Magnolia, a sweet-smelling Southern belle of a name made famous via the iconic Edna Ferber novel and musical Showboat, is one of the latest wave of botanical names, along with exotic blossoms Azalea and Zinnia.
Magnolia has been chosen for his daughter by Adrian Young of No Doubt—which happens to be a fabulous baby-naming consortium as well as a great musical group.
In Showboat, the Magnolia character goes by nicknames Noa, Nollie, and Maggie.
Magnolia charted on the popularity list almost every year from 1880 to 1940, topping at Number 420 in 1909—but it's now making a comeback.
Magnolia Breeland is a character on the TV show Hart of Dixie, who happens to have a sister named Lemon and a father named Brick.
