This is a list of submitted place names in which the usage is English or American.
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Edina(Settlement)English (American) A city in Minnesota, named for the local Edina Mill. The mill, in turn, took its name from a poetic term for Edinburgh.
Edmonton(Settlement)English From Eadhelm and ton, mean "field owned by Eadhelm". City in Canada, named after the district of London.
Elko(Political Subdivision)English (American) Charles Crocker of the Central Pacific Railroad, who had a passion for naming stations after animals, simply added an O to Elk
Ellesmere(Settlement)English The name of a town in Shropshire, England, which possibly meant either "Elli's lake", "principal lake" or "eel lake". The first element may refer to the personal name Elli or to an adjoining lake or mere that was the largest of several in the neighbourhood, or could be derived from Old English ǣl meaning "eel"; the second element is Old English mere "sea, ocean; lake, pool, pond, cistern".
Ellsworth(Political Subdivision & Region)English In the context of the city in Maine, it was named after Oliver Ellsworth. In the context of the region in Antarctica, it was named after Lincoln Ellsworth. Both being named after people with the surname Ellsworth.
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.
Elrosa(Settlement)English (American) A city in Minnesota. The name is derived from the English given names Ella and Rose; Ella and Rose Nichols were the granddaughters of one of Elrosa's city council members.
Elsinore(Settlement)Literature, English Anglicized form of Helsingør. This is the name of Hamlet's castle in William Shakespeare's play.
Elyria(Settlement)English (American) A city in Ohio. From a portmanteau of the surname Ely - the city's founder was named Heman Ely - and Illyria
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.
Emirgan(Settlement)Turkish, English Derived from the name Emirgune, possibly influenced by Persian suffix ـگان (-gan) meaning "pertaining to, relating to"... [more]
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]
Encinitas(Settlement)English (American) A city in California. From Spanish encinitas meaning "small oaks, little oaks".
Endion(Political Subdivision)English (American) A neighborhood in Duluth, Minnesota. From Ojibwe endaayaan, meaning "where I live."
Enumclaw(Settlement & Mountain)English (American) A city and mountain in Washington, United States. The name is derived from the Sahaptin word inɨmɬá meaning "he who makes noise", and coincides with the name of a Pacific Northwest Native American mythological figure who became the spirit of thunder.
Erie(Body of Water)English Lake Erie is one of the Great Lakes of the United States, having fresh water.
Essaouira(Settlement)French, English Derived from Arabic الصويرة (as-Sawirah) meaning "the small wall", from a diminutive of سور (sur) meaning "wall, fence, rampart, border". This is the name of a city in Morocco.
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.
Estevan(Settlement)English, Spanish Estevan was named in 1892 after George Stephen, the first president of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). The name is believed to be derived from a contraction of his first and last name: "Este" (from Stephen) and "van" (a variation of his surname's pronunciation)... [more]
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)
Evans(Settlement)English There are two cities named Evans in the United States, one in Colorado, the other in Georgia.
'Ewa Beach(Settlement)English (American) A city in Hawaiʻi. From Hawaiian ʻewa meaning "stray" and the English word "beach".
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'.
Eyota(Settlement)English (American) A city in Minnesota. From Dakota iyótaŋ, meaning "greatest, most".
Fairbanks(Settlement)English (American) Fairbanks is a settlement in Alaska USA. Fairbanks was founded in 1901 by E.T.Barnette.... [more]
Fairmont(Settlement)English Various cities in the United States. In the case of the city in West Virginia, from the English words "fair" and "mount".
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]
Fargo(Settlement)English (American) Transferred use of the surname Fargo. The city in North Dakota was named after William Fargo, then director of the Northern Pacific Railway and founder of the Wells Fargo Express Company.
Faribault(Settlement)English (American) Transferred use of the French surname Faribault. The city in Minnesota was named after Alexander Faribault, its founder and first postmaster.
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.
Farragut(Settlement)English (American) Transferred use of the surname Farragut. The city in Iowa was named for Admiral David Farragut, a flag officer in the United States Navy during the American Civil War.
Fayette(Political Subdivision & Other)English Fayette is a county in Pennsylvania, and there is a city named Lexington-Fayette in Kentucky.
Featherstonhaugh(Settlement)English A town in Northumberland, England. From Old English feðere "feather", stān "stone", and healh "corner."
Fergana(Political Subdivision & Settlement)English Meaning unknown. This is the name of a region and a city in Uzbekistan.
Fernlees(Settlement)English (Rare) Fernlees is a rural town in the locality of Gindie, Central Highlands Region, Queensland, Australia.
Fernleigh(Political Subdivision)English Fernleigh, Nova Scotia is a residential subdivision in Fairview on Mainland Halifax within the Halifax Regional Municipality Nova Scotia on the shore of the Bedford Basin in Halifax Harbour.
Finistère(Political Subdivision & Region)French, English The name Finistère derives from the Latin Finis Terræ, meaning “end of the earth”. As its name suggests, it is the westernmost department in mainland France.
Fishers(Settlement)English From the English surname Fisher. The city in Indiana was named for Fisher's Station, a nearby railroad station platted by Salathial Fisher.
Flin Flon(Settlement)English A city in Manitoba. From the name of the fictional character Josiah Flintabbatey Flonatin, from J.E. Preston Muddock's novel The Sunless City.
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]
Foggia(Settlement)Italian, English Possibly from Latin fovea, referring to the pits where wheat was stored, or to a drainage basin.... [more]
Fond Du Lac(Settlement)English (American) From French fond du lac, meaning "bottom of the lake" or "south end of the lake". The city in Wisconsin is at the southern end of Lake Winnebago.
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.
Fostoria(Settlement)English (American) Derived from the English surname Foster. The city in Michigan was named for Thomas Foster, the foreman of the Pere Marquette Railway.
Frankfurt(Settlement)German, English Combination of Frank, the name of a Germanic tribe, and furt "ford, river crossing". This is the name of the fifth largest city in Germany, Frankfurt am Main in Hesse, as well as a sizable city in Brandenburg, Frankfurt an der Oder.
Fraser River(River)English, Indigenous American The Fraser River is named after Simon Fraser, a Scottish-Canadian explorer who navigated much of its length in 1808 while working for the North West Company. Indigenous names for the Fraser River include the Stó:lō name Sto:lo, meaning "river," and the Secwepemc name Teqtéqe... [more]
Freetown(Settlement)English It was founded as a settlement for freed Afro-American, Afro-Caribbean and liberated African slaves, hence the name “Freetown” being a free town for freed slaves. This is the capital and largest city of Sierra Leone.
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]
Fridley(Settlement)English Transferred use of the surname Fridley. The city in Minnesota is named for Abram M. Fridley, the area's first territorial representative.
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]
Funan(Country)Chinese, Khmer, English Meaning uncertain, possibly from a Chinese transcription of Khmer ភ្នំ (phnum) meaning "mountain". This was the name of an ancient kingdom (or group of kingdoms) that existed on mainland Southeast Asia from the 1st to 6th centuries.
Funan(Country)Chinese, Khmer, Thai, English Meaning uncertain, possibly from a Chinese transcription of Khmer ភ្នំ (phnum) meaning "mountain". This was the name of an ancient kingdom (or group of kingdoms) that existed on mainland Southeast Asia from the 1st to 6th centuries.
Gallipoli(Settlement)Italian, English Derived from Ancient Greek Καλλίπολις (Kallípolis) meaning "beautiful city", composed of κάλλος (kallos) "beauty" and πόλις (polis) "city"... [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]
Gander(Settlement & Body of Water)English The name Gander likely derives from the Old English word "gandra," meaning "gander" (male goose), referring to the bird that might have been abundant in the area. It is also possible the name refers to Gander Lake, which was likely associated with the presence of wild geese.
Ganja(Settlement)English From Persian ganj meaning "treasure, treasury". This is the name of the third largest city of Azerbaijan.
Garland(Settlement)English (American) Possibly from the word “garland”, meaning a decorative braid, knot or wreath of flowers, leaves, or other material.
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.
General Mamerto Natividad(Political Subdivision)Filipino, Ilocano, Tagalog, English Named after Filipino general and revolutionary Mamerto Natividad y Alejandrino (1871-1897). This is the name of a municipality in Nueva Ecija, Philippines.
General Salipada Khalid Pendatun(Settlement)English General Salipada K. Pendatun is a municipality in the Philippines. It is named for General Salipada K. Pendatun, who is a forerunner Mindanaoan Legislator and General during the Second World War.
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]
George Town(Settlement)English, Malay Derived from the given name George, named in honour of British king George III. This is the name of a city in Malaysia as well as the capital city of the Cayman Islands.
Georgetown(Settlement)English The capital of Guyana, and is a port at the mouth of the Demerara River, pop. 133,000 (est. 2007)
Gettysburg(Settlement)English From the Irish surname Gettys and burg meaning "fortress, fortification, citadel". The city in Pennsylvania was named for colonist and influential landowner James Gettys... [more]
Gillette(Settlement)English (American) Transferred use of the French surname Gillette. The city in Wyoming is named for Edward Gillette, a surveyor for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad.
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.
Glen Burnie(Settlement)English Name of an unincorporated town in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. It is named after Elias Glenn, who owned a property called Glennsburne.
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".
Glenside(Political Subdivision)English A city in Pennsylvania.
Gloucester(Settlement)English (British) from Glevo, a Celtic name meaning "bright place" (could be related to Old English gleaw "wise, prudent") and Old English ceaster "Roman town" - see Chester.... [more]
Gloversville(Settlement)English (American) Gloversville is the name of 2 settlements in the usa. One in Virginia and one in New york.... [more]
Goa(Political Subdivision)English, Portuguese From Konkani गोंय (Gõy), ultimately derived from Sanskrit गोमन्त (gomanta) possibly referring to an ancient kingdom or tribe. This is the name of a state in southwestern India.
Gobi(Region)English A desert in Mongolia and China. From Mongolian Говь Govʹ, referring to the same region.
Gondwana(Region)English From the Indian region of the same name which is Sanskrit meaning “land of the Gonds”.... [more]
Gonzales(Settlement)English (American) From the Spanish surname Gonzáles. A city in Texas, one of the first Anglo-American settlements in the state, was named for Rafael Gonzáles, the governor of Coahuila y Tejas.
Grande Prairie(Settlement)English (Canadian) Grande Prairie takes its name from the large open prairie surrounding the area. The term grande comes from French, used by early French-speaking fur traders in the region. The area was originally inhabited by Indigenous peoples, including the Dane-zaa (Beaver) Nation... [more]
Grand Falls-windsor(Settlement)English The name Grand Falls refers to the waterfalls on the Gander River near the town. Grand is likely used to describe the large, impressive nature of the falls... [more]
Greenwich(Political Subdivision & Settlement)English Means "green harbour, green settlement", derived from Old English grene "green" and wic, which can mean both "village, town" and "bay, inlet".
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.
Groningen(Settlement)Dutch, English, German This is a city in the north of the Netherlands and the capital city of the Groningen province. The meaning and origin of the name "Groningen" is unknown, one theory is that "Groningen" meant among the people of Groni, which was derived from lake Gronesbeke... [more]
Grozny(Settlement)Russian, English Means "formidable, menacing, fearsome" in Russian. This is the name of the capital city of the Russian republic of Chechnya.
Guimaras(Political Subdivision & Island)Filipino, Hiligaynon, Tagalog, English From a Spanish corruption of the name Himal-us of uncertain origin and meaning. This is the name of an island province of the Philippines.
Gujarat(Political Subdivision & Region)Gujarati, English Gujarat as a name is derived from the Pratihar dynasty of gurjars, who ruled Gujarat in the 8th and 9th centuries CE.
Guttenberg(Settlement)English Name of a town in Hudson County, New Jersey. It was either named after Johannes Gutenberg, inventor of the printing press, or the German word for "good village".
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]
Guymon(Settlement)English (American) Transferred use of the surname Guymon. The city in Oklahoma was named for Edward T. "E.T." Guymon, president of the Inter-State Land and Town Company.
Hackney(Settlement)English A district of London. It possibly derives from Old English Haka’s ey, meaning 'Haka's Island'.
Hadley(Settlement)English Hadley is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,325 at the 2020 census. The name means “heather field.” and it was renamed for Hadleigh, Suffolk
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]
Hakha(Settlement)English From Burmese ဟားခါး (Hahka) possibly derived from Shan ဟား (ha) meaning "requesting, begging" and ခါး (hka) meaning "bitterness, without sweetness", referring to the residents of the historical village who had to pay taxes to the village's original founders... [more]
Half Moon Bay(Settlement)English Refers to a crescent-shaped bay that lies north of the city. This is the name of a city in California.
Halifax(Settlement)English Halifax is the capital and largest municipality of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia and the largest municipality in Atlantic Canada. The city was named after George Montagu-Dunk, the 2nd Earl of Halifax, a market town in West Yorkshire, England... [more]
Hallow(Settlement)English Hallow is a village and civil parish beside the River Severn.
Hamhung(Settlement)English, Korean From Korean 함흥 (Hamheung) derived from Sino-Korean 咸 (ham) referring to the city's former name, Hamju, combined with 興 (heung) meaning "thrive, prosper, flourish". This is the name of a city in North Korea, also used as an alternate transcription of Korean 함흥 (see Hamheung).
Hammond(Settlement)English Transferred use of the English surname Hammond. The city in Indiana was named for George H. Hammond, the owner of a nearby meat-packing plant.
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]
Harbin(Settlement)Manchu, English From a dialectal name meaning "(place of) drying fishnets" in Manchu, so named because the area was once a small fishing village. This is the name of a city in China.
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.
Hattiesburg(Settlement)English (American) A city in Mississippi. The name is derived from the English given name Hattie, after Hattie Hardy (the wife of city founder Captain William H. Hardy), and the suffix burg meaning "fortress, fortification, citadel".
Hauppauge(Settlement)English (American) A hamlet in New York. From an Algonquian term said to mean either "land of sweet waters" or "overflowed land".
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.
Havasu(Settlement & Body of Water)English (American), Indigenous American Means “blue” in the Mojave language. In July 2024, a 4 month old baby died of heat exposure while her negligent parents partied on Lake Havasu (California-Arizona border).... [more]
Hawaii(Island)English (American) Name of a state in the United States, of uncertain origin. Theories from Proto-Polynesian hawaiki which possibly means place of the gods" or from Proto-Polynesian sawaiki "homeland", or possibly named for Hawaiʻiloa, legendary discoverer of the Hawaiian islands.
Hawley(Settlement)English The name of various settlements in England, all suffixed with Old English leah meaning "woodland", but with different initial elements... [more]
Hebron(Settlement)English From Hebrew חֶבְרוֹן (Ḥevrōn), ultimately from northwest Semitic ḥbr meaning "unite, colleague, friend, alliance". Several sites in the United States were named for the city in Palestine.
Helena(Settlement)English Name of the capital city of Montana. Form the given name Helena
Helmsley(Settlement)English A small market town in Northern England. It's name derives from the Old English Helm, a personal name and leah, which means 'clearing, field'.
Hemet(Settlement, Body of Water & Other)English (American) Etymology uncertain. Possibly from Swedish hemmet meaning "home, homeland". Other theories claim that the name is derived from an unspecified Native American language, possibly meaning "box", "acorn valley", "surrounded by trees", or derived from a female given name, Hemetica... [more]
Hempstead(Settlement)English Name of a town and village in Nassau County, New York. It is either named after the Dutch castle of Heemstede, or the British town of Hemel Hempstead.
Hennepin(Political Subdivision)English (American), French The name of a county in Minnesota, from the French surname Hennepin, after Louis Hennepin, a Belgian Catholic priest and missionary.
Herefordshire(Political Subdivision & Region)English May mean "county of the army river crossing", deriving from the Old English for "army", here, and "river crossing", ford, making Hereford, and sċīr, from Proto-West Germanic *skīru meaning "county”... [more]
Herkimer(Settlement)English (American) Herkimer is a small settlement in new york USA. Herkimer was founded in 1788.... [more]
Herzegovina(Country, Political Subdivision & Region)English From German herzog meaning “duke’s land.” It is a geographical region part of the country of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Hesse(Political Subdivision)English From the name of a Germanic tribe originally called Chatti, later Chassi, and from the 8th century called Hassi or Hessi. Hesse is a state in Germany. Possibly derived from Old Germanic *hatjaną "to hunt down, pursue; to rush, incite, attack", or from *hattuz "hat, head covering".
Hialeah(Settlement)American The name of a city in the American state of Florida, commonly said to mean "pretty prairie" from Muskogee haiyakpo "prairie" and hili "pretty". Alternatively it may mean "high prairie" or "upland prairie" in Seminole.
Hiawassee(Settlement)English The name of a town in the U.S. state of Georgia, located on the Hiwassee River. It is derived from a Cherokee or Creek word ayuhwasi meaning "meadow".
Hibbing(Settlement)English Transferred use of the surname Hibbing. The city in Minnesota was named for its founder, Frank Hibbing.
Hilo(Settlement)Hawaiian, English Meaning uncertain, possibly derived from Hawaiian hilo meaning "twist, braid, spin". This is the name of a town in the US state of Hawaii.
Hinxton(Settlement)English The name of a village in Cambridgeshire, ultimately derived from a contraction of Old English Hengestestun which possibly meant "town of Hengest", itself from the genitive of the Old English byname Hengest (or from Old English hengest "stallion") and Old English tun "enclosure, yard, town".
Ho Chi Minh(Settlement)English From the name of Vietnamese revolutionary and politician Ho Chi Minh (1890-1969; natively HồChíMinh in Vietnamese)... [more]
Hollywood(Settlement)English This is the name of several places throughout the United States as well as a few places in England. The most notable place is the district in Los Angeles, California, known for being the home of the U.S. motion-picture industry, whose name allegedly means "hauling wood".
Honolulu(Settlement)Hawaiian, English Means "sheltered harbor", from Hawaiian hono "bay, harbor" and lulu "shelter". This is the state capital of Hawaii.
Horningtoft(Settlement)English From the Old English horn "horn-shaped" -ingas "people of" toft "curtilage". "people of the horn-shaped curtilage". The name of a village in the county of Norfolk.
Houma(Settlement)English (American) A city in Louisiana. The name is derived from the name of the Houma Native American people.
Hyderabad(Settlement)English From Urdu حیدر آباد (haidar abad), derived from Arabic حيدر (haydar) meaning "lion, warrior" (see the given name Haidar) and Urdu آباد (abad) meaning "populated area, inhabited area, city" (of Persian origin)... [more]
Iceland(Country & Island)English From Icelandic Ísland, which is derived from Old Norse íss meaning "ice" and land meaning "land, country". This is the name of a Nordic island country in the Atlantic Ocean.
Idaho(Political Subdivision)English (American) Name of a state in the United States, of uncertain origin, possibly from Shoshone term ee-da-how, meaning "gem of the mountains" or "the sun comes from the mountains".
Ihlen(Settlement)English (American) Transferred usage of the German surname Ihlen. The city in Minnesota is named for Carl Ihlen, a local landowner.
Ilkley(Settlement)English Of uncertain origin. The English-born clergyman Robert Collyer (1823-1912) claimed this is derived from an old British word llecan meaning "rock". The second syllable may be derived from Old English leah "(woodland) clearing".
Illinois(Political Subdivision)English (American) Name of a state in the United States, from the modern French spelling of the Algonquian people who called themselves Inoca or Ilinouek.
Iloilo(Political Subdivision & Settlement)Filipino, Hiligaynon, Tagalog, English Derived from Hiligaynon Ilong-Ilong, itself from ilong meaning "nose" referring to the nose-like shape of a landform in the region. This is the name of a province of, as well as a city in, the Philippines.
Immokalee(Settlement)English (American) A census-designated place in Florida. The name is derived from the Mikasuki word immokalee meaning "your home".
Independence(Settlement)English Name of a city in Missouri, it is named after the Declaration of Independence.
Indian(Body of Water)English Name of an ocean, they named it that because it was by India.
Indianapolis(Settlement)English Union of "Indiana", itself meaning "Land of the Indians" in Latin, and the Greek suffix polis. This is the name of the capital city of the US state of Indiana.
Indio(Settlement)English (American) A city in California. The name is derived from the Spanish word Indio, meaning "Indian, Native American".
Ingoldisthorpe(Settlement)English From the Old Norse "Ingjaldr's" þorp "outflying farmstead". The name of a village in Norfolk.
Ingushetia(Political Subdivision)English Means "(place) of the Ingush", from the Russian name for the Ingush people. The Russian name is believed to be derived from Ангушт (Angusht), the Ingush name of the village of Tarskoe located in present-day North Ossetia–Alania... [more]
Inniswood(Other)English Part of the name of Inniswood Metro Gardens formed from the estate of Mary and Grace Innis.
Invercargill(Settlement)English (New Zealand) This is a city in New Zealand. Invercargill is the Southernmost city in the country, about 20 minutes from Bluff, where ferries to Stewart Island arrive and leave from.... [more]
Iola(Settlement)English Transferred use of the English given name Iola. The city in Kansas is named for Iola Colborn, the wife of Josiah Colborn, one of the town's founders.
Iowa(Political Subdivision)English (American) Name of a state in the United States, possibly from Dakota ayuxba "sleepy ones".
Ipoh(Settlement)Malay, English From Malay ipuh meaning "upas" (a type of poisonous tree). This is the name of the capital city of the Malaysian state of Perak.
Irondequoit(Settlement)English (American) A town in New York. The name is derived from the Iroquois language, and is said to mean "where the land meets the water".
Irrawaddy(River)English From Burmese ဧရာဝတီ (Eyawadi), ultimately derived from Sanskrit इरावती (iravati) meaning "gaining drink or refreshment, satiating, endowed with provisions". This is the name of a river in Myanmar.
Iselin(Settlement)English (American) Transferred usage of the surname Iselin. The community in New Jersey is named for Adrian Iselin, a banker and philanthropist who funded the establishment of a finishing school and a train station in the area.
Isfahan(Political Subdivision & Settlement)English From Persian اصفهان (Esfahan) ultimately derived from Old Persian spādānah meaning "connected with the army" or spādānām meaning "of the armies", from 𐎿𐎱𐎠𐎭 (spādaʰ) meaning "army"... [more]
Islamabad(Settlement)English, Hindi From Urdu اسلام آباد (Islam Abad) meaning "city of Islam" from the name of the religion and Urdu آباد (abad) meaning "inhabited place, city". This is the name of the capital city of Pakistan.
Isle of Man(Political Subdivision & Island)English Means "mountain isle" in English, from Old Irish mana, a cognate of Celtic isles having mountains, itself from Proto-Celtic *moniyos "mountain". This is the name of an island and crown independency of the United Kingdom and a rural locality in Scotland.
Issaquah(Settlement)English (American) A city in Washington, USA. The name is derived from the Southern Lushootseed word sqʷáxʷ, meaning either "the sound of birds", "snake", or "little stream".
Istanbul(Settlement)English, Arabic From Turkish İstanbul, which comes from a misinterpretation of the Medieval Greek phrase εἰς τὴν Πόλιν (eis ten polin) meaning "to the City", a colloquial name for the city of Constantinople (reflecting its status as the only major city in the vicinity)... [more]
Itasca(Body of Water)English Lake Itasca in north central Minnesota.... [more]
Ivinghoe(Political Subdivision & Settlement)English Means "promontory belonging to Ifa 1", from the Old English given name Ifa, the suffix -ing denoting possession and hoh meaning "promontory"... [more]
Ivory Coast(Country)English Calque of French Côte d'Ivoire meaning "coast of ivory", a reference to the historical ivory trade prominent in that region. This is the name of a country in western Africa, sometimes also referred to by its French name.
Jacklin(Body of Water)English Jacklin Lake is located in Wisconsin. Some of its native creatures are the northern pout, the pike, and the panfish.
Jackson(Settlement)English After a person bearing the surname Jackson, such as Andrew Jackson (1767–1845), seventh President of the United States. This is the name of several settlements in the United States, such as the capital city of the State of Mississippi.
Jacksonville(Political Subdivision)English Name of a city in Florida, named in honor of Andrew Jackson who was the first military governor of the Florida Territory and seventh President of the United States.
Jaipur(Settlement)English, Punjabi, Telugu From Hindi जयपुर (Jaypur) derived from the given name Jay 2 (so named for the city's founder, 18th century ruler Jai Singh II) and Sanskrit पुर (pura) meaning "fortress, city"... [more]
Jamestown(Settlement)English Jamestown, named after King James, was a settlement in Virginia, one of the original thirteen colonies.
Janesville(Settlement)English From the English surname Janes and ville, meaning "city". The city in Wisconsin is named after the settler and city planner Henry F Janes.
Java(Political Subdivision & Island)English, Dutch, French, German, Portuguese, Spanish From Indonesian Jawa, which is of uncertain origin. It is most likely derived from Sanskrit यव-द्वीप (yava-dvipa) meaning "island of barley", though it may have come from Javanese ꦗꦸꦮꦮꦸꦠ꧀ (juwawut) meaning "foxtail millet (a type of plant)" or Malay jauh meaning "far, distant"... [more]
Jeddah(Settlement)English, Danish, Dutch, Hindi, Indonesian, Malay, Swedish, Tagalog From Arabic جدة (Jiddah) derived from the word جَدَّة (jaddah) meaning "grandmother", perhaps referencing the folk belief that the Tomb of Eve (who is considered the 'grandmother' of humanity) is located there... [more]
Jeffrey(Other)English Application of the English given name Jeffrey. The Jeffrey Asbestos mine is named after the mine's primary investor, W.A. Jeffrey.
Jersey(Political Subdivision & Island)English, Medieval Scandinavian One of the Channel Islands in England. Also a name of a state in the United States. May be derived from the Old Norse jarð meaning "earth" or jarl meaning "earl", or maybe from the given name Geirr... [more]
Jesup(Settlement)English (American) Transferred usage of the surname Jesup. The city in Georgia is named for Thomas Jesup, a US army officer who fought in the Second Seminole War.
Johnstown(Settlement)English The are 27 settlements in the world named Johnstown. They can be found in the USA and Ireland.... [more]
Johor(Political Subdivision)Malay, English Derived from Arabic جوهر (jawhar) meaning "jewel, precious stone", ultimately of Persian origin. This is the name of a state in southern Malaysia.
Johor Bahru(Settlement)Malay, English From Johor and Malay bahru meaning "new". This is the name of a city in Malaysia.
Joilet(Settlement)English (American) It was renamed in 1845 for Louis Jolliet, the French Canadian explorer who visited the site in 1673. Joliet is a city in Will and Kendall Counties in the U.S. state of Illinois, near Chicago.
Joliet(Settlement)English (American) Transferred use of the French surname Joliet. The city in Illinois was named for Louis Joliet, one of the first Europeans to map the Upper Mississippi area.
Jolo(Settlement & Island)Filipino, Tagalog, English Probably derived from Hokkien 好儂 (hó lâng) meaning "good people", named by Chinese traders to reflect how they perceived the native people of the region. This is the name of an island in the southern Philippines as well as the capital city of the province of Sulu.
Joppatowne(Settlement)English (American) A settlement in Maryland. The name is a combination of the place name Jaffa and the word "town".
Jurupa(Settlement)English (American) From a Native American word of uncertain meaning. Jurupa Valley is a town in the inland empire of California that is currently getting gentrified due to its proximity to bougier Riverside
Kabardino-Balkaria(Political Subdivision)English From Russian Кабардино-Балкария (Kabardino-Balkariya) comprised of the names of the Kabardian and Balkar people. This is the name of a republic of Russia.
Kabekona(Body of Water)English (American) A lake in Minnesota. From Ojibwe gabekana meaning "end of the trail".
Kabetogama(Body of Water)English (American) A lake in Minnesota. From Ojibwe gaa-biitoogamaag-zaaga'igan meaning "the lake that lies parallel with another lake, the lake that doubles with another lake, the place where there is one lake after another."
Kabul(Settlement)English From Pashto کابل (Kabel) which may have been derived from Kambuja or Kamboja, the name of an ancient Indo-Iranian tribe and kingdom. The name is of uncertain meaning, possibly from Sanskrit काम (kama 1) meaning "love, desire" and भुज् (bhuj) meaning "use, possess, rule"... [more]
Kachin(Political Subdivision, Region & Mountain)Bengali, Assamese, English (British) The well known British English pronunciation of Ga Hkyeng, which means ‘red soil’ in Jingpho.
Kachin(Political Subdivision & Region)Burmese, English From a collective term for various ethnolinguistic groups that inhibit the Kachin Hills in northern Myanmar, itself of unclear origin. This is the name of a state of Myanmar, as well as a geographical region in the northeastern part of the country.
Kajang(Settlement)Malay, English Meaning uncertain, possibly derived from Temuan kajang referring to an art of weaving pandanus leaves. Alternately it could be from Buginese berkajang meaning "camp, accommodation". This is the name of a city in Malaysia.
Kalahari(Region)English (African) A desert in southern Africa. From Tswana kgala meaning "the great thirst", or kgalagadi meaning "a waterless place".
Kalamazoo(Settlement)English (American) The city in Michigan and other places are named after the Kalamazoo River. There are several theories as to the etymology of Kalamazoo. One is that it comes from Potawatomi negikanamazo meaning "otter tail" or kikalamezo meaning "boiling pot, place where the water boils"... [more]
Kalmykia(Political Subdivision)English From Russian Калмыкия (Kalmykiya) ultimately from хальмг (xal'mg), the native name of the Kalmyk people. The ethnic name is of probably Mongolian origin meaning "the people moving away", from Mongolian халих (khalikh) meaning "overflow, flood", referring to how the Kalmyk people were originally Mongolians who "leaked away" from their ancestral homeland... [more]
Kandiyohi(Settlement)English (American) A city in Minnesota. From Dakota kandi, "buffalo fish" and ohi, "arrive in".
Kandy(Settlement)English From Tamil கண்டி (Kanti) of uncertain meaning, possibly derived from Sinhala කන්ද උඩරට (kanda urarata) meaning "upland" or කන්ද උඩ පාස් රට (kanda ura pas rata) meaning "mountain pass country"... [more]
Kannapolis(Settlement)English (American) A city in North Carolina. The name is derived from the English surname Cannon (after the Cannon Mills Corporation or its founder, James William Cannon, and spelled with a 'K' at Cannon's request) and the Ancient Greek name element polis (πόλις) meaning "city, town".
Kansas(Political Subdivision)English (American) Name of a state in the United States, named after Kanas river, from French variant of Kansa, native name of the Siouan people who lived there.
Kapaa(Settlement)English (American) A city in Hawaiʻi. From Hawaiian kapaʻa meaning "the solid one".
Karaganda(Settlement)English, Russian From Kazakh Қарағанды (Qaraghandy), which is derived from қараған (qaraghan) meaning "caragana" (a type of flower). This is the name of a city in Kazakhstan.
Karakalpakstan(Political Subdivision)English, Russian From Karakalpak Қарақалпақстан (Qaraqalpaqstan), itself from the name of the Karakalpak people combined with the Persian suffix ستان (stan 2) meaning "land of"... [more]
Karamea(Settlement)Maori, English Means "speargrass" in Maori, peobably from a corruption of kakara taramea meaning "sweet-scented gum (of speargrass leaves)". This is the name of a town in New Zealand.
Karelia(Political Subdivision & Region)English From Russian Карелия (Kareliya), which is from Karelian and Finnish Karjala derived from Finnish karja meaning "cattle, livestock" combined with the suffix -la denoting location... [more]
Kargil(Settlement)English, Urdu Most likely derived from Tibetan དཀར (dkar) meaning "white, pure, bright" and སྐྱིལ (skyil) meaning "expanse" or འཁྱིལ ('khyil) meaning "mountainous amphitheater, place where water flows"... [more]
Kashmir(Region)Hindi, Urdu, Dogri, Persian, English Derived from Sanskrit कश्मीर (kashmira) of uncertain meaning. It could be derived from the name of the sage Kashyapa combined with Sanskrit मीर (mira) meaning "ocean, sea" or मेरु (meru) referring to the legendary Mount Meru in Hindu and Buddhist tradition... [more]
Kathmandu(Settlement)Nepali, English From the name of Kasthamandap, a Hindu temple and shrine in Nepal. The name means "wooden pavilion" from Sanskrit काष्ठ (kashtha) meaning "wood" combined with मण्डप (mandapa) meaning "pavilion, hall, square"... [more]
Kaukauna(Settlement)English (American) A city in Wisconsin. The name is apparently of unknown Native American origin and is said to mean "portage, long portage", "place where pickerel are caught", or "place of pike".
Kawishiwi(River)English (American) A river in Minnesota, likely derived from Ojibwe amikwiish meaning "beaver lodge".
Kayah(Political Subdivision)English From the name of the Kayah (Karenni) people, derived from Burmese ကယား (kaya). This is the name of a state of Myanmar.