# Place names with both first and last names **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 26, 2016, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-names-with-both-first-and-last-names/775639 "2016-12-26T07:36:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![boffking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2016, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-names-with-both-first-and-last-names/775639/21 "2016-12-26T15:06:48Z")
Any college campus would be full of building named for someone’s full name. ---
**Author:** ![Malden\_Capell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malden_capell/32/5274_2.png) [@Malden\_Capell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malden_Capell)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2016, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-names-with-both-first-and-last-names/775639/22 "2016-12-26T15:39:34Z")
St Alban’s, just outside London? ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2016, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-names-with-both-first-and-last-names/775639/23 "2016-12-26T16:30:12Z")
Historically, it is much more common in the south for street names to carry both first and last names of the honoree. The Texas town I live in has streets named after John Stockbauer, Ben Jordan, Ben Wilson, Guy Grant, and nobody even knows who those guys were. I phoned city hall and the reference desk at the library, and nobody knew. The best guess is that they were early real-estate developers. In most southern cities, it is only major thoroughfares that have such names. Such names are rare in northern cities. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2016, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-names-with-both-first-and-last-names/775639/24 "2016-12-26T16:41:45Z")
> [@Isilder](#): > > In Argentina a “city” with population 88000 odd, is named > “Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña” … So its got Title and full name… First , Middle and Surname. > > Also in Argentina, there’s a part of Buenes Aires with population of 300,000 named Vicente Lopez . Roque Sáenz Peña is firstname plus two surnames. And _presidencia_ is not president but presidency: the city is named after his mandate, not after him. > [@dtilque](#): > > Thank you. Looking it up, I find that Sáenz Peña is actually the family name, not a middle-last name. Two family names. > [@jtur88](#): > > In Mexico, there is a city named Felipe Carillo Puerto. (t is not a port (puerto), but Puerto was the namesake’s last name. Again, lastnames are Carrillo Puerto. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2016, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-names-with-both-first-and-last-names/775639/25 "2016-12-26T17:17:21Z")
nothing I can find in Michigan after a cursory look. most cities/towns with multi-word names are some variant of “_name-place_” e. g. Lincoln Park, Grand Haven, Battle Creek, Rochester Hills, Grosse Pointe Shores/Farms/Woods, and so on. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2016, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-names-with-both-first-and-last-names/775639/26 "2016-12-26T17:30:54Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > San Juan Capistrano, California. Wow, beaten to the punch on the first post. 🙂 I was going to lead with that and point out that most California/Arizona/NM/Texas cities with Spanish names are known by truncations of their full name, usually that of a saint, reduced to the saint’s appellation. LA is probably the most famous of them, and I’m going to cut and paste this rather than retype it: _El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de **los** Ángeles del Río de Porciúncula_ San Juan is so common that Mrs. B. stuck her finger in the trap last night: I was suggesting Costa Rica for a spring vacation, and mentioned that San Juan was a fairly cosmopolitan city for the region. She gave me withering “I win” look and said, “San Juan’s in _Puerto Rico_.” To which I deadpanned, “No, it’s near LA and Carmel.” ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2016, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-names-with-both-first-and-last-names/775639/27 "2016-12-26T17:49:51Z")
Anything with a directional in it counts doesn’t it? West Memphis etc. But the most wordy must be the "By the sea"s: Manchester by the sea, and maybe others. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2016, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-names-with-both-first-and-last-names/775639/28 "2016-12-26T17:51:09Z")
Title but not first name: Dr. Phillips, Florida. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2016, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-names-with-both-first-and-last-names/775639/29 "2016-12-26T18:06:52Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > Anything with a directional in it counts doesn’t it? West Memphis etc. I suppose if you’re being really generous, then directionals can count as first names, but that’s stretching it (North West notwithstanding.) ---
**Author:** ![Teuton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teuton/32/3864_2.png) [@Teuton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teuton)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2016, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-names-with-both-first-and-last-names/775639/30 "2016-12-26T19:04:54Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > Anything with a directional in it counts doesn’t it? West Memphis etc. > > But the most wordy must be the "By the sea"s: Manchester by the sea, and maybe others. I… don’t see how these count at all. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2016, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-names-with-both-first-and-last-names/775639/31 "2016-12-26T19:15:33Z")
Chevy Chase, Maryland 😉 ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2016, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-names-with-both-first-and-last-names/775639/32 "2016-12-26T20:05:00Z")
Let me make something clear (I was debating putting this in the OP, but decided against). I’m only interested in municipal names and those of counties or equivalents. I am not interested in streets, highways, plazas, canals, parks, hospitals, schools, airports, or individual buildings. Also, they have to be real people, not fictional or mythical. > [@Malden\_Capell](#): > > St Alban’s, just outside London? Unless his first name was actually Saint, no. That’s more of a title. This also applies to all the places with San or Santa in them. And for the truncated southwestern names, lets go with the common names. > [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Title but not first name: Dr. Phillips, Florida. Sorry, titles are right out. > [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Chevy Chase, Maryland > > 😉 Because of the comedian, that one could go on the false list. Otherwise, thanks to everyone for all the additions. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2016, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-names-with-both-first-and-last-names/775639/33 "2016-12-26T20:37:45Z")
The town of Ismay, Montana did a publicity stunt where they called themselves Joe for a while. Joe, Montana. ---
**Author:** ![Anny\_Middon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc79bd/32.png) [@Anny\_Middon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anny_Middon)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2016, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-names-with-both-first-and-last-names/775639/34 "2016-12-26T20:45:11Z")
Carol Stream, IL I know – it sounds like the town is named after a waterway, but it’s actually named after the daughter of its founder, Jay Stream. The Tribune did a story on her several years ago – she’s now living IIRC in Arizona. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2016, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-names-with-both-first-and-last-names/775639/35 "2016-12-26T20:46:40Z")
John o’Groats, on the north coast of the Scottish mainland, is the localised version of the name Jan de Groot, a Dutch ferryman. ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2016, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-names-with-both-first-and-last-names/775639/36 "2016-12-26T20:53:09Z")
Albert Lea, Minnesota, bears the full first and last name of the surveyor who mapped the area in the early 1800s. I was also going to mention Carol Stream but was beaten to the punch. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2016, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-names-with-both-first-and-last-names/775639/37 "2016-12-26T22:22:21Z")
San Juan Capistrano does not include a surname. San Giovanni da Capeistrano was a Franciscan friar and Catholic priest from the Italian town of Capestrano, Abruzzo, Kindgom of Naples. By the custom of the times, he did not go by a hereditary surname from his father, but was simply John, who came from Capistrano, and was later awarded the title Saint. San Juan Capistrano is the Spanish translation of his name. Almost every town in Quebec is named “Saint So-and-so of Whatever” Like St.-Jean-de-Richilieu" or “St.-Donat-de-Montcalm”. None of those include surnames. Everyone’s favorite is St.-Louis-du-Ha! Ha!. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2016, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-names-with-both-first-and-last-names/775639/38 "2016-12-26T22:36:52Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > Thank you. Looking it up, I find that Sáenz Peña is actually the family name, not a middle-last name. > [@Nava](#): > > Two family names. I’m guessing your complaint is that Peña is his mother’s name? If so, not true. He inherited both from his father, Luis Sáenz Peña Davila. No doubt Peña was the name of some female ancestor of his, but not of his mother or even grandmother. If not, then you’re nitpick is mysterious. The name he inherits from his father is his family name. > [@dtilque](#): > > Unless his first name was actually Saint, no. That’s more of a title. This also applies to all the places with San or Santa in them. Just want to make clear that I was not rejecting San Juan Capistrano here. I was thinking more about Santa Barbara, San Jose, San Francisco, etc. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2016, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-names-with-both-first-and-last-names/775639/39 "2016-12-26T22:43:48Z")
Apparently [Lee Vining](http://www.monolake.org/about/prospectors) CA was named for gold prospector Leroy Vining. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2016, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-names-with-both-first-and-last-names/775639/40 "2016-12-26T23:30:53Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > San Juan Capistrano does not include a surname. San Giovanni da Capeistrano was a Franciscan friar and Catholic priest from the Italian town of Capestrano, Abruzzo, Kindgom of Naples. By the custom of the times, he did not go by a hereditary surname from his father, but was simply John, who came from Capistrano, and was later awarded the title Saint. San Juan Capistrano is the Spanish translation of his name. Good point. I’ll take in under consideration. > [@](#): > > Almost every town in Quebec is named “Saint So-and-so of Whatever” Like St.-Jean-de-Richilieu" or “St.-Donat-de-Montcalm”. None of those include surnames. Everyone’s favorite is St.-Louis-du-Ha! Ha!. Many, if not most or even all, of those names were constructed by combining the name of a saint with a name having nothing to do with the saint. Ha! Ha!, for example, is the name of the local river (it was a very funny river) and there was no saint from there. Another example is San Antonio de Bexar (or Bejar), the original name of San Antonio TX. This was named to curry favor with the then viceroy in Mexico, whose father was the Duke of Bejar. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-names-with-both-first-and-last-names/775639.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/place-names-with-both-first-and-last-names/775639.md?page=3)