Flower and Flower Inspired Names

Cerise

French

"cherry"

Infinitely preferable to the tease-inspiring English version of the word.

Cliantha

Greek

"glory-flower"

A highly unusual flower name that could give you Clio for short.

Colombine

Latin

"dove"

A beautiful English and French flower name deriving from the Latin word for dove. Sadly, in America this name is now forever linked with a tragic terrorist attack on a Colorado high school.

Coral

English word name

"a rock like substance formed by sea creatures; pinkish-red; gemstone"

A color name, a gemstone name, and an ocean-inspired choice, Coral has a lot going for it with its sharp C sounds yet sweet vintage feel. Unlike Scarlett or Violet, however, it is only quietly used…

Crisanta

Spanish from Greek

"golden flower, chrysanthemum"

Crisanta, while not related to Christine, would make a pretty and highly unusual alternative to that tried-and-true name. Because of its relationship to the chrysanthemum, the flower of the month of…

Celandine

English botanical name

A botanical name belonging to a small yellow flower in the poppy family. The word ultimately derives from chelidon, the Ancient Greek for "swallow (bird)". Characters called Celandine feature in The…

Chamomile

Nature name

"earth apple"

A daisy-esque flower, although chamomile is much more commonly associated with the tea that's made from it.

Delphine

French from Greek

"of Delphi; womb"

Delphine is a sleek, chic French name with two nature associations — the dolphin and the delphinium, a bluebell-like flower, a well as a link to the ancient city of Delphi, which the Greeks believed…

Diantha

Greek

"divine flower"

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. Some similar choices: Diandra and Dianthe.

Eglantine

French and English botanical name

"sweetbriar"

This name for the sweetbriar shrub is a bit too reminiscent of eggplant, but it does have literary creds, having appeared in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales . The French form Églantine appeared in the…

Elanor

English, Literature, Sindarin

"sun star"

On one hand, Elanor is a spelling variation of the classic Eleanor with a slightly lighter, contemporary look about it. Usually said to derive from the Latin phrase, alia Aenor meaning "other Aenor",…

Fern

English

"plant name"

Of all the botanicals, Fern has been one of the slowest to move back from the front parlor into the nursery, despite the appealing girl character in the children's classic Charlotte's Web . Fern was…

Ffion

Welsh

"foxglove"

This unusual (to non-Welsh speakers) is near the top of the charts in Wales, carried by the recent taste for native Welsh names. Those in Wales say it's already on the way down, but for outsiders…

Fiorella

Italian

"little flower"

Not only are individual flower names more popular (and out-there) than ever, but so too are the more generic names like Florence and Flora. While brother name Fiorello became known via long-term New…

Florinda

Spanish and Portuguese elaboration of Flora or Florence

Florinda may be taking a good thing, the name of the Roman goddess of flowers and springtime, and making it too elaborate.

Forsythia

Flower name, from English surname

"Forsyth's flower"

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

Freesia

Flower name, from German surname

"Freese's flower"

A rare, free-feeling flower name for the parent who wants to move far, far beyond Rose and Daisy. Named for German physician Friedrich Freese.