Baby Name Meanings · Nature, Place and Word Names
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 28 pages
of 28
Celtic
"bear"
Some sources say Artis is a form of Arthur, and it certainly has the same root and meaning of bear. But Artis is a name in its own right with a 60-year history on the US Top 1000, from about 1900…
Feminine variation of Guiomar, Spanish, Portuguese
"famous in battle"
The longer form of Xia is more rhythmic but also more problematic.
Feminization of Ebbe, Swedish and Danish, or variation of Old English Æbbe
"bear god; brave boar"
Ebba, the feminine version of Ebbe (a diminutive of Eberhard or Asbjorn) and also a form of an old English name, is in the Swedish Top 10 but virtually unknown in the US. However, with the rise of…
Variation of Rachel, Hebrew
"ewe"
This form of the Biblical Rachel is well-used despite its somewhat counter-intuitive spelling which can make English speakers think the name should be pronounced with a k sound, as in Raquel. The…
Irish
"strong as a wolf"
Too many Connors in your neighborhood? This name--spelled with one 'l' or two--is equally authentic and much more unusual.
Nature name
"hawk, a bird"
Animal names are on the rise, especially more of the aggressive Hawk-Fox-Wolf variety than cute little Bunnys or Robins, and Hawk is a prime example. Hawk is more commonly heard as a surname,…
Arabic
"panther, leopard"
Roar! This popular name in the Arab world was once almost unused by English speakers, but is now given to a few boys in the States each year. It can also be spelled Fahad and Fahed.
Diminutive of Sabina and other -ina names, Yiddish or Hebrew
"bee or understanding"
Sources say that Bina, which is close to the word for bee in Yiddish, was once used as a translation for the Hebrew Deborah, which means bee. On its own, it also means "understanding" in Hebrew.…
Native American
"deer"
Beautiful Indigenous name connected to visual artist Dyani White Hawk. Dyani was most popular in 2001, when it was given to 73 baby girls.
Variation of Auberon
"elf king; noble bear"
The Shakespearean character Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream is King of the Fairies, but the name, with its bold 'O' beginning has plenty of strength alongside its magical qualities. Oberon was…
English surname
"hare land"
Arlen might be thought of as an update on the midcentury Arlene or as a unisex surname-name. Arlen was given to 22 girls in the US last year vs 57 boys and those numbers may grow with the fashion for…
"falcon"
The eleventh brightest star in the sky has a celestial feel, but also could be the name of a commercial airline.
Nature name or Greek
"hero"
Heron may feel like a very usable nature name -- the heron is a long-legged wading bird -- but it was also the name of a 1st century Greek inventor and of an Egyptian saint. Highly unusual yet easy…
Diminutive of Eberhard, German
"brave boar"
Eber is far more approachable than its full forbidding form.
English word and nature name
"to swindle"
It feels like Finch should be a modern bird name that's as popular as Wren or Lark, but that's not the case - so it's one to consider if you're looking for a nature name that's familiar but rare.…
"a young deer"
The doe-eyed Fawn is as gentle and soft as the baby deer it represents. And much like that baby deer, it carries with it the potential of new life. Fawn was featured at the bottom of the Top 1000…
Portuguese, Spanish, French, Turkish, and Breton variation of Ronan, Irish
"little seal"
An international variation of Ronan primarily found in Brazil.
Spanish
"rough, unbroken horse"
For the parent who might also have Buck and Ryder on his list.
British from Latin, or Anglicized form of French
"corner or crow"
This name has not one but two impressive cultural connections: collage artist Joseph Cornell and photographer Cornell Capa--not to mention Cornell University.
Swahili or Shona
"lion; strength"
Traditional African name made cartoonish by the Disney character in The Lion King. In Shona it means "strength".
