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".
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.
Huntsville(Settlement)English Means "Hunt's town". This is the name of a city in Alabama, as well as several other places in the United States.
Huron(Body of Water)English One of the Great Lakes of the United States of America, so named because it has fresh water, a rarity around the world.
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".
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.
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.
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.
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.
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(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.
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]
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]
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.
Judea(Region)Biblical, English From a Greek and Roman adaptation of the name Judah, ultimately from Hebrew Yehudah. This was/is the name of a mountainous southern part of the region of Palestine.
Judice(Settlement)English Judice is an unincorporated community in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States.
Juneau(Settlement)English The capital city of Alaska, it is named after Canadian miner Joe Juneau.
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.
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) 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.
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]
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.
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) 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]
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.
Kayin(Political Subdivision)Burmese, English From the Burmese name for the Karen people, ကရင် (Kayin), which is of uncertain origin and meaning. This is the name of a state of Myanmar.
Kazbek(Mountain)Russian, English From Arabic قاضي (qadi) meaning "judge, arbiter" combined with the Turkish military title beg meaning "chieftain, master". This is the name of a dormant stratovolcano and mountain located in the central Caucasus.
Kearsley(Settlement)English Derived from the words cærse "watercress" and either hlaw "mound, small hill" or leah "woodland, clearing"
Kedah(Political Subdivision)Malay, English Derived from Arabic قتح (qataha), itself from Tamil கடாரம் (kadaram) possibly meaning "boiler, stockpot, cauldron". This is the name of a Malaysian state.
Keighley(Settlement)English Means "Cyhha's clearing", a combination of the Old English name Cyhha and Old English leah "woodland clearing". Keighley is city in Britain.
Kelantan(Political Subdivision)Malay, English Meaning uncertain, possibly from Malay gelam hutam meaning "cajeput" (a type of tree), kilatan meaning "lightning, flash" or kolam tanah meaning "dirt pool". Alternatively, it may be from Tamil கோலம் (kolam) referring to an art form from the Indian subcontinent consisting of stylised designs made of powder... [more]
Kenitra(Settlement)English, Spanish, Italian English, Spanish and Italian name for a city in northwestern Morocco, derived from Arabic القُنَيْطَرَة (al-Qunayṭara) meaning "the little bridge".
Kentucky(Political Subdivision)English (American) Name of a state in the United States, originally the name of a river, which possibly derived from the Iroquoian word wyandot, meaning meadow.
Kerala(Political Subdivision)English From Malayalam കേരളം (Keralam) of uncertain meaning. One theory suggests that it means "land of coconuts", derived from Malayalam കേരം (keram) meaning "coconut" and അളം (alam) meaning "place"... [more]
Ketchikan(Settlement & River)English (American) The city in Alaska is named for the nearby Ketchikan Creek, which itself comes from Tlingit kichx̱áan, of disputed meaning.
Khakassia(Political Subdivision)English From Russian Хакасия (Khakasiya) derived from the name of the Khakas people, which is of uncertain meaning. This is the name of a republic of Russia.
Kielder(River)English A river and reservoir in Northern England. It's name could come from Celtic words cognate with Welsh clou, 'fast' and dwr 'river'.
Kiev(Settlement)Ukrainian, Russian, Bulgarian, German, English The name Kiev comes from a medieval legend about the founding of the city told by a Chronicler of Rus-Ukraine. It was three brothers, Kie, Shchek and Khoriv, and their sister Lebid, who were the founders.
Kildare(Region)Irish, English From Irish Cill Dara meaning "church of the oak".
Kinabalu(Mountain)Malay, English Meaning uncertain, possibly from Kadazan-Dusun Aki Nabalu or Ki Nabalu, derived from aki meaning "ancestor, grandfather" or ki meaning "have, exist" and nabalu possibly meaning "mountain" or "spirit"... [more]
King's Lynn(Settlement)English Derived from the Celtic lin meaning "lake" or "pool", referring to the tidal pool on the River Ouse. It became known at Bishop's Lynn in the 12th Century, when Bishop Herbert de Losinga of Thetford began the first Medieval town there... [more]
Kirghizia(Country & Political Subdivision)English (Rare) Anglicization of Kirgiziya, the Russian name for the country of Kyrgyzstan. In the Anglophone world, this name was primarily used during the Soviet era... [more]
Kiska(Island)English The name of a volcanic island of southwestern Alaska; the largest and westernmost of the Rat Islands, a group of the Aleutian Islands of Alaska.
Klang(Settlement & River)Malay, English Meaning uncertain, possibly of Aslian or Old Malay origin. This is the name of a city and river in Malaysia.
Kluang(Settlement)Malay, English From Malay keluang meaning "flying fox, megabat", so named for the formerly large population of these bats in the area. This is the name of a city in Malaysia.
Kochi(Settlement)Malayalam, English, Hindi Possibly from Malayalam കൊച്ച് (kochu) meaning "small" and അഴി (azhi) meaning "lagoon, pond". This is the name of a city in India, formerly known as Cochin.
Kolkata(Settlement)Bengali, English From the name of the historical village of কলিকাতা (Kolikata) of uncertain meaning. It may be derived from the name of the Hindu goddess Kali 1 combined with Bengali ক্ষেত্র (khetro) meaning "field, region, area" or ঘাট (ghat) meaning "pier, quay"; from কিলকিলা (kilkila) meaning "flat area" or from খাল (khal) meaning "canal" combined with কাটা (kata) meaning "cut, chop"... [more]
Kota Bharu(Settlement)Malay, English Means "new city" in Malay, from kota meaning "city, town, fort" and baharu meaning "new". This is the name of the capital city of the Malaysian state of Kelantan.
Kota Kinabalu(Settlement)Malay, English From Malay kota meaning "town, city" and Kinabalu referring to Mount Kinabalu. This is the name of a city in Malaysia.
Krakatoa(Mountain)English From Indonesian Krakatau of uncertain meaning. This is the name of a volcano in the Sunda Strait between the islands of Java and Sumatra.
Krung Thep(Settlement)Thai, English Means "city of gods" from Thai กรุง (krung) meaning "city" and เทพ (thep) meaning "god, deity". This is a Thai name for Bangkok, used as a shortened form of Krung Thep Maha Nakhon... [more]
Kuala Lumpur(Settlement)Malay, English Means "muddy confluence" from Malay kuala meaning "confluence" and lumpur meaning "mud". This is the name of the capital city of Malaysia.
Kuala Terengganu(Settlement)Malay, English From Malay kuala meaning "confluence" and the name Terengganu. This is the name of the capital city of the Malaysian state of Terengganu.
Kuantan(Settlement)Malay, English Uncertain, possibly from the name of a Sumatran village or of Chinese origin. The name was first mentioned by writer Munshi Abdullah (1796-1854) around 1851 or 1852. This is the name of the capital city of the Malaysian state of Pahang.
Kuching(Settlement)Malay, English Probably either derived from Malay kucing meaning "cat" or from Cochin (or Kochi), the name of a city in India. Other theories suggest that the name comes from Malay mata kucing, the name of a type of fruit, or from Chinese 古 (gǔ) meaning "past, classic, old" combined with 井 (jǐng) meaning "well, mine shaft, pit"... [more]
Kyiv(Settlement & Political Subdivision)Ukrainian, English, Danish, Indonesian, Malagasy, Malay, Norwegian, Tagalog From Old East Slavic Киевъ (Kievu) of uncertain meaning. It is traditionally attributed to the given name Кий (Kyi) referring to one of the three legendary founders of the city, although another theory suggests that it is derived from Ukrainian кий (kyi) meaning "stick, pole" (so named because the city was palisaded by poles)... [more]
Laayoune(Settlement)English, Slovene From French Laâyoune derived from Arabic اَلْعَيُون (al-ʿayūn) meaning "the springs". This is the name of the capital city of the disputed territory of Western Sahara, though it is administered by Morocco.
Laconia(Settlement)English Laconia is a place in New Hampshire.
La Crosse(Settlement)English (American) From French la crosse, meaning "crozier". The city in Wisconsin was named for a game played by the Native Americans living in the area, which used sticks resembling, in the eyes of Euro-American colonists, a bishop's crozier.
Ladakh(Region & Political Subdivision)English, Persian From Persian لداخ (ladakh), itself derived from Tibetan ལ་དྭགས (la dwags) meaning "land of high passes", from the words ལ (la) meaning "hillside, mountain pass" and དྭགས (dwags) meaning "open place"... [more]
Lafayette(Settlement)English (American) Transferred use of the French surname Lafayette. Several places in the United States are named Lafayette after the the French general Marquis de Lafayette, who fought in the American Revolutionary War.
Lagos(Political Subdivision & Settlement)Western African, Hausa, Igbo, English From Portuguese lagos meaning "lakes". This is the name of a city in Nigeria as well as a state of the same name.
Laguna(Political Subdivision & Body of Water)English, Filipino Means "lake" or "lagoon" in Spanish. In the Philippines, it refers to a lake (Laguna de Bay) or a province which is adjacent to the lake.
Lakeland(Region, River & Other)English (Rare) The Lake District, a rural area in northwest England.... [more]
Lakeside(Settlement)English Lakeside means "at the side of the lake". Multiple cities have this name in the United States.
Lakewood(Settlement)English This place name meaning "lake by the wood" is a very common city name in the United States.
Lampert(Settlement)English A tiny hamlet in Northumberland, near the border with Cumbria. Despite this location's small size, several theories have emerged relating to the etymology of this unique name, which was first recorded in c.1290 as Lythel Lampard.... [more]
Lanao(Political Subdivision & Body of Water)Filipino, Tagalog, English From Maranao ranaw meaning "lake, body of water". This is the name of a lake and two provinces in the southern Philippines.
Lanchester(Settlement)English Derived from the words lang "long" and chester "camp, fortress".
Langkawi(Island)Malay, English Meaning uncertain, possibly from a colloquial name for the brahminy kite (a type of eagle), derived from Malay helang meaning "eagle" and kawi referring to a reddish-brown chalk. This is the name of an island and archipelago in Malaysia.
Lansing(Settlement)English The English usage is a place name originally derived from the town of Lancing in West Sussex (and which has also given names to other towns such as Lansing, Michigan and Lansing, New York). ''Lancing'' comes from the Old English personal name ''Wlanc'', meaning ''proud, imperious'', with the added suffix ''-ing'', indicating ''family of or follower of''.
Laramie(Settlement, River & Mountain)English (American) From the French surname Laramie. Several places in the United States were named for Jacques LaRamie, a French or French-Canadian trapper who was one of the first people of European descent to come to the Wyoming area.
Las Vegas(Settlement)English, Spanish Means "the meadows" in Spanish, from vega meaning "meadow". This is the name of a city in the American state of Nevada.
Latina(Settlement)Italian, English, Finnish, French Derived from the former name Latinia, itself adopted in 1944 to replace the name Littoria, which had been chosen by the Fascist government upon the inauguration of the city in 1932... [more]
Laurel(Settlement)English From the English word "laurel". The city in Montana was named for a laurel shrub which was growing in the area.
Lausanne(Political Subdivision & Settlement)English, English (British), French From Latin Lausanna or Lausonium, ultimately from Proto-Celtic lausa meaning “slab.” This is the name of the fourth most populated city of Switzerland... [more]
Lea(River)English (British) Lea is a river in the UK. It's found in southeast England and flows from the Chiltern Hills and flows to the river Thames at Bow Creek.... [more]
Lebanon(Country & Mountain)English, Indonesian, Tagalog, Thai Derived from the Pro-West Semitic root laban meaning "white". This is the name of a country and mountain range in Western Asia.
Leh(Settlement)English, Hindi, Urdu Possibly derived from Tibetan གླེ (gle) meaning "grove, small uncultivated island". This is the name of a city in India.
Lenexa(Settlement)English (American) A city in Kansas, allegedly named after Na-Nex-Se, the wife of Shawnee Chief Thomas Blackhoof.
Leominster(Other)English (British) The first recorded name was “Llanllienni” a Welsh name meaning Church in a Place of Streams. Renamed by the Saxons, after Leofric Earl of Hereford and husband of Lady Godiva. It appears as “Leofminstrein” in the Domesday Book... [more]
Lesbos(Island)Ancient Greek, English Meaning uncertain, possibly "wooded, forested". This is the name of a Greek island in the northeastern Aegean Sea - the third largest island in Greece. In the 7th century BC, it was home to a circle of young girl lovers including Sappho.
Lesotho(Country)English The name of the Country in Southern Africa. Lesotho, a high-altitude, landlocked kingdom encircled by South Africa, is crisscrossed by a network of rivers and mountain ranges including the 3,482m-high peak of Thabana Ntlenyana... [more]
Lewisville(Political Subdivision)English A city in Denton county, Texas.
Lexington(Settlement)English A place name meaning "Leaxa's town" in Old English.
Lhasa(Settlement)Tibetan, English Probably from Tibetan ལྷ་ས (lha sa) meaning "land of gods", derived from ལྷ (lha) meaning "deity, god" and ས (sa) meaning "land, earth". Alternatively, it may have been an alteration of Old Tibetan ར་ས (ra sa) meaning "land of goats" or "fortified land" from ར (ra) meaning "goat" or "enclosure" and ས (sa) meaning "land, earth"... [more]
Limerick(Political Subdivision & Settlement)Irish, English Possibly derives from loimeanach, meaning "bare marsh" or "spot made bare by feeding horses". Other potential derivations connect with luimnigthe "cloaked" and luimnechda, meaning "shielded"... [more]
Lindley(Settlement)English This is the name of several places located in England, United States and South Africa.... [more]
Linley(Settlement)English This is the name of a hamlet, located in Shropshire in England.... [more]
Linz(Settlement)English From *lentos (“bend” in Proto-Celtic), describing the bend in the Danube where the original Celtic settlement was placed.
Lisbon(Settlement)English From Portuguese Lisboa derived from Latin Olisīpō, which is of uncertain meaning. Folk etymologies state that it comes from the name Odysseus or Ulysses, though it may have been derived from Phoenician ʿlyṣ ʿbʾ or ʿaliṣ-ʿuboʾ meaning "safe harbour"... [more]
Liss(Other)English The place name, Liss, originally Lyss, was first recorded in the Domesday Book. The meaning of 'Liss' is unknown.
Little Rock(Settlement)English From the name of a small rock formation on the south bank of the Arkansas River, used as a landmark by early river traffic. This is the name of the capital city of the US state of Arkansas.
Liverpool(Settlement)English, Welsh A port city in western England on the mouth of the River Mersey. Uncertain origin. Possibly derived from Cumbric words equivalent to the Welsh leidiau, meaning 'mud' and pwll, meaning 'pool', or else the Old English formation *Liferpōl, 'thick, muddy pool'.
Livingston(Settlement)English Transferred use of the surname Livingston. The city in Montana was named for Johnston Livingston, a Northern Pacific Railway stockholder and director.
Ljubljana(Settlement)Slovene, Croatian, English The origin of the city's name is unclear. In the Middle Ages, both the river and the town were also known by the German name Laibach. This name was in official use as an endonym until 1918, and it remains frequent as a German exonym, both in common speech and official use... [more]
Los Gatos(Settlement)English Means "the cats" in Spanish, named after the wild cats that used to live in the area. This is the name of a city in California.
Louisville(Settlement)English Named in honor of King Louis XVI of France, whose soldiers were aiding the Americans during the Revolution. This is the name of several settlements in the United States, including the lagrest city in the state of Kentucky.
Loveland(Settlement)English This is the name of multiple cities in different English speaking countries. One is the city in Colorado.
Lucknow(Settlement)English Anglicised form of Hindi लखनऊ (Lakhnau) of uncertain meaning, perhaps from Sanskrit लक्ष्मणपुरी (lakshmanapuri) meaning "city of Lakshmana" or लक्ष्मणवती (lakshmanavati) meaning "fortunate"... [more]
Luton(Settlement)English (British) A settlement in the United Kingdom , situated on the River Lea. Luton was founded in the 6th century by the Anglo-Saxons.... [more]
Luxor(Political Subdivision & Settlement)English From a corruption of Arabic الأقصر (al-'uqsur) meaning "the palaces". This is the name of a governorate and city in Egypt.
Luzon(Island)Filipino, Tagalog, Ilocano, Pampangan, English Of uncertain meaning, probably from Tagalog lusong meaning "mortar (for pounding rice)". This is the name of the largest island in the Philippines.
Lyd(River)English The name of a river in Devon, England, perhaps derived from a Celtic source such as Lludd, though the usual derivation is Old English hlȳde "noisy stream" - which the Saxons may have assumed was the river's name.
Lydbrook(Settlement)English This is a village in the Forest of Dean, Old English for "dwell by the river"
Machelonia(Country, Political Subdivision & Region)Ancient Greek, English, Italian Derived from Μαχελονία (Machelonia), the ancient Greek name for a region and satrapy of the Sasanian Empire. It was named after the Colchian (i.e. Kartvelian) tribe that lived there, who were known to the ancient Greeks as the Μαχελῶνες (Machelones) or the Μαχελονοι (Machelonoi)... [more]
Madison(Settlement)English Named after James Madison (1751–1836), Founding Father and fourth President of the United States. This is the name of several settlements, including the capital city of the State of Wisconsin.
Madison Heights(Settlement)English (American) Madison Heights ranked as fifth highest populated City in South Oakland County. The first City Hall was located at 26305 John R Road, the former township offices. On April 5, 1963, a new municipal building was constructed which is on the present location at 300 West Thirteen Mile Road.
Madras(Settlement)English, Hindi Meaning uncertain, possibly from the name of a fishing village. This is the former name of the Indian city of Chennai.
Maguindanao(Political Subdivision)Filipino, Cebuano, Tagalog, English From Spanish Maguindanao, a corruption of Magindanaw, the endonym of the Maguindanao people. The ethnic name means "people of the flood plains" or "people of the lake" from the word danao meaning "lake"... [more]
Magway(Political Subdivision & Settlement)English From Burmese မကွေး (magwe) of uncertain meaning. This is the name of an administrative division of, as well as a town in, Myanmar.
Magway(Political Subdivision & Settlement)English From Burmese မကွေး (Magwe) derived from a corruption of မြစ် (myit) meaning "river" and ကွေ့ (gwe) meaning "turn, curve, bend", referring to the city's location along a bend of the Irrawaddy River... [more]
Magwe(Political Subdivision & Settlement)English From Burmese မကွေး (Magwe) derived from a corruption of မြစ် (myit) meaning "river" and ကွေ့ (gwe) meaning "turn, curve, bend", referring to the city's location along a bend of the Irrawaddy River... [more]
Mahnomen(Settlement)English (American) A city in Minnnesota. From the Ojibwe manoomin meaning "wild rice".
Mahtomedi(Settlement)English (American) A city in Minnesota. Its name is derived from Dakota mathó, "bear", and bdé, "lake".
Maine(Political Subdivision)English (American) Name of a state in the United States, possibly from French Maine, a region in France (named for the river that runs through it, which has a name of Gaulish origin).
Majapahit(Country & Settlement)Indonesian, Malay, English Means "bitter maja", from Javanese maja referring to the bael tree (genus Aegle) and Malay pahit meaning "bitter, acrid". This was the name of a kingdom (as well as its capital city) based on the island of Java that existed from 1293 to 1527.
Majorca(Island)English Majorca is the largest island in the Balearic Islands, which are part of Spain and located in the Mediterranean. The local language, as on the rest of the Balearic Islands, is Catalan, which is co-official with Spanish.
Makati(Settlement)Tagalog, English Derived from the phrase makati na, kumakati na meaning "ebbing tide". This is the name of a city in the Philippines.
Makuria(Country & Region)History, English Derived from Μακουρια (Makouria), which is the hellenized form of the autochthonous name of a Nubian kingdom that existed from the 5th century AD to the late 15th century AD. The original Nubian name is unknown, as is its meaning... [more]
Malacca(Country, Political Subdivision, Settlement & Body of Water)English From Malay Melaka, probably derived from the Malay name for the Indian gooseberry (genus Phyllanthus), a type of tree. This is the name of a state in southern Malaysia as well as a city (Malacca City) and a narrow body of water between the Malay Peninsula and the island of Sumatra (the Strait of Malacca)... [more]
Malaya(Country & Region)English From the name of the Malay people, meaning uncertain (see Malaysia).... [more]
Malden(Political Subdivision & River)English Malden is a suburban city in Middlesex county, Massachusetts. It is near the Malden river.
Maldives(Country)Catalan, English, French, Greek, Malay Uncertain, possibly means "Malé islands" from Dhivehi މާލެ (māle) referring to Malé, the capital city of the Maldives, combined with Sanskrit द्वीप (dvīpá) meaning "island"... [more]
Maluku(Region & Political Subdivision)Indonesian, English Meaning uncertain. This is the name of an archipelago in eastern Indonesia, the Maluku Islands, as well as the name of two Indonesian provinces, Maluku and North Maluku.
Manama(Settlement)Arabic, English Means "place of sleep, place of rest" in Arabic. This is the name of the capital city of Bahrain, usually written with the definite article: المنامة (al-Manama) in Arabic.
Manchester(Settlement)English A large city in North-West England. Manchester is an Anglicization of the town's Latin name Mancunium. This was likely derived from an earlier name in a language similar to Welsh. It may have derived from words equivalent to Welsh mamau, meaning 'mother', in reference to a local river goddess... [more]
Manchuria(Region)English, Indonesian, Malay, Spanish, Tagalog Likely from a Dutch calque of Japanese 満州 (Manshū) derived from the name of the Manchu people, ᠮᠠᠨᠵᡠ (manju), of uncertain origin. The ethnic name is probably derived from the name of the bodhisattva Manjushri in Buddhist tradition... [more]
Mandalay(Political Subdivision & Settlement)English From Burmese မန္တလေး (mandale) of unclear origin, possibly from Sanskrit मण्डल (mandala) meaning "circle, disk". This is the name of an administrative division of Myanmar as well as its regional capital.
Mandan(Settlement)English (American) The city in North Dakota was named for the Mandan people, who are indigenous to the area.
Manhattan(Island)English (American) It is named after the Algonquin tribe from whom the Dutch settlers claimed to have bought the island in 1626.
Manila(Settlement)Filipino, Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Ilocano, Maranao, English, Spanish From Tagalog Maynila, which is derived from the term may-nila meaning "where indigo is found", ultimately from Sanskrit नील (nila) referring to the indigo plant as well as indigo dye... [more]
Manitoba(Political Subdivision)English Name of a province in Canada, from Cree manitou-wapow or Ojibwa manidoobaa, both meaning "straits of Manitou, the Great Spirit",
Mankato(Settlement)English (American) From a typographic error of Mahkato, from the Dakota name for the Blue Earth River, Makato Osa Watapa, meaning "the river where blue earth is gathered".
Manour(Settlement)English (British) The town was granted its name by a group of British explorers who stumbled upon the area during their quest for hidden treasures. As they journeyed through the lush countryside, they came upon a serene valley adorned with majestic manor houses, each more grandiose than the last.
Mapleton(Settlement)English The name Mapleton is derived from the old English words of maple and tūn. The word maple plainly refers to the deciduous species of tree native to the area, with tūn being a descriptive term for an enclosure, a farmstead, a village or an estate.
Mariana Trench(Body of Water)English From the Mariana Islands nearby, derived from the given name Mariana in honor of the Spanish Queen Mariana of Austria. This is the name of the deepest oceanic trench on Earth.
Marinduque(Island & Political Subdivision)Filipino, Tagalog, English From a Spanish corruption of Tagalog malindig meaning "elegant, tall", also referring to a volcano on the island. This is the name of an island province of the Philippines.
Marion(Settlement)English Transferred use of the surname Marion. The city in Iowa was named after Francis Marion, a hero of the Revolutionary War.
Marlborough(Other)English Originating from the name of a market town in Wiltshire. Legend has it that the Mound is the burial site of Merlin and that the name of the town, Marlborough comes from Merlin's Barrow.... [more]
Marmara(Body of Water)English (Modern, Rare) Place name; the Sea of Marmara is the inland sea that connects the Black Sea to the Aegean Sea in Turkey.
Marrowbone(Other)English Marrowbone is a census-designated place in Cumberland County, Kentucky, United States. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 217. The Marrowbone Historic District, which includes three properties, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Marseille(Settlement)French, English From the name of the ancient Greek colony and city of Μασσαλία (Massalia), of uncertain meaning. It may have been derived from Ligurian mas meaning "spring" or from Greek meaning "(city) on the far end of the sea", derived from μάσσων (masson) meaning "further" and ἅλς (hals) meaning "sea"... [more]
Marshall Islands(Country)English The Marshall Islands, officially the Republic of the Marshall Islands (Marshallese: Aolepān Aorōkin M̧ajeļ), is an island country near the equator in the Pacific Ocean, slightly west of the International Date Line and an Associated state of the United States... [more]
Maryland(Political Subdivision)English (American) Name of a state in the United States, named after Queen Henrietta Maria, wife of King Charles I of England.
Mashriq(Region)Arabic, English From Arabic المشرق (al-Mashriq) meaning "the place of the sunrise, the east". This is the name used for the eastern part of the Arab world west of Egypt and Sudan. In Arabic the name is usually written with the definite article: المشرق (al-Mashriq).
Massachusetts(Political Subdivision)English (American) Name of a state in the United States, named for the Algonquian native people who lived around the bay, from Algonquian massachusett "at the large hill," in reference to Great Blue Hill, southwest of Boston.
Maui(Island)Hawaiian, English Likely from the name of the Hawaiian trickster god Māui. This is the name of an island in the U.S. state of Hawaii.
Mawlamyine(Settlement)English From Burmese မော်လမြိုင် (mawlamyaing) derived from Mon မတ်မလီု (motmalam) meaning "damaged eye", ultimately from မတ် (mot) meaning "eye" and လီု (lam) meaning "spoiled, damaged, ruined"... [more]
Mayfair(Other)English Mayfair was named after the May Fair, an annual event. It took place in the area, on the site that now plays host to today's popular Shepherd Market. It comes from Old English mæg, of Germanic origin, from a base meaning ‘have power’; related to Dutch mogen and German mögen and Old English fæger ‘pleasing, attractive’, of Germanic origin; related to Old High German fagar.
Mecca(Settlement)English, Italian, Romanian From Arabic مكة (Makka) which is from بكة (bakka), an ancient name for the region. The name is of uncertain origin and meaning; it may be from Arabic بكى (baka) meaning "to cry, to mourn" or Ge'ez ምኵራብ (məkʷrab) meaning "temple, sanctuary"... [more]
Medicine Hat(Settlement)English (Canadian) A city in Alberta, Canada. The name is from the Siksiká 'saamis', the word for the eagle tail feather headdress worn by medicine men.
Mediterranean(Region & Body of Water)English, Ganda, Scots From the Latin term Mediterrāneum meaning "in the middle of land", composed of Latin medius "middle", terra "land, earth" and āneus "having the nature of". The Mediterranean Sea is located between Europe, Africa and a small part of Asia... [more]
Meknes(Settlement)English From French Meknès, itself from Arabic مكناس (Maknas) ultimately derived from Miknasa (Imeknasen), the name of a Berber tribe. This is the name of a city in Morocco.
Mekong(River)English From Thai แม่โขง (Mae Khong), a contraction of แม่น้ำโขง (Mae Nam Khong) from แม่น้ำ (mae nam) meaning "river" (literally "mother of waters") and โขง (khong) derived from Proto-Austroasiatic ruŋ meaning "river"... [more]
Melilla(Settlement)Spanish, English The etymology of Melilla is uncertain. Since Melilla was an active beekeeping location in the past, the name has been related to honey; this is tentatively backed up by two ancient coins featuring a bee as well as the inscriptions RSADR and RSA... [more]
Mendota(Settlement)English (American) A city in Minnesota. Its name is derived from the Dakota word bdóte, which refers to the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers.
Mesa(Settlement)English, Spanish From Spanish mesa, literally "table", referring to a flat-topped elevation. This is the name of a city in the US state of Arizona.
Mesopotamia(Region)English This is the name of a historical region in the Middle East. Its name is derived from the Greek words μέσος (mesos) meaning “middle” and ποταμός (potamos) meaning “river”.
Miami(Settlement)English Name of a city in Florida. The name was first mentioned by Hernando de Escalante Fontaneda, a captive of Indians in southern Florida for 17 years, when he referred to what is now Lake Okeechobee as the "Lake of Mayaimi, which is called Mayaimi because it is very large"... [more]
Michigan(Political Subdivision)English (American) Name of a state in the United States, originally applied to Lake Michigan, perhaps from Old Ojibwa (Algonquian) meshi-gami "big lake".
Micronesia(Country & Region)Dutch, English, Italian, Spanish, Tagalog From Greek μικρός (mikrós) meaning "small, little" and νῆσος (nesos) meaning "island". This is the name of a subregion of Oceania as well as an island country... [more]
Middlesex(Political Subdivision)English Middlesex is a city in New Jersey. It is also the name of a county in Massachusetts and a historic one in England.