Interesting or unusual food names

Fad fruit name or a trendy syllable smash? We aren't certain, but we have noticed a number of babies name Acai on the US charts. Spelled Açai, with a cedilla, it's the name of a Brazilian palm that produces açai berries, known for their use in smoothie bowls. But parents may be using Acai as a variation of Kai or Malachi, pronounced as written.

Almond may seem like a hippy modern name, but its use for American boys goes right back to the mid-nineteenth century. In these cases, it was either a variation of Almund, meaning "noble strength," or the surname Aleman, meaning "German."

Angus is a traditional yet stylish choice in the UK, especially in Scotland. And it's a cool choice for US parents too, particularly those whose roots go back to Glasgow. The ancient Celtic form Oenghus has important historical overtones in Scotland, and the Gaelic form Aonghas is associated with two distinguished modern poets. In Irish folklore, Angus Og is a chieftain-lord who used his magical powers for the pleasure and prosperity of mankind--and in Irish myth, Aonghus was the god of love and youth.

When people talk about unique baby names, Apple is often one of the first examples they mention. Apple made international headlines when Gwyneth Paltrow chose this wholesome fruit name for her daughter. Many have called it ridiculous, but we have to admit, we find it appealing enough to list as one of our top cute baby names. Rocker Bob Geldof named one of his daughters Peaches; Banana Yoshimoto is a hipster writer. Another choice in this genre is the luscious Plum, though for different reasons, neither Prune nor Cherry will fly.

A very unique fruit name heard more often on peachy-colored dogs than on baby girls.

Banana is one fruity name we wouldn't recommend. Pick Plum instead. There is a Japanese novelist whose pen name is Banana Yoshimoto--birth name Mahoko.

A bit too bad-boy (think bars, beer, Harley) for us, as well as being the name of a grain.

The unisex word name Bean, distant cousin of the infamous Apple, was used for the name of a child of mysterious gender in Louise Penny's novel "A Rule Against Murder." While we can imagine Bean as a cute nickname for a yet-unnamed and unborn baby, we don't recommend it for real life.

If not for Motown founder Berry Gordy, this name would now be totally in the girl group.

Not even for Brandy's twin brother.

A little heavy on the fiber content; we prefer Bram. But Bran is also the Celtic god of the underworld, whose symbol is the raven.

Place-name and homonym of Bree, less popular than its enlargement, Brielle or Brianna. Brie Larson is a notable bearer.

Too sugary sweet and inconsequential for a modern girl.

A daisy-esque flower, although chamomile is much more commonly associated with the tea that's made from it.

With other fruity names like Clementine, Olive and Plum ripe for the picking, sweet Cherry remains remarkably underused: just 27 baby girls received the name in 2017, down from 343 at its peak in 1948. The unsavory slang meaning no doubt goes a long way towards explaining its fall from grace.

Only if you're madly nostalgic for sixties TV.

As a term of endearment, maybe, but not as a proper name, where it would practically demand the refrain "Banana."

A sweet and rare spice name, which made its first and only appearance on the US baby name charts in 1969 – the year Neil Young's song "Cinnamon Girl" was released.

Clementine is a Nameberry favorite that broke back into the US Top 1000 in 2014 after more than half a century off the list.