Mint-y Names

This unisex Japanese name can be formed by many combinations of kanji, but the most oft-cited meaning is intuitive for English speakers — "mint."

A dialectal variation of Mintuu found in the Varsinais-Suomi region of Finland.

Minty isn't a fresh word name — it's an old-fashioned nickname for Araminta, the romantic smoosh name coined by playwright William Congreve in 1693.

In addition to being the Swedish word for "mint," Mynta is the translation of the Danish name Mynte. However, the original Danish version remains more popular, even in Sweden.

Minta would be easier to wear as an English-speaker.

Mētra is the Latvian word for the mint plant and is seen as both a given name and a surname, although it is rare in both cases.

Lithuanian word name derived from that of the mint plant.

Odhran, Anglicized as Oran, was the name of an ancient saint. Today, Odhran is among the Top 100 Irish names for boys in Ireland.

A calm and gentle multicultural choice. Oran is popular in Ireland, where its Gaelic form is Odhrán, meaning "little green one". In Scottish Gaelic, the name means "song", and in Hebrew, it's a combination of Or "light" + Ran "singing".

This Irish saint's name sounds like a lopped-off Lorna.

Replaced Patsy as the midcentury's popular, peppy babysitter.

A unique compound name taken from a variety of mint known for its medicinal properties.

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.

A rare minty baby name occasionally used in India. The Pudina spelling is slightly more popular.

Pudina is the word for mint in many Indian languages. It's slightly more common than the Pudeena variation, although each are rare as baby names.

A modern, multifaceted name, Sage is short, sweet, and strong. A unisex possibility, it is also a virtuous word name associated with wisdom, and a nature name linked to a fragrant herb.

Sage is an evocatively fragrant herbal name that also connotes wisdom, giving it a double advantage. It entered the Top 1000 at about the same time for both genders in the early 1990s, but it has pulled ahead for the girls. Toni Collette named her daughter Sage Florence.