Flower/plant names

Madelief

Dutch

"daisy"

Madelief is an uncommon name but not unheard of in the Netherlands, where 123 girls were called Madelief in one recent year. With its soft sounds and similarities to all those "Madeleine" type names…

Margosa

botanical name

Margosa derives its name from the neem tree plant, which is known for its healing qualities. The name has an attractive quality, fitting well into the 'Mar' trend (i.e. names like Marigold, Margot…

Marguerite

French variation of Margaret; also a flower name

"pearl; daisy"

Marguerite is a classic French name with a remnant of old-fashioned Gallic charm; and is also a variety of daisy. Chic again in Paris, it's definitely ripe for revival here. Another reason you might…

Melantha

Greek

"dark flower"

The th sound both softens and complicates this Melanie relative.

Peach

Fruit name

Peach is one of those names that, a generation ago, would have been placed in the wacky celebrity baby name category. But now with the proliferation of word, nature, and yes, food names, Peach sounds…

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…

Rosalind

Latin

"soft horse or pretty rose"

Rosalind has a distinguished literary history – used and popularized by Edmund Spenser and Shakespeare via one of his most charming heroines, in As You Like It . Along with a bouquet of other Rose…

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…

Vina

Spanish

"vineyard"

Occasionally heard in the 1920s and 30s, along with siblings Bina and Mina; Vienna would be a more modern choice.

Violante

Greek and Latin

"purple flower"

Too close to violent.

Wisteria

Flower name, from English surname

"Wister's flower"

A frilly southern-accented flower name yet to be planted on many birth certificates. In the language of flowers, the wisteria is a symbol of devotion. It is named for American horticulturalist John…

Xantha

Xantha is a feminine name with Greek origins, derived from 'xanthos,' meaning 'yellow' or 'blonde.' This distinctive name evokes images of golden light and sunny warmth. Though rare in common usage,…

Xanthe

Greek

"golden, yellow"

X marks the spot in names these days, usually at the middles or ends of names, but here is one that puts it squarely up front. This extravagant name, which, like many Greek names beginning with X, is…

Yolantha

Yolantha is a feminine name that represents a variation of Yolanda, which has Greek origins meaning 'violet flower.' The added 'th' gives the name a more elaborate and distinctive sound. Yolanda…

Yolanthe

Yolanthe is a distinctive variation of Yolande, a name derived from the medieval French name Violante, which relates to the Latin word for 'violet flower.' This elaborate version adds sophistication…

Zahara

Hebrew; Swahili

"to shine; flower"

Zahara, a delicate but strong multicultural name, came into the spotlight when Angelina Jolie bestowed it on her Ethiopian-born daughter, and we predict other parents will adopt it as well. If you…

Zanthe

Zanthe is a feminine name primarily considered a variant spelling of Xanthe, which derives from the Greek word 'xanthos' meaning 'yellow' or 'blonde.' In Greek mythology, Xanthe was a sea nymph, one…

Zinnia

Flower name, from German surname

"Zinn's flower"

Zinnia is an unusual floral choice with a bit more edge and energy than most and beginning to find its way onto namers' wish lists of botanical possibilities. Named after the 18th-century German…