Bird Inspired Names

- - A list of names that are also the names of bird species -
  1. Bird
    • Origin:

      Nature name
    • Description:

      We once dismissed Bird as "too flighty", but with the rise of avian names from Lark to Robin to, well, Birdie, we don't see why Bird can't be a fine choice, especially as a middle name.
  2. Canary
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "small bird"
    • Description:

      The name of a small yellow bird that hasn't taken off in the way that some of its avian sisters – like Robin, Wren or Lark – have.
  3. Cassowary
    • Origin:

      Malay
    • Meaning:

      "large flightless bird"
  4. Crane
    • Origin:

      English surname
    • Meaning:

      "crane"
    • Description:

      This elegant surname has great potential to turn into an unusual first name, especially with its literary associations to both Stephen and Hart Crane.
  5. Crow
    • Origin:

      Bird name
    • Description:

      From Haruki Murakami's Kafka on the Shore, the story of a boy named Kafka -- crow in Czech.
  6. Dove
    • Origin:

      Nature name
    • Meaning:

      "dove, a bird"
    • Description:

      One of the new bird names, like Lark and Wren, this one's associated with the billing and cooing sounds of love. Soft and gentle, Dove also has the admirable association with peace.
  7. Eagle
    • Origin:

      Nature name
    • Meaning:

      "eagle, a bird"
    • Description:

      Solemn but soaring name with patriotic symbolism.
  8. Egret
    • Origin:

      English from German
    • Meaning:

      "white heron"
  9. Falcon
    • Origin:

      Bird name
    • Description:

      There is a whole new species of bird names open to the baby namer, from the light and feminine Lark to the sleek and powerful Falcon.
  10. Finch
    • Origin:

      English word and nature name
    • Meaning:

      "to swindle"
    • Description:

      It feels like Finch should be a modern bird name that's as popular as Wren or Lark, but that's not the case - so it's one to consider if you're looking for a nature name that's familiar but rare.
  11. Gull
    • Origin:

      Celtic
    • Meaning:

      "long-winged swimming birds"
    • Description:

      Suggests the salty, windswept air of the seashore.
  12. Heron
    • Origin:

      Nature name or Greek
    • Meaning:

      "hero"
    • Description:

      Heron may feel like a very usable nature name -- the heron is a long-legged wading bird -- but it was also the name of a 1st century Greek inventor and of an Egyptian saint. Highly unusual yet easy to understand and meaningful on several levels, Heron is a fantastic choice.
  13. Kestrel
    • Origin:

      English, bird name
    • Description:

      A kestrel is a bird of prey. It has good potential as a strong girls' name, similar to Falcon for boys.
  14. 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.
  15. Linnet
    • Origin:

      French
    • Meaning:

      "flaxen haired"
    • Description:

      Although the accent in Linnet is on the first syllable, it could be confused with the dated Lynette.
  16. Raven
    • Origin:

      Word and animal name
    • Description:

      Bird name Raven, once a symbol of pride for both African-American and Wiccan parents, is finding new life as a superhero name. Raven Darkholme is the real name of Mystique, heroine of the X-Men films played by Jennifer Lawrence. And there is another Raven superheroine in Teen Titans. Some parents may still choose Raven to signal black pride or mystical powers or maybe even Edgar Allan Poe fandom, but we are guessing most inspiration is coming from the comics.
  17. Robin
    • Origin:

      Bird name; or English, diminutive of Robert
    • Meaning:

      "bright fame"
    • Description:

      Now that it's no longer fashionable for girls, Robin is rising for boys again. Robin Hood, Robin Williams, Christopher Robin, and Robin the Boy Wonder are all male namesakes, after all. It reentered the US Top 1000 boys names in 2015 for the first time since 1999 and continues to bounce around the lower end of the Top 1000.
  18. Robin
    • Origin:

      Bird name, or English, diminutive of Robert
    • Meaning:

      "bright fame"
    • Description:

      After a 60 year slide down the popularity ladder, Robin made a turnaround in 2020 and began climbing back into favor for baby girls. One reason may be its new status as one of the most evenly-divided gender neutral names.
  19. Seagull
    • Origin:

      English word and nature name
    • Description:

      Hippie name of the Jonathan Livingston Seagull era.
  20. Sparrow
    • Origin:

      Nature name
    • Meaning:

      "sparrow, a bird"
    • Description:

      With related choices such as Lark and Phoenix gaining popularity, why not Sparrow? Though it's usually thought of as a female name, Nicole Richie and Joel Madden chose it for their son.