Nature Names for Girls

Paw

Thai nature name

"papaya plant"

In Thailand, pawpaw, or paw paw, is the name for the papaya plant and flowers. It's been seen on the US charts for baby girls since 2008, never exceeding 30 uses in a single year.

Vivendel

Norwegian nature name

"honeysuckle flower"

The Norwegian word for "honeysuckle" could make for a fresh and vibrant nature-inspired choice.

Layke

Spelling variation of Lake, nature name

The Layke spelling of this refreshing nature name was introduced for one of the Waldrop sextuplets, Layke Bryars, who is male, but the name is gender neutral.

Lakey

Variation of Lake, English nature name

"lake"

A potential nickname for Lake, or in professional surfer Lakey Peterson's case, Laura Louise.

Wildfire

English nature name

"destructive, fast spreading fire over bush or woodland"

Wild, bright, and fearless in feel, but perhaps insensitive in real life, given the destructive nature of wildfires. It might make an interesting choice for a fast moving pet, however.

Seagrass

English nature name

"seagrass"

Seagrasses are aquatic plants — the only flowering plants that grow underwater. They often exist in seagrass beds or meadows — rich ecosystems that house and feed organisms as well as protect against…

Eurybia

Nature name or Greek

"wide force"

Eurybia is a sea titaness and consort of Krios. A lesser-known name from Greek mythology, it may be on board to follow other goddesses back to glory. As a nature name, Eurybia is both a flower and a…

Lightning

Nature name

Olympic athlete Usain Bolt introduced this unusual and electric nature name to the lexicon when he chose it for his daughter's middle name: Olympia Lightning Bolt. Now there's a name with layers of…

Bryars

Variation of Briar, nature name

Briar is a rising unique unisex name and Bryars is a spin introduced as the middle name of one of the Waldrop sextuplets, Layke Bryars, who happens to be a boy. But the name works just as well for…

Wintergreen

English nature name

"green in the winter"

The term "wintergreen" historically referred to plants that remain green through the winter, for which we use the word "evergreen" today. Gaultheria wintergreens, shrubs, contain the oil used to make…

Rice

English nature name

As nature names get more popular, parents look to undiscovered nature words and terms that can be turned into baby names. Rice is certainly undiscovered, but may not make the transition from word to…

Hibiscus

Nature name, Latin from Greek

"marshmallow plant"

An overlooked floral name that would make a bold choice for a first or middle name. Hibiscus — in particular, the yellow hibiscus — is the state flower of Hawaii. Dried hibiscus is used to make tea…

Tearose

English nature name

"tea rose"

A Hybrid Tea Rose is a popular garden rose, developed to produce a single flower per stem. Tearose is a rare but whimsical compound that could perhaps be used as a middle for the daughter of a…

Pennyroyal

Nature name

A unique compound name taken from a variety of mint known for its medicinal properties.

Shell

English nature name

Until now, most girls called Shell used it as a nickname for Shelley or Michelle. Today's Shell is much more likely to be a nature name, cool and beachy, fit for all genders.

Amanita

Nature name, or Spanish, Latin, Indian

"loved, beloved; guided by peace"

Associated with a genus of fungi (which includes the red and white spotted kind, the fly agaric), the actual name may come from the Greek Amanus (the ancient name for the Nur Mountains in Turkey) or…

Tree

Nature name

Tree is an ultimate nature name, made famous by longtime Taylor Swift publicist Tree Paine, born Trina Snyder. With tree names like Maple and Oak on the rise, not to mention the immense popularity of…

Berry

Nature name

With the recent arrival of fruit names like Apple and Plum, this more traditional example, symbolic of fertility, might rise in popularity. Photographer Berry Berenson was born Berinthia.…

Bird

Nature name

We once dismissed Bird as "too flighty", but with the rise of avian names from Lark to Robin to, well, Birdie, we don't see why Bird can't be a fine choice, especially as a middle name.

Cloud

English word name

"water vapor in the atmosphere"

This kind of plainspoken nature name (think River and Sunshine) may still carry a whiff of the hippie, but this one has a nice, airy feel. It's slight similarity to Claude and Clyde helps to ground…