585+ Botanical Baby Names
- Loretta
Origin:
English variation of Italian Lauretta; diminutive of LauraMeaning:
"bay laurel"Description:
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, like Anita and Rita that we can envision making a comeback.
- Lori
Origin:
English spelling variation of Laurie; diminutive of LauraMeaning:
"from Laurentium or bay laurel"Description:
Lori, with this sleek modern spelling, was an extremely popular name in the middle of the 20th century, ranking among the Top 100 girls' names from the early 1950s until the early 1980s.
- Kaylee
Origin:
American variation of KaylaMeaning:
"laurel, crown"Description:
A widely used name, Kaylee pulls together something from Kayla and something from Hailey, yet somehow loses something in the process. It has surpassed cousin Kayla on the charts and is one of three girls' names starting with Kthat ranks in the US Top 100.
- Dara
Origin:
Hebrew, Slavic or IrishMeaning:
"pearl of wisdom; gift; or oak tree"Description:
Though Dara was an (extremely wise) male figure in the Bible, this name feels mostly feminine to modern Americans. The Irish Gaelic version, Darragh, is well-used in contemporary times for boys.
- Adair
Origin:
Scottish and IrishMeaning:
"oak tree ford"Description:
Adair has flair, the grace of a Fred Astaire. It's a Scottish surname which came from the first name Edgar.
- Peony
Origin:
Flower name; LatinMeaning:
"healing"Description:
One of the rarest of the floral names, though not without some teasing potential. Peony is a historical 1948 novel by Pearl S. Buck.
- Hana
Origin:
Hebrew, Hawaiian, Maori, JapaneseMeaning:
"grace, work, glow, flower"Description:
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 "craft, work" in Hawaiian and "glow" in Maori.
- Vinicius
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"wine / vine"Description:
An Ancient Roman clan name, deriving from Latin vinum ("wine"). Marcus Vinicius was a Roman consul, general, and friend of the emperor Augustus.
- Bethany
Origin:
Biblical place name and HebrewMeaning:
"house of figs"Description:
Bethany is a lyrical name that still strikes many parents as a fresher, more substantial substitute for the overused Brittany/Brittney or the more antiquated Beth.
- Wisteria
Origin:
Flower name, from English surnameMeaning:
"Wister's flower"Description:
A frilly southern-accented flower name yet to be planted on many birth certificates. In the language of flowers, the wisteria is a symbol of devotion. It is named for American horticulturalist John Caspar Wister.
- Rosen
Origin:
German; BulgarianMeaning:
"rose; burning bush"Description:
This masculine floral name literally means "burning bush", and is the Bulgarian word for the dittany plant. The name derives from the highly volatile oils produced by the plant, which can actually catch fire in hot weather. A notable bearer of the Bulgarian-form of the name is Rosen Plevneliev, a former President of Bulgaria.
- Leslie
Origin:
ScottishMeaning:
"garden of holly"Description:
This Scottish place name and surname was more popular for boys in the US until the mid-1940s; in the UK, the Leslie spelling is predominantly masculine, with Lesley widely used as the feminine variant. Now ranking in the mid-400s for girls and not at all for boys in the US, it could be time to bring this smart, subtle nature name back, especially considering the current popularity of -ley names for both sexes.
- Laurie
Origin:
English diminutive of LaurenceMeaning:
"from Laurentum or bay laurel"Description:
A sweet and sophisticated nickname which feels fresh again after many years in style limbo. For literature lovers, it brings to mind Theodore "Laurie" Laurence from Louisa May Alcott's Little Women. Another famous bearer is English actor Hugh Laurie.
- Yasmin
Origin:
PersianMeaning:
"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.
- Yves
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"yew wood"Description:
On paper, with its stylish ties to fashion legend Yves Saint-Laurent (born Henri), Yves looks great, but the pronunciation--EVE-- could lead to gender confusion. German variation Ivo might be cooler and clear up the issue.
- Cassiopeia
Origin:
Greek mythology nameMeaning:
"cassia juice"Description:
Cassiopeia, the name of a mythological mother who became a stellar constellation, is challenging but intriguing, and has all those softening Cass nicknames available. And with all names Cass-related trending, Cassiopeia may be an unusual route to a stylish name.
- Crispin
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"curly-haired"Description:
Crispin, which was introduced into the mainstream by actor Crispin Glover and which means "curly-haired" in Latin, has an image very much like its first syllable: crisp, autumnal, and colorful.
- Narcissa
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"daffodil"Description:
This Greek flower and mythological choice doesn't make it into the pantheon of possibilities because of its association with narcissism. But narcissa is December's flower of the month, so Narcissa and Daffodil theoretically make perfect names for December babies.
- Cullen
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"holly tree"Description:
Cullen is an appealing Irish surname name that upped its cool factor considerably when it became the Twilight family name of Edward et al. It's considerably less popular than it was at its peak in 2010, but is still widely used.
- Salix
Origin:
Latin, botanical nameDescription:
An unusual name related to the willow family.