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Food Names 2.0

  1. Fig

    • Origin:

      Fruit name

    • Description:

      Fig was the unlikely name of a beautiful character in Curtis Sittenfeld's Man of My Dreams. Better bets: Plum, Quince, or even Apple. Still, you might consider Fig as an unusual nickname for any more formal F-starting name, from Frances to Fiona.
  2. Fig
    • Ginger

      • Origin:

        English diminutive

      • Description:

        Originally a unisex nickname for a redhead -- red hair is called "ginger" in Britain -- or for the name Virginia, Ginger perennially wears pink gingham and spike heels.
    • Graham

      • Origin:

        Scottish

      • Meaning:

        "gravelly homestead"

      • Description:

        Well used in England and Scotland since the fifties, the smooth and sophisticated Graham is catching on here.
    • Garbanzo
      • Harissa

        • Origin:

          Arabic

        • Meaning:

          "hot sauce, paste"

        • Description:

          A North African chili pepper paste and a potential baby name due to the similarities to Marissa, Clarissa, et al.
      • Hazel

        • Origin:

          English

        • Meaning:

          "the hazelnut tree"

        • Description:

          Hazel has a pleasantly hazy, brownish-green-eyed, old-fashioned image that more and more parents are choosing to share. Former Old Lady name Hazel reentered the popularity lists in 1998 and now is near the top of the charts.
      • Honey

        • Origin:

          Word name

        • Description:

          A term of endearment turned cute British celebrity baby name, used by actress Kate Winslet, chef Jamie Oliver, and TV presenter Fearne Cotton, among others. Honey was given to only 40 girls in the US in 2017, but it's relatively popular across the pond, where it ranks in the current Top 500 baby names for girls.
      • Jasmine

        • Origin:

          Flower name, from Persian

        • Meaning:

          "gift from God"

        • Description:

          Jasmine was derived from the Persian word yasmin, referring to the jasmine flower. Scented oil was made from the plant, and it was used as a perfume throughout the Persian Empire. Variants include Jazmin, Yasmin, Yasmine, and Jessamine.
      • Java

        • Origin:

          Anglicization of Indonesian Jawa; place name

        • Description:

          A name with something for everyone: for romantics, it's a beautiful Indonesian island; for teckies, it's a computer programming language.
      • Juniper

        • Origin:

          Latin tree name

        • Meaning:

          "young"

        • Description:

          Juniper is a fresh-feeling nature name -- it's a small evergreen shrub -- with lots of energy. A new favorite of fashionable parents, Juniper joins such other tree and shrub names as Hazel, Acacia, and Willow.
      • 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.
      • Kiwi

        • Description:

          Kiwi is an uncommon feminine name derived from the flightless bird native to New Zealand, which also lends its name to the kiwifruit. The term comes from the Māori language, where it is an onomatopoeic word imitating the call of the bird. As a given name, Kiwi has gained limited use in Western countries, appealing to parents seeking unique nature-inspired names. It conveys associations with New Zealand culture, as the kiwi bird is a national symbol. The name projects qualities of uniqueness, exoticism, and natural simplicity. Despite its rarity, Kiwi has seen modest growth in usage as part of the trend toward distinctive fruit and nature names in the 21st century.
      • Lemon

        • Origin:

          American fruit name

        • Description:

          Lemon is one of the more unique names related to fruit, compared with sisters Clementine and Apple. That may be because lemon is also a word that's slang for a clunker, something that doesn't work very well. No baby wants to feel like a Lemon, so this is one of those unusual names that is best avoided.
      • Lemon

        • Origin:

          English word name

        • Description:

          Given to around 25 girls in the US each year, this is a name that could go either way - summery and refreshing or just plain sour. You decide.
      • Lolly

        • Description:

          Lolly is a playful, cheerful feminine name that can function as both a nickname and a standalone name. It likely originated as a diminutive for names like Dolores, Charlotte, or Laura, but has gained independent usage. The name evokes sweetness and joy, partly due to its association with lollipops and candy. Lolly has a light-hearted, youthful quality that exudes friendliness and approachability. While not commonly found on popular name lists, it experienced modest usage in the mid-20th century and has seen occasional revival among parents seeking vintage-inspired names with a whimsical quality. The name's brevity and repeating 'l' sound give it a rhythmic, memorable quality that works well across all ages despite its initial childlike associations.

      • Lotus

        • Origin:

          Greek

        • Meaning:

          "lotus flower"

        • Description:

          Lotus is one of the most languorous of the flower names, with intriguing significance in both Buddhism and Hinduism, symbolizing purity, grace and spiritual growth — not to mention a familiar yoga position.
      • Lolli
        • Madeleine

          • Origin:

            French variation of Magdalen

          • Meaning:

            "woman from Magdala or high tower"

          • Description:

            Sophisticated and sweet, delicate but substantial, Madeleine is the classic French variation of Magdalene.
        • Mango

          • Origin:

            Fruit name

          • Description:

            Mango might be cute as a short form of a related name like Manuel, or for a pet name. But we're not feeling it as a full baby name for a child of any gender.