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Home › Baby Names Directory › Portland

Portland

♀ Girl

Pronounced PORT-lund /ˈpɔːrt.lənd/High

Meaning: A place name used as a given name: Portland, Oregon and Portland, Maine, both ultimately named for the Isle of Portland in Dorset, England — 'the land by the harbour' (Old English port + land). It has no naming tradition of its own, and we note that rather than inventing one. Used for girls and boys alike.Medium

In 30 seconds: Portland is a place name — the cities in Oregon and Maine, and the Dorset isle behind them (said 'PORT-lund').
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Origin MediumEnglish
MeaningA place name used as a given name: Portland, Oregon and Portland, Maine, both ultimately named for the Isle of Portland in Dorset, England — 'the land by the harbour' (Old English port + land). It has no naming tradition of its own, and we note that rather than inventing one. Used for girls and boys alike.
U.S. rank (2024)#14812 ↗ Rising
2024 U.S. births6 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1964
Total births (all-time)≈ 164

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201919582024

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

Portland is a place name given as a first name — for Portland, Oregon, or Portland, Maine, both of which trace back to the Isle of Portland in Dorset, England, whose name means simply 'the land by the harbour'. The Oregon city famously got its name on the flip of a coin, the loser having favoured Boston. As a given name it belongs with the modern city names, has no separate naming tradition, and is used for girls and boys alike — we note all of this honestly (said 'PORT-lund').

It appears only very rarely in U.S. records. Very rare, place-rooted, and modern.

Did you know? Portland, Oregon was named after Portland, Maine — which was named for the Isle of Portland in Dorset. The name kept crossing water.
Overall data confidence 45%
References — Portland — place name (Oregon/Maine/Dorset); no invented etymology; unisex

Variations

PortlynPorterPort

Nicknames

PortLandy

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Portland…

Brooklyn— a like American place name
Aspen— a like modern place-name choice
Denver— a like city name given as a name
Ireland— shares Portland's English roots
Island— echoes that soft -nd sound

Explore names like Portland

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Portland mean?

Portland is a place name — the cities in Oregon and Maine, named for the Isle of Portland in Dorset, meaning 'the land by the harbour'.

How do you pronounce Portland?

It's said PORT-lund /ˈpɔːrt.lənd/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Portland a boy or girl name?

Portland is used for both girls and boys — it is a place name rather than a gendered one.

How popular is Portland?

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

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