The Great Big List of Cottagecore Names
- Finch
Origin:
English word and nature nameMeaning:
"to swindle"Description:
It feels like Finch should be a modern bird name that's as popular as Wren or Lark, but that's not the case - so it's one to consider if you're looking for a nature name that's familiar but rare.
- Orville
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"gold town"Description:
Only if you're an aviation buff or seriously addicted to popcorn.
- Vale
Origin:
Geographical nameDescription:
Vale is part place name, part nature name -- a poetic term for a type of valley. Today Show coanchor Savannah Guthrie put Vale on the baby name map when she chose it for her daughter, but there's no reason the name can't work equally well for a boy. Vale might also be a short form for Valentine or a spelling variation of the city name Vail.
- Birch
Origin:
Tree nameDescription:
Birch is a rarely used nature name that calls to mind the lovely image of the tall, strong but graceful white-barked tree.
- Rosamund
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"horse protection"Description:
This lovely, quintessentially British appellation, also spelled Rosamond, is the name of a legendary twelfth-century beauty. Rare on these shores, it is more than worthy of importation.
- Camellia
Origin:
English flower name from Czech surnameMeaning:
"Kamel's flower"Description:
Camellia is a rare flower name with distinct roots related to the Camille/Camila group and has varied associations to the moon, water, wealth, and perfection. It could be thought of as a floral replacement for Amelia.
- Sorrel
Origin:
Botanical name and FrenchMeaning:
"reddish brown"Description:
Sorrel is a gentle, amber-hued herbal and autumnal name that's used most often to describe the color of a horse. Sorrell is a variant spelling. Both make excellent names for autumn babies and can be used for either gender.
- Astoria
Origin:
Place nameDescription:
Long more associated with the New York Waldorf- hotel and the neighborhood in Queens than as a baby name, Astoria is finally beginning to emerge from their shadow and find favor with parents looking to move beyond Brooklyn. The name Astoria is drawn from the surname of titan of industry John Jacob Astor, theorized to mean "hawk."
- Posy
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"a bunch of flowers"Description:
A sweet, nostalgic nosegay kind of name, Posy has been long fashionable in England, a country of gardeners, but this pretty bouquet-of-flowers name is still rarely heard in the US, though it could be seen as a more unusual possible alternative to Rosy or Josie.
- Fauna
Origin:
Roman, English word name, from LatinMeaning:
"young deer; all the animals that live in a particular area"Description:
Fauna is the Roman goddess of the earth as well as one of the fairies who protected Disney's "Sleeping Beauty". It can also be considered a word name with a scientific, nature focused feel. Used to as a way to refer to all the animals in a particular area, habitat, or time period, many might think of the phrase "Flora and Fauna" on seeing the name.
- Cobalt
Origin:
Color and nature nameDescription:
Even among the range of blue names on the current baby naming palette -- Blue itself, Azure, Cerulean, Teal, Aqua, Cyan, Indigo -- Cobalt remains the most unusual, not to mention the most masculine.
- Walt
Origin:
German, diminutive of WalterDescription:
A straightforward, down-to-earth nickname many Walters, from Whitman to Disney, have chosen to go by.
- Tulip
Origin:
Flower name, from PersianMeaning:
"turban"Description:
One of the most unusual flower names, Tulip is cute but tough to pull off as a first. It has some celebrity cred via Charlie Tamara Tulip, twin daughter of Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O'Connell. It derives from Persian dulband "turban", due to the distinctive shape of the flowers.
- Clove
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"clove"Description:
Clove is a spice name that is a tad more piquant than Saffron or Cinnamon. It might get more attention now as a member of The Hunger Games family of names.
- Bee
Origin:
Animal name or English diminutive of Beatrice, LatinMeaning:
"she who brings happiness"Description:
We've seen Beatrice and Beatrix climb in popularity, along with traditional nickname Bea. And now there's Bee, giving it a buzzy nature world spin, plus a tie to popular late night TV''s Samantha Bee, not to mention Aunt Bee on the old The Andy Griffith Show TV show. Bee can theoretically be short for any girl names starting with B.
- Clea
Origin:
Latinate variation of Cleo, GreekMeaning:
"glory"Description:
An attractive and unusual name that may be a variation of Cleo, Clea was possibly invented by Lawrence Durrell for a character in his Alexandria Quartet.
- Iola
Origin:
Greek or WelshMeaning:
"violet; beautiful lady"Description:
Isla is hot, Iona is cool – maybe it's time Iola got a second look? Last heard from on Carol Burnett's Mama's Family show, Iola feels like just the sort of uncommon, vowel-rich, vintage name that should be ripe for rediscovery.
- Peony
Origin:
Flower name; LatinMeaning:
"healing"Description:
One of the rarest of the floral names, though not without some teasing potential. Peony is a historical 1948 novel by Pearl S. Buck.
- Mariposa
Origin:
SpanishMeaning:
"butterfly"Description:
Mariposa is a rare, romantic choice with an intriguing meaning.
- Moss
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"descendant of Moses"Description:
This evocative green nature name, heard much more frequently as a surname, is associated with playwright Moss Hart (born Robert), who co-wrote (with George S. Kaufman) such enduring Broadway comedies as The Man Who Came to Dinner and You Can't Take it With You.
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