (of Persian origin), seri meaning "radiance, splendour, glory" and begawan meaning "holy". The name comes from Seri Begawan, a Malay title used by Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III (1914-1986), which was ultimately derived from Sanskrit श्री भगवान् (shri bhagvan)... [more]
Banff(Settlement & Other)English Derived from Banffshire, Scotland, where two important founders were from. Name of a Canada national park, and a town inside it
Bangkok(Settlement)Thai, English Believed to be derived from Thai บาง (bang) meaning "village, settlement" and กอก (kok) meaning "olive", possibly used in reference to the olive trees that grew around the area... [more]
Barbados(Country)English The name of the Country in the Caribbean. Barbados is an eastern Caribbean island and an independent British Commonwealth nation. Bridgetown, the capital, is a cruise-ship port with colonial buildings and Nidhe Israel, a synagogue founded in 1654... [more]
Barcelona(Settlement)Catalan, Spanish, English Barcelona is a city in Spain. It is the capital and largest city of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain.
Bashkiria(Political Subdivision)English From Russian Башкирия (Bashkiriya) which is from башкир (bashkir), the Russian name for the Bashkir people. This is another name for Bashkortostan, a republic in Russia.
Basilicata(Political Subdivision)Italian, English, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese The origin of the name is uncertain: it may come from the Greek term βασιλικός (basilikos), a title given to the Byzantine governors of the region; it may be derived from the church of Acerenza, whose bishop had jurisdiction over the territory; or it may be connected to Basil II Porphyrogenitus, Byzantine emperor from 976 to 1025.... [more]
Baton Rouge(Political Subdivision & Settlement)English From French le bâton rouge ("the red stick"), itself from Choctaw iti humma ("red pole") through Istrouma, a possible corruption; the name ultimately comes from a red pole marking the hunting boundaries for the Houma and Bayagoula tribes... [more]
Beirut(Settlement)English The capital of Lebanon. It is derived from Hebrew be'erot which means "the wells".
Belgrade(Settlement)English, French From Serbian Београд (Beograd) meaning "white city", derived from the Slavic root beli or beo meaning "white" combined with grad meaning "city, town". This is the name of the capital city of Serbia.
Belleville(Settlement)English Name of a city in Canada and various others in America. Means "beautiful town" from the French belle (beautiful) and ville (city or town).
Bengal(Country)English An independent kingdom from 1338-1539, now part of Bangladesh and India.
Bennington(Settlement)English Derived from the Old English personal name Beonna combined with -ing-, a connective particle denoting association, and tūn "farmstead, settlement".
Berestia(Region)History, English This is the name of a historical region in Eastern Europe. Its territory was located in what is now Belarus, Poland and Ukraine. The region was named after the Belarusian city of Brest, which was at its centre.
Bermuda(Political Subdivision)English Derived from the surname of Juan de Bermúdez, a 16th-century Spanish navigator alleged to have discovered the archipelago situated in the North Atlantic Ocean. Bermúdez is a surname meaning "son of Bermudo".
Bikini Atoll(Island)English From Marshallese Pikinni "surface of coconut". Bikini is an island located in the Marshall Islands, famous for being a place the United States formerly did nuclear tests.
Bir Lehlou(Settlement)English Derived from Hassaniya Arabic bir lehlou meaning "sweet water well". Bir Lehlou is an oasis town in the Polisario-controlled region in northeastern Western Sahara.
Birmingham(Settlement)English A city in central England. Its name derives from the Anglo-Saxon words meaning 'the farm of Beormund's people', from the personal name Beormund, ingas, meaning 'people' and ham, meaning 'farm'.
Bishkek(Settlement)Kyrgyz, English, Russian Meaning uncertain. One theory suggests that it comes from a word meaning "whorl, whisk" in Kyrgyz, referring to a tool used to prepare kumis, a traditional dairy product. It could also mean "five heights" from Kyrgyz беш (besh) meaning "five" and бийик (biyik) meaning "tall, high", or it could mean "five chiefs" from беш (besh) meaning "five" and the Turkish title beg meaning "chieftain, master"... [more]
Blackheath(Political Subdivision)English English place name which may be a corruption of "bleak heath", or simply mean "dark heath" from Old English blæc "black" and hǣth (see also Heath)... [more]
Blackpool(Settlement)English A coastal town in Lancashire. Literally means 'black pool', so named from a nearby drainage stream which ran through a peat bog, discharging discoloured water into the nearby Irish Sea. (Compare Dublin).
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]
Borneo(Island)Malay, English From the name of the Bruneian Empire (see Brunei), which is believed to be derived from Sanskrit वरुण (varuna) meaning "ocean, water" or referring to the Hindu god Varuna... [more]
Bosnia and Herzegovina(Country)English Bosnia and Herzegovina, abbreviated BiH or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country of South and Southeast Europe, located within the Balkans. Sarajevo is the capital and largest city.
Boston(Settlement)English From a surname which was originally taken from an English place name meaning "Botwulf's stone". (It is likely that Botwulf was an ordinary landowner; later the place name became associated with the saint of the same name, Botulph, who built a monastery there in the 7th century.) A city in Massachusetts bears this name... [more]
Boulder(Settlement)English Name of a city in Colorado, from Middle English bulderston, from a Scandinavian source akin to Swedish dialectal bullersten "noisy stone", (Swedish buller "rumbling noise" + sten "stone".
Brampton(Settlement)English A city in the Great Toronto-Hamilton area of Ontario, Canada. From the surveyor of the same name.
Bridgemont(Settlement)English This very old and rare medieval English surname is almost certainly locational and derives from a now "lost" medieval village called "Bridgemont". Meaning, "mount of the bridge."
Brighton(Settlement)English The name of an English city, meaning "bright town" in Old English.
Brixton(Settlement)English The name of Brixton (a town in England).
Bromley(Settlement)English This is the name of a district and borough in south-east London.... [more]
Bronston(Settlement)English Town in Pulaski County, Kentucky.
Broughton(Settlement)English Broughton (Welsh: Brychdyn) is a district in Flintshire, Wales, close to the Wales–England border, located to the west of the City of Chester, England.
Brussels(Political Subdivision & Settlement)English Union of Proto-Germanic elements brōk, "marsh", and sali, "building, room"; influenced by Dutch Brussel. This is the name of the capital city of Belgium.
Bucharest(Settlement)English Meaning uncertain. Traditional etymologies state that the city's name is derived from Bucur, the name of a prince, outlaw, fisherman, shepherd, or hunter (depending on the specific legend), whose name is derived from Romanian bucurie meaning "joy, happiness", probably of Dacian origin... [more]
Buryatia(Political Subdivision)English From Russian Бурятия (Buryatiya), itself from буряад (buryaad), the name of the Buryat people. The ethnic name is of uncertain origin and meaning, possibly from Buryat буртэ (burte) meaning "wolf"... [more]
Buzzards Bay(Body of Water)English Buzzards Bay is a bay of the Atlantic Ocean adjacent to the U.S. state of Massachusetts.
Calabria(Political Subdivision)Italian, English, Finnish, Galician, Spanish From Ancient Greek Καλαβρία (Kalabría), itself derived from the name of a local Oscan tribe. This is the name of a region in southern Italy.
California(Political Subdivision)Spanish, English From the name of a fictional utopian island featured in the 16th-century novel Las sergas de Esplandián by Spanish author Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo. The name comes from the island's queen, Calafia (or Califia), whose name is derived from Arabic خليفة (khalifah) meaning "caliph"... [more]
Callifae(Settlement)English From the name of a town in ancient Italy, of uncertain origin. It was mentioned only by the Roman historian Livy, and may correspond to the village Calvisi, at the foot of the Monte Matese.
Cam(River)English The River Cam is the main river flowing through Cambridge in eastern England.... [more]
Cambodia(Country)English From French Cambodge taken from Khmer កម្ពុជា (Kampuchea). The name comes from Sanskrit कम्बोजदेश (Kambujadesha), derived from काम्बोज (kamboja), the name of an ancient tribe and kingdom described in Hindu literature, combined with देश (desha) meaning "kingdom, country"... [more]
Cambridge(Settlement)English Cambridge is a university city and the county town of Cambridgeshire, England, on the River Cam approximately 50 miles (80 km) north of London.... [more]
Cameroon(Country)English The name of the Country in Central Africa. Cameroon, on the Gulf of Guinea, is a Central African country of varied terrain and wildlife. Its inland capital, Yaoundé, and its biggest city, the seaport Douala, are transit points to ecotourism sites as well as beach resorts like Kribi – near the Chutes de la Lobé waterfalls, which plunge directly into the sea – and Limbe, where the Limbe Wildlife Centre houses rescued primates.
Campania(Political Subdivision)Italian, English, Galician, Spanish, Ancient Roman From Latin Campania, itself from campania felix, denoting the fertile countryside around Mount Vesuvius. This is the name of a region in southern Italy.
Campobasso(Settlement)Italian, English, French, German, Spanish Literally "low field"; derived from Latin Campus Vassorum, denoting that the city was host to vassals. This is the name of the capital city of the southern Italian region of Molise.
Canaan(Region)English, Biblical Meaning unknown, though it may derive from the Semitic root knʿ ("to be low, humble, subjugated"). This was the name of a Semitic-speaking civilization and region in the Ancient Near East during the late 2nd millennium BC.
Canary Islands(Region)English English form of Spanish Islas Canarias which is derived from Latin Canariae Insulae "islands of the dogs". This is the name of a Spanish archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, near the coast of northwestern Africa.
Canberra(Settlement)English From the city of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory.
Cape Verde(Country)English From the name of the Senegalese peninsula Cap-Vert meaning "green cape" in Portuguese. Cape Verde is an island country spanning an archipelago of 10 volcanic islands in the central Atlantic Ocean.
Caribbean(Region)English The name of the Region. The Caribbean is a region that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands and the surrounding coasts. The region is southeast of the Gulf of Mexico and the North American mainland, east of Central America, and north of South America.
Carperby(Settlement)English A village in Yorkshire, England. The second element is Old Norse -byr, 'farm'. The first element is possibly the Old Gaelic personal name Cairpre. This seems to indicate a farm of an Irish or Scottish Viking, who settled in England... [more]
Carson(Settlement)English (American) Carson City is the capital of the American state of Nevada.
Casablanca(Settlement)English, French, Spanish Means "white house" in Spanish. The name comes from a Spanish translation of the Arabic name الدار البيضاء (ad-Dar al-Bayda'), which in turn was derived from a calque of the Portuguese name Casa Branca... [more]
Catania(Settlement)Italian, English, German, Sicilian, Spanish From Ancient Greek Kατάvη (Katánē), itself either from Sicel katane ("grater"), due to its proximity to Mount Etna and the resulting rough earth, or from Proto-Italic katina ("basin"), owing to the wide valley around the town... [more]
Catanzaro(Settlement)Italian, English, French, Catalan, Portuguese, Romanian, Spanish, German From Latin Catanciarium, itself derived from Catacium, ultimately from Ancient Greek Καταρτάριοι, meaning "silk spinners". This is the name of a city in southern Italy, the second city in Calabria, as well as its capital city.
Caucasus(Mountain)English From Greek Καύκασος (Kaúkasos), which is of uncertain origin; it may be derived from Scythian *xrohukäsi meaning "ice-shining" or "white snow". Alternatively, it may be from Greek κήξ (kḗx) meaning "sea swallow (a kind of bird)" and κάσος (kásos) possibly meaning "mountain" or "rock"... [more]
Cebu(Political Subdivision, Settlement & Island)Filipino, Tagalog, English From Cebuano Sugbo, derived from Old Cebuano sibu or sibo meaning "trade", itself a shortened form of the phrase sinibuayng hingpit meaning "place for trading". This is the name of an island, province and city (Cebu City) in the Philippines.
Ceylon(Country)English Previous name of the country Sri Lanka. The name Ceylon most likely traces its roots back to the Sanskrit Sinha, meaning "lion". As lions are not native to Sri Lanka, another possible interpretation of the name is "lion-like man" or "hero".
Charlotte(Settlement)English Name of a city in North Carolina, named in honor of Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, who had become the Queen of Great Britain just seven years before the town's incorporation.
Chechnya(Political Subdivision)Russian, English Means "(place) of the Chechens", derived from the Russian name for the Chechen people. The exonym is of uncertain meaning, with Russian folk etymologies suggesting that it originates from the name of a village; on the other hand, it may be derived from the Kabardian name Шашан (Shashan)... [more]
Chennai(Settlement)Indian, Tamil, English Most likely from the name of 17th-century Telugu monarch Damarla Chennapa Nayaka (or Chennappa Naicker). This is the name of the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, which was officially called Madras until 1996.
Cheviot(Mountain)English The name of a mountain and the surrounding mountains on the Anglo-Scottish border. The name is thought to be Celtic and to derive from Brythonic *ceμ-, *cejn 'ridge, spine' (Welsh chefn, 'back, ridge'), and -ed, which might have meant 'having the quality of-'.
Cheyenne(Other)English The capital of Wyoming, in the United States.
Chicago(Settlement)English Name of a city in Illinois, from town founded in 1833, named from a Canadian French form of Algonquian sheka:ko:heki "place of the wild onion," or Ojibwa shika:konk "at the skunk place".
Chippenham(Settlement)English One possibility for its naming may have been from Cyppa's Hamme which comes from the words ce-ap meaning market, and Hamme meaning enclosed by the river or an enclosed water meadow both of which Chippenham was.... [more]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
Claddagh(Settlement)Irish, English The name of an ancient village in Ireland, where the tradition of the Claddagh ring developed.
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]
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".
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.
Comoros(Country)English From French Comores, derived from Arabic قمر (qamar) meaning "moon", which is ultimately from the phrase جزيرة القمر (jazirat al-qamar) meaning "island of the moon"... [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".
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'.
Corinth(Region & Settlement)English From Greek Κόρινθος (Korinthos), ultimately from Doric Greek Ϙόρινθος. This is the name of a former municipality in Corinthia in south-central Greece, as well as the name of an ancient Greek city-state (polis) on the Isthmus of Corinth.
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.
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]
Crimea(Country, Political Subdivision & Region)English, Asturian, Catalan, 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 (krēmnoí) meaning "cliffs"... [more]
Crowcroft(Settlement)English Means "crows farm". From crawe "crow" and croft "enclosed field"
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.
Cumberland(Region)English A historical English county, covering the Northern half of modern-day Cumbria. It derives from the Brythonic combrogi, meaning 'fellow-countrymen'.
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.
Cutshin(Other)English Cutshin is an unincorporated community located in Leslie County, Kentucky, United States. ... [more]
Dahomey(Other)English The name of the Kingdom. Dahomey Kingdom was an African kingdom that existed from about 1600 until 1894, when the last king, Behanzin, was defeated by the French, and the country was annexed into the French colonial empire.
Delaware(Political Subdivision)English Name of a state in the United States, named after the Delaware river, which was named after Lord De La Warr, from French de la guerre or de la werre literally "of the war".
Delta(Other)English This is a state in Nigeria, a western African country. This is where the Isoko peoples are.
Democratic Republic of the Congo(Country)English The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a country located in Central Africa. It was formerly called Zaire (1971–1997). It is, by area, the largest country in sub-Saharan Africa, the second-largest in all of Africa (after Algeria), and the 11th-largest in the world... [more]
Denver(Settlement)English Named after James W. Denver; the surname itself comes from Old English Denefær ("crossing of the Danes") or den-ōfer ("valley-bank")... [more]
Dersingham(Settlement)English Derived from the Old English "homestead belonging to Deorsige".
Des Moines(Settlement)English Name of the capital and the most populous city in Iowa, which derived from Fort Des Moines, which was named for the Des Moines River. The French des Moines translates to either "from the monks" or "of the monks".
Detroit(Political Subdivision)English (American) From the French word, meaning “strait.” The full name of the city’s phrase is “le détroit du Lac Érie,” meaning “the strait of Lake Erie.”
Detroit(Settlement)English (American) From the French word, meaning “strait.” The full name of the city’s phrase is “le détroit du Lac Érie,” meaning “the strait of Lake Erie.”... [more]
Devizes(Settlement)English Derived from castrum ad divisas, latin for “castle at the boundary”
Devonshire(Other)English A county in southwestern England; county town, Exeter. Also called Devon.
Dhaka(Settlement)Bengali, English Uncertain, possibly from the name of the dhak tree (scientific name Butea monosperma), which used to grow in the area, from Bengali ঢাক (dhak) referring to a traditional membranophone instrument, or from the name of the Hindu goddess Dhakeshwari... [more]
Dingus(Other)English Dingus is an unincorporated community in Morgan County, Kentucky, named after its first postmaster, Charles Dingus.
Dingwall(Settlement)English A city in Scotland. From the Scandinavian 'Þingvöllr ', meaning "the meeting place of the assembly".
Djibouti(Country)English The name of the Country in East Africa. Djibouti, on the Horn of Africa, is a mostly French- and Arabic-speaking country of dry shrublands, volcanic formations and Gulf of Aden beaches. It's home to one of the saltiest bodies of water in the world, the low-lying Lake Assal, in the Danakil Desert... [more]
Dniester(River)English Derived from Sarmatian dānu nazdya meaning "the close river" (as in, the river close-by). This is the name of a river in Eastern Europe, which flows through Ukraine and Moldova to the Black Sea.
Doncaster(Settlement)English A town in England located on the River Don. The first element is from the Roman fort Danum, likely from an earlier Celtic settlement relating to the River Don. The second element is the Old English ceaster, 'fort' (c.f Modern English castle).
Dover(Settlement)English Dover is a small, but important port town in Kent, Southern England. It is derived from the Brythonic Dubrās, meaning 'water' (Modern Welsh ddwfr, 'water, tears').... [more]
Dublin(Settlement)English, Croatian From Irish dubh "black" "dark" referring to a dark tidal pool where the River Poddle entered the Liffey on the site of the Castle Gardens at the rear of Dublin Castle.
Durban(Settlement)English The name of a city in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa (known in Zulu as eThekwini). From D'Urban, named for Lieutenant General Sir Benjamin D'Urban (1777-1849), who was the governor of the Cape Colony when the city was named in 1835.
Durham(Settlement & Region)English, Anglo-Norman A cathedral city in the North-East of England. The name is derived from the city's Latin name Dunelm, which comprises of the Celtic element dun, 'fortress' (c.f Welsh dinas, 'city') and the Old Norse holme, which meant an island (referring to the peninsular formed by the River Wear).
Dushanbe(Settlement)Tajik, English, Russian Mean "Monday" in Tajik, so named for a popular market that used to be held in the area on Mondays. This is the name of the capital city of Tajikistan.
Dwarf(Other)English Dwarf is an unincorporated community located in Perry County, Kentucky, named for Jeremiah Combs, a short townsman who used hand drills and gunpowder to create a tunnel through solid rock nearby to divert water to his family's mill.
Easingwold(Settlement)English A town in North Yorkshire, England, which derives from Old English words meaning 'the forest belonging to Esa'.
East Timor(Country)English Combination of the English word east and Malay timur also meaning "east", therefore making it a tautological place name meaning "East East". East Timor is a small country in Southeast Asia.
Écréhous(Island)Norman, English, Medieval Scandinavian Island chain in the Channel Islands in England. Derived from Old Norse 'esker', as in a "skerry", or a "small, rocky islet". and -hou, meaning "island".
Ecuador(Country)English The name of the Country in South America. Ecuador is a country straddling the equator on South America’s west coast. Its diverse landscape encompasses Amazon jungle, Andean highlands and the wildlife-rich Galápagos Islands... [more]
Eden(River)English The name of a river in Cumbria, England. It derives from the Brythonic *ituna, 'to gush forth'.
Edmonton(Settlement)English From Eadhelm and ton, mean "field owned by Eadhelm". City in Canada, named after the district of London.
Ellesmere(Body of Water)English This place derives its name from an adjoining lake or mere, which, being the largest of several in the neighbourhood, was distinguished by the appellation of Aelsmere, or the principal lake.
El Paso(Settlement)English, Spanish From Spanish el paso, meaning "the pass". This is the name of several settlements in the world, including the city in Texas.
Elsinore(Settlement)Literature, English Anglicized form of Helsingør. This is the name of Hamlet's castle in William Shakespeare's play.
Emilia(Region)Italian, English, Finnish, Polish, Spanish From the Via Aemilia, itself from Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, the Roman consul who planned the road. This is the name of a traditional region of northern Italy, now contained in the modern political region of Emilia-romagna.
Empoli(Settlement)Italian, English, French, German, Portuguese, Spanish Of uncertain origin: possibly from the Germanic first name *Empo- with the suffix -ulus, or from Latin in portu ("in the port") as per the Tabula Peutingeriana. An eighth-century castle is documented with the names Empolum, Emporium and Empolis... [more]
Erie(Body of Water)English Lake Erie is one of the Great Lakes of the United States, having fresh water.
Essex(Region)English The name of a county in south-eastern England, it is derived from Old English Ēastseaxe meaning "East Saxons," referring to the Kingdom of the East Saxons.
Eswatini(Country)Swazi, English Means "land of the Swazis" Swazi. Since 2018, this is the official name of the landlocked country in Southern Africa. formally known as the Kingdom of Swaziland, the nation renamed itself the Kingdom of Eswatini, reflecting the extant Swazi name for the state "eSwatini", to mark the 50th anniversary of Swazi independence, and was partially intended to prevent confusion with the similarly named country, Switzerland.
Etruria(Country)English, Italian, Spanish, Ancient Roman, History Meaning unknown. This was the name of an ancient country in the Italian Peninsula (located in what is now Tuscany) inhabited by the Etruscans.... [more]
Eureka(Settlement)English A port city in northwest California, on Humblodt Bay off the Pacific Ocean, which is a noted lumbering center; pop. 25,300 (est. 2008)
Europe(Region)Ancient Greek, English, French, Scots From Europa, the name of a Phoenician princess in Greek mythology. This is the name of a continent in the Northern Hemisphere.
Exmouth(Settlement)English Exmouth has the -mouth ending, which denotes at the mouth of a river, the river being the river Exe in this case. Exmouth means 'on the mouth of the river Exe'.
Falkland Islands(Island)English An archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean on the Patagonian Shelf and an overseas territory administered by the United Kingdom and claimed by Argentina (known in Spanish as Islas Malvinas)... [more]
Faroe Islands(Country)English English form of Føroyar. The name is probably derived from Old Norse fær "sheep". The Faroe Islands are an autonomous country within the Danish kingdom.
Featherstonhaugh(Settlement)English A town in Northumberland, England. From Old English feðere "feather", stān "stone", and healh "corner."
Flint(Settlement & River)English The name of a town in north Wales and numerous communities in the United States, notably the city in Michigan, as well as several rivers in the United States and Jamaica.... [more]
Florence(Settlement)English, Dutch, French, Latvian From Latin Florentia, derived from florens, ("flowering"), ultimately from flos, meaning "flower". This is the name of the capital city of Tuscany, in central Italy, as well as several settlements throughout the United States.... [more]
Florida(Political Subdivision)English, Spanish Means "flowery, ornate" in Spanish, a short form of either la Florida meaning "the flowery one" or Pascua Florida meaning "flowery Easter" (a Spanish name for Palm Sunday, so named because the region was discovered by Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León on that day in 1513)... [more]
Fort Worth(Settlement)English Named in honor of officer William J. Worth, who fought in the Mexican-American War. This is the name of a city in Texas.
Frankfurt(Settlement)German, English A metropolis and the largest city in the State of Hesse, In Germany. It is also the fifth largest city of Germany.
French Guiana(Other)English French Guiana is an overseas region of France on the northeast coast of South America, composed mainly of tropical rainforest. The ruins of 17th-century Fort Cépérou overlook the capital, Cayenne, with its colorful Creole houses and street markets... [more]
Fuji(Mountain)Japanese, English The name of a mountain (a symbol for the Japanese for centuries), known in Japanese as Fuji-san or Fujiyama (富士山), located on the boundaries of Shizuoka and Yamanashi prefectures in central Japan... [more]
Gambia(Country & River)English The name of the Country in West Africa. The Gambia is a small West African country, bounded by Senegal, with a narrow Atlantic coastline. It's known for its diverse ecosystems around the central Gambia River... [more]
Ganges(River)English, Ancient Greek From Ancient Greek Γάγγης (Ganges) derived from Sanskrit गङ्गा (ganga) meaning "swift-goer", itself from गच्छति (gacchati) meaning "to go". This is the name of a river in South Asia that flows through India and Bangladesh.
Gastonia(Settlement)English Gastonia is the largest city and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina, United States.
Gateshead(Settlement)English A town in Northeast England. It most likely means 'goat's headland', implying that wild goats were a part of the local fauna.
Geneva(Settlement)English Geneva is the second-most populous city in Switzerland and the most populous city of the Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland.... [more]
Georgetown(Settlement)English The capital of Guyana, and is a port at the mouth of the Demerara River, pop. 133,000 (est. 2007)
Glaston(Settlement)English This name is derived from towns scattered around Europe. There are French towns named Glaston, and it also is similar to the famous town Glastonbury Tor, the predicted location of the Holy Grail.
Glendale(Other)English Named for the suburb in Lake Macquarie, north of Sydney, Australia. The name is Scottish in origin and is taken from two words which both mean "valley".
Gressenhall(Settlement)English Derived from the Old English grēosn "gravel" or gærsen "grass" and the Anglian halh meaning "a nook of land". The name of a village in the county of Norfolk.
Grozny(Settlement)Russian, English Means "formidable, menacing, fearsome" in Russian. This is the name of the capital city of the Russian republic of Chechnya.
Guyana(Country)English The name of the Country in South America. Guyana, a country on South America’s North Atlantic coast, is defined by its dense rainforest. English-speaking, with cricket and calypso music, it's culturally connected to the Caribbean region... [more]
Hackney(Settlement)English A district of London. It possibly derives from Old English Haka’s ey, meaning 'Haka's Island'.
Haiphong(Settlement)English From Vietnamese Hải Phòng derived from Sino-Vietnamese 海 (hải) meaning "sea, ocean" and 防 (phòng) meaning "defend, protect, guard"... [more]
Haiti(Country)English The name of the Country in the Caribbean. Haiti is a Caribbean country that shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic to its east. Though it’s still recovering from a 2010 earthquake, many of Haiti's landmarks dating to the early 19th century remain intact... [more]
Hampshire(Other)English Name of numerous places in England, foremost a large county in South England, from the name Hampton + Old English scir "division", "district".
Hampton(Other)English Name of numerous places in England, from Anglo-Saxon ham "homestead " or hamm "water meadow" + tun "enclosure" "settlement".
Hanoi(Settlement)English From Sino-Vietnamese 河內 (Hà Nội), which is derived from Chinese 河內 (Hénèi) meaning "inside the river", from 河 (hé) meaning "river, stream" and 内 (nèi) meaning "inside", so named because of the area's location within the Red River... [more]
Harrisburg(Settlement)English After a person bearing the surname Harris. In the case of the capital city of the US state of Pennsylvania, the city was named after founder John Harris Sr.
Hartford(Settlement)English Variant of Hertford, from the union of the words heorot ("hart, stag") and ford. This spelling is mostly used in the United States, most famously by the capital city of the State of Connecticut.
Havana(Settlement)English From Spanish Habana, derived from Habaguanex, the name of a Taíno chief who controlled the area. This is the name of the capital city of Cuba.