Mostly Nature Names

Thorn

English

"prickle"

Rose and Briar are popular, and Hawthorn is cool – so why not the equally prickly Thorn? Add an E to give it a surnamey spin.

Leaf

Nature name

The nature boy version of the Scandinavian Leif, which actually means "heir". In the creative-naming Phoenix family, Leaf is the former name of the actor we know as Joaquin.

Rain

Nature name

Mostly feminine, though "Office" star Rainn Wilson gives it a slight masculine twist. You might also use this as a short form of Raines.

Dandelion

Flower name, from French

"lion's tooth"

The bright yellow weed lends itself to a creative baby name, although we don't recommend the nickname Dandy.

Pyrite

Greek

"fire stone"

So named because it emits sparks when struck with a stone.

Shale

Word name

Slate, Stone and Steel are on the rise, so why not Shale?

Marble

Marble is an unusual male given name derived from the English word for the smooth, hard metamorphic rock used in sculpture and architecture. As a name, it falls into the category of object or…

Tin

Tin is a masculine name with multiple cultural origins. In Vietnamese, it means "belief" or "trust," making it a name with positive virtues embedded in its meaning. In Chinese culture, the name can…

Granite

Nature name

There's a whole quarry of rocky names parents are now considering: Slate, Flint, etc. , but this one is particularly hard-edged and problematic.

Mars

Roman mythology

"god of war; male; red planet"

Mars is a name with interesting potential, ticking the boxes as a mythological name, a space name, and a single syllable choice ending in -s. For parents wanting something unexpected, Mars could work…

Quince

Latin

"applelike fruit"

The girls have Apple, Plum, Peaches, Cherry, and Berry: here's one variety of fruit suitable for a boy.