When choosing a name for your baby, inspiration can come from many places: a cherished friend or relative, a favorite song, or maybe the special memory of a place or time — your favorite city, perhaps?
Whether it’s to honor your Boston roots, or to pay homage to a beloved club in Nashville, a name paying tribute to a city that has special meaning might be a good fit for your baby.
More from Mom.com: Baby Boy Names Inspired by States
Choosing a name: U.S. cities that have meaning for you
Brooklyn
Popularity rank in the US: #72 (girls)
Meaning: Broken land
Brooklyn isn’t in the top 1,000 names for boys, but David and Victoria Beckham chose this name for their son. It’s also the name of supermodel Brooklyn Decker, proving that this name is perfect for the genetically lucky. The New York borough’s name comes from the Dutch word “breukelen.”
Cheyenne
Popularity rank in the US: #684 (girls)
Wyoming’s capital was named after an Algonquian tribe that lived in the area when the state was settled. It’s most commonly given to girls, though men — including famed Broadway star Cheyenne Jackson — can carry this name, too.
Dallas
Popularity rank in the U.S.: #253 (boys), #645 (girls)
Meaning: Meadow dwelling
Growing up with this name, your child might be asked “Who shot J.R.?” long before he has any idea what that means. Before it was the setting of the nighttime soap and Cowboys headquarters, Dallas was a Scottish name and one of the few unisex names that’s not super popular right now.
Diego
Popularity rank in the US: #124
Meaning: James
Even on a bad day, San Diego’s a good place to be. This surfer’s haven got its name from an explorer who landed there in 1602 and named it after his favorite saint. Although Diego is often said to be equivalent to the name James in Spanish, this increasingly popular moniker isn’t exclusive to boys born of Latino heritage.
Houston
Popularity rank in the US: #694 (boys)
Meaning: Hugh’s town or village
It’s the largest city in Texas, home to major sports franchises, the hometown of Beyoncé, and the last name of the late, great Whitney (sniff). As a name, Houston — which was originally a Scottish surname — has a little something for everyone.
Memphis
Popularity rank in the US: #442 (boys)
Memphis’ musical cred is rivaled by few other American cities. Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash lived and recorded there, as did countless other rock, country, and bluegrass artists. The city takes its name from the capital of ancient Greece. Today, the name is as cool and under-the-radar as some of the musicians who still flock there.
