Arboreal Names

Ash has Southern charm plus the arboreal-nature appeal. Plus your little boy will prize Ash as the name of the hero of the Pokemon cartoons. Ash can also be a dashing short form of Asher, Ashton, or any other "Ash" name.

Cullen is an appealing Irish surname name that upped its cool factor considerably when it became the Twilight family name of Edward et al. It's considerably less popular than it was at its peak in 2010, but is still widely used.

The surname-style Alden has been on the rise in the US in recent years, while tree-inspired Rowan is a top choice. Combine this with the popularity of names ending in -er such as Carter and Parker and it makes sense why Alder is now 4 times as popular as it was a decade ago. Given to 125 boys in a recent year, it could be a modern way to honor an "Al".

Though Dara was an (extremely wise) male figure in the Bible, this name feels mostly feminine to modern Americans. The Irish Gaelic version, Darragh, is well-used in contemporary times for boys.

Adding a final a to Tamar lends it a more sensual Slavic tone, making it a more popular choice than the original.

Unlike its somewhat formal Swiss city namesake, this is a lively and appealing place-name that also has a real history as a female name.

Forget the furry blue Muppet, forget corpulent President Cleveland (not too difficult), and consider this name anew. We think it's spunky, a little funky, and well worth a second look.

The attractive Euan and Ewan are just coming onto the U.S. radar, via actor Ewan MacGregor and Harry Potter's Euan Abercrombie.

Also Anglicized as Dara and also spelled Daire in its native form, Darragh has an undeniably rugged appeal. It's used for both girls and boys in Ireland, but it's very popular in particular for boys.

Lindsey is one of the few truly unisex names (rather than being a name that has changed genders). Over time the "ey" ending was usually reserved for women and the "ay" ending reserved for men, and that tradition has continued

Eila is a Hebrew name heard in Israel. The name also has roots in Finland and Norway, where it's derived from Elina, a variation of Helen, or from Aila, a form of Helga. Eila could gain attention as a cross-cultural name and fresh alternative to popular sound-alike choices like Ayla, Ella, and Isla.

This is a rich, melodic shortening of the popular girls' name Amelia that can stand on its own. There are several figures in Greek myth named Melia, most notably a daughter of Oceanus. The Meliae are nymphs associated with trees.

When given the French pronunciation (ay-LAN), has a great deal of esprit and élan.

Ilana is a name with seemingly endless variations, well used in Israel, sometimes chosen for little girls born on the holiday of TuB'Shevat, the New Year of the Trees.

Similar to Ivana but less personality-driven.

This Mediterranean island name would be a plausible choice for parents with a Greek or Turkish heritage.

Popular President Franklin Delano Roosevelt inspired a brief fashion for this as a first name in the 1940s; almost never heard today.

This lively Old Testament nature name (belonging to one of the three beautiful daughters of Job) may be missing from the current US Top 1000 list, but it ranks highly here on Nameberry — making it one to watch!

As Levi becomes more common, we're noticing parents turn to more creative alternatives such as Levitt.

A beaming, friendly Irish last-name-first-name waiting to be discovered, though anyone into American history might associate it with John C. Calhoun, a 19th century statesman who defended slavery. There are however plenty of places called Calhoun which might lessen that association.