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Home › Baby Names Directory › Portland

Portland

♂ Boy

Pronounced PORT-lund /ˈpɔːrt.lənd/High

Meaning: A place name — the cities in Oregon and Maine, and the English Isle of Portland — literally 'land by the port; harbor land' (Old English port + land). Used as a modern given name.Low

In 30 seconds: A place name turned first name: Portland means 'harbor land' (said 'PORT-lund'). Modern, breezy, and geographic.
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Origin MediumEnglish
MeaningA place name — the cities in Oregon and Maine, and the English Isle of Portland — literally 'land by the port; harbor land' (Old English port + land). Used as a modern given name.
U.S. rank (2024)#10618 ↗ Rising
2024 U.S. births7 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2021
Total births (all-time)≈ 93

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202120022024

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 an English place name, 'land around a port; harbor land' (port + land), known for the Oregon and Maine cities and the English isle. As a given name it reads modern and place-proud — rare in the U.S. (said 'PORT-lund').

It appears only rarely as a first name in U.S. data. Rare, geographic, and breezy.

Did you know? Portland began as a place name — 'land by the port' — carried by cities in Oregon and Maine and by England's Isle of Portland, now worn as a fresh, geographic given name (said 'PORT-lund').
Overall data confidence 50%
References — Portland — English place name 'harbor land'; given-name use

Variations

PortlynPortPortlend

Nicknames

PortLandy

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Portland…

Preston— a like place-style boy's name
Holland— a like geographic pick
Denver— a like city-name choice
Camden— a like place-name boy's name

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Portland mean?

Portland is a place name meaning 'land by the port; harbor land' (Old English port + land).

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 here as a boy's name; as a place name it works for either.

How popular is Portland?

Portland is a rare name in the U.S.

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