User-created list
Extensive List of Botanical Names
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of 10
Lavender
English color and flower name
"purple flower"
Lavender lags far behind sweet-smelling purple-hued sister names Violet and Lila, but is starting to get some enthusiastic attention from cutting-edge namers along with other adventurous nature names…
Geranium
Flower name, from Greek
"crane"
Offbeat flower name, sure to raise some eyebrows. But with Lily, Rose, and even Daisy starting to wilt, more alluring blooms such as Geranium, Magnolia, and Azalea may blossom.
Snapdragon
Flower name, from English
"dragon's mouth"
Feisty floral name that would work better as a middle name than as a first, so called because of the flower's resemblance to a dragon's open mouth.
Aster
English; Amharic
"star"
This is a fresh new addition to the botanical list; comedian Gilbert Gottfried made it a real bouquet when he named his daughter Lily Aster. And the name of the little girl on television's Dexter…
Jonquil
English flower name, from Latin
"reed"
Jonquil is an unusual flower name that is less outlandish than Daffodil and less common than Daisy. It just might appeal to parents seeking a singular botanical option. Unlike most flower names,…
Lotus
Greek
"lotus flower"
A flower name containing both beauty and power, Lotus has significance in both Buddhism and Hinduism, symbolizing purity, grace and spiritual growth — not to mention a familiar yoga position. In…
Gardenia
Flower name, from English surname
"Garden's flower"
More uncommon and powerful than garden varieties like Rose and Lily. Named for Scottish botanist Dr Alexander Garden.
Artemisia
Greek, variation of Artemis
You might think Artemisia is the feminine form of the name, but in fact the original Artemis is feminine too, the name of the Greek mythological goddess of the moon. Artemisia Gentileschi was an…
Carnation
Flower name, from French or English
"complexion; coronation"
A popular flower, but as a name we don't expect it to reach the heights of Lily or Violet. Its origins are not entirely clear: it may come directly from the French word carnation "complexion"…
Clary
Botanical name or variation of Clare, Latin
"bright, clear"
There are many variations of Clare and Clara, but this might be one of the simplest and most surprising. Clary can be a diminutive of the Latin name Clara, meaning 'bright' or 'clear,' or it might…
Columbine
English from Latin
"dove"
A beautiful flower name deriving from the Latin word for dove. Sadly, in America this name is now forever linked with a tragic terrorist attack on a Colorado high school.
Delphinium
Flower name, from Greek
"larkspur; dolphin"
Delphinium is the proper name for larkspur. It's also related to names like Delphine, which are connected to dolphins (the flowers were thought to resemble a dolphin's back).
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…
Thistle
English flower name
"to prick"
Quirky and charming flower name. Thistle is Scotland's national symbol.
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…
Heliotrope
botanical name
Despite the beauty of this flower's appearance and fragrance, this is one of the clumsier flower names.
Malva
Greek
"slender, delicate"
Your zany neighbor, the one who's a potter and has five cats.
Petunia
English
"trumpet-shaped flower"
Literary heritage: the "Loony Tunes" girlfriend of Porky Pig. But with the increasing popularity of all kinds of unusual botanical names, Petunia may be a name we start to hear more of.…
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…
Tansy
Flower name, from Greek
"immortality"
Tansy is a flower name rarer than Rose, livelier than Lily and a lot less teasable than Pansy. Tansy is a perennial herbaceous plant of the aster family that has clusters of small bright yellow…