Unique+nature names

  1. Honey
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Description:

      Honey entered the US Top 1000 for the first time ever in 2024, following the lead of parents in England, who've elevated this nickname-name to the Top 300 girls' names in the UK. Honey's popularity in the UK can be credited to its status as a cute British celebrity baby name, used by actress Kate Winslet, chef Jamie Oliver, and TV presenter Fearne Cotton, among others.
  2. Ash
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Asher, English
    • Meaning:

      "ash tree"
    • Description:

      Ash has Southern charm plus the arboreal-nature appeal. Plus your little boy will prize Ash as the name of the hero of the Pokemon cartoons. Ash can also be a dashing short form of Asher, Ashton, or any other "Ash" name.
  3. Indie
    • Origin:

      Short form of India, Indigo etc
    • Description:

      Indie is an independent-sounding nickname name that is in the Top 100 in Wales. As a diminutive, it's growing in popularity -- along with indie films, indie publishing -- and the reason some parents are choosing names like India and Indigo. The Indie version seems more feminine, while Indy as in Indiana Jones tends toward the boyish.
  4. Romeo
    • Origin:

      Italian
    • Meaning:

      "pilgrim to Rome, Roman"
    • Description:

      It wasn't so long ago that Romeo was considered as outre for an American baby as Casanova or Cupid. But that really changed when David and Victoria Beckham chose it for their second son in 2002, a path followed by Jon Bon Jovi.
  5. Grey
    • Origin:

      Color name
    • Description:

      The girls have Violet and Scarlet and Ruby and Rose, but for the boys there's a much more limited palette of color names. Grey/Gray is one exception, which could make for a soft and evocative—if slightly somber—choice, especially in the middle. Kaitlin Olson and Rob McElhenney named their son Leo Grey.
  6. Shay
    • Origin:

      Phonetic spelling of Shea or Shai
    • Description:

      Shay has an old-fashioned feel due to its association with the word for a kind of horse-drawn carriage and at the same time seems modern thanks to its simple straightforwardness. Use Shay as a phonetic equivalent of the Irish surname Shea or the Hebrew male name Shai, or as an abbreviated form of such names as Seamus or Shane.
  7. Rae
    • Description:

      Rae as a masculine name has Scottish and Hebrew origins. It derives from the Scottish surname Rae, meaning "grace" or "deer," or it may be a shortened form of Raymond, meaning "wise protector." In Hebrew contexts, it could be related to the word "ra'eh" meaning "friend" or "companion." Though more commonly used for girls in recent decades, Rae has a history as a male name, particularly as a middle name or nickname. Its single-syllable simplicity gives it a strong, straightforward quality appreciated by parents looking for a minimalist name option. The name carries a gentle yet masculine energy and works well in combination with longer first names. As a standalone male name, Rae remains relatively uncommon, giving it a distinctive quality.

  8. Greyson
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "son of the steward"
    • Description:

      Greyson and Grayson, nephews of Jason, are both on the fast track. Both variations have made their way all the way up to the Top 100 since 2016. Gray/Grey makes a nice nickname. The name of the child in The Nanny Diaries is Grayer, and actor Tyler Christopher opted for the unusual spelling of Greysun for his son. Some parents are considering Grayson -- or Gracen or Gracyn -- for girls as an androgynous spin on Grace.
  9. Boden
    • Origin:

      English or German surname, variation of Beauden, French
    • Meaning:

      "hill shaped like a bow; floor; beautiful"
    • Description:

      Boden is most often inspired by the clothing catalog of the same name, and it feels like an appropriate first name for boys because of its stylish two-syllable -n ending rhythm, a la Logan, Mason, Owen, and other trendy choices. While Boden or Bowden is a fairly common English surname, in German it is the everyday name for "floor".
  10. Laurent
    • Origin:

      French variation of Lawrence
    • Meaning:

      "of Laurentium or bay laurel"
    • Description:

      A French accent makes almost everything sound better, especially when attached to a Twilight vampire. Laurent also has a high-style feel via designer Yves St-Laurent. Laurent de Brunhoff is the French author-illustrator who continued his father Jean's series of Babar books.
  11. Roux
    • Origin:

      French from Latin
    • Meaning:

      "russet"
    • Description:

      Roux is the name of the dashing Johnny Depp character in Chocolat. Roux is French from a Latin word meaning russet or brownish red; it's also a cooking term for a mixture of flour and butter that forms the foundation of many gravies or sauces. Most of today's children with this name, pronounced roo, will actually spell it Rue, for the female character in The Hunger Games.
  12. Shea
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "the stately, dauntless one"
    • Description:

      A common surname in Ireland that projects a complex image for a short-one-syllable name, combining spirit, substance, and gentleness. The traditional Irish form is Séaghdha, though it could also be used as a short form of Séamus, connected to James.
  13. Dulcie
    • Origin:

      Latin, diminutive of Dulcibella
    • Meaning:

      "sweet"
    • Description:

      A sweet-meaning and sounding name dating back to the Roman Empire, and later found in the antebellum South, Dulcie has in the modern era been heard most often in Australia.
  14. Jessie
    • Origin:

      Variation of Jesse
    • Description:

      The -ie version is usually for girls, with the simple e ending—pronounced the same as Jessie—for boys, though the spellings sometimes cross gender lines.
  15. Arrow
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Description:

      Words are not always easy to translate into baby names, but the implications of being straight and swift lend this one great potential as a name. It also has the popular o-sound ending, which brings it further into the realm of possibility. Rising rock star Aja Volkman pulled a gender switch when she named her daughter Arrow Eve.
  16. Blue
    • Origin:

      Color name
    • Description:

      Among the coolest of the cool color names, particularly popular with celebs as a unisex middle name. While most famous as the name of Beyonce and Jay-Z's daughter Blue Ivy, more than 60 percent of the babies named Blue are boys.
  17. Sailor
    • Origin:

      Occupational name
    • Description:

      Supermodel Christie Brinkley launched an entire name genre when she picked this breezy occupational name for her daughter in 1998, and it has become more prevalent in recent decades. The Saylor version, which you might consider a spelling spin or a surname-name, is now among the Top 500 names for girls, given to three times as many baby girls as the Sailor spelling. Counted together, Saylor and Sailor were used for about 1000 baby girls in one recent year in the US, versus about 100 boys.
  18. Cloud
    • Origin:

      Nature name
    • Description:

      Like Sky and Sunshine, this fluffy name from the hippie 1970s has floated back onto the naming radar. It's similarity of Clyde and Claude help to ground it.
  19. Rogue
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Meaning:

      "independent, uncontrolled"
    • Description:

      Now that names like Cannon and Gunner, fit for comic book heroes, are rising up, Rogue may fit right in.
  20. Jacques
    • Origin:

      French variation of James and Jacob
    • Meaning:

      "supplanter"
    • Description:

      Regal and ancient feeling, Jacques has been declining in popularity in its native France, but in the UK, it saw a surprising revival in 2022. Jumping from somewhere around the #2500 mark straight to #600, it was seven times more popular than in 2021.