16 of the World’s Most Popular Baby Names Inspired by Travel Revealed

Baby names are becoming increasingly inspired by travel. People are looking to cultural and geographical landmarks, destinations, and countries for baby name inspiration. This new trend can be seen in the list of the world’s most popular names, where many are derived from words related to travel.

According to a recent study conducted by travel exports SkyParkSecure, these baby names influenced by destinations and iconic landmarks from around the globe are most popular. We will explore 16 of the most popular baby names inspired by travel that parents around the world are choosing for their little ones.

Most Popular Travel-Inspired Names for Girls

Sophia

Sophia is one of the world’s most beloved baby names for girls. Thousands of babies are given the name each year. According to the study, ‘Hagia Sophia’ a Mosque located in Istanbul, Turkey could partly be the reason why! Sophia is a name of Greek origin and means “wisdom.”

Florence

After Sophia, another well-liked name is Florence. Florence is a city in central Italy and the capital of the Tuscany region. It is rich in art history and influential architecture. Florence is a name of English, French, and Latin origin, meaning “flourishing.”

Sofia

Yes, this alternate form of Sofia is also a travel-inspired pick because it names the capital city of Bulgaria. As with Sophia, Sofia is given to thousands and thousands of baby girls each year. It is also of Greek origin and still means “wisdom.”

Victoria

Victoria is another one of the world’s most popular baby names inspired by travel. It names a state in Australia and the capital of British Columbia in Canada. As you might have guessed, this name means “victory” and is of Latin origin.

India

It should come as no surprise that one of the most beautiful places on earth with vibrant culture ranks highly among travel-inspired baby names. India gets its name from the River Indus.

Paris

Technically a unisex name, Paris is going to far more girls than boys today. Considering the name belongs to the capital of France and one of Europe’s most romantic cities, it should come as no surprise that it ranks so highly.

Sydney

We get another name inspired by travel to Australia. Sydney is technically a unisex name but it’s much more popular for girls than boys around the world today. Sydney is actually of French origin and it refers to “Saint Denis.”

Liberty

We likely have Americans to largely thank for the success of the name Liberty. It is a reference to the Statue of Liberty a symbol of refuge as well as religious and cultural freedom.

RELATED: 40 Most Popular Travel-Inspired Baby Names in the US

Most Popular Travel-Inspired Names for Boys

Ellis

Around the world, Ellis is the most popular travel name for boys. We found that data point to be rather shocking. It references Ellis island and can be seen as a sibling to the name Liberty. Ellis can be seen as a variant of Elijah or Elias or a Welsh name that means “benevolent.”

Rio

Next up is Rio! What a delightful name. It is most famously Brazil’s largest city but also names the Rio Grande area of the US. Rio is a name of Spanish origin, meaning “river.”

Brooklyn

Next up for boys is Brooklyn. It is a New York City-inspired name for one of the metropolis’s most colorful and trendy neighborhoods. Brooklyn is a name of Dutch origin that means “marshland.”

Milan

Plenty of baby boys are receiving the name Milan. It is inspired by the capital of Italy and a hub of Italian culture and fashion. Milan is technically a unisex choice but parents give it to far more boys than girls. Milan is an name of Italian origin that means “gracious.”

Santiago

Santiago which is a delightful baby name for boys is inspired by travels to the capital of Chile. Santiago is a Latinate name that means “Saint James.”

Cairo

Thousands of boys receive the name Cairo today. The name of course belong to the capital of Egypt. Cairo is a name of Arabic origin, meaning “the strong.”

Rome

We’re going back to Italy once more for the handsome name Rome. Once the central hub of the ancient world, Rome is a storied appellation. The name likely derived from Romulus and Remus who Rome’s founding myth are centered.

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Bryce

Last but not least comes Bryce. Bryce originated as a Scottish surname meaning “freckled.” How cute is that!? Bryce is a travel name thanks to the many tourists who visit Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah, USA.

There you go! Now you know some of the world’s most popular travel-inspired baby names. If you’d like to focus in on just the US, keep reading. We have the most popular travel baby names in America to share with you as well.

Most Popular Travel-Inspired Names for Girls in the US

10. Asia – Baby Girls Named: 14,589. One of the few travel-inspired names that belongs to an entire continent.

9. Skye – Baby Girls Named: 14,856. A name belonging to a picturesque island off the coast of Scotland.

Most Popular Travel-Inspired Names for Girls Continued

8. Journey – Baby Girls Named: 15,317. An adventure and travel name on the rise today, Journey is the 267th most popular name for girls in the US today.

7. Guadalupe – Baby Girls Named: 18,918. A popular Spanish name that relates to the patron saint of Mexico. There are many places with this name including an island off the coast of Mexico, a mountain range, and many more.

Other Popular Travel-Inspired Names in the US for Girls

6. Carolina – Baby Girls Named: 19,218. A name that has been on a downward trend in recent years, Carolina now ranks just outside the top 500 most popular names for girls in the US.

5. Paris – Baby Girls Named: 22,058. A unisex name belonging to the capital of France, Paris is a top 500 name for girls in the US today. Unfortunately, it goes to very few boys.

More Popular Travel Baby Names for Girls in the US

4. Dakota – Baby Girls Named: 27,665. Dakota is an extremely popular unisex option that goes roughly to an equal amount of baby girls and boys each year in the US.

3. London – Baby Girls Named: 37,419. The capital of the UK has been a very popular choice for girls and that’s less for boys.

Final Travel-Inspired Names for Girls in the US

2. Alexandria – Baby Girls Named: 41,132. Alexandria is the second most common girls’ travel baby name. The city of Alexandria in Egypt was home to some of the wonders of the ancient world.

1. Sydney – Baby Girls Named: 105,777. The name inspired by the Australian city, Sydney, peaked in popularity for girls in 1999 as the 23rd most popular name. It’s been slipping in recent years but it’s still in the top 250.

Most Popular Travel-Inspired Baby Names for Boys in the US

10. London – Baby Boys Named: 7,137. As with girls, the capital of the UK is a popular choice for boys as well. However, this name has been trending down for boys in recent years.

9. Boston – Baby Boys Named: 7,541. The capital of Massachusettes proves more masculine in sound than many other travel-inspired baby names. It is going to take a long time for girls named Boston to catch up.

Other Popular Travel Names for Boys

8. Atlas – Baby Boys Named: 8,611. One of the fastest-growing names for boys, Atlas took off in 2013 and will likely be a top 100 name this year. The name is of Greek origin and means “bearer of the heaven.” A perfect option for travel-loving parents.

7. Orlando – Baby Boys Named: 12,495. Orlando peaked in the US in 1975 but it is still a mildly popular option today. The name belongs to a sunny city that houses Disney World, one of the most popular travel destinations for families from around the world.

More Trendy Travel-Inspired Names for Boys

6. Phoenix – Baby Boys Named: 17,165. The name belonging to the capital of Arizona, Phoenix is a name on the rise for both boys and girls today. It goes to roughly the same number of boys and girls each year.

5. Dallas – Baby Boys Named: 21,846. Dallas has been a popular given name in the US ever since data on baby names begin in 1880. The Texas city has a name that originated in Irish that means “skilled.”

Travel-Inspired Names for Boys Continued

4. Kingston – Baby Boys Named: 33,146. Kingston is a name that’s always read more masculine than feminine. Kingston upon Thames in London, Kingston in Jamaica, and Kingston in Ontario are all possible inspirations.

3. Israel – Baby Boys Named: 33,380. Israel has seen its two most popular decades in the 2000s and 2010s. It continues to be a solid choice for American parents and has been since 1880.

Final Travel-Inspired Names for Boys

2. Dakota – Baby Boys Named: 38,665. As we mentioned when we discussed this name for girls, it is popular for all babies at the same rate. This unisex wonder is one of America’s most beloved travel baby names.

1. Preston – Baby Boys Named: 56,922. Preston names any number of places in England, Canada, Scotland, Australia, and the US. Countless possibilities for place inspiration for this appellation.

Most Popular Country Names Used as Baby Names

10. China – Baby Boys Named: 0. Baby Girls Named: 996. Total: 996. As you can see, no baby boys are getting the name China but so many girls are that it made the top 10. The name peaked in the US in 1992 and it has been on a downward trend since then.

9. Trinidad – Baby Boys Named: 717. Baby Girls Named: 397. Total: 1,114. A town in Cuba and an island country in the Caribbean, Trinidad is a name of Spanish origin that means “holy trinity.”

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More Country Names Used as Baby Names

8. Italy – Baby Boys Named: 0. Baby Girls Named: 1,489. Total: 1,489. Italy is the English name for the boot-shaped country that prefers Italia. It is mildly popular for baby girls in the US.

7. Egypt – Baby Boys Named: 519. Baby Girls Named: 3,162. Total: 3,681. Egypt emerged as a favored name in 2017 and it has hung around ever since.

Other Popular Country Names as Baby Names

6. Ireland – Baby Boys Named: 85. Baby Girls Named: 5,150. Total: 5,235. Ireland only goes to a few boys each year.

5. Malaysia – Baby Boys Named: 0. Baby Girls Named: 8,154. Total: 8,154. For girls, it has been a prized option since 1998 with parents who have Irish heritage proudly choosing the name for their daughters.

Even More Country Names That Are Popular as Baby Names

4. America – Baby Boys Named: 0. Baby Girls Named: 8,876. Total: 8,876. One of the travel baby names that hits close to home is America. The name went virtually unused in the US for 90 years before it returned for girls in 1998.

3. Kenya – Baby Boys Named: 312. Baby Girls Named: 8,815. Total: 9,127. Kenya, the country, gets its name from Mount Kenya, called “Kirinyaga” or “Kerenyaga” by the local Kikuyu people, meaning “mountain of whiteness” because of its snow-capped peak. As given name, it’s seeing love from parents with baby girls.

Final Travel-Inspired Country Names as Baby Names

2. India – Baby Boys Named: 0. Baby Girls Named: 9,207. Total: 9,207. India is decidedly feminine in its sound. It peaked in 2001 and is not as popular as it once was. The country India takes its name from the Indus River.

1. Isreal – Baby Boys Named: 33,380. Baby Girls Named: 2,893. Total: 36,273. Israel has been a popular name in the US since at least the 1880s (the Puritans actually popularized it first in the US). After the formation of the Jewish state, the name became even more popular in the US. Israel was the name bestowed by God upon Jacob after he wrestled with an angel. The name means “he who struggles with God.”

Most Popular City Names as Baby Names

10. Nairobi – Baby Boys Named: 5. Baby Girls Named: 563. Total: 568. The capital of Kenya is given to a few hundred children each year. However, the name does not rank in the US top 1000. It’s lovely to see that both Kenya and its capital are inspiring many baby names

9. Havana – Baby Boys Named: 0. Baby Girls Named: 1,150. Total: 1,150. With its rhythmic sound, the Cuban capital makes for a truly remarkable baby name and parents believe so for girls and girls alone.

More Popular City Names as Baby Names

8. Berlin – Baby Boys Named: 147. Baby Girls Named: 1,250. Total: 1,387. The capital city of Germany means “borderline.” New parents are just now seeing the name as a real possibility and it will likely grow in popularity for the rest of the decade.

7. Hamilton – Baby Boys Named: 1,523. Baby Girls Named: 63. Total: 1,586. Hamilton is the capital city of Bermuda. The name comes from English and Scottish origins and means “treeless hill.” It was most popular in the US for boys prior to 1933.

Even More Popular City Names Used for Babies

6. Rome – Baby Boys Named: 2,009. Baby Girls Named: 309. Total: 2,318. For travel lovers, there is no better place to visit in Europe than Rome. The city is rich in history, art, and culture. The name is on the rise today in the US, especially for boys.

5. Vienna – Baby Boys Named: 0. Baby Girls Named: 3,862. Total: 3,862. Yes, there is a town in Virginia with the name, but this travel name is inspired by the capital of Austria. The name first landed in the top 1000 in 2015 and it has been hanging on ever since.

These City Names Are Some of the Most Popular Names in the US Today

4. Cairo – Baby Boys Named: 4,234. Baby Girls Named: 322. Total: 4,556. Cairo is a hit of a name for boys today. We are so pleased that travel-loving parents have turned to it as well as Egypt. The name is more popular than ever before for baby boys.

3. Paris – Baby Boys Named: 1,967. Baby Girls Named: 22,058. Total: 24,025. Paris was once a popular name for boys in the US but that all changed thanks to Paris Hilton who helped make the gender flip to girls. The romantic French city is a traveler’s paradise so it’s no surprise that this name is and will be a hot one.

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Final Popular City-Inspired Baby Names

2. Kingston – Baby Boys Named: 33,146. Baby Girls Named: 1,050. Total: 34,196. The capital of Jamaica, Kingston is tracking to land in the top 100 most popular names for boys in the next year or two. Parents are falling back in love with this stately classic.

1. London – Baby Boys Named: 7,137. Baby Girls Named: 37,419. Total: 44,556. London emerged as a popular name for girls in 1994 and it rocketed up the list until the 2010s. American travelers love visiting this history-rich city and slapping its name on birth certificates. The US is the only English-speaking country where the name is popular!

There you go! Did any of these names surprise you? We hope you found these trending baby names to be interesting and if you are looking for a name for your baby, worthy of your consideration as well.