Arboreal Names

The "el-" sound is red-hot these days, and a myriad of place names and surnames give this name a wealth of possible namesakes. The main drawback is its kinship to the name of the hero of the Legally Blond series, Elle Woods, though that will fade with time.

The surname-style Alden has been on the rise in the US in recent years, while tree-inspired Rowan is a top choice. Combine this with the popularity of names ending in -er such as Carter and Parker and it makes sense why Alder is now 4 times as popular as it was a decade ago. Given to 125 boys in a recent year, it could be a modern way to honor an "Al".

Adding a final a to Tamar lends it a more sensual Slavic tone, making it a more popular choice than the original.

Cullen is an appealing Irish surname name that upped its cool factor considerably when it became the Twilight family name of Edward et al. It's considerably less popular than it was at its peak in 2010, but is still widely used.

Forget the furry blue Muppet, forget corpulent President Cleveland (not too difficult), and consider this name anew. We think it's spunky, a little funky, and well worth a second look.

This lively Old Testament nature name (belonging to one of the three beautiful daughters of Job) may be missing from the current US Top 1000 list, but it ranks highly here on Nameberry — making it one to watch!

Though Dara was an (extremely wise) male figure in the Bible, this name feels mostly feminine to modern Americans. The Irish Gaelic version, Darragh, is well-used in contemporary times for boys.

Unlike its somewhat formal Swiss city namesake, this is a lively and appealing place-name that also has a real history as a female name.

Popular President Franklin Delano Roosevelt inspired a brief fashion for this as a first name in the 1940s; almost never heard today.

Eila is a Hebrew name heard in Israel. The name also has roots in Finland and Norway, where it's derived from Elina, a variation of Helen, or from Aila, a form of Helga. Eila could gain attention as a cross-cultural name and fresh alternative to popular sound-alike choices like Ayla, Ella, and Isla.

This Mediterranean island name would be a plausible choice for parents with a Greek or Turkish heritage.

Evora is a city in Portugal known for its magnificent Roman aged ruins. It is occasionally seen as a female name, evoking some of the mystique of this region.

Lindsey is one of the few truly unisex names (rather than being a name that has changed genders). Over time the "ey" ending was usually reserved for women and the "ay" ending reserved for men, and that tradition has continued

This is a rich, melodic shortening of the popular girls' name Amelia that can stand on its own. There are several figures in Greek myth named Melia, most notably a daughter of Oceanus. The Meliae are nymphs associated with trees.

Multicultural name often heard in the Near East. Also spelled Neema and Nimah.

When given the French pronunciation (ay-LAN), has a great deal of esprit and élan.

Similar to Ivana but less personality-driven.

The attractive Euan and Ewan are just coming onto the U.S. radar, via actor Ewan MacGregor and Harry Potter's Euan Abercrombie.

Tauriel is the name of an elf in the film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, played by Evangeline Lilly. She is the head of the Mirkwood Elven guard, and a companion of Legolas. Her name was created from the Sindarin elements taur "forest" and riel "maiden’.

Idra is one of the less obvious botanical names. In ancient times, a fig tree was a symbol of learning, peace, and prosperity.