User-created list
Nature names - esita
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Mimosa
Latin plant name
Adventurous parents are venturing deeper into the garden in search of fresh names, but remember that this also makes for an alcoholic brunch.
Myrtle
Greek botanical name
Long in our category of so-far-out-it-will-always-be-out category, once seen as a gum-cracking 1940's telephone operator, we think it's time to reassess Myrtle, and look at is as a nature name, a…
Mattiola
Narcissa
Greek
"daffodil"
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…
Nerine
Greek mythology name
A new brand of eyedrop.
Nigella
Feminine variation of Nigel; botanical name from Latin
"black"
A name that sounded unthinkably priggish until it became attached to Domestic Goddess British TV chef Nigella Lawson (named for her father), who gave it a big dollop of glamour.
Oleander
Botanical Name
The name of this pretty Mediterranean shrub is reminiscent of vintage Olive, and interestingly its etymology appears to overlap too: oleander most likely derives from Greek rhododendron "rose tree",…
Pansy
English flower name from French
"thought"
Pansy is an early floral name that lost credibility when it became a derogatory slang term for gay people. Better these days: Posy or Poppy.
Peony
Flower name; Latin
"healing"
One of the rarest of the floral names, though not without some teasing potential. Peony is a historical 1948 novel by Pearl S. Buck.
Primrose
English flower name
"first rose"
A quaint and quirky flower name, until recently considered a bit too prim for most American classrooms but brought back to life in recent years by the attractive character of Primrose "Prim" Everdeen…
Primula
Latin
"first rose"
Primula is related to Primrose, the name and the flower, and would make a quirky yet charming (or is it charming yet quirky?) botanical name for a first daughter.
Rue
Botanical names or word name
"herb; regret"
Rue has gone from Golden Girls actress to Hunger Games heroine to a fresh alternative to beloved middle name Rose. This botanical name is also a coincidental double word name, meaning "regret" in…
Salvia
Latin
"whole, healthy"
Another name for the herb sage -- which sounds younger and more modern than this version.
Sequoia
Native American, Cherokee
"sparrow"
This name of a giant tree, itself named for a nineteenth-century Cherokee who invented a way to write his tribe's language, makes a strong, stately statement.
Sirocco
Arabic, Italian
"warm wind"
A cool and breezy nature name with a stylish sound, used in the Scirocco spelling by Volkswagen for one of its cars.
Starling
Bird name
Unusual choice that was the original name of children's illustrator Tasha Tudor, but is an interesting elaboration of Star, taking it into avian territory.
Tamarisk
English
"tree name"
Also know as the salt cedar, a plant known for enduring harsh conditions. This makes Tamarisk an intriguing nature name, suggesting resilience and strength, similar to the name Oak for boys.
Tansy
Flower name, from Greek
"immortality"
Tansy is a flower name rarer than Rose, livelier than Lily and a lot less teasable than Pansy. Tansy is a perennial herbaceous plant of the aster family that has clusters of small bright yellow…
Tulip
Flower name, from Persian
"turban"
One of the most unusual flower names, Tulip is cute but tough to pull off as a first. It has some celebrity cred via Charlie Tamara Tulip, twin daughter of Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O'Connell. It…
Verbena
Latin
"sacred foliage"
This name of a showy, lemony plant makes an unusual entry into the name garden.