Boston is known for many things. Our great sports teams. Fantastic attractions that bring visitors from all over the world. And the city’s storied history (who else can claim a molasses flood or the largest art heist in the world?). So we thought it would be fun to gather up the city’s popular places, people and historically significant spots and turn them into a list of Boston baby names for a little fun and inspiration. Whether you’re expecting, or you just want to see how your kiddo’s name stacks up, these Boston-themed baby names are all the inspiration you need. Read on to find out just how “Boston” your kiddo really is.
A powerful woman in American history, Abigail Adams was one of the founders of the United States, bearing the designations of second First Lady and first Second Lady. She is well known for her numerous letters to her husband John Adams that are filled with complex, political discussions.
Amelia
While the first woman to fly across the Atlantic originally hails from Kansas, Amelia Earhart moved to Medford, MA with her mother and sister following her mother's divorce. Amelia makes a powerful middle or first name that definitely stands the test of time.
Beacon
Boston parents have a number of street names that work well as baby names, with Beacon topping the list. You could even go for Bea as a girl's name.
Benjamin or Franklin
One of the founding fathers of the United States, Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston in 1706. A scientist and inventor, Franklin is most known for his discoveries relating to electricity.
Brockton
A suburb of Boston, Brockton makes a strong first or middle name, with Brock as a nickname.
Brookline
We love this name for a girl as it differs from the more popular Brooklyn. It pays homage to this neighborhood just a few T stops past Kenmore Square.
Brady
This one's for you, Patriots fans. Quarterback Tom Brady has made the names Thomas and Brady popular among fans in recent years. We'll have to wait and see if his recent split from the team will change that trend.
Bruin
Another for the sports fans out there, Bruin pays homage to the hometown hockey team and makes a good middle name (or dog name, for that matter).
Cambridge/Cam
We love the name Cambridge for a girl with Cam as the nickname. This name conveys a brilliant sophistication of the college town that is home to Harvard, with a double meaning for sports fan, acknowledging Boston Bruins president Cam Neely.
Celt
Boston is steeped in Irish history and this name (pronounced "Kelt") is the ultimate. Bonus: it doubles as a Boston Celtics reference.
Charles
The Charles River is an 80-mile river that meets the Atlantic Ocean in Boston and Charles (or Charlie) are classic names we love.
Chelsea
Named for a neighborhood in London, this working class city just north of Boston is bordered on three sides by water.
Clara, Clarissa or Harlowe
Clara Barton (born Clarissa Harlowe Barton) was a pioneering American nurse who founded the American Red Cross and was born in North Oxford, MA. Barton is noteworthy for doing humanitarian work and civil rights advocacy at a time before women had the right to vote.
Conan
Irish Catholic comedian Conan O'Brien hails from Brookline, MA where he attended school through high school, followed by nearby Harvard University.
Copley
Copley Square, named for painter John Singleton Copley, is a public square in Boston's Back Bay neighborhood. This Boston baby name would be great for either a boy or a girl.
Dorothea
Name your child after 19th century activist Dorothea Dix who lived in Boston with her grandmother for much of her childhood. She drastically changed the medical field and championed causes for both the mentally ill and indigenous populations.
Duncan/Dunkin
Only the most die hard fans would choose the more unique spelling of this name, which pays homage to the coffee company that got its start in 1950 in Quincy, MA.
Fenway
While this name may be more popular for pups than children, Boston Red Sox fans are a dedicated bunch and have been known to give this Boston baby name as a middle name to their human children. Plus, naming your kid "Green Monster" is out of the question, right?
Isabella
Isabella Stewart Gardner was a long-standing American art collector, philanthropist and patron of the arts who founded the museum with her name in the early 1900s.
Jasmine
Parents raised in the '80s will know why this name is on our list. Anyone who watched the Cosby Show spinoff, A Different World, is hip to Boston-born actress Jasmine Guy, who played the part of Whitley Gilbert.
John, Jack or Kennedy
It's no surprise to see these popular names around Boston as the Kennedy family has a long history in Massachusetts.
Jordan
This '80s-throwback name is popular for both boys and girls, especially for fans of the boy band New Kids on the Block that hails from Dorchester, MA.
Logan
You don't have to be an aviation geek to name your offspring after Boston's seaside airport.
Lois
Maybe you and the kids have seen the works of this respected artist gracing the walls of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts or at the National Center for Afro-American Artists (NCAAA) in Boston. Born in 1905, Lois Mailou Jones' successful career spanned continents and decades.
Lucy (or Stone)
In 1847, Lucy Stone of West Brookfield, MA graduated from Oberlin and became the first Massachusetts woman to receive a college degree. She spoke out for women's rights and against slavery at a time when women were discouraged and prevented from public speaking.
Mary (or Eliza)
It's no secret that there are tons of Catholic families raising kids in Boston, so this name may seem obvious to include. But we're giving it a second look as a way to honor the work of Mary Elize Mahoney, the first African-American nurse to work in our country's hospitals. She worked for 15 years, while she waited to be let into nursing school, and was only one of four students (out of 43) who actually graduated.
Quincy
We love this name for either a boy or a girl and it has long-standing Massachusetts roots with Quincy, MA being known as the "birthplace of presidents." Both John Adams and his son John Quincy Adams were born there. When the town split from Braintree, it was named Quincy after Colonel John Quincy, maternal grandfather of Abigail Adams and after whom John Quincy Adams was also named
Revere
Prominent Boston silversmith Paul Revere is best known for his midnight ride to alert the colonial militia in April 1775 to the approach of British forces before the battles of Lexington and Concord. The town of Revere, MA was named after him in 1871.
Skylar
Do you really know anything about Boston if you haven't seen Good Will Hunting? We think not. The name Skylar was made popular after Minnie Driver played a character with this name in the movie that was written by Cambridge, MA friends Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.
Tremont
This prominent street in Boston takes you along the Boston Common, through Boston's Theater District and across the Massachusetts Turnpike (affectionately know as the "Mass Pike"). We love it as a boy's name.
Trinity
Trinity Church is located in the Back Bay neighborhood of Boston and was founded in 1733.
