A Mountain of Baby Names
by Casey Anderson
Earth is amazing right? So much to explore and be awed by. One of the most incredible natural things on Earth are mountains. One of the most incredible things that humans do is give birth. So, we thought, let’s put those incredible things together! Place names are popular now. Many mountains are famous, some not to the general public. However, everyone knows a mountain is a great awe inspiring thing, just like a newborn baby.
Maybe you’re a mountain climber and want your little one to follow in your footsteps, maybe you’re a naturalist that wants your child to appreciate the earth, or maybe you just like cool and unique baby names. Look no more.
So, if you’d like to give your baby a name that invokes natural greatness, look here at this list of names based off mountains. You might not know anyone by some of these names, making your baby special and memorable.
Unisex
Everest This is arguably the world’s most famous mountain. It’s considered the tallest above sea level, and lies in the Himalayan range, in both Nepal and China. Most people have heard of it. The name has been used for babies some in recent times, and applied pretty equally to girls and boys. This is one that will be recognized but still stand out.
Cho Oyu You may have heard of people named Cho and Oyu, possibly even together, but that’s rare. This mountain name in the Tibetan language means “Turquoise Goddess” and is a beautiful namesake. The mountain resides in the same range and countries as Everest. The name Cho has been used for both boys and girls but combined with Oyu is typically female.
Manaslu This one lies in the Manaslu Himalayan range, in the country of Nepal. The name means “mountain of the spirit” from a Sanskrit word manasa which means “intellect” or “soul.” Kinda confusing but all of those things are cool to be named after. This one works well for a boy or a girl.
Annapurna This one is a girl’s name, the literal Sanskrit translation of which means “full of food” but the known meaning is “Goddess of the Harvests.” The belief is that without this goddess, whom the mountain represents, the whole world would starve. This is a powerful name.
Nanda Devi This mountain is located in India as part of the Garhwal Himalayan range. The name means “Bliss-giving Goddess” and is the patron goddess of Uttarakhand Himalaya. It’s a beautiful name and is perfect for a little girl. Due to the religious significance and fragile ecosystem this mountain and those surrounding it are closed to locals and tourists. It is called the Nanda Devi Sanctuary and is considered a World Heritage Site. What a special name for your baby.
Sunanda Devi This is the eastern summit of that same area. Sunanda Devi stands for “good bliss giving Goddess” as it was believed that some bliss can be a bad thing, thus a separation for good and bad bliss. Sunanda is another lovely name for a little girl.
Rakaposhi This name means “Snow Covered” in the local language. It is located in Pakistan as part of the Rakaposhi-Haramosh Krakoram range. This could work for both a boy and girl. I would also say to just use Raka and that would be a pretty cool name.
Dumani This is another name for Rakaposhi, and it means “Mother of Mist.” This is a great name for a girl, mysterious and pretty sounding. The mountain is known more for its beauty than its height.
Minya Konka This mountain, also known as mount Gongga, is said to exceptionally scenic. It is located in China. The Tibetan name translates to “snowy white mountain.” We think it makes a beautiful name combined or separately as Minya or Konka. This could be masculine or feminine.
Istoro The actual mountain is Istoro-o-Nal which means “horseshoe” Istoro itself means “horse” in the Chitrali language. The origin of the name for the mountain is unclear, but we like it. Its located in Pakistan as part of the Hindi Kush mountain range. We think this is a great name for a little boy. It’s an original place name that still sounds like a “regular” name. Plus, when he gets a bit older his friend can call him Toro.
Rimo Rimo means “striped mountain.” It is located in India in the remote Rimo Karakoram range. The mountain is in a hard to get to location that is also in an area of unsettled political boundaries, it is rarely visited. This means that it makes for a very unique and special name for your little boy.
