baby boy in big city

200+ Seriously Cool City Names for Boys

Nov 8, 2022

200+ Seriously Cool City Names for Boys

AHEAD: The ultimate list of boys’ names inspired by cities across the globe.

If you’re looking for a city name for your baby boy, you’re in the right place!

Below, you’ll find a huge list of over 200 city names for boys along with their meanings, current popularity, and locations.

baby boy in big city

The first batches of names are famous cities in the United States and around the world.

Next, I’ve included dozens and dozens of lesser-known American cities that would make great boys’ names.

Whether you prefer a style that’s trendy or traditional, you’ll find plenty of amazing boy names after cities on this list. Let’s go check ’em out!

Related: City Names for Girls

city names for boys pin

Famous American cities that make great boys’ names

baby boy wearing baseball cap with stars

Now we’ll take a look at some well-known cities in the United States that make for great baby names!

Many of these are state capitals and others are popular tourist destinations.

Berkeley

  • Name meaning: Meadow of birch trees.
  • About: A city in Northern California.
  • Popularity: This tree baby name isn’t ranking for boys or girls. Berkley ranks #793 for girls.

Boston

  • Name meaning: A type of waltz.
  • About: The capital city of Massachusetts.
  • Popularity: #601

Carson

  • Name meaning: Son of marsh dwellers.
  • About: Carson City is the state capital of Nevada.
  • Popularity: #98

Dayton

  • Name meaning: Town with a ditch.
  • About: A city in Ohio known for its history of aviation.
  • Popularity: #977

Denver

  • Name meaning: Green valley.
  • About: The capital and most populous city of Colorado.
  • Popularity: This earthy name ranks #505 for boys and #776 for girls.

Gatlin

  • Name meaning: Companion.
  • About: Gatlinburg is a mountain resort city in Tennessee.
  • Popularity: #776

Harlem

  • Name meaning: Unknown.
  • About: A district of New York City known for its rich black history and culture.
  • Popularity: #944

Hartford

  • Name meaning: Shallow place in a river where deer roam.
  • About: The capital city of Connecticut.
  • Popularity: Chosen by Stassi Schroeder for her daughter, this H name isn’t currently ranking for either gender.

Houston

  • Name meaning: Hugh’s town.
  • About: Located in Texas, this is the 4th biggest city in the U.S.
  • Popularity: #629

Knox

  • Name meaning: Round-topped hill.
  • About: Knoxville is the largest city in East Tennessee.
  • Popularity: #221

Memphis

  • Name meaning: Enduring and beautiful.
  • About: A city in Tennessee famous for its civil rights movement and music scene.
  • Popularity: #404

Oakland

  • Name meaning: Land of oak trees.
  • About: A city on the San Francisco Bay.
  • Popularity: This neutral O name isn’t ranking.

Orlando

  • Name meaning: Renowned throughout the land.
  • About: A city in Florida that’s known for its theme parks.
  • Popularity: #754

Portland

  • Name meaning: Land near a port.
  • About: The largest city in Oregon.
  • Popularity: This place-inspired P name isn’t ranking for either gender.

Reno

  • Name meaning: Might mean born again. (A nickname for other longer names).
  • About: A city in Nevada best known for its casinos and tourism.
  • Popularity: This 4-letter city name hasn’t ranked since 1926.

Salem

  • Name meaning: Peace or safety.
  • About: The capital of Oregon. Famous for the witch trials in Massachusetts. Also the name of 30+ U.S. cities.
  • Popularity: This great hippie name ranks #718 for boys and #506 for girls.

Trenton

  • Name meaning: Trent’s town.
  • About: The capital city of New Jersey.
  • Popularity: #658

If you like these city names for boys you might also like this list of southern boy names.

International city names for boys

baby boy looking at globe

All of these boy names after cities come from well-known destinations throughout the world.

Barrington

  • Name meaning: A habitational name.
  • About: Cities in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, and the US.
  • Popularity: This 3-syllable city name isn’t ranking.

Berlin

  • Name meaning: ‘River rake’, a scaffold of beams built over a river to prevent logs from jamming.
  • About: The capital city of Germany.
  • Popularity: This German boys’ name isn’t ranking.

Bolton

  • Name meaning: Settlement with a dwelling.
  • About: A large town in North West England.
  • Popularity: This B name isn’t ranking.

Bradford

  • Name meaning: Broad river crossing.
  • About: A city in England.
  • Popularity: This boys’ city name isn’t ranking.

Brighton

  • Name meaning: Bright town.
  • About: A resort town on the coast of England.
  • Popularity: This unique boys’ name isn’t ranking.

Cambridge

  • Name meaning: Bridge over the Cam river.
  • About: A city in England famous for its university. Also a city near Boston.
  • Popularity: This city-inspired baby name isn’t ranking.

Cairo

  • Name meaning: Victorious.
  • About: The capital of Egypt.
  • Popularity: Cairo ranks #323, Kairo is #755, and Kyro is #755.

Cruz

  • Name meaning: Cross.
  • About: There are hundreds of places named Santa Cruz throughout the world. Notable examples are Bolivia and California.
  • Popularity: #297

Dax

  • Name meaning: Leader.
  • About: A town in southwestern France.
  • Popularity: #463

Dresden

  • Name meaning: People of the forest.
  • About: One of the largest cities in Germany.
  • Popularity: This cool and unusual city name isn’t ranking.

Dublin

  • Name meaning: Dark tidal pool.
  • About: The capital city of Ireland.
  • Popularity: This Irish boys’ name isn’t ranking.

Evander

  • Name meaning: Good man.
  • About: A South African town.
  • Popularity: This badass boys’ name isn’t ranking.

Hamilton

  • Name meaning: Treeless hill or crooked hill.
  • About: A port city in Ontario, Canada.
  • Popularity: This city name isn’t ranking.

Hastings

  • Name meaning: High stone.
  • About: A seaside town in England.
  • Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.

Kano

  • Name meaning: Might mean god of the waters, capability, or masculine power.
  • About: The second largest city in Nigeria.
  • Popularity: This K name isn’t ranking.

Kobe

  • Name meaning: Supplanter. God’s door. God may protect. Tortoise.
  • About: A large city in Japan.
  • Popularity: #239

Kota

  • Name meaning: Happiness. Good luck.
  • About: Cities in India, Malaysia, Nepal, and Japan.
  • Popularity: This short boys’ name isn’t ranking.

London

  • Name meaning: From the great river.
  • About: The capital of England and the United Kingdom.
  • Popularity: London ranks #864 for boys. For girls, Londyn ranks #206 and London is #219.

Lyon

  • Name meaning: Lion or brave.
  • About: The third largest city in France.
  • Popularity: This French boys’ name isn’t ranking.

Milan

  • Name meaning: Kind.
  • About: A city in Italy known for fashion.
  • Popularity: This M name ranks #388 for boys and #655 for girls.

Rio

  • Name meaning: River.
  • About: Rio de Janeiro is a city in Brazil.
  • Popularity: #672

Rome

  • Name meaning: Might mean strength.
  • About: The capital and largest city in Italy.
  • Popularity: #785

Salvador

  • Name meaning: Savior.
  • About: A city in Brazil known for its food, music, and architecture.
  • Popularity: Salvador ranks #727, Salvatore is #941, and Salvator isn’t ranking.

If you like these international city baby names you might also like this list of Italian boy names.

American city names for boys (A-C)

baby boy with american flag

Each of these names is held by multiple cities, towns, and communities in the United States—and all of them are great choices for a baby name!

Adrian

  • Name meaning: Person of Adria.
  • Popularity: Adrian ranks #61 for boys. Adrian and Adrienne are no longer ranking for girls.

Alpine

Alton

  • Name meaning: Old town.
  • Popularity: This A name last ranked in 2002.

Anderson

  • Name meaning: Son of Anders.
  • Popularity: #328

Banks

  • Name meaning: Riverbank dweller.
  • Popularity: #503

Benson

  • Name meaning: Son of Ben.
  • Popularity: #585

Benton

Blaine

  • Name meaning: Slender.
  • Popularity: #986

Brandon

  • Name meaning: Broom hill.
  • Popularity: #181

Branson

  • Name meaning: Son of the raven.
  • Popularity: #931

Camden

  • Name meaning: Winding valley.
  • Popularity: #175

Cameron

  • Name meaning: Crooked nose.
  • Popularity: #62

Canyon

  • Name meaning: A gorge (usually with a river flowing through).
  • Popularity: This C name isn’t ranking.

Carlton

  • Name meaning: Town of free men.
  • Popularity: This city name last ranked in 2005.

Carmelo

  • Name meaning: Garden. Carmel is a scenic beach city in Northern California. It’s also a mountain ridge in Israel that’s mentioned in the Old Testament.
  • Popularity: #683

Chadwick

  • Name meaning: Town of Chad.
  • Popularity: This city-inspired boys’ name isn’t ranking.

Chandler

  • Name meaning: Candlemaker. (This name will always remind everyone of Friends, but it’s also the name of many U.S. cities).
  • Popularity: #604

Chester

  • Name meaning: Camp or fortress.
  • Popularity: This boys’ city name isn’t ranking.

Clifton

  • Name meaning: Town on a cliff.
  • Popularity: This city name last ranked in 2003.

Cody

  • Name meaning: Helpful.
  • Popularity: #312

Colby

  • Name meaning: From a coal town.
  • Popularity: #650

Conway

  • Name meaning: Might mean chief of the water.
  • Popularity: This boys’ city name isn’t ranking.

Cooper

  • Name meaning: Wood repairer. One who makes wooden barrels.
  • Popularity: #68

Corbin

  • Name meaning: Crow.
  • Popularity: Corbin ranks #366 and Corben isn’t ranking.

Cornell

  • Name meaning: Horn.
  • Popularity: This boys’ city name isn’t ranking.

If you like these city-inspired baby names for boys you might also like this list of Scottish boy names.

American city names for boys (D-G)

little boy at window overlooking city

Here are some more baby name ideas inspired by common names of cities in the U.S.

Dalton

  • Name meaning: Settlement in the valley.
  • Popularity: This D name ranks #518 for boys and isn’t ranking for girls.

Darien

  • Name meaning: Possessing goodness. Rich and kingly.
  • Popularity: Darian ranks #972. Darien last ranked in 2014, and Darion last ranked in 2008.

Denton

  • Name meaning: Village in a valley.
  • Popularity: This boys’ city name isn’t ranking.

Douglas

  • Name meaning: Dark stream. A Douglas fir is a type of pine tree.
  • Popularity: #739

Duncan

  • Name meaning: Dark warrior.
  • Popularity: #983

Dillon

  • Name meaning: Son of the sea.
  • Popularity: Dylan ranks #44, Dillon ranks #669, and Dilan is #869. Dylan ranks #567 for girls.

Eagan

  • Name meaning: Fiery or son of fire.
  • Popularity: This city-inspired boys’ name isn’t ranking.

Easton

  • Name meaning: East-facing place.
  • Popularity: #70

Edison

  • Name meaning: Son of Edward.
  • Popularity: #615

Eldon

  • Name meaning: Might mean hill, swan, elf, valley, old, or servant. The name of several towns in the US and UK.
  • Popularity: This boys’ E name isn’t ranking.

Ellington

  • Name meaning: Ellis town.
  • Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.

Emmett

  • Name meaning: Universal.
  • Popularity: Emmett ranks #103 and Emmitt ranks #544.

Eugene

  • Name meaning: Well-born or noble.
  • Popularity: #848

Evan

  • Name meaning: God is gracious.
  • Popularity: #116

Everett

  • Name meaning: Strong and brave. Wild boar.
  • Popularity: #82

Fallon

  • Name meaning: Descended from a ruler.
  • Popularity: This F name isn’t ranking for boys and ranks #725 for girls.

Farrell

  • Name meaning: Man of valor.
  • Popularity: This city-inspired boys’ name isn’t ranking.

Foster

  • Name meaning: Forester.
  • Popularity: This baby name ranks #963 for boys and is not ranking for girls.

Franklin

  • Name meaning: Free landholder.
  • Popularity: #395

Frederick

  • Name meaning: Peaceful ruler.
  • Popularity: #476

Garland

  • Name meaning: Flower wreath.
  • Popularity: This G name isn’t ranking.

Garrison

  • Name meaning: Son of Garret.
  • Popularity: This name last ranked in 2014.

Grafton

  • Name meaning: Grove settlement.
  • Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.

Graham

  • Name meaning: Gravel.
  • Popularity: #161

Granger

  • Name meaning: Granary worker.
  • Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.

If you like this batch of city names for boys you might also like this list of royal boy names.

American city names for boys (H-M)

toddler boy in stroller in city park

Here comes another batch of place names for boys inspired by American city names.

Harrison

  • Name meaning: Son of Harry.
  • Popularity: #120

Hayden

  • Name meaning: Heather or hay valley.
  • Popularity: Hayden ranks #176 for boys and #290 for girls. Haden is not ranking for either gender.

Holden

  • Name meaning: Hollow valley.
  • Popularity: #236

Huntley

  • Name meaning: Hunter’s meadow.
  • Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.

Jasper

  • Name meaning: Treasurer. Also a gemstone.
  • Popularity: #128

Jericho

  • Name meaning: The oldest city in the world.
  • Popularity: #895

Justin

  • Name meaning: Just, fair, righteous.
  • Popularity: #179

Kenner

  • Name meaning: Connoisseur.
  • Popularity: This cool city-inspired boys’ name isn’t ranking.

Kent

Kirby

  • Name meaning: Settlement by a church.
  • Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.

Kyle

  • Name meaning: Narrow land.
  • Popularity: #364

Lawrence

  • Name meaning: Person from Laurentum, an ancient Roman city.
  • Popularity: Lawrence ranks #578 and Larry is #866.

Leander

Linden or Lyndon

  • Name meaning: Hill of linden trees.
  • Popularity: Neither version of this L name is ranking.

Logan

  • Name meaning: Little hollow.
  • Popularity: Logan ranks #21 for boys and #310 for girls.

Lucas

  • Name meaning: Man from Lucania, a historical region of Southern Italy.
  • Popularity: Lucas ranks #8 and Lukas is #227.

Mason

  • Name meaning: One who works with stone.
  • Popularity: Mason ranks #18 and Maison last ranked in 2020.

Monroe

  • Name meaning: Mouth of the Roe river. Presidential name.
  • Popularity: This baby name isn’t ranking for boys but ranks #525 for girls.

If you like this batch of city names for boys you might also like these “i” names or these “j” names.

American city names for boys (N-W)

baby boy with dad in city

Before we get to geography-inspired baby names, here are some more boy names after cities.

Newton

Novi

  • Name meaning: New.
  • Popularity: This cute N name isn’t ranking.

Orion

  • Name meaning: A giant in Greek mythology. A constellation of a hunter.
  • Popularity: #314

Parker

  • Name meaning: Park keeper.
  • Popularity: Parker ranks #93 for boys and #115 for girls.

Pierce

  • Name meaning: Rock. Son of Piers.
  • Popularity: #499

Prescott

  • Name meaning: Priest’s cottage.
  • Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.

Princeton

  • Name meaning: Prince town. An Ivy League university.
  • Popularity: #477

Quincy

  • Name meaning: Estate of the fifth child.
  • Popularity: #631

Ramsey

  • Name meaning: Low-lying land. Also means garlic island… good for keeping away vampires!
  • Popularity: This R name isn’t ranking.

Ripley

  • Name meaning: Strip of clearing in the woods.
  • Popularity: This baby name isn’t ranking for either gender.

Spencer

  • Name meaning: Dispenser of provisions.
  • Popularity: #315

Sterling

  • Name meaning: Excellent. First-rate. Type of silver.
  • Popularity: #382

Sutton

  • Name meaning: Southern settlement.
  • Popularity: This S name ranks #541 for boys and #244 for girls.

Thatcher

  • Name meaning: One who makes roofs from straw.
  • Popularity: #813

Troy

  • Name meaning: Foot soldier. An ancient city in modern-day Turkey.
  • Popularity: #418

Tucker

  • Name meaning: Fabric pleater (occupation).
  • Popularity: #180

Tyler

  • Name meaning: Tile maker (occupation).
  • Popularity: Tyler ranks #157 and Ty is #687.

Vernon

  • Name meaning: Alder tree. Full of life. (A very popular U.S. city name).
  • Popularity: This V name last ranked in 2003.

Walker

  • Name meaning: Inspector of the forest.
  • Popularity: #129

Warren

  • Name meaning: A network of rabbit burrows.
  • Popularity: #345

Wayne

  • Name meaning: Wagon driver or builder (occupation).
  • Popularity: #782

Wells

  • Name meaning: Spring or person who lives near a spring.
  • Popularity: #479

Winston

  • Name meaning: Might mean ‘from Wine’s town’ or ‘from a friend’s town’.
  • Popularity: #411

If you like this batch of city names for boys you might also like these “t” names and these “w” names.

Bonus list: Geographical names

boy and mother in european city

Technically, these aren’t boy city names, but I thought you might like them! All of these boys’ names have to do with geographical locations.

Atlas

  • Name meaning: From Greek mythology: a Titan who was forced to support the heavens on his shoulders. Also a collection of maps.
  • Popularity: #149

Brenton

  • Name meaning: A place in England.
  • Popularity: This place name last ranked in 2013.

Brett

  • Name meaning: From Brittany, France.
  • Popularity: #923

Bridger or Bridge

  • Name meaning: Connector.
  • Popularity: Bridger ranks #925 and Bridge isn’t ranking.

Britton

  • Name meaning: From Britain.
  • Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.

Brixton

  • Name meaning: A part of London.
  • Popularity: #548

Bronx

  • Name meaning: A New York borough.
  • Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.

Bryce

  • Name meaning: Freckled. Bryce Canyon is a national park in Utah.
  • Popularity: #250

Carrington

  • Name meaning: A place in the UK.
  • Popularity: This neutral name isn’t ranking for either gender.

Caspian

  • Name meaning: The Caspian Sea is the world’s largest inland body of water.
  • Popularity: #709

Clyde

  • Name meaning: Warm. A river in Scotland.
  • Popularity: #733

Dakota

  • Name meaning: Friend or ally. North and South Dakota are midwestern states.
  • Popularity: This name ranks #270 for boys and #270 for girls.

Everest

  • Name meaning: The world’s tallest mountain.
  • Popularity: #903

Fenway

  • Name meaning: Fenway Park is the home of the Boston Red Sox.
  • Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.

Forrest or Forest

  • Name meaning: Wooded area.
  • Popularity: Forrest ranks #414 and Forest is #715.

Gordon

  • Name meaning: A place name in Scotland or in France.
  • Popularity: #925

Holland

  • Name meaning: Wooden land. Part of the Netherlands.
  • Popularity: This name isn’t ranking for boys but ranks #638 for girls.

Huxley

  • Name meaning: Inhospitable place. A small rural village in England.
  • Popularity: #586

Israel

  • Name meaning: Fighter of God. A country regarded by Jews, Christians and Muslims as the Holy Land.
  • Popularity: #234

Kelvin

  • Name meaning: A river in Scotland. A unit of thermodynamic temperature.
  • Popularity: #908

Lance

  • Name meaning: Land or territory.
  • Popularity: #811

Landon

  • Name meaning: Long hill.
  • Popularity: Landon ranks #73, Landen is #622, and Landyn is #690.

Lane

  • Name meaning: Path.
  • Popularity: For boys, Lane ranks #261 and Layne is #640. For girls, Layne ranks #828.

Lanzo

Miles

  • Name meaning: Soldier.
  • Popularity: Miles ranks #54 and Myles is #119.

Nile

  • Name meaning: Champion. The longest river in Africa.
  • Popularity: This baby name isn’t ranking.

Ocean

  • Name meaning: Body of water.
  • Popularity: Ocean ranks #711 for boys and #877 for girls.

Penn

  • Name meaning: An enclosure. Short for Pennsylvania.
  • Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.

Rhode or Rhodes

  • Name meaning: Where roses grow. Woodland clearing. Rhode Island is a state in the U.S.
  • Popularity: Neither spelling of this boys’ name is ranking.

Ridge

  • Name meaning: A chain of mountains or hills.
  • Popularity: #558

River

  • Name meaning: Stream of water.
  • Popularity: This nature name ranks #110 for boys and #151 for girls.

Roman

  • Name meaning: Citizen of Rome.
  • Popularity: #75

Scott

  • Name meaning: From Scottland.
  • Popularity: #607

Summit

  • Name meaning: Highest point of a mountain.
  • Popularity: This geographical name isn’t ranking.

Tennessee

  • Name meaning: State name.
  • Popularity: This name isn’t ranking for either gender.

Tex

  • Name meaning: A nickname for someone from Texas.
  • Popularity: This 3-letter boys’ name isn’t ranking.

Tilden

  • Name meaning: Person from a valley. A regional park in the San Francisco Bay Area.
  • Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.

Townes

  • Name meaning: Settlement. Sounds like “town”.
  • Popularity: This boys’ name isn’t ranking.

Tripp

  • Name meaning: The third. Ya know, take a trip!
  • Popularity: #445

Hopefully, you found the perfect city baby name for your son on this list. If you’re looking for more ideas, check out the lists below…

My favorite city boy names

In case it’s helpful, here’s a short list of boy city names that I’d personally consider!

  • Aden // this is my son’s name!
  • Hudson // this is one of those place names for boys that’s borderline “too” trendy, but still edgy and cool
  • Hartford // I mostly like this name because of the adorable nickname “Hart” (which sounds like heart)
  • Knox // I have an affinity for 4-letter names and the “x” just makes this badass
  • Lyon // if this place name didn’t rhyme with my husband’s last name, I’d seriously consider it!

Final thoughts on boy names after cities

When it comes to choosing a unique and captivating name for your baby boy, the possibilities are endless.

And as you’ve seen, for better or for worse, the list of boy names after cities is MASSIVE!

city inspired boy names pin

Hopefully, you’ve found a few lead contenders on this list of city names for boys, or at least come away with some baby name inspiration.

Whether you’re drawn to the edgy charm of Phoenix or the timeless allure of Carson, there’s a city name out there that perfectly encapsulates the spirit and individuality you seek for your little one.

Now, the tricky part is narrowing down your list of favorites!

My best advice to you is to save your favorite boy names after cities on a list on your phone. Read the list over every day. One by one, erase any name that doesn’t excite you as much as the others. If you do this enough times, eventually you’ll get to ‘the one’!

Have fun embracing the urban vibes as you embark on this exciting naming journey!

boy names after cities pin
city baby names for boys pin

City Names for Boys