Botanical Beauties

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 English and "street" in French. Despite these unfortunate secondary meanings, Rue has real potential to be one of the most popular new middle names for girls.

Botanical choice that can work for either gender. Simple and straightforward. Caveats: rue means "regret" in English, and "street" in French. Now in the Top 1000 in England and Wales for girls and trending upwards in the US, it is nevertheless still given to a handful of boys each year. It could equally work as a nickname for a Ruben, Rudy, or a Rupert.

Sage is an evocatively fragrant herbal name that also connotes wisdom, giving it a double advantage. It entered the Top 1000 at about the same time for both genders in the early 1990s, but it has pulled ahead for the girls. Toni Collette named her daughter Sage Florence.

A modern, multifaceted name, Sage is short, sweet, and strong. A unisex possibility, it is also a virtuous word name associated with wisdom, and a nature name linked to a fragrant herb.

An unusual name related to the willow family.

Soft, amber-hued herbal and autumnal name that's used most often to describe the color of a horse. The proper spelling: Sorrel.

Tamar is a rich, strong Old Testament name sometimes given to girls born on the holiday of Sukkoth, as palm branches were used to make the roof of the sukkah. In the Bible, there are several Tamars, including a daughter of King David and also Absalom's daughter, who is praised for her 'fair countenance'.

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 is a flower name rarer than Rose, livelier than Lily and a lot less teasable than Pansy.

The thistle is the botanical emblem of Scotland and would make a good if unusual patriotic choice for people with Scottish heritage. One of the few flower names that could be worn by a boy with as much ease as a girl.

Rose and Briar are popular, and Hawthorn is cool – so why not the equally prickly Thorn? Add an E to give it a surnamey spin.

Not time yet for Thyme.

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 derives from Persian dulband "turban", due to the distinctive shape of the flowers.

Tupelo, one of the common name for trees of the Nyssa genus, stems from words in the Creek Native American language meaning swamp tree.

This botanical name is not as attractive as several other versions of the tree including Birch and Berkeley.

This name of a showy, lemony plant makes an unusual entry into the name garden.

Unisex in its native country but especially popular for boys, this cool Finnish nature name would be perfect for the new addition to your family tree.

Viola has plenty of positive elements going for it: the rhythm of the musical instrument, the association with the flower, the trending 'Vi' beginning and its leading role in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. With a touch of international flair, it also avoids the violent/Violet some parents have.

Violet is soft and sweet, yet with a vivacious edge. Today, Violet is the top flower name for girls, outranking Lily and Iris in the Top 100, and the second most popular color name for girls after Scarlett.