I know many US place names are named after European places, although clearly not all.

39 comments

  1. Why limit it to European place names?

    Signed, the residents of:

    * Lebanon, Missouri
    * Angola, New York
    * Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
    * Memphis, Tennessee
    * etc, etc, etc…

  3. My wife was born in Paris, Texas. They have this whole city in France named after her birth place. We have visited and it is quite spectacular. They’ve really captured all of the details down to the [tower](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eiffel_Tower_(Paris,_Texas)) with the cowboy hat on it, though in Paris, France there is no hat – just a giant baguette.

    Edit: Serious answer: I’ve had a good time in Paris – though not as much as elsewhere in France. I like sleepier places myself. All the same, make sure to say your bon jours, mercis, and s’il vous plaits and you are good to go.

    I was born in New York and have not yet made it to old York. I’ll make it some day, though not because it has any connection to my birth place.

  4. I’m in California, so city names are often just Spanish words (Los Angeles, La Mesa, El Cajon, Chula Vista, etc.), or the Spanish name of a Catholic saint (San Francisco, San Jose, San Diego, San Mateo, etc.). The closest thing would be visiting the place that that particular saint was born. I’ve lived in the city named after San Jose (born in Palestine) and the city named after San Diego (born in Spain). I have been to neither country.

  5. I never counted but I think most places around me are either derived from native words, or just named after some guy.

  8. Not my home town but I spent some time in Henley in the UK.

    And I have driven through Henley, OH.

    One is a beautiful riverside town. The other is a Riverside town that seems like it might be close to being defined as abandoned.

  14. Mine is named after a person who died long ago.

    (Though technically, I suppose Prince Andrew is the current Duke of York.. pretty sure if I tried visiting him, I wouldn’t be able to)

  15. My current home town for the last 20 some odd years is named after a US president, current county name has it origins in an English county. Never been.

    My home town where I was born (borough and town) are just Dutch words, though this home city and state were named after York. Never been there either

  16. My hometown is named after a politician(A racist, treaty breaking, slave owning politician. IN Minnesota.)

  17. What makes you think my hometown was-

    Just kidding it totally was named after a place in Europe. Apparently it’s a rich section of England within commuting distance to London. I have never been there but I do plan on visiting London someday. Looks like a nice, upper middle class suburb. My hometown was more of a lower middle class suburb.

  18. I know this isn’t really answering the post, but I don’t think Dallas is named after another city.

  19. The village I was born in is named after the founder’s daughter and the groves in the area, the town I grew up in is named after a state senator, and Memphis, Tennessee (where I kind of work and live now) is named after Memphis in Egypt.

    None have connections with Europe.

  20. Not exactly my town, but near there is a town called Windsor, CA. I have been to the namesake Windsor in England, and toured the castle there.

    California has at least a few other cities and towns named after European places, such as San Marino, Cardiff by the Sea, Cambria (Latin name for Wales), Ripon, Inverness, Manchester, and Lucerne.

  21. Looked it up and apparently there are no cities in Europe called San Francisco

    That’s kinda interesting

  22. I haven’t but my Dad has been to Alburquerque Spain said it was a small place but was great enjoyed it. I hope to go to Spain some day

  23. I was brought up in St. Louis, Missouri. I’ve been to France, the home country of *the* Saint Louis, but I don’t think I’ve seen anywhere he actually would have lived. I was only there for less than a week, and he predates both the Louvre and Versailles, the palaces I *did* see.

    I’m currently living in Athens, Georgia. I’d love to make it to Greece one day, both for the ancient history and the lovely islands, but I haven’t got the time or the budget at this point in my life.

  24. I’d love to visit New York, Ukraine but it’s in ruins now. On a more serious note, is there much to see in the old York? It doesn’t get a whole lot of attention

  27. My hometown was named after a (terrible) mistranslation of a native word meaning “Place Where Apricots Are At.”

    So, no visits. I can go to any store and buy apricots.

  29. My hometown was named after a guy who is currently on the bottom of the Atlantic. It might be interesting to dive the wreck, but I haven’t had the chance to. It might be something worth putting on my bucket list.

    The town I currently live in is also named after a person. Apparently, he’s buried locally, so maybe I should swing by and say hello at some point.

    I looked up the last town I lived in as well as the town I went to college in. All named after people. Apparently, every town I’ve ever lived in has been named after individuals rather than existing places.

  30. Apparently Atlanta is the feminine form of Atlantic. I have visited the Atlantic Ocean, but not in Europe

  32. My city is named after a town in Wales. The Welsh town would be interesting to visit. It’s apparently got a lot of cool historical sites. But never been to Europe at all and if I did, it wouldn’t be top of the list.

  33. Austin Texas the state capitol was originally named Waterloo. Possibly named after the battlefield where Napoleon was defeated nobody is certain though. While I’ve never been to Europe I would enjoy visiting.

  34. I had the chance in high school, but was ultimately unable to go. It’s still on my bucket list, though.

  36. My hometown is El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles. There is no European town it is named after. The closest is Archangelsk in Russia.

  37. I just realized every place that I have lived was either named after a person or after some visual characteristics. My home town was given its name due to the fertile soil along the river in that area. Another was named after blue flowers that grew in a field. Only one place was named after an old world place and its biblical.

  39. No, but that’s an interesting idea – I was born in Portland and grew up in Dundee, so next time I go to the UK, I’ll try to visit those cities!

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