Category: Nature, Place and Word Names
By Linda Rosenkrantz
Ever since the time that William and Fanny Nightingale decided to name their baby daughter Florence after the city of her birth, parents have warmed to the idea of choosing pretty names of pretty places, particularly if they have some particular significance for them. In the recent past we’ve seen the popularity of Paris and London, Brooklyn and Trenton, Boston, Austin and Aspen, Savannah and Siena/Sienna. But here are 12 lovely choices from the continent of Europe that you probably have not considered.
By Carrie Steingruber
Spending a day on the water is an ideal way to escape the heat — or find new name inspiration. Even landlubbers can appreciate the swashbuckling rhythm and symbolic meanings of baby names inspired by boats and sailing. Most of these nautical names are outside the U.S. top 1,000 but don’t feel out of place with today’s trends:
By Linda Rosenkrantz
The color yellow is certainly one of the cheeriest in the crayon box, and in this sunniest of seasons, you may want to impart that optimistic vibe via the name of your summertime babe. These range from golden-toned names like Aurelia and Goldie to sun-related Soleil and Sunny to the bright yellow blossoms found in the garden. Here are our twelve best yellow names.
According to zodiac lore, the sun entered the constellation of Leo the lion on July 23, meaning that babies born between then and August 22 are ruled by its brave, strong and imperious influence. Whether or not you buy into the idea of astrology, it’s a major part of our culture, well worth mining for name possibilities.
If you wanted to commemorate your Leo baby’s sun sign in his or her name, there are a few different ways you could go. The most literal one would be to pick a name that refers directly to Leo. Luckily, there are more than a few great choices, for both boys and girls, that do.
If you love nature names for girls, you have a world of choices beyond the obvious River and Rose.
The choices here live below the US Top 1000 baby names, yet are not so far out on the limb — like Apple, literally — that people will be shocked.
We looked for girls’ names that referenced plants and animals, the ocean and the sky. We also included names of places known for their beautiful natural features and times of year rich with natural qualities.
Some of these names, such as Clover and Ocean, announce their connection to nature in plain terms. Others, such as Acacia and Sedona, are more subtle.
All are worth consideration if you love unusual nature names.