25 Sophisticated City-Inspired Baby Names with Tons of Character

Choosing a name for your child is not, a walk in the park, as they say. But, looking to cities and your favorite metropolises is a great way to use a place to find a suitable name for your child. While we are not encouraging you to name your child West Covina or Poughkeepsie, some cities like Austin make for great baby names.

Even celebrities have embraced the city baby name! Kim Kardashian and Kanye West named one of their children Chicago. If you love wandering around a new city and discovering its secrets, then you definitely understand the appeal of city names. They will help impart a sense of progress and all of the cultural richness you can find in a great urban center. It’s also a growing practice for parents to name their child after the place where their child was conceived. Here are our favorite city names that just so happen to make excellent names for babies! 25 city-inspired baby names for your little city slicker. Cue the soundtrack from Manhattan.

25. London

London sounds stately and is a gender-neutral baby name that imparts dignity and style. The Mayor of San Francisco London Breed is a famous example. London comes from the Indo-European word, plowonida and means “fast-flowing river.”

24. Juneau

Okay, you could spell it, Juno. But, we love the capital city of Alaska, Juneau! Juneau is a sprawling city that includes a channel, mountains, and the Alaskan wilderness just beyond its borders. The name belonged to Joe Juneau, a gold prospector from Quebec. Juneau has French origins and means “young one.”

23. Jackson

There’s a city named Jackson in just about every state. Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash sang about Jackson, Tennessee. But, the largest Jackson is in Mississippi. The name is most popular in America but it’s also a common moniker in Scotland where it means “jack’s son.”

22. Savannah

Savannah is a beautiful coastal city in Georgia that has some of the most incredible colonial-style architecture in the US. Savannah is a Spanish name. The Spanish word was borrowed from the Taino word zabana. It means “treeless plain.”

21. Denver

Named for James W. Denver, Denver is Colorado’s capital city. Denver makes an excellent name for both boys and girls. Denver has Old English and French origins and means “green valley.”

20. Chelsea

Chelsea is one of the most beloved neighborhoods in New York City. The impressive neighborhood is home to hundreds of galleries and boutique shops. Chelsea is also the name of a neighborhood in London that’s also known for similar attractions. Chelsea comes from Old English and means “chalk wharf.” Ha!

19. Sydney

Sydney is the state capital of New South Wales and the most populous city in Australia and Oceania. While the spelling, Sydney is more popular for girls, we think it still works for boys too. The name Sydney has French origins and means Saint-Denis.

18. Bristol

Bristol is located in Southwestern England and has an incredible name! We’ve only ever heard Bristol used as a girl’s name and it famously belongs to Bristol Palin (unfortunately). The name has roots in Old English and refers to “the place near a bridge.”

17. Brooklyn

One of the (best) of the 5 boroughs of New York City, Brooklyn is known worldwide. It’s also become a popular name for both boys and girls. Victoria Beckham and David Beckham have a son named Brooklyn. It’s a very hip name and we think it would be perfect for your little one.

16. Cheyenne

Cheyenne is the name of one of two tribes of indigenous people of the Great Plains and also the name of the capital of Wyoming, one of the most gorgeous states in the US. Cheyenne is a gorgeous name for girls and would be an excellent choice.

15. Camden

The name Camden is a boy’s name of Scottish origin meaning “winding valley.” Camden Town is a hip area of London, noted for its busy open-air market. It is also a city in New Jersey. The name has really taken off over the last decade and we’d love to see that continue.

14. Bronx

Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz put this new baby name on the map when they chose this New York borough name for their son. What a choice! We think parents can go even further and use this name for girls too. This name offers a lot of versatility.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: 25 Fashion Forward Baby Names Chosen Exclusively for the Most Stylish Parents

13. Dublin

Dublin is an exciting boy’s name that obviously comes from Ireland. It’s the capital and largest city in the Republic of Ireland. Dublin comes from Gaelic dubh linn and means “black pool.” Don’t let that scare you away! Dublin is a handsome name that would be an excellent moniker.

12. Siena

Siena is a soft and delicate Tuscan town name that’s warm and inviting. This Italian city is named for an ancient Etruscan Tribe and its translation from Latin means “to be old.” We like the spelling Siena over Sienna and think both make great names for baby girls.

11. Echo

Echo Park, anyone? This gorgeous park and neighborhood in Los Angeles is a favorite spot in central LA. Echo has roots in Greek and Latin and means “reflected sound.” In mythology, Echo was a nymph who loved Narcissus and faded away until only her voice was left behind. Although the name has traditionally been given to girls, we think it would be cool for boys too!

10. Florence

The name Florence is a girl’s name of Latin origin meaning “flourishing” or “prosperous”. In Italy, Florence is the capital of the Tuscany region and home to some of the most prized art and architecture in the entire world. Works from Giotto to Michelangelo can be found in this stunning city.

9. Berlin

The edgy German capital makes for an attractive and trendy name for boys. Berlin means “borderline.” Berlin is known as a place where artists and independent thinkers thrive. We love this name for boys, but it could absolutely work for girls as well.

8. Charlotte

Charlotte is a girl’s name of French origin meaning “free man”. Charlotte is also the name of the sprawling and largest city in North Carolina. The name is elegant enough for royalty so it’s probably good enough for your child!

7. Roman

Rome is the eternal city and home to the beating heart of Italy. The names Roman and Roma are two excellent ones that mean “citizen of Rome.” The name, Roman has grown in popularity in recent years thanks to celebrities like Cate Blanchett choosing the name for her son.

6. Phoenix

Mel B AKA Scary Spice (AKA the best Spice) chose the name Pheonix for her daughter in 1999. This stunning Greek name means “dark red” and it also is the name of the capital of Arizona. Phoenix is a sprawling city and it covers such a big area that it’s also known as “the Valley of the Sun.”

5. York

Crisp, clean, and stately York is a phenomenal baby name. This British royal family name is a touch formal and brusque but we love it! York works best as a boy’s name and it means “from the yew [a coniferous tree which has red berrylike fruits] estate.”

4. Sicily

Sicily is a girl’s name of Italian origin. The Sicels were a tribe or people that settled on the Island and where the name comes from. Sicily’s largest city is Palermo. Although not technically a city, we loved the name Sicily so much we added it to the list! Sicily is a welcome alternative to names like Cecily or Cecelia.

3. Paris

What a classic. Paris, of course, is the city of romance and is a major cultural hub of Europe. Paris is a gender-neutral name and it sounds great no matter who it belongs too. Paris was Helen of Troy’s lover in Greek mythology.

2. Aspen

Aspen is a name we love for girls. Aspen is a magical mountain, ski town in Colorado that’s absolutely one of our favorite places in the world. It’s also one of our favorite names. Aspen is also the name of a graceful tree in the poplar family with heart-shaped leaves.

1. Pike

Okay, so we love Seattle but we just didn’t think it worked as a baby’s name. Pike Place Market is a public market overlooking the Elliott Bay waterfront in Seattle, Washington. Pike is also the name of a mountain named for Zebulon Pike. The name is of English origin and means “fish.” We love this name for baby boys that honors the city of Seattle, wildlife, and Pike’s peak.

These amazing city-inspired names are classy and because they’re associated with places, come with so much street cred. Your favorite city probably has an esteemed name for you to draw inspiration from. Look to those names for individuality and character for your baby’s name.