May Names Celebrate Nature!

Updated Thu May 01 2025

May baby names are bright and spirited with a hint of whimsy and adventure, and like the month itself, they celebrate nature. If you’re expecting a child this month, there are many ways to connect their name to the month of May.

The name of the month could work as a great starting point for your name search. May was named for the Roman goddess of spring, Maia, a stylish, international choice that can also be spelled as Maya and Maja. The sweet and simple May itself is a favorite middle name , but if you prefer something more subtle, you could try a name that features the sound, like Maeve, Mason, or Esmae.

A botanical name or a nature name like Dahlia or Brooks would be a great way to celebrate a month of flowers, growth, new leaves, and getting outside again, while a name that means sun could work as a nod to the (hopefully) better weather.

The Zodiac symbols associated with May provide further inspiration. For babies born under Taurus, a name reflecting strength and steadfastness like Constance or Evander are fitting, while for a Gemini baby, the classic Thomas and its variants Tamsin and Tavish have the ideal meaning of "twin".

Noteworthy celebrations in May include Cinco de Mayo, a day to celebrate Mexican culture and achievements. For a baby born at the beginning of the month, you could choose a name that honors a Mexican hero, such as the artist Frida Kahlo or the writer Octavio Paz.

Armed Forces Day and Memorial Day are also observed in the US during the month of May. You might choose a name relating to the military such as Miles and Navy, or one associated with remembrance like Poppy.

For all the best names for a May baby, consult our guide below.

Top May Baby Names

If April rain really does bring May flowers, then it might be fitting to pick a botanical name – particularly one inspired by flowers that bloom during the month. Luckily, there are some very usable options: Magnolia, Jacob (Jacob’s Ladder), Lily (calla lily, lilium), Violet (dog violet), Solomon (common Solomon’s seal), Daisy (Shasta daisy), Meadow (Meadow Clary), and Bear (Bear’s Breech).

Sticking to the theme of nature, the color green is heavily associated with the month of May, connected to new leaves, verdant landscapes, and May's birthstone, emerald. These associations could lead you to the sleek Zayd meaning "growth", to familiar, friendly Chloe meaning "fresh, green shoot", and to stylish Zara meaning "blooming flower" from its Arabic roots.

Lilac is another of May’s colors, symbolizing tranquillity and calm, and though Lilac itself is a rare choice, you might want to look at some names with serene meanings. Popular options include Paxton, Mira, Shiloh, Serena, and Frederick.

For a baby born around May 5, you might opt for a name that honors Cinco de Mayo, an annual event to commemorate the Mexican army’s defeat of France during the 1862 Battle of Puebla. Celebrated with Mexican food, parades, and music, you could mark the day by exploring a range of popular Mexican names. For girls, there’s Sarahi, Marisol, Yaretzi, Romina, and Aitana, and for boys, there's Mateo, Rafael, Pablo, Bruno, and Iker.

Below are some of the trendiest May inspired names for babies, all within the US Top 1000.

May Girl Names

One of the major symbols of May is the Lily-of-the-valley flower, which provides a wealth of inspiration. You could consider the obvious Lily, the more obscure Valley, or one of the charming common names of the plant: Mayflower, Maylily, or Maybell. For some international inspiration, the Welsh Gwenonwy, the Polish Konwalia, and the Serbo-Croatian Đurđevka are all associated with Lily-of-the-valley

The Lily-of-the-valley is a flower surrounded by symbolism too. In Greek mythology, it was associated with the god Apollo, who adorned the woods with it to safeguard his Muses. This gives you options such as Apolline, Calliope, Clio, Poem, Thalia, and Lyric. In some Christian traditions, the flower is said to have sprung from the tears of Mary during the crucifixion of Jesus, which might lead you to variations of Mary, like Maren or Miriam.

The birthstone for May is the beautiful green Emerald, which itself makes a sparkly name for a girl. International emerald options include Esmeralda, Emeraude, and Margad, while multicultural Mya ticks multiple boxes as a variation of Maia and Mary (via Mia and Maria) and as a Burmese name that means "emerald".

The green gemstone is also associated with good luck and wealth which might lead you to Felicity, Sowena, and Ottilie. Alternatively, emeralds have been given the nickname "the truth stone", linked to sincerity and obtaining wisdom, which gives you options such as Sophie, Sage, Hakima, and Verity.

There are a number of famous women born in May who might make interesting namesakes. Singers Idina Menzel, Sabrina Carpenter, and Adele all have lovely names, while actresses Audrey Hepburn, Helena Bonham Carter, Rosario Dawson, and Octavia Spencer provide inspiring options. You could also consider Florence in honor of the May-born founder of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale.

Below, we've put together a list of the best May baby names for girls.

May Boy Names

The connection between May, the colors green and lilac, and the blossoming of flowers makes it the perfect month to choose a whimsical nature name for a boy. The elegant Florian is reminiscent of the seasonal blooms while charming Mariglen means "Mary’s Valley" and celebrates the flower of the month, the Lily-of-the-valley. Other nature names for boys with a hint of whimsy include Forest, Aletris, Gable, Sylvan, Oleander, Starling, Daphnis, and Aspen.

If poetic and floral isn’t your thing, how about an outdoorsy name with strength and edge? Wilder, Everest, Ranger, Summit, Ridge, Lennox, and Hawk might work, though Shepherd, Rafferty, Oaks, and River could capture a hint of both styles.

To further honor May’s fresh green hues, you could consider a name that evokes the color, such as Irving, Oliver, Leaf, and Oran (Odhrán). Alternatively, you might like one that celebrates the qualities of the green birthstone, such Raivo (wisdom and protection), Ezra (healing and helping), and Felix (good fortune). A name that celebrates the sunnier days of the season might also appeal, such as Elio, Cyrus, Samson, and Ravi.

In the US, two annual military observations take place in May: Armed Forces Day on the third Saturday of the month and Memorial Day on the last Monday. If honoring the Armed Forces is important to you or your family, you could consider a name explicitly tied to the military, such as Trooper, Major, Navy, Captain, or Gunnar. For a more subtle approach, you could explore names with military-related meanings, like Viggo, Callan, Milo, Roger, Louis, and Finlo.

Famous namesakes for a boy born in May include wrestler and actor Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, natural historian and biologist David Attenborough, skateboarder, Tony Hawk, and tennis player Novak Djokovic. Actors Cillian Murphy, Rami Malek, and Ian McKellan might also provide name inspiration, as could musicians Bob Dylan, Billy Joel, and Stevie Wonder. If you’d prefer a more historical namesake, artist Salvador Dali, filmmaker Orson Wells, dancer Fred Astaire, and writer Arthur Conan Doyle were all born in May.

Here are a collection of our favorite May names for a baby boy.

Unique May Names

If you want a name that truly stands out for your May baby, then the symbols of May offer up plenty of unique inspiration. Rare choices associated with the color green include Midori and Viridian, while Lilac gets you the Italian Lilla and the Hebrew Lilach.

If you love the botanical and floral elements of the month, then you could consider one the more unusual names inspired by May time flowers. Yarrow, Amaryllis, Wisteria, and Lilium are directly borrowed from the blooms, while Pomeline is inspired by apple blossoms and Cerise by wild cherries. There’s also Hawthorn, considered the tree of the month.

For more nature related options, you could take inspiration from the herb associated with May, which is mint. This gives you super fresh options like Minttu, Saranae, and Pudeena, along with Araminta, which could get you to nickname Minty.

Additionally, the hummingbird is the bird of the month, which gives you Luli, Walela, and Rufous, while rare names associated with the sun such as Naran and Samsa might also appeal to nature lovers expecting in May.

If your baby is born around the first of May, then a May Day (or Beltane) inspired option might be fitting. Celebrated across the world in a variety of ways, it is an ancient festival of life and fertility which can feature dancing round the May Pole, making flower garlands, crowning a May Queen, lighting a bonfire, collecting yellow flowers, and leaving food offerings to spirits and fairies.

As such, you could choose a magical, fairy-related name, like Pixie, Siofra, Auberon, or Elvie; a yellow inspired name such as Xanthe, Aurelius, and Bowie; a name meaning life such as Vita and Vida; or one connected to any of the May Day traditions, like Queenie, Floralia, Garland, and Ignatius.

Browse more unique names for May babies below, given to less than 100 babies in 2023.

See our entire collection of May names for babies here.

About the Author

Grace Royal

Grace, or perhaps better known as greyblue over on the forums is a lover of names, books, and guinea pigs.

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