City memories

[sakuya-baby.livejournal.com]

What do you think of naming kids after cities you have memories in?

Not necessarily the city they were born/conceived in, but maybe a city you fell in love in, a city you fell in love with, a city you grew up in, etc.?

I fell in love with Florence, Italy, when I stayed there in 09 for a study abroad trip. I fell so much in love that it made me figure out what I wanted to do for my future. It made me consider naming a future child after something like that.

I was considering naming after that, such as Fiorenza for a girl.

Building on that, what do you think of naming after other cities in the world, such as Paris, Rome, Sydney, Albany, Salem, etc.?

Comments

[sunshinelucy.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't use a place name, just because I don't like place names, but I would use a name as a nod toward the place.
I lived in the Valencian Community for a year, I feel really attached to it (I live in the Basque Country now, and while I very much like it here, I really miss the Valencian Community and Spain) and I hope to use Amparo as a middle name for a daughter (Iris Amparo is the combo I have). Amparo is a very Valencian name, the patron saint of the Community is la Virgen de los Desamparados, and Amparo gets used a LOT (not as often now, but still much more densely than anywhere else in Spain) in the region. So for me, I'd pick something traditional or representative of a place that is special to me, but I wouldn't use "Valencia" as a name.
I live in San Sebastián now and while Sebastián is high on my list, I like the nickname Sebas and I've had Sebastian on my list since I was like, 15, so it wasn't influenced at all by living here.

[sakuya-baby.livejournal.com]

My father's family actually comes from Valencia, so I know where you're coming from. Fiorenza I chose because Firenze is the city of Florence's name, and I'm a huge fan of their soccer team Fiorentina. So I figured Fiorenza to be a good combination of the two, I suppose? But I have heard that in some countries that Fiorenza might be the word used for Florence, just like Florencia is.

[miss-tee.livejournal.com]

If the city is already has person's name (Florence, Sydney etc) I wouldn't find it odd.
But I don't care for names like London or Dallas etc

[becomingun.livejournal.com]

THIS. I know a little girl named Houston and it's really weird.

[sakuya-baby.livejournal.com]

........that is def. a new one on me.

[sakuya-baby.livejournal.com]

I hate both of those names tbqh, so I feel you.

[audiobiblio.livejournal.com]

Agreed. Holden is on my list for a boy (because my husband and I used to vacation in Holden Beach, NC and LOVED it there) and it's a legitimate name. But if the city/place had an off-the-wall name, I can't see myself using it for my child.

[hashishinahooka.livejournal.com]

Honestly, I have no problem with any naming conventions, and I think it's awesome if parents have a personal connection to the name. So, I say go for it!

[sakuya-baby.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[qtshorty1625.livejournal.com]

I think I'd be a bit o.O if I saw a name that I associated exclusively with a city (although not a city, I have that reaction with the name Scotia). However, a lot of city names are currently used as human names.

For example, just going off the cities you mentioned in your post:
Florence - my great aunt
Paris - Gilmore girls
Sydney - Alias, hockey (there's at least 2 players that come to mind)
Salem - Sabrina: The Teenage Witch

[sakuya-baby.livejournal.com]

That's very fair.

Also, lol I miss that show, tbh.

[qtshorty1625.livejournal.com]

Thank you :). I also want to add though, I do agree with what hashishinahooka said. Even if the name took me by surprise, I wouldn't hold it against the person or the parents.

Me too :).

[kitchen-poet.livejournal.com]

My dad is a geography geek and can talk about cities from almost any name. I remember once hearing him meet one of my friends with "Kimberly? Did you know that is a tiny little town in southern Idaho?" Place names have kind of become my pet peeve since then.


However, if it is a name that means something to the parents, than lovely. Especially if it is already a name, like Florence. For stuff like Tallahassee or Compton, not so much.

[sakuya-baby.livejournal.com]

Thank you, and your father sounds awesome.

[honeywedidit.livejournal.com]

i love Savannah! And Sydney! Great names.

[my-little-voice.livejournal.com]

i'm not a huge place names fan. Although I did go to college in North Carolina and loved it, so I think it has helped contribute to my love of the name Caroline.

[laminy.livejournal.com]

Well, I would use place names that I didn't have any memories of, so I would definitely be willing to use the name of a place that I did.

Off the top of my head, I love Paris (for boys); Albany; Indiana; Savannah; Georgia; Virginia; Ireland; Bohemia; and Romola (which means 'of Rome').