Nature, Place and Word Names · Unisex Baby Names
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 24 pages
of 24
Hindi
"blue semiprecious stone, bird"
Interesting multi-cultural option.
"gold"
Derived from suvarna , a Sanskrit word meaning "good color".
Scottish
"yellow"
Blane is the attractive surname name of an important sixth-century Scottish saint, though Blaine is a more familiar spelling. Ultimately from the Old Irish Bláán, it has the coloful and upbeat…
Color name, Finnish feminization of Henry, English from German
"estate ruler"
Reddish dye that sounds as if it could be a real name — of the outdated, Old World, Yetta-Hedda variety.
Latin
"red-head"
Rufus is a rumpled, redheaded (it was the nickname for red-haired King William) ancient Roman name popular with saints and singers (e.g. Rufus Wainwright); now, Rufus is on the cutting edge of cool.…
Irish variation of Raymond
"wise protector"
We love this partly for purely personal reasons, since it is one of our surnames. We used it as the middle name of a son –and it can make a good first choice too. Redmond – also found as Reamann or…
English, from Persian
"bluish or lilac"
Could Lilac be the next Lila or Lily or Violet? It certainly has a lot going for it--those lilting double 'l's, the fabulous fragrance it exudes, and the fact that it's a color name as well,…
Romanian and English form of Aurelius, Latin
"golden"
While Aurelio, Aurelia, and Aurelius are all on the rise, this historical and Romanian form of the golden name is yet to share in its relatives' success. Given to just 25 boys in a recent year, it…
English
"greenish blue color"
Cyan is a highly unusual blue-green color name, a classmate of Celadon and Cerulean. It does come with the homey nickname Cy.
"red-haired"
The Reid spelling is surprisingly more popular than the naturey Reed for both boys and girls, though more than 95% of little Reids are male.
Flower name, from Greek
"blue larkspur; precious stone"
Though it may not be as sweet and gentle as, say, Violet, the purple-hued Hyacinth still might hold some appeal for the parent seeking a truly unusual flower name. In Greek mythology, Hyacinthus was…
"the hazelnut tree"
The charming vintage nature and color name Hazel has become popular for girls, but more than 30 baby boys were named Hazel in the US in a recent year. In fact, it's not a new thing for boys to be…
Modern Hebrew name
This is a Hebrew word name, created from the word zahav, meaning gold.
Color name
"deep reddish-brown"
With its rich aural relation to names like Aubrey and Audrey, this color name could be the next Amber, or Scarlett.
Hindu
"dark, tawny"
Familiar via Harry, but much more worldly.
Grey is the more common spelling in Britain and Australia. This color name has a softness and ambiguity which makes it equally lovely for a boy or a girl.
Turkish, Spanish
"blue; beloved + victorious"
Mavi is both a gender-neutral Turkish name with a colorful meaning and a Spanish short form of the double name, Maria Victoria. Also the name of a jeans company, it would be pronounced as MAH-vee in…
Ori is a delicate feminine name with multicultural roots. In Hebrew, it means "my light" derived from "or" (light), symbolizing enlightenment and hope. In Finnish mythology, Ori refers to a majestic…
Variation of Rowan, Irish and Scottish, Frisian, English word name
"little redhead; rowan tree; raven; animal with a coat of two interspersed colors"
Historically more popular for boys and generally less familiar than its sound-alike Rowan, Roan is a name with multiple meanings, origins, and pronunciations. Given to less than 10 girls back in…
English word name
Sweet but sharp, Lemon was given to a surprising 50 girls back in 2021, while in a more recent year, it was given to just shy of 30. Some parents may find it summery and refreshing, while others may…
