Nature Names for Boys
Across 5 pages
of 5
About this list
The top names below rank among the current US Top 1000 Baby Names and are ordered by popularity. Unique names rank below the Top 1000 and are listed alphabetically.
The names
River
Nature name
River shares the tranquil feeling of all the water names, and seems to have pretty much escaped its past strong association with River Phoenix and his unfortunate fate. Actor Joaquin Phoenix named…
Hayes
English surname and nature name
"hedged area"
One of those simple, straightforward English surnames -- and with a presidential pedigree -- that's easy to translate into a first. Chosen by both Kevin Costner and Jessica Alba for their sons, it…
Briar
Nature name, English word name
"a thorny patch"
This word name entered the US Top 1000 for both genders in 2015, though it premiered a little higher for girls. There are still more baby girls named Briar than baby boys -- 594 vs. 361 in 2021 --…
Ocean
English, nature name
"ocean"
Nature names like Ocean and River are flowing back into favor, especially with nature lovers and green-oriented parents. In 2024, it was given to 483 boys and 325 girls, making this a unisex favorite…
Cloud
Nature name
Like Sky and Sunshine, this fluffy name from the hippie 1970s has floated back onto the naming radar. It's similarity of Clyde and Claude help to ground it.
Clove
Nature name
Clove is one of a whole tantalizing genre of spice names that might work for a boy. Clovis could be considered a long form.
Beach
Nature name, English word name
"a shore of a body of water"
With the tide coming in on a new wave of word names, this one just might catch on, especially for parents who relish sun, sand, and surf. Forest lovers can spell it Beech, like the tree.
Dove
Color and nature name
"dove, a bird"
Subtle but clear unisex way to signal peace, especially in middle place.
Brook
English nature name
"small stream"
Now that the popularity of Brooke is waning, and surname style variant Brooks is on the rise, Brook seems live a newly fresh nature-inspired option.
Dune
English word name
"sand hill"
Dune is a name of several layers. It's a modern nature name, like Ocean, Bay and Reef, although rarer, conjuring up images of breezy sand dunes on summer beach days. It's also assocated with Frank…
Eagle
Nature name
"eagle, a bird"
Solemn but soaring name with patriotic symbolism.
Falcon
Bird name
There is a whole new species of bird names open to the baby namer, from the light and feminine Lark to the sleek and powerful Falcon.
Field
Nature name
More unusual than Forest or Forrest, Field is a nature name that is simple, evocative, and fresh--sort of the male equivalent of Meadow. Field and Fields are both relatively common surnames, noted…
Finch
English word and nature name
"to swindle"
It feels like Finch should be a modern bird name that's as popular as Wren or Lark, but that's not the case - so it's one to consider if you're looking for a nature name that's familiar but rare.…
Grove
Nature name
"grove of trees"
If you find Grover too fusty and furry, this is a much cooler-sounding alternative.
Crane
English surname
"crane"
This elegant surname has great potential to turn into an unusual first name, especially with its literary associations to both Stephen and Hart Crane. Crane is a surname that originated for a tall…
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.
Hawk
Nature name
"hawk, a bird"
Animal names are on the rise, especially more of the aggressive Hawk-Fox-Wolf variety than cute little Bunnys or Robins, and Hawk is a prime example. Hawk is more commonly heard as a surname,…
Heron
Nature name or Greek
"hero"
Heron may feel like a very usable nature name -- the heron is a long-legged wading bird -- but it was also the name of a 1st century Greek inventor and of an Egyptian saint. Highly unusual yet easy…
Glade
Nature name
"clearing in a forest"
Shady, leafy nature-boy name.