Nature, Place and Word Names
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 12 pages
of 12
Spanish, Arabic
"palm tree; flower"
Yesenia is a Latinx favorite popularized by a character on a Spanish-language soap opera. Jessenia is another variation. The name is drawn from the name of a palm tree in South America, but Yesenia…
English
"elder tree forest"
The "el-" sound is red-hot these days, and a myriad of place names and surnames give this name a wealth of possible namesakes. The main drawback is its kinship to the name of the hero of the Legally…
Native American, Cherokee
"sparrow"
This name of a giant tree, itself named for a nineteenth-century Cherokee who invented a way to write his tribe's language, makes a strong, stately statement.
Variation of Oakley, English
"oak clearing"
While Oakley is remarkable even in terms of girl-boy distribution, the Oaklee spelling variation is used much more often on girls.
Arabic
"perfect"
An easily adaptable Middle Eastern names, partly because of its similarity to the western Camila, Kamilah has gentle sounds and a bright meaning. It is a feminine form of Kamil, meaning "perfect,…
French
"yew wood"
Peaking in the 1950s, Yvonne has now dropped out of the Top 1000 in 2003 and doesn't look set to return soon, although its rare Y initial might endear it to some. Yvaine, from Neil Gaiman's Stardust…
Scottish and Irish, Brazilian
"oak tree ford; wealthy spearman; wealth and fame"
Adair has flair, the grace of a Fred Astaire, and a daring, spirited vibe. It's usually considered a Scottish surname, derived from the name Edgar, though other possibilities are that it derives from…
"linden tree hill"
An English surname-turned-first-name whose most famous bearer is former US president Lyndon B. Johnson. His appointment in 1963 caused a huge spike in use for his unusual name the following year,…
"pear tree"
Perry fits right in with rising boyish nicknames for girls and cool picks like Frankie and Scottie. This relaxed name sounds novel compared to such former favorites as Kerry and Sherry. Perry is the…
English tree name
"tree of the genus Tilla"
Though this name of a sturdy tree that can live for centuries was quite popular for boys in the first half of the twentieth century, at this point in time we can see Linden as a fresh-sounding…
Modern invented name
"oak land"
Gentle but mighty, Oaklen is one of the "Oak" names that are currently on trend. Inspired by the surname Oakland, it entered the UK Top 1000 in 2022. While Oakley remains the most popular choice by…
"driftwood"
Marlow is a suave, unusual surname-name that was chosen by Celine designer Phoebe Philo for her older son. This is a name with many spellings and many difference in gender identity. Marlowe is…
"tree from the genus Quercus"
Oak, a symbol of solidity, strength, and longevity, is joining Cedar and Pine as a viable name, one that would work especially well in the middle. If you'd prefer to take the longer route to the…
"near the oaks"
One part nature name, one part surname name. Oakes gives you the best of both worlds.
Hebrew
"date palm tree"
Tamar is a rich, strong Old Testament name sometimes given to girls born on the holiday of Sukkoth, as palm branches were used to make the roof of the sukkah. In the Bible, there are several Tamars,…
Greek
"thorny"
Acacia is an attractive, rarely used Greek flower name enhanced by its popular beginning-and-ending-with 'a'-construct, and is gradually beginning to catch on as a new member of the stylish girl…
"tree"
When given the French pronunciation (ay-LAN), has a great deal of esprit and élan.
"oak tree"
Ilana is a name with seemingly endless variations, well used in Israel, sometimes chosen for little girls born on the holiday of TuB'Shevat, the New Year of the Trees. While some sources say Ilana is…
English surname
"dark wood or clearing"
Blakeley is one of the many -ley ending surnames that is being adopted as a first name, updating the 80s darlings Blake and Ashley.
"olive tree"
More and more frequently heard as the Gallic version of Oliver, Olivier could be seen as a tribute to the great British actor, Sir Laurence O.
