User-created list
Nature Names Off the Beaten Track
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Dove
Nature name
"dove, a bird"
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. Dove was actually…
Garland
Word name
Garland is fragrant and celebratory, and also has a celebrity-tribute tie to the star of The Wizard of Oz .
Rune
German and Swedish
"secret"
Name with connotations both mystical and tragic, newly popular in Europe. For English speakers, though, this name might be ruined by its homonym ruin.
Valley
English word name
"low area of land between hills and mountains"
An evocative word name, conjuring up images of the beautiful low land between hills and mountains, and the streams and rivers that often run through them, Valley has the advantage of also sounding…
Starling
Bird name
Unusual choice that was the original name of children's illustrator Tasha Tudor, but is an interesting elaboration of Star, taking it into avian territory.
Zephyr
Greek
"west wind"
Zephyrus was the Greek god of the west wind, and all names associated with him have a pleasantly gentle, breezy feel. With its cool Z initial and similarity in sound to Stephie and Serafina, Zephyr…
Rocio
Spanish
"dewdrops"
This name, which refers to Mary as the Virgin of the Dew, is all but unknown in the Anglo community, but popular enough in Hispanic families that it made the US Top 1000 until least until 2006. Also…
Topaz
Greek gem name
As a name, Topaz is a quietly used option, with a distinctive ending and a sleek but sassy feel. As a golden gemstone, it is said to have energizing properties and bring good luck to those who wear…
Neige
French
"snow"
Crescent
English, French, Latin
"waxing or waning moon; increasing, growing, springing forth"
Crescent is an intriguing word name with a pretty sound and links to the moon. Used to describe a curved shape more generally, it is heavily associated with the lunar calendar, with the moon forming…
Anise
Nature name
Name of the licorice plant, this spice comes in the shape of a star, giving this name an extra level of sweetness.
Cobalt
Color and nature name
Even among the range of blue names on the current baby naming palette -- Blue itself, Azure, Cerulean, Teal, Aqua, Cyan, Indigo -- Cobalt remains the most unusual, not to mention the most masculine.
Nile
River name and color name
"dark blue, indigo"
Cool, serene name of the Egyptian river can make a fresh choice for a girl. The origin of river name Nile relates to the Arabic and ancient Hebrew word for dark blue or indigo; in ancient Egyptian,…
Lemon
English fruit name
Sour or sweet? Enough like Lennon, Leonard, and Clement to work, or best left in the fruit basket? That's up to you to decide, but Lemon has been appearing in the US charts for boys since the 1880s.…
Cypress
Botanical name
Lovely entry into the tree name genre, joining Juniper, Maple, and Willow. Nearly 200 babies were named Cypress in the US last year, about 40 percent of them female.
Spruce
Tree name
A handsome, spruced-up post-Bruce tree name.
Mars
Roman mythology
"god of war; male; red planet"
Mars is a name with interesting potential, ticking the boxes as a mythological name, a space name, and a single syllable choice ending in -s. For parents wanting something unexpected, Mars could work…
Carmine
Latin, English, Italian
"vivid red; garden, song"
This Italian name could have a whole new life when viewed as a color name, however, it is traditionally a masculine form of Carmen, pronounced with three lilting syllables. Both provide an arty,…
Reef
Word name
"ridge of rock or coral on sea floor"
Reef is an uncommon nature name with mainstream potential. Its laidback, beach-y vibe makes it a perfect choice for ocean lovers. Although Reef remains well outside of the US Top 1000, it has charted…
Sahara
Arabic
"deserts"
A beautiful and evocative place-name that deserves wider use, Sahara brings to mind deserts and heat. Derived from Arabic, it is the name of the world's largest hot desert, located across the North…