Butterfly Baby Names: From Annabella to Zephyr
By Meagan at tulipbyanyname.com
Butterflies will always remind me of my great-grandmother’s garden. I loved sipping lemonade with her on the back porch and watching the butterflies flutter around her yard.
Butterflies are symbolic of rebirth, perseverance, creation, freedom, love, and beauty. These lovely little winged creatures are prominent in art, folklore, mythology and many religions.
While I’m not suggesting that any of you name your next kiddo “Butterfly,” I do think that the world of butterflies has some pretty cool names to offer us. Perhaps some will serve as inspiration to you writers out there.
Cressida – also known as the Clearwing Swallowtail, the Cressida butterfly is found in Australia, Indonesia, and New Guinea. A Greek mythological name meaning “gold,” Cressida has a very regal and grand sound to me.
Lysandra – the Lysandra belongs to the Lycaenidae family of butterflies, which make up about 30% of the butterfly family. An old Greek name, Lysandra is a feminization of the male name, Lysandros. I picture a Lysandra to be very poetic and intuitive.
Issoria – The Queen of Spain Fritillary or the Issoria Iathonia is part of the Nymphalidae butterfly family. Issoria could be a beautiful alternative to the popular Isabella. I love the beautiful, unique, and mystical sound of Issoria.
Mariposa – the Spanish word for butterfly. River and Joaquin Phoenix have a sister named Libertad (Liberty) Mariposa. Mattel also has a popular fairytale video series called Barbie Mariposa.
Vanessa – Vanessa Annabella, also known as the West Coast Lady, is a genus of brush-footed butterflies. Vanessa is a literary name that always reminds me of the character Vanessa Huxtable from The Cosby Show.
Annabella – Also for the Vanessa Annabella, or the West Coast Lady, a genus of butterfly. These lovely butterflies are prevalent in the Western United states and in Southwestern Canada. Annabella is a Latin name, a variation of Annabel, meaning “loving.” Both Anna and Bella are lovely names, putting them together is a winning combination.
Cynthia – within the genus of Vanessa butterflies is a subgenus called the Cynthia group. This group of butterflies is very colorful and are also known as “painted ladies”. Cynthia is a Greek name meaning “woman from Kynthos” that has been steadily sinking in popularity.
Cassius – known as the Cassius Blue or Leptotes Cassius, it is also partof the Lycaenidae family, and can be commonly found in the southern United States. A Latin name meaning “hollow.” Cassius isn’t too popular at #760 in the United States, however it is a name I see on many baby name blogs and forums. Perhaps Cassius is a name-lover’s name.
Zephyr – Polygonia zephyrus is quite a mouthful, so the layman’s term Zephyr is more common. Greek in origin, meaning “west wind,” Zephyr definitely has a cool factor to it.
Icarus – The Common Blue or the Polyommatus icarus is a little butterfly in the Lycaenidae family. Icarus, like most of these names, comes from Greek mythology, and sounds to me like a name J.K. Rowling would use.