Nature, Place and Word Names
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American Baby Names
American baby names come from a range of sources, just like Americans themselves. There are Native American baby names, American place names for babies, names important in American history and namesakes for American heroes and artists, and baby names invented by Americans and used primarily in the US. Here, a selection of what might be thought of as American baby names.
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Australian Names
In a multicultural nation like Australia, how do you define Australian names? Here we've listed names that stem from Indigenous Australian languages, place names or names that have become indelibly linked with the land Down Under through literature or popular culture. While many names popular in Australia are similar to those names widely-used in other English-speaking lands, the choices here might be thought of as distinctly Australian baby names.
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Baby Names with Animal Meanings
Names with animal meanings range from the obvious, such as Robin or Lionel, and those with subtler animal meanings, such Rachel (which means ewe) or Tabitha (gazelle). . This list of baby names with animal meanings contains both those that announce themselves clearly, such as Fox and Wolf, and those whose animal meaning is more hidden. Also note: We're light on bird names as we include the complete variety in their own list. The range of baby names with animal meanings includes the following.
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Biblical Place Names
Biblical place names relate not to the people in the Bible but the physical places. Can these ancient place names work as contemporary baby names? We say yes.
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Bird Baby Names
One of the hottest of the hot nature categories is the Bird Baby Names, all the way from Birdie to Wren.
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Butterfly Names
Butterfly-related baby names came to wider attention when it was rumored that Kylie Jenner would choose a butterfly name for her new baby girl, to symbolize her love of the fluttery species. Baby names that relate to butterflies can be literal word names, like Butterfly itself as in the name of Gone With the Wind actress Butterfly McQueen, or the names of stages of the butterfly or mother development such as Chrysalis, the rumored name of Jenner's baby. Other butterfly names include exotic butterfly-related words or species names. Plus butterfly names are not just for girls.
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Celebrity Baby Word Names
Gwyneth Paltrow's Apple may still be the most famous case, but these days she's far from the only celebrity child with a word name. Today, there are enough celebrity babies with word names that we can fill a whole long list with them. In their ever-widening search for new and unique names, celebrities are turning to words that relate to nature, spirituality, animals, places, weather, colors, even numbers. Bonus: many of these, by virtue of being new and unconventional, count as truly unisex baby names. Here, word names that have been used in recent years for celebrity babies.
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Celestial Baby Names
Celestial baby names include those of planets and their satellites, constellations and single stars. That adds up to a whole galaxy of celestial baby names to choose from. For even more ideas, read our blog on celestial names.
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Christmas Baby Names
Expecting a Christmas baby, or just want a name that connotes the magical season? Here, our collection of Christmas baby names. See our blog for even more Christmas baby names.
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College Baby Names
When you're on the prowl for the perfect name, anything can be an inspiration. Colleges around the country provide an endless possibilities for noteworthy baby names. Check out this list of baby names, each derived from the name of a college or university:
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Color Names for Babies
Using color names for babies started with Amber, then Rose drove the point home. While many of the original color names were female, today there are mostly-male color names as well as unisex baby names derived from colors. Today's name hues range from the obvious -- Violet and Scarlett -- to the most exotic, from Azure to Zinc. The full spectrum of color names for babies:
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Coolest Baby Names That Aren't Really Names
The coolest baby names sometimes aren't names at all, as the mostly unisex baby names on this list attest. There are an uncountable number of words turned cool baby names, beyond the scope of any one source. The only limits are your reference books, your imagination, and your taste. Here are some of the coolest and most evocative of the group.
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Day Names
The ancient tradition of day-naming -- choosing a name from the day of the week, the month, the season or holiday, or even a time of day -- feels fresh again now. Here, examples of day names that could work as modern baby names,.
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Easter Baby Names
Expecting an Easter baby? These baby names refer to the springtime holiday, including international names for Easter, Easter flowers, biblical personages connected with the holiday, or Easter's symbolism of rebirth.
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English Word Names
English names might be easiest to define when they're actual word names drawn from the English languages and transformed into baby names. This genre has grown tremendously in the past decade, to the point that now parents are creating names from words they love or that have a symbolic meaning in English along with other languages such as Spanish, French, or Italian. Of course, there is also a long tradition of English names that were originally flower or place or inspirational or other word names, most notably practiced by the Puritans. At this point, words like Iris or Mercy or Christian have been used so long as names that they are solid entries in the name lexicon apart from their original connection to the words that inspired them. Today, celebrities are often coining names from English words -- think North, Saint, Bear -- and so helping to popularize not just the specific names but the whole concept. And stars from Drake to Rebel Wilson have driven the word name idea home. Now, almost any English word is fair game for transformation to a baby name. And if you're not adventurous enough to use these new word names as first names, you might want to consider them as middle names to add uniqueness and meaning.Newer English word names finding wide favor include the following.
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Flower Names for Girls
Flower names for girls were first popular around the turn of the last century and have started to bloom again as modern baby names. Flower names that work for babies range from the exotic from Amaryllis to Zinnia to the everyday, such as Daisy, Lily, and Rose. Flower baby names can suit every taste and sensibility, from the vintage to the modern, the unique to the familiar. Here, a large collection of flower names for girls.
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French Word Names
The parent in search of truly distinctive baby names has to move farther than ever away from the established roster. One new direction -- or is it two? -- for the intrepid baby namer is toward international word names, which combine two of today's coolest trends. We combed our own diccionarios for French, Italian, and Spanish words that could make perfectly appropriate, attractive baby names, and here are some French choices. But no reason to stop here--consider words from the language of your own ethnic background, be it Czech or Chinese, and add them to the list of your personal possibilities.
Here, some French baby names fashioned from French words for your consideration:
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Fruit Baby Names
Fruit baby names have come to the fore as a new species of nature names thanks to Gwyneth Paltrow's little Apple Martin. Exploring further, here are some of today's possible fruit baby names.
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Inspirational Baby Names
Baby names with inspirational meanings or from spiritual sources strike an uplifting chord. Inspirational baby names include:
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Italian Word Names
One new direction -- or is it two? -- for the intrepid baby namer is toward foreign-word names, which combine two of today's coolest trends. We combed our own diccionarios for Italian words that could make perfectly appropriate, attractive Italian baby names. But no reason to stop here--consider words from the language of your own ethnic background, be it Czech or Chinese, and add them to the list of your personal possibilities.
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Jewel and Gemstone Baby Names
Jewel names were popular a century ago and they're back in style now as baby names. Long considered the exclusive province of girls, there are some precious stones and minerals that lend themselves to boys. Among the jewel names you might want to consider for your little gem are:
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Mineral & Metal Baby Boy Names
Mineral and metal baby boy names are hard-edged choices that impart a new brand of masculinity.
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Musical Baby Names
Musical baby names can be soothing, lyrical, rhythmic, rousing, and melodious. Here, some musical baby names you might want to consider.
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Mystical Names
Mystical names summon figures of mythology and legend, of magic and mystery. The mystical names here hail from a range of different cultures and stories. Click on individual names for more information on what makes them mystical!
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Names for Autumn Babies
For those expecting a fall baby, there are a flurry of colorful autumn-inspired choices. Here are some of the most inspired picks for autumn baby names:
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Names for City Babies
City names are a special breed among place names used for babies: hip, sophisticated, street smart. Of course, city-bred kids can be named anything at all, but we collected these downtown-related names -- some of them the names of actual cities -- to provide inspiration for urban parents in search of names with a city theme. Of course, many city names -- Orlando, Charlotte, Adelaide -- started out as person names, so it all gets a bit meta. But the connection is what makes the names of towns and neighborhoods work so well for babies.
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Nature Names for Babies
Nature names for babies come from several categories: flower names, tree names, water, weather, and animal names. The popularity of nature names has risen along with the green movement, which has made us more appreciative of all things connected with nature. We have also seen a rise in nature baby names as parents look for names beyond the usual first name boundaries. Nature names can also connect your baby girl or boy to something inspiring and uplifting about the world around us. Many of the best nature names can work for either gender and also carry the advantage of being easily recognized and spelled and pronounced while at the same time moving beyond the tradition lexicon of names. For more nature names, you can consult our lists of flower names, tree names, water names, sky names, and so on. Here is where you can browse some of the coolest nature names today.
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New York Baby Names
New York baby names capture everything that's cool about the city. From New York landmarks and streets to notable New Yorkers, get inspired by these Big Apple baby names from the most populous city in the US.
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New York Neighborhood Names
Brooklyn is, of course, the most widely used of these choices, but Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz recently added baby name Bronx to the mix and there are lots of other intriguing New York-themed baby names here.
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Occupational Baby Names
Occupational baby names, most of them originally surnames to describe the person's job, have taken on significant style value over the past years and are destined to rise even further. Think of them as the surname-names or place-names of the future. Most of these baby names work best for boys, but can cross over to the girls' side.
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Patriotic Baby Names
Baby names with a patriotic flavor honor the land of the free and the home of the brave. Whether you're having a fourth of July baby, or you're just a proud American, here is a list of patriotic baby names sure to pay tribute to America.
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Place Names for Babies
Place names for babies come from all over the globe and can include city names, state names, country names, even mountain and ocean names. Here, the most popular place names from around the world used for both girls and boys. For more exotic choices, see our list of Place Names Off The Map.
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Place Names Off The Map
The coolest place names are those that are undiscovered. Some place names can be used for boys, but most of the cool place names work best for baby girls. Here are some choices on (and off) the map, including unique city names, country names, island names, and the names of mythical lands, all of which can be used for babies.
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Precious Baby Names
These baby names drawn from gems and other precious materials might be right for your little treasure.
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Southern Baby Names
There's something about the South that says charm, hospitality and courtesy. This list of Dixie baby names may inspire a choice for your southern belle or gentleman.
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Spanish Word Names
The parent in search of truly distinctiveSpanish baby names has to move farther than ever away from the established roster. One new direction -- or is it two? -- for the intrepid baby namer is toward foreign-word names, which combine two of today's coolest trends. We combed our own diccionarios for French, Italian, and Spanish words that could make perfectly appropriate, attractive baby names, and here are some Spanish ideas. But no reason to stop here--consider words from the language of your own ethnic background, be it Czech or Chinese, and add them to the list of your personal possibilities.
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Spice (& Other Food) Baby Names
Apple launched the trend toward food-oriented baby names, with lots of tasty names joining the menu.
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Spring Baby Names
Spring has sprung in the world of baby names. For your springtime baby, or just to represent the season's lively qualities, consider these baby names that mean or relate to spring.
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State Capital Baby Names
Baby names that reference state capitals might make your little girl or boy feel extra important and one-of-a-kind. The state capital baby names include:
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Summer Baby Names
Summer is one of the nicest times of year to have a baby, the warm weather and slow pace making it that much easier to relax into new motherhood. Here is a list of baby names that summon the season, from nature to the ocean to the gemstones of summer months:
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Tree Baby Names
Tree baby names are just one branch of the nature names growing in popularity, with many original choices, especially for boys.
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Unique Baby Names
Unique baby names are literally one-of-a-kind, but a unique name may also mean one that is unusual and cool, with individual flair. In fact, when people refer to unique baby names today, they usually mean a name that stands out from the crowd, that departs from tradition and that may have a unique spelling or pronunciation. But unique names for babies can also be place names, word names, surname names, international names, nature names, or traditional names that come from other cultures or that have been buried in the attic for decades or even centuries. Nameberry offers thousands of unique names: Here are some of the best to get you started.
Want more more more unique names for your baby? See all the lists of unique baby names.
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Unusual Nature Names for Babies
Some nature names for babies are mainstream, like Lily and River, but if you're willing to explore nature a bit more adventurously, there are many more wonderful nature names for girls and boys that lie off the beaten track. Unique nature names can come from flowers and trees, birds and animals, the sea and the earth and even the skies. Here, browse some of the most unusual baby names drawn from nature.
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Virtue Names
Virtue names, favored by the Puritans, represent qualities we should embody or at least aspire to. Virtue names that can work as modern baby names include:
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Water Baby Names
Nature baby names are hot in general; water names are cool and refreshing.
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Weather Baby Names
Weather baby names are a branch of nature names that reference the -- well, the weather! Some have direct weather meanings while others have a more subtle connection to the weather -- Eira, for instance, is a Welsh name that means snow, and Makani is Hawaiian for wind. Here are some weather baby names for you to consider.
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Winter Baby Names
Here, inspirational winter baby names for the child born when the snow is falling and the weather is chill populate this list. Some of these names, like Neve, Frost, and Snow itself, refer to the wintry weather. Others are what are called day names, connecting with the months and holidays of winter.. Then there are the mythical winter names, baby names related to nature in winter, and names that mean white. Along with Winter itself, you might consider these winter baby names:
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Word Names
Word names -- basically, words used as names -- are a growing class as parents rush to find truly unique baby names for their children. While you'll find word names among nature names and day names and occupational names and color names, we gather some of the most intriguing here.
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Writing-Related Names
Literary names have become a very stylish group in recent years, and here's an offshoot that's gotten less attention. With credit to @Vana , a berry who created an original list of similar names, these names all relate to writing itself. If you're a writer or simply a book lover, one of those original word names connected to writing may be, well, right for you.
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