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American Place Names

American baby names come from a range of sources, just like Americans themselves. There are Native American baby names, American place names for babies, names important in American history and namesakes for American heroes and artists, and baby names invented by Americans and used primarily in the US.

Along with Savannah and Lincoln, American baby names ranking in the US Top 100 include Madison, Maverick, and Kennedy. Unique American names gaining visibility range from Denali, the name of Alaska's highest peak, to Jaxton, an American invention.

We are using the word American here in its generic sense, referring to the US only. We realize Canada and Mexico along with several other countries are part of America or more specifically North America. Also, many names popular in the US such as Emma and Liam, while widely used names for American babies, are not included on this list as they have different etymological origins and are not identified as uniquely American.

Here, a curated selection of the best American baby names.

Abilene

Meaning: grass

Origin:English from Hebrew
11542
Abilene

Meaning: grass

Origin:English from Hebrew
2515
Sierra

Meaning: saw

Origin:Spanish
868
Dakota

Meaning: friendly one

Origin:Place-name; Sioux
1926
Dakota

Meaning: friendly one

Origin:Native American tribe and place name; Sioux
1112
Carolina

Meaning: free man

Origin:Variation of Caroline; also place-name
1118
Brooklyn Brooklyn is a name derived from an English s...
Origin:Place-name
1379
Topanga

Meaning: where the mountain meets the sea

Origin:Native American
1387
Tennessee The name Tennessee has its roots in the Cher...
Origin:Native American, Cherokee, place-name
3977
Tahoe

Meaning: edge of the lake

Origin:Native American
5595
Alabama

Meaning: vegetation gatherers

Origin:Place-name; Choctaw
3205
Montana

Meaning: mountainous

Origin:Spanish place-name; "mountainous"
3963
Montana

Meaning: mountainous

Origin:Spanish place-name
3229
Joplin

Meaning: son of Job

Origin:English surname
4417
Denali

Meaning: the great one

Origin:Place-name and Native American
4007
Denali

Meaning: the great one

Origin:Place-name and Native American
6538
Aspen The name Aspen is of American origin. The me...
Origin:Nature and place-name
598
Aspen The name Aspen is of American origin. The me...
Origin:Nature and place-name
1208
Acadia

Meaning: idyllic place

Origin:Greek
2373
Dallas

Meaning: skilled

Origin:Place-name and Irish
1018