City-Inspired Baby Names

The most popular city-themed baby names in the USA and the UK.

One of the hardest decisions for expecting parents is deciding what to call their child. Some look to traditions, some to spiritual meanings, and some to places around the world. 

We used social security and ONS data to find the most common city-inspired names in the United States and the UK and which ones have gained traction over the last few years. 

But from Alaska to Alabama and Texas to New York, which locations make for the most popular baby names?

The top 10 city-inspired names for boys and girls in the US

When naming their children, parents in the United States are increasingly drawing inspiration from iconic cities and charming towns, but which ones were the most common in recent years?

1. Santiago | 6,017 babies

The number one city-inspired name for baby boys born in 2022 was Santiago! Over six thousand little boys were given this Spanish name, meaning ‘Saint James’, with their parents perhaps being inspired by the capital city of Chile. This is 161% more popular than the capital city-inspired name in second place.

2. Frederick | 645 babies

Frederick is the second most popular city-inspired name, with 645 babies being given this name in 2022. Located in Maryland, this city is known for its canal and railroad heritage — perfect for history buffs.

3. Princeton | 607 babies

The name Princeton secured the third spot, given to 607 baby boys born last year. Although technically a municipality instead of a city, this distinctive name pays homage to the prestigious New Jersey location, home of the iconic Ivy League university.

1. Charlotte | 12,891 babies

Charlotte was the most popular location name for newborn girls, selected by parents 12,891 times in 2022. This was by far the most common city-inspired name—over four times more than Brooklyn in second place—and is a popular name for royalty. 

2. Brooklyn | 3,191 babies

The name Brooklyn landed in the second spot, gracing 3,191 baby girls born in 2022. As one of New York City’s trendiest boroughs, this name comes with an inherent ‘cool’ factor, which may be one of the reasons why so many parents chose it. 

3. Savannah | 3,034 babies

For 3,034 newborn girls, parents looked to the southern charms of Savannah, Georgia’s oldest city. Savannah is a natural name at heart, meaning “open plain” or “treeless grassland,” and it is derived from the now-extinct Arawakan Taíno language.\

The top 10 city-inspired names for boys and girls in the UK

UK parents are also naming their children after famous locations. Which ones have been the most popular among baby boys and girls in recent years?

1. Sebastian | 1,516 babies

Sebastian was chosen for 1,516 baby boys across the UK in 2021. Although this classic Spanish name is popular in its own right, parents also may have drawn inspiration from the vibrant Basque city of San Sebastián, nestled along the Bay of Biscay.

2. Preston and Hudson | 1,069 babies

Preston and Hudson both landed in the number two spot, having both been used for 1,069 newborn British boys last year. The inspiration behind these names could have been drawn from Hudson, New York, Preston in Lancashire, or even the town by that name in Connecticut.

3. Frederick | 1,017 babies

Like the US, Frederick was a trendy name for parents across the UK, too. Just over 1,000 babies were given this name in 2021 — 390 more than in America during the same year.

1. Florence | 2,180 babies

Florence was the number one city-inspired name for British girls in 2021, with parents opting for this Italian classic 2,180 times! In addition to being inspired by the beautiful city in Tuscany, parents could have been swayed by the name’s meanings of “blossoming,” “flourishing,” and “prosperous.” 

2. Charlotte | 1,654 babies

While Charlotte was the most popular city-inspired name in the US, it came second in the UK after being chosen for 1,654 newborn UK girls. This name is a favorite of the nation, whether it be for its regal history or after the North Carolinian city. 

3. Savannah | 355 babies

In third place is Savannah, a soulful Southern charmer that 355 parents picked for their baby girls in 2021. By choosing Savannah, parents across the UK could have been channeling romantic images of horse-drawn carriages and the timeless allure of the American South.

The city-inspired names increasing in popularity across the US and UK

Some city names are becoming increasingly popular as baby names all over the globe, but which ones have seen the most significant rise over the years?

The city name surging the most for baby girls was Tulsa, increasing by an incredible 400% in usage since 2020 — going from seven babies with this name to 35 over three years. This unexpected rising star, perhaps referring to the city in Oklahoma, surpassed European choices like Paris and Rome. 

The name Venezia, the Italian word for Venice, has become more popular over the years. While 10 baby girls were named this in 2020, this number had grown by 350% to 45 by 2022. 

Two summer hotspot names — Sedona and Miami — also grew in popularity for baby girls. Sedona spiked 245.1% from 91 in 2020 to 314 in 2022, while Miami surged 172.7% from 11 to 30.

For boys, Oslo topped the charts with a 326.3% increase, making this Norwegian capital a true trendsetter. The name steadily increased year-on-year, from 38 in 2020 to 50 in 2021 and 162 in 2022. 

The English city name York has seen its popularity jump by 180% for US baby boys since 2020. Five boys were named York in 2020 and 2021, while in 2022, this number rose to 14. 

For parents looking to the American West for name inspiration, Reno proved a rising hit — increasing 125% for newborn boys from 20 in 2020 to 45 in 2022. 

The name showing the biggest surge in popularity was Odessa, increasing by 333.3% for UK babies. Three babies were given this name in 2019, which they shared with a Ukrainian city, but this number rose to 13 in 2022. 

Mediterranean gem Valencia cast its spell on UK parents, with 250% more naming their child after this Spanish city in 2021 than in 2019 — going from 16 to 56. 

The American South also had its moment, as the names Memphis and Atlanta soared 125% and 88.9%, respectively, for UK babies.

The name Preston saw an impressive rise of 798.3% for baby boys in just two years — going from just 119 babies given the name in 2019 to increasing by almost nine times to 1,069 in 2021. 

Historical cities are proving to be rising in popularity, too. The Eternal City left its mark on UK names, as Rome increased by 538.9% for baby boys, from 95 babies in 2019 to 607 in 2021.

Orlando, a name that carries a touch of magic thanks to its association with the enchanting world of Disney, rose from 50 UK baby boys with the name in 2019 to 95 in 2021 — a 90% increase.

Which states are most popular as names across the US?

Parents are getting their inspiration from not just cities and towns but states as well. Let’s see which one claims the top spot for baby boys and girls. 

In 2022, Dakota was the most common state-inspired name in the US, with 933 boys being given this name at birth. Following behind was Montana, with 105 boys possibly being named after the expansive and picturesque state in the West.

Indiana is in third place, with 67 newborn baby boys having this name in 2022. 

Georgia has many geographical connections — the country, the state, and even places in Jamaica and Zimbabwe. It’s no wonder this was the most state-inspired name in the US, with 1,751 baby girls being called it in 2022. 

During the year, baby boys were not the only ones called Dakota. 1,204 newborn girls were also given the name, over 25% more than the boys.

Methodology

A list of US and UK location-inspired names was compiled from the following articles:

• City Baby Names | The Bump 
• City Names for Babies – All Names | Nameberry 
• Baby Names Inspired by Places | BabyCentre 
• 160 Cool City Names for Boys and Girls | Parenting.Firstcry 
• The UK’s Favourite City-Inspired Baby Names | GiftsOnline4U 
• City Names For Boys | She Knows

For US figures, we used Social Security Administration data to find the number of babies born in 2020, 2021, and 2022 with these names. 

For UK figures, we used ONS data on baby names for boys and baby names for girls in 2019, 2020, and 2021. 

All data is correct as of 14/03/2024.