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Home › Baby Names Directory › Chicago

Chicago

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Chicago

Pronounced shih-KAH-goh /ʃɪˈkɑ.ɡoʊ/Medium

Meaning: From the city of Chicago — from the Miami-Illinois shikaakwa, 'the wild onion; the striped skunk plant; the place of wild onion'; a place-nameLow

In 30 seconds: A place-name (the city): Chicago means 'the place of wild onion'. Bold, modern, and striking (said 'shih-KAH-goh').
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Origin LowAlgonquian, American
MeaningFrom the city of Chicago — from the Miami-Illinois shikaakwa, 'the wild onion; the striped skunk plant; the place of wild onion'; a place-name
U.S. rank (2024)#6505 ↘ Falling
2024 U.S. births13 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2023
Total births (all-time)≈ 110

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202319952024

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Chicago comes from the city of Chicago — from the Miami-Illinois shikaakwa, 'the wild onion; the striped skunk plant; the place of wild onion'. A bold, modern place-name (we note the city link; said 'shih-KAH-goh'; nickname Chi).

In the U.S. it registers thinly. Rare, the-place-of-wild-onion at the root, and bold.

Did you know? Chicago comes from the Miami-Illinois shikaakwa, 'the wild onion; the place of wild onion' — Chicago is a bold, modern place-name (we note the city link; said 'shih-KAH-goh').
Overall data confidence 45%
References — Chicago — place-name; city link noted

Variations

Chi

Nicknames

Chi

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Chicago…

Memphis— a fellow U.S. place-name boys' name
Denver— a sound-neighbor place-name boys' name
Austin— another U.S. place-name boys' name
Caladin— another American name
Cario— shares Chicago's American roots

Explore names like Chicago

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Chicago mean?

Chicago is a place-name (the city) — Miami-Illinois 'the wild onion; the place of wild onion'.

How do you pronounce Chicago?

It's said shih-KAH-goh /ʃɪˈkɑ.ɡoʊ/ — three syllables, stress on the second.

Is Chicago a boy or girl name?

Chicago is most often a boy's name.

How popular is Chicago?

Chicago is a very rare name in the U.S.

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