Shell has been used as a short form of Shelley for all genders and Sheldon for boys. That was then: Now, Shell can be a beachy nature name and word name turned baby name.

Garance is the vivid deep red color that comes from the madder flower and that has become a fashionable name for baby girls in France in recent years. While it's virtually unknown in the US and other English-speaking countries, Garance makes an original choice in the fashionable flower category. While Garance is usually a girls' name in France, there's no reason it has to be gendered female.

The Spanish word for "shell" is a new addition to the quickly growing list of ocean-inspired nature names.

She may have been an appealing Chinese heroine in Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, but her name won't translate for a modern American girl. Better choices: Snow, or Flora.

If you want a nature name with surname style that speaks to your love of basketball, we suggest Laker.

Feather, though it was used for a character in a Walter Mosley novel, seems too light and fluttery for a real-life girl.

A super popular nature name in its native Turkey, currently Top 50 for both boys and girls there.

Spring doesn't sound half as contemporary as Winter, which has become the cool season name.

This Yaygir Aboriginal name is the name of two towns in Australia and is also occasionally spotted as a name. Meaning "by the sea" the name is perfect for beach-going families.

A sweet nature name, derived from sól "sun" and ey "island", which is the Icelandic word for the buttercup flower. In the Faroe islands it is also found as a short form of Sólja "buttercup".

Grrrr.

The German word for Lavender would certainly make for a pretty and unexpected nature name.

Branch is an attractive name with associations both with trees and with branching out into brave new worlds. Baseball's Branch (born Wesley, with Branch as his middle name) Rickey broke the color barrier by hiring Jackie Robinson for the Dodgers. Like Leaf, Branch makes a nice, not-so-obvious, addition to the tree category.

Strong, interesting nature name reminiscent of Biblical favorites Ezra and Boaz.

Not the most obvious animal for a nature name, but perhaps for fans of Mr Toad of Toad Hall in The Wind in the Willows.Some may find the pronunciation too close to "baggage" for comfort.

Fragrant herb often used for cooking, but scarcely as a name.

A powerful yet playful choice, Tupelo is a name with southern charm, appearing on the map as as place in Mississippi and as the name of a tree with soft, light wood that grows in the swamps of the south. The tree is associated with adaptability and resilience, with a light, mild honey, and with artistic tree carving, lend the name strength, sweetness, and creative flair.

This Hawaiian name gracefully celebrates the force of nature, paying tribute to the ocean. If you're looking for unique names that mean ocean, this should be on your short list.

This surname ultimately derives from a Galician place name meaning "fig tree", but has spread all over the Spanish-speaking world. It's not certain if it's ever been used as a first name, but it could work - especially as it's reminiscent of the operatic character Figaro.

Iraia is one of those uncommon names that have two different meanings and derivations, one female and one male. The girls' version is a Basque name found throughout the Mediterranean with a nature meaning. As a boys' name, Iraia is a tradtiional Maori name.