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.
Abergele(Settlement)English, Welsh A market town in Conwy County Borough, Wales. From Welsh aber ("river mouth, estuary") and Gele, the name of the river which flows through the town, which is from gelau "spear".
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.
Abyssinia(Country & Region)English From Latin Abissinus meaning "Abyssinian, Ethiopian", ultimately derived from Arabic الحبشة (al-Habashah) of uncertain meaning. This is the name of a region and former empire in the Horn of Africa, consisting of present-day Ethiopia and Eritrea.
Acajutla(Settlement)English The name of a city in El Salvador, on its Pacific coast. It is the country's principal seaport.
Accra(Settlement)English Derived from Akan nkran meaning "fire ant". This is the name of the capital city of Ghana.
Acushnet(Settlement & River)English (American) Name of a river, city, and several other places in Massachusetts. From Wampanoag or Algonquin cushnea meaning "as far as the waters".
Ada(Settlement)English Transferred use of the English feminine given name Ada. The city in Oklahoma was named for the daughter of Jeff Reed, the owner of a local store.
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.
Adelanto(Settlement)English (American) A city in California. From Spanish adelanto meaning "progress, advance".
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).
Adriatic(Body of Water)English An arm of the Mediterranean Sea. From Adria, a settlement in Illyria.
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.
Agra(Settlement)Hindi, Urdu, English Most likely derived from Sanskrit अग्रेवण (agrevana) meaning "forest border", from अग्र (agra) meaning "border, in front of, foremost point" and वन (vana) meaning "forest, wood, grove"... [more]
Ahmedabad(Settlement)English From Urdu احمد آباد (Ahmad Abad) or Hindi अहमदाबाद (Ahmadabad) both derived from the given name Ahmad combined with the place name suffix -آباد/-आबाद (-abad) (of Persian origin)... [more]
Aiea(Settlement)English (American), Hawaiian A city in Hawaiʻi. From Hawaiian ʻaiea meaning "Hawai'i holly", a type of tree native to the area.
Aiken(Settlement)English Transferred use of the English surname Aiken. The city in South Carolina was named for William Aiken, the president of the South Carolina Railroad.
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."
Aizawl(Settlement)Mizo, English The capital city of Mizoram in far eastern India.
Akron(Settlement)English A city in Ohio. From the Ancient Greek word ἄκρον (akron), meaning "summit, high point".
Aktau(Settlement)Russian, English From Kazakh Ақтау (Aqtau) meaning "white mountain", derived from ақ (aq) meaning "white" and тау (tau) meaning "mountain". This is the name of a city in Kazakhstan.
Aktobe(Political Subdivision & Settlement)English, Russian From Kazakh Ақтөбе (Aqtobe) meaning "white hill", derived from ақ (aq) meaning "white" and төбе (töbe) meaning "hill". This is the name of a region of, as well as a city in, Kazakhstan.
Alamogordo(Settlement)English (American) A city in New Mexico. From Spanish alamo gordo meaning "large cottonwood, fat cottonwood".
Alamosa(Settlement)English (American) A city in Colorado. From the Spanish alamosa meaning “of cottonwood”.
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.
Albemarle(Settlement)English Transferred use of the English surname Albemarle. The city in North Carolina was named for General George Monck, the first Duke of Albemarle.
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.
Alboran Island(Island)English The island became a power base of Mustafa ben Yusuf al Mahmud ed Din, a Tunisian corsair in the Ottoman sultan's service whose attacks were so ferocious that he became known as Al-Borani, from the Turkish for "thunderstorm".
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'.
Algonquin(Settlement)English (American) A city in Illinois. From the name of the Algonquin Native American people.
Alhambra(Settlement)English From the name of the Alhambra palace in Granada, Spain, itself derived from Arabic الحمراء (al-hamra') meaning "the red (one)". This is the name of a city in California.
Alimagnet(Body of Water)English A lake in Minnesota. Supposedly a portmanteau of the given names Alice, Maggie, and Nettie, the names of girls who were playing near the lake when American surveyors were deciding on its name.
Allentown(Settlement)English From the English surname Allen and the word "town". The city in Pennsylvania was named for William Allen, a wealthy shipping merchant and former mayor of Philadelphia.
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.
Alpharetta(Settlement)English (American) A city in Georgia. Possibly from the fictional name Alfarata, a character in the 19th-century song The Blue Juniata.
Alsace(Political Subdivision & Region)French, English From Old High German Ali-saz or Elisaz, meaning "foreign domain". Alternatively, from Germanic Ell-sass, meaning "seated on the Ill", a river in Alsace.... [more]
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.
Amadeo(Settlement)English, Filipino Named after King Amadeo I of Spain. This is a municipality in Cavite, Philippines formerly called Masilao.
Amahai(Political Subdivision & Settlement)English, Indonesian The name of a village and administrative district on the south coast of the Indonesian island of Seram, in Central Maluku Regency.
Amherst(Settlement)English Name of a town in Massachusetts, and name of a college, UMass Amherst.
Amiens(Settlement)French, English A city and commune in France. Derived from the name of the Ambiani people, a Belgic tribe who lived in the region.
Amoy(Settlement)English (Archaic) Older variant of Xiamen based on the Zhangzhou Hokkien romanization 廈門 (Ēe-mûi).
Amritsar(Settlement)English, Hindi Means "pool of nectar" from Sanskrit अमृत (amrita) meaning "nectar, elixir" and सरस् (saras) meaning "pool, lake, pond". This is the name of a city in India.
Anaconda(Settlement)English From the English word "anaconda". A city in Montana, which was named for the Anaconda Copper Mining Company smelter located nearby.
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.
Andover(Settlement)English Various cities around the world are named for the city in England. From Old English Andferas, a place name likely of Celtic origin.
Anglesey(Island)English An island and traditional county at the northwestern extremity of northern Wales. It is separated from Caernarfonshire on the mainland by a narrow stretch of water called the Menai Strait... [more]
Ang Mo Kio(Political Subdivision & Settlement)English, Malay Meaning uncertain, possibly from Hokkien 紅毛 (Âng-mô͘) meaning "white person, Caucasian" (literally "red-haired") and 橋 (kiô) meaning "bridge". This is the name of a planning area and town in Singapore.
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".
Annapurna(Mountain)Nepali, English A mountain in Nepal, the 10th highest in the world. From the name of the Hindu goddess Annapurna.
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]
Anoka(Settlement)English (American) A city in Minnesota. Possibly from Dakota anoka meaning "on both sides, from both sides" or Ojibwe anoki meaning "I work".
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]
Antietam(River)English (American) Multiple sites in the United States, including a creek in Maryland that was the site of a famous battle during the American Civil War. From an Algonquian word possibly meaning "swift water".
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"
Apple Valley(Settlement)English Various cities around the United States. From the English words "apple" and "valley".
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.
Aquinnah(Settlement)English (American) A town in Massachusetts. From Wampanoag Âhqunah, a Wampanoag tribe also known as the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head.
Arcadia(Region & Settlement)English, Italian, Spanish From Greek Ἀρκαδία (Arkadia) named for the mythological character Arcas. This is the name of a region in the Peloponnese in southern Greece, as well as the name of numerous cities in various countries.
Arctic(Region & Body of Water)English Means "near the bear," from the Greek word ἀρκτικός (arktikos), derived from arctos, meaning "bear." It refers to the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, which are two of the most well known and consistently named constellations in the northern hemisphere... [more]
Arecibo(Settlement)Spanish, English A city in Puerto Rico. From the name of the Taíno cacique Arasibo. The name Arasibo itself likely comes from Taíno ara, possibly meaning "people" and siba, possibly meaning "rock, stone".
Arezzo(Political Subdivision & Settlement)English, Italian The name of a city, comune and province in Tuscany, Italy.
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.
Arlandria(Settlement)English (American) The name of a neighbourhood in north-eastern Alexandria, Virginia. It is a portmanteau of Arlington and Alexandria, reflecting its location on the border of Arlington County and Alexandria.
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’.
Asheboro(Political Subdivision)English Asheboro is a city in North Carolina.
Asheville(Political Subdivision)English Asheville is a city in North Carolina.
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]
Ashwaubenon(Settlement)English (American) A city in Wisconsin. From Ojibwe ashiwabiwining meaning "place where they watch, keep a lookout" or Menominee es-wāpanoh, "thither see the dawning".
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').
Assam(Political Subdivision)English Most likely related to the name of the Ahom people, itself of unclear origin. This is the name of a state in northeastern India.
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.
Athlacca(Settlement, Political Subdivision & Other)English From Irish An tÁth Leacach, meaning "the flagstone ford." It is the name of a settlement, ford, civil parish, and electoral division in County Limerick, Ireland.
Atlanta(Settlement)English Name of a city in Georgia, named by J. Edgar Thomson, Chief Engineer of the Georgia Railroad.
Atoka(Settlement)English (American) A city in Oklahoma, named after Choctaw leader Captain Atoka. The name Atoka is derived from Choctaw hitoka or hetoka meaning "ball ground".
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]
Australasia(Region)English Means "south of Asia" from Latin australis meaning "southern" combined with Asia. This is the name of a region in Oceania consisting of Australia, New Zealand, and other neighbouring islands.
Ayeyarwady(River & Political Subdivision)English Variant of Irrawaddy. This spelling is also used as the name of a region of Myanmar.
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]
Azle(Settlement)English (American) Transferred use of the surname Azle. The city in Texas was named for James Azle Steward, a local doctor and landowner.
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.
Bacolod(Settlement)Hiligaynon, Tagalog, English Derived from Hiligaynon bakolod meaning "hill, mound". This is the name of a city in the Philippines.
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]
Baghdad(Settlement)Arabic, English, Armenian, Hindi, Italian, Malay, Pashto, Persian, Urdu, Uyghur From Persian بغداد (Baghdad) most likely derived from Middle Persian 𐭡𐭢𐭣𐭲 (bgdt) meaning "given by god", itself from Old Persian 𐏎 (baga) meaning "god" and 𐎭𐎠𐎫 (dātaʰ) meaning "given, created"... [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]
Baikonur(Settlement)Russian, English From Kazakh Байқоңыр (Bayqonyr) meaning "wealthy brown" or "fertile land with many plants", derived from бай (bay) meaning "rich, wealthy" and қоңыр (qonyr) meaning "brown"... [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.
Balochistan(Political Subdivision & Region)Balochi, Urdu, Pashto, English From the ethnic name بلۏچ (Baloch) referring to the Baloch people (itself of uncertain meaning) combined with the Persian suffix ستان (stan 2) meaning "land of"... [more]
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.
Baltistan(Region)Urdu, English From the ethnic name بلتی (Balti) combined with the Persian suffix ستان (stan 2) meaning "land of". This is the name of a region in Pakistan.
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]
Bangalore(Settlement)English From Kannada ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು (Bengaluru) of uncertain meaning, possibly from Old Kannada beṅga-val-ūru meaning "city of guards" or benda-kāl-ūru meaning "town of boiled beans" (referring to a story from Kannada folklore)... [more]
Bangkok(Settlement)Thai, English Believed to be from Thai บาง (bang) meaning "village, settlement" and กอก (kok) meaning "olive" (so named because of the olive trees that used to grow in the area) or perhaps เกาะ (ko) meaning "island"... [more]
Bangor(Settlement)English, Welsh From Old Welsh bancor "wattled enclosure". This is the name of a city in Wales, and the namesake of the associated University.
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.
Barnet(Settlement)English Means "land cleared by burning". This is the name of a large town in Barnet Borough, England. Named after it is a small town in Vermont State, US.
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.
Basilan(Island & Political Subdivision)Filipino, Tausug, Cebuano, Tagalog, English Probably from Tausug basi'-lan meaning "iron way, iron road" or basi'-balan meaning "magnetic iron". This is the name of an island province of the Philippines.
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]
Bataan(Political Subdivision)Filipino, Tagalog, English From the word batan of unclear indigenous origin, which was used to refer to the peninsula across Manila Bay. It may be related to the Malayo-Polynesian root bataŋ meaning "tree trunk, log"... [more]
Batangas(Political Subdivision & Settlement)Filipino, Tagalog, English Derived from Tagalog batangan meaning "timberland, place of wooden rafts", itself from batang meaning "log" combined with the place marker suffix -an. This is the name of a province of, as well as a city in, the Philippines.
Batavia(Region & Settlement)English, Dutch, Indonesian From Latin Batavia, itself from Proto-Germanic Batawjō meaning "good island", derived from bataz meaning "good" and awjō meaning "island". This is the name of a historical and geographical region located in what is now the Netherlands... [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]
Batu Gajah(Settlement)Malay, English Means "elephant rock" from Malay batu meaning "stone, rock" and gajah meaning "elephant", most likely named for two large boulders that resembled elephants located along a nearby river... [more]
Baudette(Settlement & River)English (American) Transferred use of the French surname Baudette. The town and river in Minnesota were named for Joseph Baudette, a French-Canadian trapper.
Beatrice(Settlement)English Transferred use of the English given name Beatrice. The city in Nebraska was named for Julia Beatrice Kinney, the daughter of Judge John F. Kinney.
Bedfordshire(Political Subdivision & Region)English From Old English Bedanfordscir, meaning the shire or county of Bedford, itself meaning "Beda's river crossing".... [more]
Bedok(Settlement)English, Malay Derived from Malay beduk meaning "drum", referring specifically to a type of drum used to signal prayer times. This is the name of a planning area and town in Singapore.
Beersheba(Political Subdivision & Settlement)English Beersheba is a city in Israel, whose name is derived from the Hebrew Be'er Sheva, which means “Well of the Oath”.
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.
Bellefontaine Neighbors(Settlement)English Bellefontaine Neighbors is an inner-ring suburb city in the U.S. In 1804, a treaty was made with the Sac and Fox Indians that led to the establishment of a trading post on the south bank of the Missouri River... [more]
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).
Bellevue(Settlement)English Means "beautiful view", from French "belle" meaning "beautiful" and "vue" meaning "view", the name of several cities in the United States.
Belmopan(Settlement)English Belmopan, the capital city of Belize, got its name from combining "Belize" and "Mopan," which is one of the indigenous Maya groups in Belize. The name was chosen in 1970 when the government decided to move the capital from Belize City to a more centrally located area.
Beltrami(Settlement)English (American) Transferred use of the Italian surname Beltrami. The city and lake in Minnesota were named for Giacomo Costantino Beltrami, a Italian explorer.
Bemidji(Settlement)English From Ojibwe bemijigamaag meaning "a lake with crossing waters". The name of a city in Minnesota.
Bena(Settlement)English (American) A city in Minnesota. From Ojibwe bine or bina' meaning "partridge".
Benezie(Body of Water)English (American) A lake in Minnesota. Possibly from Ojibwe binesi, meaning "raptor", perhaps referring to eagles, hawks, or the Thunder Bird spiritual being.
Bengeo(Settlement)English Bengeo means ridge over the River Beane, or settlement on the River Beane.
Benguet(Political Subdivision)Filipino, Ilocano, Pampangan, Ibaloi, Kankanaey, Tagalog, English Hispanicized form of Kankanaey benget meaning "edge", originally used as the name for a village at the edge of a swamp. This is the name of a province of the Philippines.
Bennington(Settlement)English Derived from the Old English personal name Beonna combined with -ing-, a connective particle denoting association, and tūn "farmstead, settlement". Bennington is a town in Bennington County, Vermont, in the United States.
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.
Berkshire(Political Subdivision & Region)English From a wood of box trees in the area called Bearroc, a Celtic word meaning "hilly", with Old English sċīr, from Proto-West Germanic *skīru. meaning "county" or "shire".... [more]
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".
Berne(Settlement & Political Subdivision)French, Latvian, English French and Latvian form of Bern as well as an English variant.
Beulah(Settlement)English (American) Transferred use of the given name Beulah. The city in North Dakota was named for Beulah Stinchcombe, the niece of a local land developer.
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.
Biliran(Political Subdivision)Filipino, Waray, Cebuano, Tagalog, English From Waray biliran meaning "edge" or "something that forms corners or tips", likely referencing a local topographic feature. This is the name of a province of the Philippines.
Billings(Settlement)English Transferred use of the English surname Billings. The city in Montana was named for Frederick H. Billings, a former president of the Northern Pacific Railroad.
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'.
Biscay(Political Subdivision)English From Basque Bizkaia ultimately derived from bizkar meaning "low ridge, back, spine". This is the name of a province of Spain, located within the Basque Community.
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]
Biwabik(Settlement)English (American) A city and township in Minnesota. From Ojibwe biiwaabik meaning "iron".
Black(Body of Water)English The Black Sea is a sea lying between Europe and Asia. Its name comes from the English word "black", likely due to the dark color of its waters.
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).
Blaine(Political Subdivision & Settlement)English From the English surname Blaine.
Bloomington(Settlement)English From Old English blōma “flower" and tūn “settlement”.
Boeotia(Region)English, Ancient Roman From Greek Βοιωτία (Boiotia), supposedly from the eponymous founder Boeotus, though it’s more likely to derive directly from βοώτης (bootes) meaning "herdsman", itself from βοῦς (bous) meaning "ox, cow"... [more]
Bohol(Island & Political Subdivision)Filipino, Cebuano, Tagalog, English From Cebuano bo-ol referring to a type of fruiting tree found on the island. This is the name of an island province of the Philippines.
Bois De Sioux(River)English (American) A river in Minnesota. From French bois de Sioux meaning "woods of the Sioux" (Sioux being the French name for the Oceti Sakowin peoples, a short form of French Nadouessioux, which itself was derived from Ojibwe Nadowessi meaning "little snakes, enemy").
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]
Bosnia(Country)English Named after the river Bosna, which flows through Bosnia. It is the third longest river in the country of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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.
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".
Bozeman(Settlement)English (American) A settlement in Montana.Originally was travelled through by indigenous people like Shoshone and Blackfeet.... [more]
Brainerd(Settlement)English Transferred use of the English surname Brainerd. The city in Minnesota was named for Anne Eliza Brainerd Smith and Lawrence Brainerd, the wife and father-in-law of Northern Pacific railroad president John Gregory Smith.
Brampton(Settlement)English A city in the Great Toronto-Hamilton area of Ontario, Canada. From the surveyor of the same name.
Bridge(Settlement)English Bridge is a city in Texas.
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.
Brill(Settlement)English, Dutch (Anglicized) English form of Brielle, the name of a town and historic seaport in the Netherlands, which comes from Proto-Celtic *brogilo meaning "enclosed area, hunting preserve".
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]
Bucharest(Settlement)English, Malay, Tagalog From Romanian București, which is believed to be derived from the given name Bucur (referring to a figure in Romanian legend) combined with the suffix -ești used for place names... [more]
Buckinghamshire(Political Subdivision & Region)English From Old English, meaning "the county of Bucca's home", from Buckingham, named after its 12th-century landowner, Bucca, with sċīr, from Proto-West Germanic *skīru... [more]
Buffalo(Settlement & River)English Various cities in the United States. From the English word "buffalo". The city in New York was named for the Buffalo River.
Bukhara(Settlement)English, Arabic, Hindi, Urdu, Kazakh, Russian, Ukrainian From Uzbek Buxoro, itself derived from Persian بخارا (bokhara) of uncertain meaning, possibly from Sogdian βuxārak meaning "place of good fortune". Alternately it may have come from Sanskrit विहार (vihara) referring to a Buddhist monastery... [more]
Bukidnon(Political Subdivision)Filipino, Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Bukid, Higaonon, Ilocano, English From Cebuano bukidnon meaning "mountaineers, people of the mountains", referring to the indigenous tribes of the Central Mindanao highlands. This is the name of a province of the Philippines.
Bukit Merah(Settlement)Malay, English Means "red hill" in Malay from bukit meaning "hill" and merah meaning "red", referring to the red-coloured soil of a hill in the area. This is the name of a planning area and town in Singapore, also called Redhill.
Bukit Panjang(Settlement)Malay, English Means "long hill" in Malay, from bukit meaning "hill" and panjang meaning "long". This is the name of a planning area and town in Singapore.
Bukit Timah(Settlement)Malay, English Literally means "tin hill" in Malay, from bukit meaning "hill" and timah meaning "tin". However, the name is more likely a corrupted form of the original Malay name Bukit Temak meaning "temak hill", from bukit meaning "hill" and temak referring to a type of tree (genus Shorea)... [more]
Bulacan(Political Subdivision)Filipino, Tagalog, English From the name of a town called Bulakan, derived from Tagalog bulak meaning "cotton" and the place marker suffix -an. This is the name of a province of the Philippines.
Burgundy(Political Subdivision & Region)English From the ethnonym for the Burgundians, an East Germanic people who moved westwards beyond the Rhine during the late Roman period.... [more]
Burlington(Settlement)English Burlington is a city in Vermont and other states, it could be named this from Richard Boyle, the third Earl of Burlington, or a family with he surname Burling.
Burnsville(Settlement)English From the English surname Burns and ville, "town". The city in Minnesota is named for the settler William Byrne, whose surname was recorded incorrectly.
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]
Butte(Settlement)English This is a city in Montana, USA.
Buzzards Bay(Body of Water)English Buzzards Bay is a bay of the Atlantic Ocean adjacent to the U.S. state of Massachusetts.
Byblos(Settlement)English, Arabic, Greek Byblos, also known as Jebeil, Jbeil or Jubayl is an ancient city in the Keserwan-Jbeil Governorate of Lebanon.
Caernarfon(Settlement)English, Welsh From the Welsh words caer "fort", yn "in" and Arfon "opposite Môn (Anglesey)", therefore altogether translating to "the fort in the land opposite Anglesey"... [more]
Cagayan(Political Subdivision)Filipino, Ilocano, Ibanag, Itawit, English From Spanish Cagayán, itself derived from the word kagayan meaning "place near or on a river" in various indigenous languages. This is the name of a province and administrative region of the Philippines (called Cagayan Valley).
Cahokia(Settlement)English (American) A city in Illinois and the site of a pre-Columbian Native American city whose original name is unknown. The name is derived from Cahokia people, who lived in the area before their relocation.
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.
Caledonia(Country & Political Subdivision)English, History Borrowed from Latin Caledonia, meaning "land of the Calēdonēs", from Latin Calēdonēs, probably of Celtic origin, possibly from Proto-Celtic *kaletos "hard" and *ɸēdo- "foot", with an added country-forming suffix -ia... [more]
Calimesa(Settlement)English (American) A city in California. From a portmanteau of California and the English word "mesa" or the Spanish word mesa meaning "table, mesa".
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.
Caloocan(Settlement)Tagalog, English Derived from Tagalog kalookan meaning "interior, inland, innermost region". This is the name of a city in the Philippines.
Cam(River)English The River Cam is the main river flowing through Cambridge in eastern England.... [more]
Camarines(Political Subdivision)Filipino, Central Bikol, Tagalog, English Either from a Hispanicized plural form of Bikol kamalig meaning "shelter, hut, storage shed" or the plural form of Spanish camarín meaning "alcove, niche". This is the name of two provinces of the Philippines, Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur.
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]
Cambria(Country)Medieval Latin, English (Archaic) Latinised form of Cymru, used as the Latin and archaic English name of Wales. This name was first used in the 12th century.
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]
Camiguin(Island & Political Subdivision)Filipino, Cebuano, Tagalog, English Derived from Cebuano kamagong meaning "velvet apple", referring to a type of fruiting tree found on the island. This is the name of an island province of the Philippines.
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.
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.