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.
Burnaby(Political Subdivision & Settlement)English The name "Burnaby" is thought to have originated from the surname of a British colonial official, Sir Francis Burnaby. It may also be tied to the Old English words "burna" (stream) and "by" (town or village), potentially meaning "town near the stream."
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]
Bute(Political Subdivision & Island)Scottish Gaelic, Norse, English The name Bute is believed to derive from the Old Norse word Bót, meaning "fire", possibly referring to ancient beacons or signal fires used on the island. Alternatively, it may come from the Scottish Gaelic Bòd or Bodach, meaning "island of the old man"... [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.
Caledon(Region & Settlement)Spanish (Latin American), Scottish, English Caledon originates from the Latin "Caledonia," the name used by the Romans for what is now Scotland. The term was likely derived from the Caledonii, an ancient Pictish or Celtic tribe in the region.... [more]
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.
Campeche(Political Subdivision & Settlement)English, Spanish, Turkish Derived from Kaan Peech, the name of the 16th-century Maya chiefdom meaning "place of snakes and ticks", derived from Yucatec Maya kaan meaning "snake" and peech meaning "tick"... [more]
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.
Canton(Political Subdivision & Settlement)English (Archaic), French, Italian Derived from Portuguese Cantão, which was ultimately from Chinese 广东 (Guǎngdōng) (see Guangdong). Used for both the Chinese province of Guangdong and the city of Guangzhou, it is considered dated in English but still current in French and Italian.
Cape Verde(Country)English From the name of the Senegalese peninsula Cap-Vert meaning "green cape" in Portuguese. Cape Verde is an island country spanning an archipelago of 10 volcanic islands in the central Atlantic Ocean.
Capiz(Political Subdivision)Filipino, Capiznon, Hiligaynon, Tagalog, English From Spanish Cápiz, itself from Capiznon kapis referring to the shell produced by the windowpane oyster (genus Placuna). This is the name of a province of the Philippines.
Carbondale(Settlement)English Various settlements in Canada and the United States. From the English word "carbon" and ville meaning "city".
Caribbean(Region)English The name of the Region. The Caribbean is a region that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands and the surrounding coasts. The region is southeast of the Gulf of Mexico and the North American mainland, east of Central America, and north of South America.
Carinthia(Region)English The English name for the southernmost and least densly populated state of Austria, known as Kärnten in German.... [more]
Carnarvon(Settlement)Welsh (Anglicized), English Anglicised form of Caernarfon. It has rarely been used in the context of the Welsh town since the 1970s, but this spelling is still used for some namesake settlements abroad.
Carperby(Settlement)English A village in Yorkshire, England. The second element is Old Norse -byr, 'farm'. The first element is possibly the Old Gaelic personal name Cairpre. This seems to indicate a farm of an Irish or Scottish Viking, who settled in England... [more]
Carson(Settlement)English (American) Carson City is the capital of the American state of Nevada.
Carson City(Settlement)English It was named after American frontiersman Kit Carson, this is the capital city of the US state of Nevada.
Carteret(Settlement)English Transferred use of the surname Carteret. The city in North Carolina was named for either Sir George Cartaret or John Carteret, 2nd Earl Granville.
Cartersville(Political Subdivision)English A city in Bartow county, Georgia.
Carthage(Settlement)English Carthage is a city in Missouri, and another city with the same name is in Texas.
Carveth(Settlement)English From Cornish Karvergh ("fort of horses"), from kar ("fort") and mergh ("horse"). This is the name of a village in Cornwall.
Casablanca(Settlement)English, French, Spanish Means "white house" in Spanish. The name comes from a Spanish translation of the Arabic name الدار البيضاء (ad-Dar al-Bayda'), which in turn was derived from a calque of the Portuguese name Casa Branca... [more]
Casper(Settlement)English From the name of Fort Caspar named after United States army officer Caspar Collins (see Caspar). Casper is city in Wyoming, USA.
Caspian(Body of Water)English The Caspian Sea is the world's largest inland body of water. Its name comes from the Caspi people, who lived to the sea's southwest.
Castleblayney(Settlement)English "Castle", referring to the castle outside the town, + "Blayney", after Sir Edward Blayney, whom the British Crown granted land in the area to.
Catanduanes(Island & Political Subdivision)Filipino, Central Bikol, Tagalog, English From a Spanish plural form of Bikol katanduan either meaning "place of tandu", referring to a type of beetle, or "place of tando", referring to a type of tree. This is the name of an island province of the Philippines.
Catania(Settlement)Italian, English, German, Sicilian, Spanish From Ancient Greek Kατάvη (Katánē), itself either from Sicel katane ("grater"), due to its proximity to Mount Etna and the resulting rough earth, or from Proto-Italic katina ("basin"), owing to the wide valley around the town... [more]
Catanzaro(Settlement)Italian, English, French, Catalan, Portuguese, Romanian, Spanish, German From Latin Catanciarium, itself derived from Catacium, ultimately from Ancient Greek Καταρτάριοι, meaning "silk spinners". This is the name of a city in southern Italy, the second city in Calabria, as well as its capital city.
Catwaba(Settlement & River)English (American) A river as well as several settlements in the United States. From the name of the Catawba Native American people.
Caucasus(Mountain)English From Greek Καύκασος (Kaúkasos), which is of uncertain origin; it may be derived from Scythian *xrohukäsi meaning "ice-shining" or "white snow". Alternatively, it may be from Greek κήξ (kḗx) meaning "sea swallow (a kind of bird)" and κάσος (kásos) possibly meaning "mountain" or "rock"... [more]
Cavite(Political Subdivision, Settlement & Other)English (Hispanicized), Filipino (Hispanicized) Hispanicized form of Tagalog kawit, meaning "hook". This name originally referred to a peninsula where Cavite City is located in, but usage eventually expanded to the entire province.
Cebu(Political Subdivision, Settlement & Island)Filipino, Tagalog, English From Cebuano Sugbo, derived from Old Cebuano sibu or sibo meaning "trade", itself a shortened form of the phrase sinibuayng hingpit meaning "place for trading". This is the name of an island, province and city (Cebu City) in the Philippines.
Ceres(Settlement)English Various cities around the world. The city in California is named for Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture.
Cerritos(Settlement)English (American) A city in California. From Spanish cerritos meaning "small hills".
Ceuta(Settlement)English, Spanish, Portuguese The settlement below Jebel Musa was later renamed for the seven hills around the site, collectively referred to as the "Seven Brothers". In particular, the Roman stronghold at the site took the name "Fort at the Seven Brothers"... [more]
Chaffee(Political Subdivision)English From the Old French word 'Chauf' meaning bald.
Chalmette(Settlement)English (American) Transferred use of the French surname Chalmette. The city in Louisiana is named for Louis-Xavier Martin de Lino de Chalmette, a local plantation owner.
Champa(Country)Cham, Khmer, Lao, English From Vietnamese Chăm Pa ultimately derived from Sanskrit चम्पक (champaka) referring to a type of flowering tree (genus Magnolia). This is the name of a collection of ancient kingdoms that existed between the 2nd and 17th centuries in what is now central and southern Vietnam.
Champlin(Settlement)English (American) Transferred use of the French surname Champlin. The city in Minnesota is named for U.S. Navy Commodore Stephen Champlin.
Chandigarh(Political Subdivision & Settlement)Hindi, Punjabi, Bhojpuri, English From the name of the Hindu goddess Chandi combined with Hindi गढ़ (garh) meaning "fort". This is the name of a union territory and city in northern India.
Chanhassen(Settlement)English (American) From the Dakota word chanhasen meaning "sugar-maple tree", which itself comes from chan, "tree" and haza, "tree with sap".
Channahon(Settlement)English (American) A city in Illinois. The name is reportedly derived from a Potawatomi phrase meaning "meeting of the waters".
Charlevoix(Settlement & Body of Water)English (American) Transferred usage of the French surname Charlevoix. The lake and city in Michigan are named for Fr. Pierre François Xavier de Charlevoix, a French explorer.
Charlotte(Settlement)English Name of a city in North Carolina, named in honor of Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, who had become the Queen of Great Britain just seven years before the town's incorporation.
Chattanooga(Settlement)English (American) A city in Tennessee. The name may be derived from the Muskogean word cvto meaning "rock" and the suffix -nuga meaning "dwelling, dwelling place", or from the Creek word chat-to-to-noog-gee meaning "rock rising to a point".
Chattogram(Political Subdivision & Settlement)Bengali, English Alternate transcription of Bengali চট্টগ্রাম (see Chottogram) officially used by the government of Bangladesh.
Chechnya(Political Subdivision)Russian, English Means "(place) of the Chechens", derived from the Russian name for the Chechen people. The exonym is of uncertain meaning, with Russian folk etymologies suggesting that it originates from the name of a village; on the other hand, it may be derived from the Kabardian name Шашан (Shashan)... [more]
Cheektowaga(Settlement)English (American) A city in New York. The name is derived from the Seneca word chictawauga meaning "land of the crabapples".
Cheltenham(Settlement)English (British) First recorded in 803, as Celtan hom; the meaning has not been resolved with certainty, but latest scholarship concludes that the first element preserves a pre-British noun cilta, 'steep hill', here referring to the Cotswold scarp; the second element may mean 'settlement' or 'water-meadow'... [more]
Chengwatana(Settlement)English (American) An abandoned village in Minnesota. From Ojibwe zhingwaadena, a contraction of zhingwaak-oodena meaning "white pine town".
Chennai(Settlement)Indian, Tamil, English Most likely from the name of 17th-century Telugu monarch Damarla Chennapa Nayaka (or Chennappa Naicker). This is the name of the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, which was officially called Madras until 1996.
Chesapeake(Settlement & Body of Water)English (American) A bay and a city in Virginia. The name is derived from the Algonquian word chesepiooc meaning "at a big river" or "great water". A local legend claims that the name means "great shellfish bay".
Cheviot(Mountain)English The name of a mountain and the surrounding mountains on the Anglo-Scottish border. The name is thought to be Celtic and to derive from Brythonic *ceμ-, *cejn 'ridge, spine' (Welsh chefn, 'back, ridge'), and -ed, which might have meant 'having the quality of-'.
Cheyenne(Settlement)English The capital of Wyoming, in the United States.
Chiang Mai(Political Subdivision & Settlement)Thai, English Means "new city" from Thai เชียง (chiang) meaning "(walled) city" and ใหม่ (mai) meaning "new". This is the name of a province of and city in Thailand.
Chiapas(Political Subdivision)English, Spanish, Turkish Plural form of Chiapa, a term commonly featured in the names of many historical Spanish settlements in the region, from Nahuatl Chiapan, from chiyan "chia seed" and suffix -pan "place of, place of the" or -apan "river, stream"... [more]
Chickasha(Settlement)English (American) A city in Oklahoma. From Choctaw chikashsha meaning "Chickasaw", a Native American people.
Chicopee(Settlement & River)English (American) A city and river in Massachusetts. From Nipmuc chekee meaning "violently" and pe, a suffix used in the names of bodies of water, or chikkupee meaning "of red cedar".
Chin(Political Subdivision)Burmese, English From the name of the Chin people, which was most likely a Burmese adaptation of a Chin word meaning "man, person". This is the name of a state of Myanmar.
Chino(Settlement)English (American) A city in California. From Spanish chino meaning "curly".
Chippenham(Settlement)English One possibility for its naming may have been from Cyppa's Hamme which comes from the words ce-ap meaning market, and Hamme meaning enclosed by the river or an enclosed water meadow both of which Chippenham was.... [more]
Chisago(Body of Water)English (American) A lake in Minnesota. The name is derived from the Ojibwe kichi, "large", and saga, "beautiful#.
Chittagong(Settlement)Bengali, English The etymology of Chittagong is uncertain. One explanation credits the first Arab traders for shatt ghangh, where shatt means "delta" and ghangh stood for the Ganges. The Arakanese chronicle states that a king named Tsu-la-taing Tsandaya, after conquering Bengal, set up a stone pillar as a trophy or memorial at the place since called Tst-ta-gaung as the limit of conquest... [more]
Chittagong(Political Subdivision & Settlement)English From Bengali চট্টগ্রাম (Chottogram) of uncertain meaning. This is the name of an administrative division of, as well as a city in, Bangladesh (officially named Chattogram).
Choctaw(Settlement)English (American) A city in Oklahoma. From the name of the Choctaw people, although the city has no cultural relation to the Choctaw nation.
Chorasmia(Region & Political Subdivision)Ancient Greek, Ancient Roman, English, Greek Ancient Greek and Ancient Roman name for the region of Khwarazm in Central Asia. It was named after the Chorasmians, a local Iranian tribe who were known as Χωράσμιοι (Chorasmioi) to the Greeks and as Chorasmii to the Romans.... [more]
Christchurch(Region)English Christchurch is a New Zealand city that was founded in 1850. The name was given in 1848 before the city even existed. It was given by J R Godley of the Canterbury Associtaion who went to Christ Church College in teenagehood.
Christmas Island(Island)English (Australian) Name of an Island in Australia, it was named Christmas Island because of the date it was found (December 25)
Chukotka(Political Subdivision)Russian, English Derived from the Russian name Чукчи (Chukchi), referring to the native people who originally inhabited the area. The word Chukchi is derived from Chukchi Chauchu meaning "rich in reindeer", used by the Reindeer Chukchi people to distinguish themselves from the Maritime Chukchi (the Anqallyt meaning "sea people")... [more]
Chuvashia(Political Subdivision)English From Russian Чувашия (Chuvashiya), derived from the name of the Chuvash people. The ethnic name чӑваш (chavash) is of uncertain meaning, possibly from Turkic yabal meaning "quiet, peaceful, slow", from a Turkic root meaning "friendly, peaceful" or from Tabghach, the Old Turkic name for the Tuoba, a Xianbei clan in Imperial China... [more]
Cicero(Settlement)English Name of a town in Cook County, Illinois, named after Roman statesman Marcus Tullius Cicero.
Cincinnati(Political Subdivision)English Means "curly-haired", from Latin cincinnatus (see Cincinnatus). This is the name of a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States which was named in honor of the Society of the Cincinnati, named after the Roman consul Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus (born c. 519 – c. 430 BC).
Cinnaminson(Settlement)English (American) A township in New Jersey. Possibly from senamensing, a word in a Lenape language meaning "sweet water".
Circassia(Country & Region)English, Italian From Turkish Çerkes or Russian Черкес (Cherkes) referring to the Circassian (Adyghe) people. The name is of uncertain meaning, possibly derived from Kerkety, the name of a Circassian tribe, or from Persian چهار کس (čahâr kas) meaning "four people"... [more]
Ciscaucasia(Region)English, Italian, Spanish Means "on this side of the Caucasus", derived from Latin cis meaning "on this side of" combined with the latinized Greek noun Caucasia meaning "the Caucasus" (both the mountains and their namesake region)... [more]
Claddagh(Settlement)Irish, English The name of an ancient village in Ireland, where the tradition of the Claddagh ring developed.
Clare(Settlement)English Possibly derives from Latin clarus, meaning "clear, bright", describing the clear nature of the Chilton Stream that flows through the town. The name first appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Clara.... [more]
Cleveland(Settlement & Other)English This is the name of several settlements, mainly in the United States, as well as a geographical region in Yorkshire, England; in both cases, the name comes from the combination of the Middle English words cleve ("cliff") and land.... [more]
Cloquet(Settlement & River)English (American) Transferred use of the French surname Cloquet. The river in Minnesota may have been named for French doctors Hippolyte and Jules Cloquet, and the city was named for the river.
Clyde(River)Brittonic, Scottish Gaelic, English The name Clyde originates from the Brittonic Celtic word Clud or Clota, which may mean "the holy one" or "the cleansing one", referring to the river's significance. In Scottish Gaelic, it is known as Abhainn Chluaidh (abhainn = "river", Chluaidh = "Clyde")... [more]
Coachella(Settlement)English (American) A city in California. Possibly from Spanish conchilla, referring to a type of seashell commonly found in the area.
Cohasset(Settlement)English (American) A town in Massachusetts. From Massachusett conahasset possibly meaning "long rocky place" or "fishing promontory".
College Station(Settlement)English City in the US state of Texas. Named so due to the city's origin as a railway depot for the A&M College of Texas, now known as Texas A&M University.
Colombo(Settlement)English Probably from the old Sinhalese word kolamba meaning "ferry" or "port". It is popularly believed to be derived from Sinhalese කොලොන් තොට (kolon tota) meaning "port on the river Kelani" or කොල අඹ (kola amba) meaning "leafy mango grove", altered with influence from the name of Italian explorer Christopher Columbus or Latin columba meaning "dove"... [more]
Colorado(Political Subdivision)English (American) Name of a state in the United States, named after the Colorado river, from Spanish colo + "colored" rado "reddish", "ruddy".
Columbia(Region)English Columbia is a supercontinent from the paleoproterzoic era.
Columbus(Settlement)English Named after famous Italian explorer Christopher Columbus. This is the name of several settlements in the United States, including the capital city of the state of Ohio.
Conakry(Settlement)French, English The capital of Guinea. Its name is derived from Kɔnakiri, a local village populated by the Susu, a Mande speaking ethnic group.
Conception Bay(Body of Water)English Calque of Medieval Portuguese Baía da Conceição, "Bay of the Conception," named for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.
Conesus(Body of Water)English (American) A lake and river in New York. The name is derived from the Seneca place name ga-ne-a-sos meaning "berry place".
Connecticut(Political Subdivision)English (American) Name of a state in the United States, from the name of the Connecticut river, from Algonquian quinnitukqut "at the long tidal river," from kwen "long" + ehtekw "tidal river" + enk "place".
Connellsville(Political Subdivision)English Connellsville is a city in Pennsylvania.
Conroe(Settlement)English Transferred use of the surname Conroe. The city in Texas was named for Isaac Conroe, a cavalry officer for the Union during the American Civil War.
Cook Islands(Political Subdivision & Other)English A self-governing in free association territory of New Zealand. It was named after Captain James Cook, who visited the islands during the 1700s.
Cooksville(Settlement)English Cooksville was named after Jacob Cook, an American settler who established a stagecoach stop and inn in the early 19th century. The area was originally known as "Harrisville" but was renamed after Cook, who became a prominent figure in the community.... [more]
Copperopolis(Settlement)English From the English word "copper" and the Greek polis meaning "city". Copperopolis was a mining community in Montana.
Coquet(River)English A river in Northumberland, England. Its name originates from words of a local Brythonic-Celtic language, equivalent to the Welsh coched, meaning 'red, brown'.
Coquitlam(Political Subdivision & Settlement)English The name "Coquitlam" comes from the Halkomelem word kʷikʷəƛ̓əm, meaning "red fish up the river," referring to the traditional importance of salmon to the local Coast Salish peoples.
Coralville(Settlement)English From the English word "coral" and ville meaning "city". The name of the city in Iowa was derived from coral fossils found along the nearby Iowa River.
Cordele(Settlement)English From the English given name Cordelia. The city in Georgia was named for Cordelia Hawkins, the daughter of Colonel Samuel Hawkins, the president of the Savannah, Americus and Montgomery Railway.
Corner Brook(Settlement)English The name Corner Brook likely refers to the brook (small stream or creek) that runs through the area, combined with the word "corner" to denote its location at a significant bend or junction in the landscape... [more]
Cornwall(Political Subdivision & Region)English, Dutch An English county or country, a place next to Devon at the bottom of southwestern England, derived from Old English Cornwealas which eventually turned into Cornwall... [more]
Coshocton(Settlement)English (American) Two cities in New York and Ohio. The name is derived from the Delaware language, and may mean "union of waters" or "black bear crossing".
Cotabato(Political Subdivision & Settlement)Filipino, Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Ilocano, Tagalog, English From Maguindanao Kutawatu meaning "stone city", from kuta meaning "city, fort" and wato meaning "stone, rock". This is the name of both a province and a city in the southern Philippines.
Courtaney(Settlement)English Courtenay is a city on the east coast of Vancouver Island, in the Canadian province of British Columbia.
Coveney(Body of Water)English (American) Transferred usage of the Irish surname Coveney. The lake in Michigan is named for Joseph Coveney, an early European-American settler.
Covina(Settlement)English (American) A city in California. From a portmanteau of the English words "cove" and "vine".
Cox's Bazar(Settlement)English Named in honour of British diplomat Captain Hiram Cox (1760-1799), who served as an officer of the East India Company. This is the name of a city in Bangladesh.
Crete(Island)English From Ancient Greek Κρήτη (Krete) of uncertain meaning. It may come from Krus, a mythological hero, whose name is unexplained. Another theory is that it is derived from Luwian kursawar meaning "island" or kursattar meaning "cutting, sliver"... [more]
Crimea(Country, Political Subdivision & Region)English, Italian, Spanish From Crimean Tatar Qırım, which is of uncertain origin. It may have been derived from a corruption of Latin Cimmerium or Greek Κιμμερικόν (Kimmerikon), the name of an ancient city, from Old Turkic qurum meaning "protection, defense" or qirum meaning "fosse, trench", or Ancient Greek κρημνοί (kremnoi) meaning "cliffs"... [more]
Crompton(Settlement)English From Old English crumbe ("bent") + tun ("town"), referring to its location on a river bend. It is the name of a former town now part of Shaw and Crompton.
Crowcroft(Settlement)English Means "crows farm". From crawe "crow" and croft "enclosed field"
Crystal(Settlement)English Various cities in the United States. From the English word "crystal".
Cuba(Country)English From the Taíno language. The exact meaning of the name is unclear but it may be translated either as 'where fertile land is abundant' (cubao), or 'great place' (coabana). Authors who believe that Christopher Columbus was Portuguese state that Cuba was named by Columbus for the town of Cuba in the district of Beja in Portugal.
Cudahy(Settlement)English (American) Transferred use of the Irish surname Cudahy. The city in California was named for Michael Cudahy, a meat-packing baron and local landowner.
Cuillin(Mountain)English The Cuillin (Scottish Gaelic: An Cuilthionn or An Cuiltheann) is a range of rocky mountains located on the Isle of Skye in Scotland.
Cumberland(Region)English A historical English county, covering the Northern half of modern-day Cumbria. It derives from the Brythonic combrogi, meaning 'fellow-countrymen'.
Cupertino(Settlement)English From the name of Italian saint Joseph of Cupertino (1603-1663), who hailed from the town of Copertino in Apulia, Italy. This is the name of a city in California.
Curaçao(Political Subdivision & Island)Dutch, English From Portuguese Curação of uncertain origin, possibly from a name used by the indigenous peoples of the island. This is the name of an island country in the Caribbean Sea that is part of the Netherlands.
Cutshin(Other)English Cutshin is an unincorporated community located in Leslie County, Kentucky, United States. ... [more]
Cuyahoga(River)English (American) A river in Ohio. The name is possibly derived from the Mohawk word cayagaga meaning "crooked river", the Seneca word gayó'ha'geh meaning "on your chin", or the Wyandot name for the river, yažaʔyeh.
Cypress(Settlement)English A city in California. From the English word "cypress", after the trees planted around the local elementary school.
Czech Republic(Country)English The traditional English name "Bohemia" derives from Latin: Boiohaemum, which means "home of the Boii" (Gallic tribe). The current English name comes from the Polish ethnonym associated with the area, which ultimately comes from the Czech word Čech... [more]
Dahomey(Other)English The name of the Kingdom. Dahomey Kingdom was an African kingdom that existed from about 1600 until 1894, when the last king, Behanzin, was defeated by the French, and the country was annexed into the French colonial empire.
Dar Es Salaam(Political Subdivision & Settlement)Swahili, English Derived from Arabic دار السلام (dar as-salam) meaning "house of peace" or "abode of peace". This is the name of an administrative region and city in Tanzania.
Darton(Settlement)English Darton is a large village in the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley (part of South Yorkshire), on the border with West Yorkshire, England.
Dauphin(Political Subdivision & Settlement)French, English The name Dauphin comes from the French word for "dolphin", which was historically used as the emblem of the heir to the French throne (the "Dauphin"). The name likely refers to the Dauphin River, which in turn was named after the French title... [more]
Davenport(Settlement)English Transferred use of the English surname Davenport. The city in Iowa was named for George Davenport, a prominent settler in Iowa Territory.
Dawei(Settlement)English From Burmese ထားဝယ် (dawe) derived from Mon ထဝဲါ (thawai) meaning "to sit cross-legged", referring to the Buddha's posture on the palin (a type of throne). This is the name of a city in Myanmar, formerly known as Tavoy in English.
Deadwood(Settlement)English From the English word "deadwood". The city in South Dakota was named for the dead trees found by Euro-American settlers in the area.
Decatur(Settlement)English (American) Transferred use of the surname Decatur. The city in Alabama was named for Commodore Stephen Decatur, Jr., a United States Navy officer.
Deerfield(Settlement, River & Other)English (American) From "deer" (the animal) and "field", referring to open land where deer graze.... [more]
Dekalb(Settlement)English (American) Transferred use of the surname De Kalb. The city in Illinois was named for Johann von Robais, Baron de Kalb, a French-Franconian major-general who fought for the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.
Delaware(Political Subdivision)English Name of a state in the United States, named after the Delaware river, which was named after Lord De La Warr, from French de la guerre or de la werre literally "of the war".
Delta(Political Subdivision)English This is a state in Nigeria, a western African country. This is where the Isoko peoples live.
Democratic Republic of the Congo(Country)English The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a country located in Central Africa. It was formerly called Zaire (1971–1997). It is, by area, the largest country in sub-Saharan Africa, the second-largest in all of Africa (after Algeria), and the 11th-largest in the world... [more]
Denver(Settlement)English Named after James W. Denver; the surname itself comes from Old English Denefær ("crossing of the Danes") or den-ōfer ("valley-bank")... [more]
Depew(Settlement)English (American) Transferred use of the surname Depew. The village in New York was named for Chauncey M. Depew, president of the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad Company.
Dersingham(Settlement)English Derived from the Old English "homestead belonging to Deorsige".
De Smet(Other)English De Smet was founded by a French missionary priest travelling through the Midwest of America. It is best known for being one of the many homes of the Ingalls Wilder family, and the place where most of the Ingalls family is buried.
Des Moines(Settlement)English Name of the capital and the most populous city in Iowa, which derived from Fort Des Moines, which was named for the Des Moines River. The French des Moines translates to either "from the monks" or "of the monks".
De Soto(Settlement)English (American) From the Spanish surname De Soto. Various cities in the United States are named for Hernando De Soto, a Spanish conquistador. However, the city in Texas was named for Thomas Hernando DeSoto Stewart, a doctor dedicated to the community.
Destin(Settlement)English (American) Transferred use of the surname Destin. The city in Flordia was named for Leonard Destin, a Connecticut fishing captain.
Detroit(Political Subdivision)English (American) From the French word, meaning “strait.” The full name of the city’s phrase is “le détroit du Lac Érie,” meaning “the strait of Lake Erie.”
Devizes(Settlement)English Derived from castrum ad divisas, latin for “castle at the boundary”
Devonshire(Other)English A county in southwestern England; county town, Exeter. Also called Devon.
Dhaka(Settlement)Bengali, English Uncertain, possibly from the name of the dhak tree (scientific name Butea monosperma), which used to grow in the area, from Bengali ঢাক (dhak) referring to a traditional membranophone instrument, or from the name of the Hindu goddess Dhakeshwari... [more]
Dharamshala(Settlement)English From Hindi धर्मशाला (dharmshala) referring to a type of sanctuary for religious pilgrims, itself derived from Sanskrit धर्म (dharma) meaning "law, duty, virtue" (with the additional meaning of "religion, faith" in Hindi) and शाला (shala) meaning "house"... [more]
Dinagat(Political Subdivision & Island)Filipino, Cebuano, Surigaonon, Waray, Tagalog, English From Cebuano dinagat meaning "of the sea", ultimately from dagat meaning "sea". This is the name of an island in the Philippines, as well as a province (called Dinagat Islands).
Dingus(Other)English Dingus is an unincorporated community in Morgan County, Kentucky, named after its first postmaster, Charles Dingus.
Dingwall(Settlement)English A city in Scotland. From the Scandinavian 'Þingvöllr ', meaning "the meeting place of the assembly".
Diomede Islands(Island)English (American) The Diomede islands are two islands both in the USA and Russia. They consist of big Diomede and little Diomede.... [more]
Dixie(Region & Settlement)English, French The name Dixie is historically used to refer to the southeastern United States, particularly the states that were part of the Confederacy during the American Civil War.... [more]
Dixon(Settlement)English Various cities in the United States. Transferred use of the English surname Dixon.
Djibouti(Country)English The name of the Country in East Africa. Djibouti, on the Horn of Africa, is a mostly French- and Arabic-speaking country of dry shrublands, volcanic formations and Gulf of Aden beaches. It's home to one of the saltiest bodies of water in the world, the low-lying Lake Assal, in the Danakil Desert... [more]
Dniester(River)English Derived from Sarmatian dānu nazdya meaning "the close river" (as in, the river close-by). This is the name of a river in Eastern Europe, which flows through Ukraine and Moldova to the Black Sea.
Dominican Republic(Country)English Calque of Spanish República Dominicana named in honour of Saint Dominic (Santo Domingo de Guzmán), the founder of the Dominican Order... [more]
Doncaster(Settlement)English A town in England located on the River Don. The first element is from the Roman fort Danum, likely from an earlier Celtic settlement relating to the River Don. The second element is the Old English ceaster, 'fort' (c.f Modern English castle).
Donetsk People’s Republic(Country & Political Subdivision)English The Donetsk People's Republic (2014-2022) was a mostly unrecognised country in Eastern Europe. Since it's dissolution as a country, it has been annexed as region of Russia. It is a territory debated between Russia and Ukraine, partially controlled by both of them... [more]
Donna(Settlement)English Transferred use of the English given name Donna. The city in Texas was named for Donna Fletcher, the town's postmistress.
Dorchester(Settlement)English From Durnovaria, the name of a Roman town probably meaning "place of fist-sized pebbles" derived from Brythonic durn "fist", combined with Old English ċeaster "fortress, town, city"... [more]
Dorset(Political Subdivision)English Derived from a reduced form of Dornwaraceaster (an archaic form of Dorchester) combined with the Old English suffix -sæte "residents, dwellers"... [more]
Dover(Settlement)English Dover is a small, but important port town in Kent, Southern England. It is derived from the Brythonic Dubrās, meaning 'water' (Modern Welsh ddwfr, 'water, tears').... [more]
Duarte(Settlement)English (American) Transferred use of the Spanish surname Duarte. The city in California was named for the ranchero Andrés Avelino Duarte.
Dublin(Settlement)English, Croatian From Irish dubh "black" "dark" referring to a dark tidal pool where the River Poddle entered the Liffey on the site of the Castle Gardens at the rear of Dublin Castle.
Dubuque(Settlement)English (American) Transferred use of the French surname Dubuque. The city in Iowa was named for Julien Dubuque, the first white man to settle in Iowa
Duluth(Settlement)English After Daniel Greysolon, Sieur du Lhut. Name of a city in Minnesota.
Dunedin(Settlement)English (New Zealand) This is a city in the South Island of New Zealand. It is known as the 'Edinburgh Of The South' due to its many historical buildings.
Durban(Settlement)English The name of a city in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa (known in Zulu as eThekwini). From D'Urban, named for Lieutenant General Sir Benjamin D'Urban (1777-1849), who was the governor of the Cape Colony when the city was named in 1835.
Durham(Settlement & Region)English, Anglo-Norman A cathedral city in the North-East of England. The name is derived from the city's Latin name Dunelm, which comprises of the Celtic element dun, 'fortress' (c.f Welsh dinas, 'city') and the Old Norse holme, which meant an island (referring to the peninsular formed by the River Wear).
Dushanbe(Settlement)Tajik, English, Russian Mean "Monday" in Tajik, so named for a popular market that used to be held in the area on Mondays. This is the name of the capital city of Tajikistan.
Dwarf(Other)English Dwarf is an unincorporated community located in Perry County, Kentucky, named for Jeremiah Combs, a short townsman who used hand drills and gunpowder to create a tunnel through solid rock nearby to divert water to his family's mill.
Eacott(Island)English (Australian, Americanized, Rare) The name eacott comes from the nation of Australia that was brought form the British empire during the age of colonization It is also the last name of Australian YouTuber Lazarbeam, his real name is lannan Eacott
Earth(Region)English Earth is the second planet from the sun. and the only astronomical object known to harbour life. while large volumes of water can be found throughout the solar system. Only earth can ... [more]
Easingwold(Settlement)English A town in North Yorkshire, England, which derives from Old English words meaning 'the forest belonging to Esa'.
East Timor(Country)English Combination of the English word east and Malay timur also meaning "east", therefore making it a tautological place name meaning "East East". East Timor is a small country in Southeast Asia.
Eau Claire(Settlement & River)English (American), French From French eau, "water" and claire, "clear". The city in Wisconsin is named for the river.
Ecorse(Settlement & River)English (American) A river and city in Michigan, from French écorche meaning "bark".
Écréhous(Island)Norman, English, Medieval Scandinavian Island chain in the Channel Islands in England. Derived from Old Norse 'esker', as in a "skerry", or a "small, rocky islet". and -hou, meaning "island".
Ecuador(Country)English The name of the Country in South America. Ecuador is a country straddling the equator on South America’s west coast. Its diverse landscape encompasses Amazon jungle, Andean highlands and the wildlife-rich Galápagos Islands... [more]
Eden(River)English The name of a river in Cumbria, England. It derives from the Brythonic *ituna, 'to gush forth'.