999+ Nature Names for Babies

  1. Carmel
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "garden"
    • Description:

      Carmel is a biblical place-name that is often used by Catholic parents around the world. It is given in honor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and is the name of a mountain ridge on the Mediterranean near Haifa in Israel, mentioned in the Old Testament, famous for its lush vegetation and said to have been often visited by Mary and the Infant Christ.
  2. Carmela
    • Origin:

      Italian and Spanish variation of Carmel
    • Meaning:

      "garden"
    • Description:

      Carmela has been most famous recently as the name of Tony Soprano's TV wife, played by Edie Falco. The spellings Carmela and Carmella are both used in Latin cultures including Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese, and are used nearly equally in the US, given to a total of about 300 baby girls last year.
  3. Rosamel
    • Origin:

      French and Spanish
    • Meaning:

      "rose and honey"
    • Description:

      A French surname turned Spanish masculine given name, Rosamel likely derives from the combination of rose + Greek mel "honey".
  4. Dune
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Meaning:

      "sand hill"
    • Description:

      Dune is a name of several layers. It's a modern nature name, like Ocean, Bay and Reef, although rarer, conjuring up images of breezy sand dunes on summer beach days.
  5. Orchid
    • Origin:

      From Greek
    • Meaning:

      "orchid flower"
    • Description:

      Orchid is a hothouse bloom that has not been plucked by many modern baby namers — yet. In the language of flowers, orchids symbolize love, beauty, and sophistication.
  6. Topaz
    • Origin:

      Greek gem name
    • Description:

      As a name, Topaz is sophisticated and sultry; as a golden gem, it's said to have healing and energizing properties and also to bring good luck-- and being the birthstone for November it's one of the perfect names for November babies, with that final 'z' giving it some extra sizzle.
  7. Yesenia
    • Origin:

      Spanish, Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "palm tree; flower"
    • Description:

      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 is also an Arabic name meaning flower, making it an excellent cross-cultural choice.
  8. Verbena
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "sacred foliage"
    • Description:

      This name of a showy, lemony plant makes an unusual entry into the name garden.
  9. Tansy
    • Origin:

      Flower name, from Greek
    • Meaning:

      "immortality"
    • Description:

      Tansy is a flower name rarer than Rose, livelier than Lily and a lot less teasable than Pansy.
  10. Naim
    • Origin:

      Scottish; Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "river with alder trees; happy"
    • Description:

      Naim, also sometimes spelled Naime, is a pleasant choice that may have some confusing pronunciation issues in English-speaking countries (where may will say this name as "name"). But don't let that deter you if you're in love with this moniker.
  11. Laken
    • Origin:

      Variation of Lake, English
    • Description:

      Not quite a nature name and not quite a surname — whatever Laken is or isn't, we know it's definitely a name to watch.
  12. Maize
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "corn"
    • Description:

      One of the more unusual nature names, Maize is given to a dozen or so boys and girls each year and is almost completely unisex in terms of usage. It could also be short for Maisie/Maizie. Disclaimer: potential for "corny" jokes.
  13. Yasmin
    • Origin:

      Persian
    • Meaning:

      "jasmine flower"
    • Description:

      This name, whose sweet and fragrant floral essence has always been widespread across the Near Eastern world, has now landed on US popularity lists in a variety of spellings. It's been dropping precipitously over the past few years, though, perhaps due to a combination of tensions in the Middle East and the fading fashion status of Jasmine itself.
  14. Norma
    • Origin:

      English or Latin
    • Meaning:

      "from the north; or, the pattern"
    • Description:

      Invented for Bellini's opera, Norma had some star quality in the silent-screen and Marilyn Monroe days, but at this point it's a graying grandma in baby name limbo.
  15. Isle
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "small island"
    • Description:

      Isla is a contemporary gem, so why not Isle? As an English word name, it takes you straight to the literal definition — a small island — which could have an appealing, aspirational ring to it, for those wanting to raise independent children.
  16. Anemone
    • Origin:

      Flower name; Greek
    • Meaning:

      "daughter of the wind"
    • Description:

      Anemone is a floral name that relates to the ancient Greek myth of the famous love story of Aphrodite and Adonis, in which Aphrodite transforms her wounded lover's blood into a flower, the crimson anemone, whose blossoms are opened by the wind — accounting for its other name, windflower.
  17. Peridot
    • Origin:

      Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "a green gemstone"
    • Description:

      Peridot is the gem of the month of August, a vibrant green mineral, said to be good for helping people put the past behind them, and an interesting, undiscovered jewel name. It was regarded in ancient times as the symbol of the sun.
  18. Meridian
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "midday / pinnacle"
    • Description:

      In geography, a meridian is a line drawn around the curve of the Earth between the North and South Poles. The term comes from Latin meridianus, meaning "pertaining to midday", and the association with midday has led to the word gaining an added figurative meaning of "pinnacle; culmination".
  19. Sequoia
    • Origin:

      Native American, Cherokee
    • Meaning:

      "sparrow"
    • Description:

      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.
  20. Birch
    • Origin:

      Tree name
    • Description:

      Birch is a rarely used nature name that calls to mind the lovely image of the tall, strong but graceful white-barked tree.