Flower Names for Girls (with Meanings & Popularity)

An unusual flower name deriving from the Latin word for lily (lilium), this variant has always been popular in Scotland.

Iolanthe is known primarily through the 1882 Gilbert & Sullivan operetta of that name, in which the title character is a fairy. Iolanthe is a softer version of Yolanda, and is the kind of multi-syllabic classical name once considered too weighty for a modern baby girl, but now within the realm of possibility--this one as a dramatic twist on Violet. The biggest drawback is its variety of legitimate pronunciations in English.

In the Bible, nardos is a perfume poured on Jesus. It is related to spikenard, an essential oil from a Himalayan flower, historically used for medicinal and religious purposes as well as perfume.

Rayen is well-known in Chile, and sometimes seen in the Netherlands, as a Mapuche girls name meaning flower. This name could be an alternative to people who like Ryan but want to keep it as a boys name or as a spunkier alternative to other names that mean flower, such as Fleur and Flora.

Jacinta, the Spanish word for hyacinth, is a lot softer and sweeter than the English version. The correct Spanish pronunciation is ha-SEEN-ta, though many English speakers would say ja-SIN-ta. Although the name is slightly different, Jacinta is largely associated at present with Australian-born actress Jacinda Barrett.

The Latin names for girls Florentina may be the most feminissima and flowery of the 'Flor" names. Another option would be Fiorentina, though you can also downshift to Flora or Florence.

Diantha, a mythological flower of the supreme Greek god Zeus, is a melodious and more unusual cousin of Diana, heard most often in The Netherlands.

Vivacious but lightweight.

Pema is related to the more familiar Hindu name Padma and means lotus flower. This delightful name was given to only 14 girls in the USA last year, so it's guaranteed to be a unique choice. Pema is probably most familiar to Westerners through Buddhist nun Pema Chodron and through Jetsun Pema, the Dalai Lama's sister.

A melodic and glowing name, derived from Mapuche, the language of the Indigenous people of central Chile, Millaray means "golden flower". It ranked in the Chilean Top 100 in the 2010s and remains a familiar choice. Pronounced as mee-ya-rye, and not as mih-luh-ray as those unfamiliar with it might assume, Millaray is notably borne by actress and presenter Millaray Viera and footballer Millaray Cortés.

Now that Lily has become hugely popular, parents in love with this flower name are looking further afield for substitutes such as Liliane and Liliana.

Nasrin has a strong sound and lovely floral meaning. International variants include the Turkish Nesrin and Egyptian Nesreen.

This sweet and simple name has origins in both Yiddish and Slavic, each with an equally appealing meaning.

This is a rare and lovely form of Susannah commonly heard in Israel. Shoshana Shapiro — nicknamed Shosh — is the character played by Zosia Mamet on the hit HBO series Girls — a fact that could give the name an upward thrust.

This yellow harbinger spring bloom was named for Scottish botanist William Forsyth, and is even more unusual than such species as Acacia and Azalea.

Capucine was a chic French actress half a century ago and has been one of the most fashionable girl names in France in recent decades, ranking in France's Top 100. Capucine is also popular in French-speaking Belgium. To Americans and other English speakers, this name still feels fresh -- so fresh that last year, no baby girls were named Capucine in the US.

A rarely heard flower name, Amapola comes from the Spanish word for "poppy", in turn associating with name with remembrance and the months of August and November. Pronounced as a-ma-POH-la, with the emphasis on the third syllable, it may feel similar enough to Amalia, Amaia, and Paula to work.

A rare flower name, Lobelia has a similar sound to Ophelia, Amelia, and Libby and could get you to the nicknames Leela, Lola, or Bea. The name of diverse genus of flowering shrubs, it is sometimes considered a showy plant with bright flowers in shades of blue, purple, red, pink, and white. It was named after the Flemish botanist Matthias de Lobel, Lobel being a surname of French and German origin, possibly derived from either la belle ("the beautiful" in French) or from libal or leobal ("beloved", "love" in Old German).

Rosella can be seen as a nature name (a rosella is the name of a variety of beautiful Australian cockatoos and an Australian flower) or a diminutive version of Rose.

Historically, the French and English name Florence was used for both sexes. And Florent is a steady classic in France, booming there in the 1980s. Maybe it's time to import it, and show that boys can be floral too.