Places as names, names on places

[wolf-shadow.livejournal.com]

How do some names get totally associated with a place and some not? And why is it sometimes OK to use a name of a place as a firstname, and sometimes not?

examples:

Places as names:

• London
• Paris
• Florence
• Parthenope
• Milan
• Venetia

Names for places:

• Adelaide
• Victoria
• Virginia

Cause of this? I love the name Adélaïde/Adélaïda, but himself rules it out because of the Australian place. It bugs me because it was named after an Princess Adelaide in itself... I like the sound of the name, and as a mediaevalist, it's one I have come across quite a bit.

Comments

[0o-faerie.livejournal.com]

I think everyone in Europe knows were Adelaide is. Or at least most people. When I hear 'Adelaide' I immediately think 'Australia'.
I think it's an alright name, though.
My personal favourite place name is Florence, I love that name so much.
I also like Alaska, which I mentioned once in this community, and which some people thought absolutely ridiculous. I think it's because names like 'Florence' are used as names pretty often, whereas Alaska is rarely used in that way.

[xanya.livejournal.com]

Fair enough. I was in the US recently and just about no one I met knew had heard of Adelaide (I'm Australian and I was talking to them about the country in general).

I have a friend who wants to use Alaska as a name as well! But I don't think she's going to because people mocked her for it.

[0o-faerie.livejournal.com]

Oh, Americans...*sigh*...no I'm just kidding ;)

Yay, Alaska! I don't think I'll use it either. I like uncommon names, but that might even be too uncommon for my taste...and besides, I like some other names better =)