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My Top Nature Names

aimee_names97
By aimee_names97
Updated Fri Sep 17 2021
A list of my favourite nature-inspired names from plants, animals, flowers, space, bodies of water and more.
  1. Luna

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "moon"

    • Description:

      The name of the Roman goddess of the moon, Luna is derived straight from the Latin word for moon, luna. Luna may be the name most likely to surprise someone from an older generation by its Top 10 status in the US and its widespread international popularity.
  2. Ivy

    • Origin:

      Botanical name

    • Description:

      The quirky, offbeat and energetic botanical name Ivy is enjoying a deserved revival, propelled even higher by its choice by high-profile parents Beyonce and Jay-Z for daughter Blue Ivy. Ivy is also traditionally used at Christmas, make this one of the perfect names for December babies.
  3. Rose

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "rose, a flower"

    • Description:

      Rose is derived from the Latin rosa, which referred to the flower. There is also evidence to suggest it was a Norman variation of the Germanic name Hrodohaidis, meaning "famous type," and also Hros, "horse". In Old English it was translated as Roese and Rohese.
  4. Wren

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "small bird"

    • Description:

      Wren, a lilting songbird name, could be the next Robin. Wren entered the Top 1000 for the first time in 2012 and is among the new wave of popular English names for girls.
  5. River

    • Origin:

      Nature name

    • Description:

      River shares the tranquil feeling of all the water names, and seems to have pretty much escaped its past strong association with River Phoenix and his unfortunate fate. Actor Joaquin Phoenix named his son with actress Rooney Mara after his brother River.
  6. Olive

    • Origin:

      English, from Latin, nature name

    • Meaning:

      "olive tree"

    • Description:

      Though greatly overshadowed by the trendy Olivia, Olive has a quiet, subtle appeal of its own -- and is now enjoying a remarkable comeback. Olive is one of only four girl names starting with O on the US Top 1000. Cool couple Isla Fisher and Sacha Baron Cohen chose it for their daughter, reviving the name to stylishness, and now Drew Barrymore has a little Olive too, as has country singer Jake Owen.
  7. Juniper

    • Origin:

      Latin tree name

    • Meaning:

      "young"

    • Description:

      Juniper is a fresh-feeling nature name -- it's a small evergreen shrub -- with lots of energy. A new favorite of fashionable parents, Juniper joins such other tree and shrub names as Hazel, Acacia, and Willow.
  8. Poppy

    • Origin:

      Flower name, English from Latin

    • Meaning:

      "red flower"

    • Description:

      Poppy, unlike most floral names which are sweet and feminine, has a lot of spunk. Long popular throughout the rest of the English-speaking world, Poppy is finally starting to rise toward the top in the US, where it entered the Top 1000 for the first time in 2016.
  9. Willow

    • Origin:

      English nature name

    • Meaning:

      "willow tree"

    • Description:

      An ancient tree that figures in literature from Shakespeare to Harry Potter and is believed to possess magical powers, Willow is a lovely name, as graceful as its inspiration.
  10. Sage

    • Origin:

      Herb name, Latin

    • Meaning:

      "wise and knowing"

    • Description:

      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.
  11. Sage

    • Origin:

      Herb name and also Latin

    • Meaning:

      "wise and knowing"

    • Description:

      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.
  12. Forrest

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "dweller near the woods"

    • Description:

      Forrest is one of the earliest appealingly sylvan, outdoorsy choices, borne by newsman Sawyer, actor Whitaker, and football Hall of Famer Gregg. Forrest Gates was a character on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer."
  13. Fox

    • Origin:

      Animal name

    • Description:

      Fox is one animal name backed by a longish tradition, and then popularized via the lead character Fox Mulder on X Files. Fox is simple, sleek, and a little bit wild, and could make an interesting middle name.
  14. Fern

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "plant name"

    • Description:

      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 most popular from the turn of the last century through the 1940s, reaching a high of #152 in 1916. We can certainly see her rejoining the long list of popular greenery names.
  15. Skye

    • Origin:

      Scottish place-name

    • Description:

      The e-addition takes the name from slightly hippie-ish nature name to the place name of a picturesque island off the coast of Scotland, and for baby namers it's by far the more popular spelling.
  16. Sky

    • Origin:

      Nature name

    • Description:

      Sky is an ambigender nature name that was first legitimized as the character of Sky Masterson in the 1950 musical Guys and Dolls, played in the film version by Marlon Brando. It's a name we appreciate for its clear, wide-open feel, less hippyish than others like Rainbow and Starlight, and makes an appealing middle name possibility.
  17. Linden

    • Origin:

      Variation of Lyndon

    • Meaning:

      "linden tree hill"

    • Description:

      The graceful, natural image of the verdant shade tree transcends any connection with President Johnson.
  18. Lark

    • Origin:

      English bird name

    • Description:

      Lark is getting some new and well-deserved attention as a post-Robin and Raven bird name. Although it was first recorded as a name in the 1830's, it has never appeared on the Social Security list.
  19. Fleur

    • Origin:

      French

    • Meaning:

      "flower"

    • Description:

      Fleur is a generic, delicate flower name that emigrated into the English-speaking world when John Galsworthy bestowed it on one of the Forsytes in his celebrated saga. More recently, there was Fleur Delacour, a French witch and the Beauxbatons champion for the Triwizard Tournament in Harry Potter.
  20. Ember

    • Description:

      Ember is traditionally a unisex name that has been increasingly used for both boys and girls, though it's somewhat more common for females. Derived from the English word for a small, glowing piece of coal or wood in a dying fire, Ember evokes warmth, light, and enduring energy. The name gained popularity in the early 21st century as part of the trend toward nature-inspired names. For boys, it carries connotations of strength and subtle power. Ember also has connections to the ancient calendar month name 'September' (though etymologically distinct). Its short, two-syllable structure makes it straightforward yet distinctive, with a contemporary feel despite its ancient word origins.