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Interesting or unusual food names

This is a list of food words that supposedly could be used as names. Some of these work, others would be humiliating.
  1. Olive
    • Origin:

      English, from Latin, nature name
    • Meaning:

      "olive tree"
    • Description:

      Though greatly overshadowed by the trendy Olivia, Olive has a quiet, subtle appeal of its own -- and is now enjoying a remarkable comeback. Olive is one of only four girl names starting with O on the US Top 1000. Cool couple Isla Fisher and Sacha Baron Cohen chose it for their daughter, reviving the name to stylishness, and now Drew Barrymore has a little Olive too, as has country singer Jake Owen.
  2. Clementine
    • Origin:

      French feminine version of Clement, Latin
    • Meaning:

      "mild, merciful"
    • Description:

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

      Spelling variation of Rhys
    • Description:

      An Anglicized spelling of the Welsh Rhys, this traditional boys' name got a big boost for girls in the early 2000s, thanks to the high-profile Ms. Witherspoon (who was actually born Laura Jeanne Reese, her second middle being her mother's maiden name). This spelling has been on the decline for boys since 2003, possibly for the same reason, but remains a strong, simple choice which might pose fewer spelling and pronunciation issues outside of the UK than the Welsh original.
  4. Cinnamon
    • Origin:

      Word name, English from Greek
    • Meaning:

      "cinnamon"
    • Description:

      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.
  5. Romaine
    • Origin:

      French
    • Meaning:

      "a Roman"
    • Description:

      In this country, likely to conjure up visions of leafy lettuce.
  6. Rice
    • Origin:

      English nature name
    • Description:

      Rice is really stretching the nature name boundary to its outer edges. But you may want to take it that far.
  7. Ham
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "hot, warm"
    • Description:

      Along with Shem and Japheth, a son of Noah with a name that's almost never used -- for more obvious reasons than those of his brothers.
  8. Nori
    • Origin:

      Japanese, English short form or Eleanor, Leonora, Nora, Honora, or North, form of Nor or Nuri, Arabic, Turkish
    • Meaning:

      "ceremonial rites, doctrine, seaweed; unknown, honor, north; my light"
    • Description:

      Nori is one of those names with several origins that would have no trouble assimilating into a variety of cultures. It might also be associated with the dried seaweed used to wrap sushi or with the nickname Kim Kardashian and Kanye West use for their daughter North.
  9. Herb
    • Description:

      Herb is a masculine name that originated as a shortened form of Herbert, which comes from Germanic elements 'hari' meaning 'army' and 'beraht' meaning 'bright.' Primarily used in English-speaking countries, Herb peaked in popularity in the United States during the early 20th century. The name has a friendly, unpretentious quality that reflects its association with everyday herbs and plants, despite its martial etymological origins. Herb gained cultural recognition through notable bearers like American bandleader Herb Alpert and basketball player Herb Williams. While rarely given as a formal name to newborns today, it retains a warm, vintage charm that evokes the mid-century era. The name's brevity and straightforward pronunciation give it an accessible, down-to-earth character.
  10. Candy
    • Origin:

      English word name or diminutive of Candace, Latin
    • Meaning:

      "white, pure, sincere"
    • Description:

      Too sugary sweet and inconsequential for a modern girl.
  11. Margarita
    • Origin:

      Spanish, Russian, Greek
    • Meaning:

      "pearl, daisy"
    • Description:

      Margarita is an international form of Margaret that shares its meaning of "pearl", but also directly translates to "daisy" in Spanish and Greek. Despite being widely associated with the alcoholic beverage in English, it has a long history of use in Spanish, Greek and several Slavic languages — most notably being the name of the heroine of Mikhail Bulgakov's 1966 novel Master and Margarita.
  12. Pepper
    • Origin:

      English from Latin, Sanskrit, "the pepper plant; berry"
    • Meaning:

      "the pepper plant; berry"
    • Description:

      With its bubbly sounds and stylish feel, Pepper joins a small but distinctive group of names inspired by the spice rack: Saffron, Juniper, Cassia, Sage, Ginger, and Rosemary. Enough like Pippa, Piper and Penelope that it feels usable, Pepper has appeared every year in the US stats since the 60s.
  13. Berry
    • Origin:

      Nature name
    • Description:

      If not for Motown founder Berry Gordy, this name would now be totally in the girl group.
  14. Lemon
    • Origin:

      English fruit name
    • Description:

      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.
  15. Kale
    • Origin:

      Modern invented name
    • Description:

      Whether you think of it as Cale with a K, or a pet form of Kalen or Kaleb, this is just the kind of short, synthetic name finding a lot of favor now, but remember -- it's also the name of a vegetable.
  16. Angus
    • Origin:

      Anglicized form of Aonghus, Aonghas, Gaelic
    • Meaning:

      "one strength"
    • Description:

      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.
  17. Chiquita
    • Origin:

      Spanish
    • Meaning:

      "little one"
    • Description:

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

      English word name
    • Meaning:

      "cherry"
    • Description:

      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.
  19. Chip
    • Origin:

      Pet name for Charles
    • Description:

      Only if you're madly nostalgic for sixties TV.
  20. Mayo
    • Origin:

      Irish place-name
    • Meaning:

      "yew-tree plain"
    • Description:

      When ordering a baby name, hold the mayo.

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