Nature, Place and Word Names · Baby Name Meanings
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 33 pages
of 33
English
"oak wood or clearing"
As sturdy as Oak, but with stronger roots as a first name, Oakley ticks lots of boxes for modern trends. With its unisex vibe, its nature-based meaning, its surname-y feel, and its popular -lee…
French feminine version of Clement, Latin
"mild, merciful"
Clementine is a Nameberry favorite that broke back into the US Top 1000 in 2014 after more than half a century off the list. A female variation of the more-unusual Clement, Clementine's meaning…
Flower name, from Old English
"key"
Clover is a charming, perky choice if you want to move beyond hothouse blooms like Rose and Lily, and it's recently become a new celeb favorite, chosen by both Neal McDonough and Natasha Gregson…
Latin
"from Laurentium or bay laurel"
Lawrence has survived from Roman times, when Laurentium was a city noted for its laurel trees (the laurel is a symbol of wisdom and achievement). It was in the Top 50 from the 1890s through the 1950s…
Variation of Marlow, English
"driftwood"
Marlowe is very much in the air, with its lovely -o ending and the modern twist it offers on the likes of Margaret, Margot, Martha, and Marlene. But is it Marlowe, Marlow, or Marlo? Well, for a girl…
Arabic
"flower"
Abbreviated form of Zahara that was used by Chris Rock for his daughter and as a middle name by both Eddie Murphy and David Bowie. Compared with the even-more-abbreviated Zara, Zahra may create more…
"great, magnificent"
Augustine is more substantial (and saintly) than August, less pretentious than Augustus, and, along with its nickname Gus, is definitely a viable choice. Augustine is actually the diminutive form of…
Dutch place name
"wooded land"
Holland is one of the coolest geographical names, unadorned and elegant, evocative of fine Rembrandt portraits and fields of pink and yellow tulips. It first entered the US Top 1000 for girls in…
Hebrew
"myrtle tree"
This Hebrew name of Queen Esther is well used in Israel (especially for girls born around the holiday of Purim), and in the US is the name of a Zionist women's philanthropic organization. Formerly…
Greek
"where roses grow"
This is a name we've seen the potential of for some time now — A Greek island and a prestigious scholarship make for a preppy first name with the uber-stylish S ending. Needless to say we were not…
Flower name, from English
"golden flower"
Marigold, once found almost exclusively in English novels and aristocratic nurseries, is beginning to be talked about and considered here. It has a sweet, sunny, quirky feel. The marigold was the…
English variation of Italian Lauretta; diminutive of Laura
"bay laurel"
Though Loretta has long ago lost its Latin flair, fashionable Sarah Jessica Parker's choice of it as the middle name of one of her twin daughters freshens it up a bit. It's one of several such names,…
Flora, the name of the Roman goddess of flowers and spring, who enjoyed eternal youth, is one of the gently old-fashioned girls' flower names that's making a big comeback. Short and sweet, it joins…
French variation of English Ann and Hebrew Hannah
"grace"
The name of the sainted mother of the Virgin Mary was among the top girls’ names for centuries, in both the original English Ann spelling and the French Anne. Both left the Top 100 around 1970 but…
Spanish; Bulgarian; Romanian; Serbian; Lithuanian; Albanian
"purple; violet (flower)"
Violeta is the variation of Violet found throughout various countries in Eastern Europe -- the name is styled this way in Bulgarian and Romanian as well as other languages -- and Spain, while…
Arabic, Hebrew, Russian
"scattering wind; God has helped; sunrise, dawn"
Zariyah has several possible origins: the Arabic Zahrah which means "flower" or Zariya "scattering wind"; the Hebrew name Azariah, meaning "God has helped"; or the Russian word Zaria which means…
Latinate variation of Rose
"rose, a flower"
As sweet-smelling as Rose but with an international flavour, Rosa is one of the most classic Portuguese, Spanish and Italian names , which is also favored by upper-class Brits, having an ample…
Hebrew, Hawaiian, Maori, Japanese
"grace, work, glow, flower"
Many things to many peoples: a flower name, also spelled Hanae, to the Japanese; a Czech and Polish short form of Johana; and an alternate form of the biblical name Hannah in the US. It also means…
Diminutive of Rosemary, Roma, Romana, Romilly etc.
Austrian actress Romy Schneider seemed to be the singular bearer of this international nickname name until it found new style currency in the past decade, entering the US Top 1000 for the first time…
Italian, Polish, Russian diminutive of Angela
"angel or angelic"
Angelica is by far the choicest form of the angelic names -- more delicate than Angelina, more feminine than Angel, more modern than Angela. But though Angelica is so lacy and poetic, it lags behind…
