Nature, Place and Word Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 17 pages
of 17
Spanish and Portuguese
"cinnamon"
We've long been a fan of spice and herb names -- Saffron, Sage, Juniper -- and Spanish word names are starting to feel very right, so Canela has legs. It has a long history as a Latina first name,…
Israeli place name or Hebrew
"fruit or glory"
Also a city near Tel Aviv, Hadar is a name found primarily in Israel. There is also a citrus fruit associated with the holiday of Sukkat the Torah calls the "hadar fruit".
Botanical name, English
"rough stream"
Yarrow is a flowering herb that grows wild in Europe and North America, and has long been used in several Native American and European cultures as a healing plant. Named for the mythical god Achille,…
Hebrew
"olive"
A rarely heard Hebrew name whose zippy first initial Z transforms it from dated Yetta-like image to more lively Catherine Zeta Jones-like appeal.
Persian
"pomegranate flower"
A Persian name with a pretty meaning and a dignified sound, Golnar is floral and fruity with orange-red hues. Notable bearers include businesswoman, Golnar Khosrowshahi and singer Golnar Shahyar. An…
Italian
"mulberry tree"
An international nature name, Gelso was originally given to those who grew mulberry trees or lived near a place where they grew. More conventionally used as an Italian surname, Gelso has very…
Old Norse
"barley"
Byggvir is a Norse mythology character associated with barley, grain, and harvest.
French
"pancake"
Greek
"milk; gift"
A seldom used name invented by J.R.R. Tolkien for Lord of the Rings, this boys' name makes good use of the 'Gal' prefix and 'Dor' suffix to craft an appealing and unique alternative to Theodore.
Fruit name
A very unique fruit name heard more often on peachy-colored dogs than on baby girls.
Latin
"garlic"
Allium is the genus of all onion-y plants, including garlic, leeks, shallots, scallions, and chives. It makes an intriguing nouveau nature name or update to Allison.
Diminutive of Brandon
"broom-covered hill"
A little heavy on the fiber content; we prefer Bram. But Bran is also the Celtic god of the underworld, whose symbol is the raven. It's probably not a coincidence that George R.R. Martin chose this…
Spanish
"fig tree"
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…
Fig was the unlikely name of a beautiful character in Curtis Sittenfeld's Man of My Dreams . It could make a playful middle name or a sparky nickname for the likes of Philippa, Fiona, Felicity, and…
Nature name
"blackberry shrub"
Related to blackberry plants and more colloquially to any thorny shrub, Bramble has history as an English surname. Cozy in sound but spiky in feel, it could even get you nickname Bram.
"noodle"
Quirky choice for a noodle-lover.
Vegetable and herb name
In the garden of herb names, Rosemary and Basil are perennials and Sage is a new upshoot, but Fennel is a real rarity. The aniseed-tasting plant, used to add flavor to dishes around the world, gets…
Word name
Not even for Brandy's twin brother.
Word name possibility carrying the scent of licorice-like anise. Fennel gets its own name from the Latin word feniculum, meaning "little hay". This herb name is rare. Zero babies of any gender were…
"bean"
Though the Fabian or Fabio versions are more often heard today, Fabius is the Roman family name they originated from. The general Quintus Fabius Maximum was famous for his strategic delaying tactics,…
