Interesting or unusual food names

Nori

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

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

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…

Orange

Fruit or color name

An unlikely choice, but in this era of Apple, Navy, Golden, and Mint, you never know. In fact, Orange does have some historical grounding as a feminine name, appearing in Medieval times as Orange,…

Peach

Fruit name

Peach is one of those names that, a generation ago, would have been placed in the wacky celebrity baby name category. But now with the proliferation of word, nature, and yes, food names, Peach sounds…

Peaches

English fruit name

Unlike the other fruit names that are just coming onto the baby name menu, Peaches is an old-timey nickname previously reserved for spangled showgirls, and now would be considered an outrageous --…

Peanut

Word name

Peanut is a name you might call a baby in the womb, but at least one set of parents put it on the birth certificate too. General Hospital star Ingo Rademacher and his fiance Ehiku named their son…

Pear

Fruit name

Pear is a new entry to the growing list of fruit names, which includes the charming Plum, Clementine, and Apple. Its one, not inconsiderable drawback is its similarity to "pair," which is sure to…

Pepper

English from Latin, Sanskrit, "the pepper plant; berry"

"the pepper plant; berry"

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…

Persimmon

American fruit name from Powhatan

"a dry fruit"

We've adopted Plum, Cherry, and even Apple as baby names, so why not Persimmon? It lends itself to the charming nicknames Percy or Persy. The word "persimmon" is American in origin. It was derived…

Pita

Pita is a feminine name with diverse cultural origins. In Greek, it means 'rock' or 'stone,' symbolizing strength and stability. In Spanish-speaking countries, it often serves as a nickname for names…

Plum

Fruit name

British-born novelist Plum Sykes has taken this rich, fruity name out of the produce section and put it into the baby name basket. It's more appealing than Apple, more presentable than Peaches. The…

Pomegranate

Fruit name

Fruit associated with prosperity, fertility, and marriage in many cultures. Pomme or Pomeline are more name-worthy.

Prune

Fruit name

Prune is a fruit name loved by the French, for whom it's a Plum equivalent. In the U.S., Plum works, but Prune is not a name we'd want to inflict on a child. Prunella is slightly more plausible.

Roe

English, Scottish, Irish, Norwegian, or Korean surname

"roe deer; wise protector; son of Ruadh; red; clearing; ability"

In the US, the multicultural surname Roe is primarily associated with the landmark Supreme Court case Roe vs. Wade, which granted the federal right to abortion, though elsewhere it might be…

Romaine

French

"a Roman"

In this country, likely to conjure up visions of leafy lettuce.

Saffron

Spice name

"orange-yellow color; a type of crocus"

Spice names are increasingly appealing to the senses of prospective parents; this one, belonging to a precious spice derived from the crocus has a vaguely orange-scented-incense sixties feel. English…

Sesame

Food name and word name

Poppy is the most widely-used seed name, opening the door for Sesame. While Sesame has a pretty sound, it is not often used as a name -- fewer than five baby girls were given the name in the US in…

Strawberry

Fruit name

Another entry in the fruit name category, this one borne by writer Strawberry Saroyan, granddaughter of William, so named by her hippie parents. While fruit names may become more familiar, they'll…

Sugar

Word name

You can call your daughter Sugar, but it's probably best to keep it as a term of endearment. For sweet names, you try Dulcie, Honey, Mitsu, Amai, Sherine, Melita, Eulalia, or Melina, but Sugar does…

Taffy

Welsh

"beloved friend"

A diminutive of the (male) name Dafydd, the Welsh form of David. In the US, it's strongly associated with the candy.