Best, worst and most passable place names.

[Lizadork]

What are the best, worst and most passable place names for children you have come across?

I hate Rio because I cannot stop linking it mentally to Las Vegas.
I love Alaska because it just rolls off the tongue so beautifully.
Brooklyn is passable though seems a bit bland.

Where do you stand on place names?

I hate them all- however near on every body seems ok with India (not sure why that gets a pass, maybe because it’s more bohemian than chavvy).
Imo the worst are Jordan and Paris!!!

Troy - not a very 'U.K.' name, if that makes sense?

I adore Adelaide, but see it as a name first, before a place, if that makes sense.

Not a huge fan of the American style ones (Brooklyn, Hudson), or the UK ones which are popular in America (Preston, Lincoln).

I know brothers called Camden and Trent which suit them. Not my style though.

I don't like India at all but I am fond of Paris, Jordon doesn't naturally jump at me as a place name but as a name itself I am far from being a fan either.

Argh. Pressed post too soon.

I also love Adelaide, Victoria & Carolina.

I like Georgia and Sofia

Florence is nice too

I actually like pretty much all of them for boys, but don't really like any of them for girls except Adelaide and Victoria. I really dislike India and Chelsea.

Oh actually I don't mind Florence or Georgia either! Or Carolina. Hmm. Maybe I like most of the girls ones too after all!

Iona and Florence

Siena is lovely.

Austin is quite a nice boys name I think

I like India and Georgia.

Helensburgh

Out of interest, do you associate Jordan as being a boys or girls name?

I have a cousin called Roman as "he was conceived in Rome" (TMI).
We used to joke that it was a good job my aunt and uncle didn't honeymoon in Scunthorpe

I view Jordon a boy name but do heavily associate it with Katie Price as she called herself Jordon for years.

Harlow is a truly hideous place, but seems to be taking off as a name. I met a woman called Vienna - I thought that sounded rather nice.

Vienna is a gorgeous name.

I see Jordon as a boys name

JordAN isn't great IMO but the names which were names before they were places - Adelaide, Victoria - are on the whole far nicer than places that have become names

I think often the 'person name' came before the place name, and have historical origins so they feel more 'embedded' as names rather than places. Eg Victoria (Roman origin...'victorious'). Honestly I would never have said 'oh that's a place name' if someone was naming their baby Victoria! I think places that are called Victoria are named after Queen Victoria aren't they?

Other times, when I hear names like Hudson or Lincoln I definitely think of the place (and I'm not keen on those names usually).

I do know a young boy called Beck though...which isn't really a place name as such, but it suits him 🥰 Sienna is quite nice too. Can't think of any others I like that are actual 'places first before names' names 🤷‍♀️

I met an Arizona once she was in her 40s. My son has an american place name but it's also the surname of a singer, a certain song came on just after he was born and I had to name him that.

I know a little boy called Thai. Apparently his mum got it from a little girl called Thai

Adelaide was named for Queen Adelaide, and Carolina for King Charles, so they are sort of the other way round. Victoria was a Roman Goddess and later the name became popular in Germany, Queen Victoria was named after her own mother.

Rudyard Kipling was named after a Derbyshire lake where his parents used to go for fun & games.

I’m a bit sorry that Accrington hasn’t caught on as a boy’s name!

There is a place called Twatt in Orkney. Seems to be a pretty popular name for some...