Discover 29 Cities That Start with N

Whether you’re playing a word game or just trying to remember which city in Tennessee starts with N, we’ve got you covered! In this article, we’ll review a few of the larger cities that start with N and how they got their names. Keep reading to discover the 29 cities (with populations of 500,000 or higher) that start with N.

1. New York City

The most populated city in the United States that starts with N is New York City in New York State. It’s the 11th most populated city in the world. Before New York (the state) had that name, it was New Amsterdam. 

For a long time, New York was just wilderness, and a tribe of Lenape people inhabited it. They had names for various areas, one of which might sound familiar — Manna-hata. As time progressed, explorers began to head northwest to explore more of what would soon be the United States. The Dutch were the first to discover New York and named it New Amsterdam after the Netherlands’ capital city. The British took the land from the Dutch in 1664 and King Charles II gave it to his brother, the Duke of York. Then, the city and state were renamed after him.

2. Naples

Naples is the third-largest city in Italy with a population of 3,115,320 residents. It’s one of the oldest continually-habited cities in the world, with the first colony established in the eighth century BC. That colony was known as Parthenope and refounded as Neápolis a few years later in the sixth century BC. It then was the Duchy of Naples, then the Kingdom of Naples, and later the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. It eventually was just simplified to the name Naples. 

3. Nanjing

Nanjing is the capital of Jiangsu, a province in China. Its name means “The Southern Capital,” a title that came from the early 1400s. Its name comes from the fact that Nanjing has always been an important political city. Multiple kingdoms, a dynasty, and two governments have all called Nanjing home at one point. But in the 1400s, the emperor moved his government to Beijing (“The Northern Capital”), and that’s when Nanjing got its name.

4. Nottingham

Nottingham is a city in England with a little over 300,000 residents. It’s a very popular tourist destination as the home of Robin Hood and many different industries. The city is old, with roots back to the sixth century. At that time, its name was Snotta inga ham, which meant ‘a village owned by Snotta.’ It later became Snottingham, and finally ended up shortened to its current name.

5. Nashville

Nashville is the capital of Tennessee in the United States. It’s well known for being the home of country music, having the Grand Ole Opry, and the Johnny Cash museum. Nashville got its name back in the late 1700s. The area was first settled as a fort — Fort Nashborough. But in 1784, the name was changed to Nashville.

6. Newcastle upon Tyne

Newcastle upon Tyne (or Newcastle) is a city in the borough of Tyne and Wear in England. It sits on the banks of the River Tyne and is the most populous settlement in North East England. Newcastle got its name in 1080 when William the Conqueror sent his son north to defend the territory against Scotland. To do so, he built a castle on the River Tyne as a crossing point to head north. After that, the area was called Novem Castellum, meaning New Castle, and the name stuck.

7. New Orleans

New Orleans, nicknamed the Big Easy, is the most populated city in the state of Louisana in the United States. It’s a popular tourist destination due to its rich history, its Creole and Cajun culture, and all of the jazz. New Orleans was once under French rule, and it shows in the city’s architecture and atmosphere. In fact, the French explorer Bienville is the person who named it, calling it Nouvelle-Orléans after the Duke of Orleans. 

8. Nice

Out of all of the city names, Nice is one of the most unique. It certainly sounds like a friendly and fun place to visit! Nice is a city on the southeastern coast of France. It’s the second-largest city in the country. Nice got its name long ago, around 350 BC, and its origins aren’t quite clear. However, most historians believe that the city was named after the goddess of victory, Nike. Perhaps early settlers named the city in celebration of a victory over another colony.

9. Nairobi

Nairobi is the capital of Kenya. It’s best known for Nairobi National Park, where visitors can see endangered black rhinos, zebras, lions, and giraffes. The city’s name comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nairobi, meaning ‘place of cool waters.’ For a long time, the area where the city sits today was all swamp land and it was mainly uninhabited. The creation of the Uganda Railway offered the chance to build in the area and it drew people there. In the 1900s Nairobi became a city and quickly grew to the largest city in Africa.

Summary of Cities That Start with N

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