Nature, Place and Word Names · Unisex Baby Names
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 24 pages
of 24
French surname
"little redhead"
Philosophical surname that could make an unusual first for a red-headed girl.
Persian place name
Now deeply associated with the gemstone Lapis Lazuli, Lazuli is derived from one of the places where the stone was first mined. The word Lazuli is the root for words like azure. Lapis Lazuli is a…
Diminutive of Rowan or Rowena, Irish, Scottish, Welsh
"rowan tree, little redhead; white spear, famous friend"
Ro- names are on the rise — think Roman, Rory, and Rowan — but straightforward and streamlined Row (and Rowe, Roe, and Ro) takes this trend to the next level. The pared-down single syllable gives Row…
Italian
"lavender"
Italian color and nature name.
Japanese
"crimson"
This Japanese color name is not bestowed upon baby girls, but it's been used for many fictional characters.
Variation of Kamala, Hindi, Hawaiian
"lotus or pale red; or, a garden"
Variation of Kamala.
Sanskrit
"reddish brown"
An important name in Hinduism, in which Kapila was a sage and creator of the Samkhya school of Hindu philosophy.
Sanskrit, Tamil, Thai
"gold"
Kanchana — also spelled Kanjana — is a golden-hued name used in Thailand, Sri Lanka, and among Hindus in India.
Maori
"red garment; rainbow"
In Maori mythology, Kahukura is a god of the rainbow, who manifests as the upper part of a double rainbow. The name is generally used for girls in New Zealand today.
Variation of Isabella and color name
With the popularity of Isabella, you might think of Isabelline as a further elaboration -- though it would be the definition of gilding the lily. But Isabelline is also a color, an amorphous pale…
Irish
"red"
Anglicized form of Ruadh
Also spelt Rua, Ruadh is a strong and simple Irish name with a fiery meaning. Ruadhan is a popular related name.
"red-haired"
Ruadhan (sometimes spelt with a fada: Ruadhán) is a fashionable name in its native Ireland. Borne one of the Twelve Irish Apostles, it originated as a diminutive of Ruadh, meaning "red-haired". It…
Greek
"violet flower"
Iolanthe is known primarily through the 1882 Gilbert & Sullivan operetta of that name, in which the title character is a fairy. Iolanthe is a softer version of Yolanda, and is the kind of…
Spanish
"red-haired, ruddy"
Bright and lively in sound, Rubio is a Spanish surname which was originally used as a nickname for someone with red hair or a ruddy complexion. It ultimately derives from the Latin root rubers…
Norwegian, Danish, Frisian
"ebony; supplanter; yew wood"
This unisex name ranks among the most popular girl names in Norway, though it has a number of different roots. On one hand, it can be derived from the Danish ibenholt meaning "ebony", making it a…
English surname
"red or ruddy"
The surname Rudd, made most famous by Antman actor Paul, derives from the words ruddy or red and may have originally been given to someone with a reddish complexion. While this name can theoretically…
"purple flower"
Like Violet, Lavender and Lilac, Ianthe is a purple flower name. Chosen by the poet Shelley for his daughter, Ianthe has a poetic, romantic, almost ethereal quality. In the ancient myth, she was the…
"adorned with gold"
A beautiful name from Hindu legend borne by a princess who became the wife of Krishna.
Bulgarian, Macedonian
"red-cheeked"
A rare alternative to Roman or Ruben, with a sweet meaning for a rosy-cheeked baby boy.
