Offbeat Florals
Share
Copy link
A list of unusual floral names off the beaten path, potentially to consider as a middle name.
- Zinnia
Origin:
Flower name, from German surnameMeaning:
"Zinn's flower"Description:
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 botanist Johann Gottfried Zinn, it appears in Roald Dahl's Matilda as the young protagonist's mother.
- Vivendel
Origin:
Norwegian nature nameMeaning:
"honeysuckle flower"Description:
The Norwegian word for "honeysuckle" could make for a fresh and vibrant nature-inspired choice.
- Celandine
Origin:
English botanical nameDescription:
A botanical name belonging to a small yellow flower in the poppy family. The word ultimately derives from chelidon, the Ancient Greek for "swallow (bird)".
- Ornella
Origin:
ItalianMeaning:
"flowering ash tree"Description:
Like many a popular name, Ornella is a theatrical creation. Italian playwright Gabriele d'Annunzio created this name for his dramatic heroine in the 1904 play La Figlia di Iorio. Ornella is a feminization of the orno or ornello, which is the Italian word for the Fraxinus Ornus, a type of tree which produces such sweet sap that it was compared to biblical manna.
- Ixora
Origin:
Botanical nameDescription:
Ixora is a type of flowering plant which in tropical climates flower all year round. Ixora is important in Hindu worship. Ixora is also the name of an album by Florida-based band Copeland.
- Lilias
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"lily"Description:
An unusual flower name deriving from the Latin word for lily (lilium), this variant has always been popular in Scotland.
- Phlox
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"flame"Description:
A rare and striking flower name, in use in English since the late 19th century, which takes its name from the Greek word for "flame".
- Chrysanthe
Origin:
Feminine form of Chrysanthos,GreekMeaning:
"golden flower"Description:
A unique option for a November baby (the November birth flower is a chrysanthemum) or to honor an ancestral Chris, Chrysanthe feels more wearable than the full Chrysanthemum, despite the storybook mouse.
- Alyssum
- Celosia
- Linaria
- Lobelia
Introducing the Nameberry App

Find your perfect baby name together with our new mobile app.
- Swipe through thousands of names with your partner
- Names you match on are saved to your shared list
- Get personalized recommendations that learn based on your and your partner's preferences
- Partner with friends and family to find names you all love
- Backed by Nameberry's 20 years of data around name preferences.
Sign up to be notified when the app launches and to receive a discount on full access.

