Botanical Baby Names

Christia

Short form of Christiana

"Christ's follower"

Christia is a rare Chris name that doesn't add much to the mix. We'd prefer lengthening Christia to Christiana or shortening it to Christa.

Christiana

Latin feminization of Christian, Greek from Latin

"follower of Christ"

Not cutting edge, but still graceful and feminine. Parents who care about style may pass on all names Chris (or Kris) related, which were so popular in the second half of the 20th century. But…

Chrysanthemum

Greek

"gold flower"

One of the rarest of the flower names, that of the blossom celebrated in Japan as a symbol of the sun and a possible object of meditation. One of the rare flower names counted among names for autumn…

Cicely

English variation of Cecilia

"blind"

This frilly Victorian name is a variant of Cecilia and Cecily, with which it might well be confused. Cicely was a surprise choice for comedienne Sandra Bernhard. Literary Cicelys can be found in Sir…

Clematis

Flower name, from Greek

"vine branch"

Flower name that sounds a bit too much like a disease.

Cleome

English flower name

"spider flower"

A pretty plant with pink or lilac flowers.

Columbine

English from Latin

"dove"

A beautiful flower name deriving from the Latin word for dove. Sadly, in America this name is now forever linked with a tragic terrorist attack on a Colorado high school.

Cordia

Cordia is a feminine name with Latin origins, derived from 'cor' or 'cordis,' meaning 'heart.' This gives the name a warm, affectionate underlying significance, suggesting someone who is loving or…

Corymbia

Botanical name

Corymbia is the botanical name of many species of beautiful flowering gum trees. It is a rare, but attested, girls' name in Australia.

Cynara

Greek

"thistly plant"

Poetic though thorny, Cynara is one of those names that has a genuine root but that many will assume is invented. Depending on your viewpoint, that might be the best or worst of all worlds.

Cypress

Botanical name

Lovely entry into the tree name genre, joining Juniper, Maple, and Willow. Nearly 200 babies were named Cypress in the US last year, about 40 percent of them female.

Cyrilla

Latin from Greek

"lordly"

Cyrilla is an obscure feminization of Cyril that's a bit buttoned-up but also intriguingly unique, with an authentic pedigree. Spelling Cirilla is more visible thanks to The Witcher series, in which…

Daffodil

Flower name, from Greek

"asphodel"

Yes, though it seems so extreme, girls were actually sometimes given this name a century ago; now it is so uncommon it would make a strong springtime statement. Biggest obstacle: the nickname Daffy.…

Damiana

Greek

"tame, domesticated"

This feminine form of Damian projects a positive and lilting image, a distinct contrast to its male counterpart.

Daylily

English flower name

"daylily"

Pretty and unconventional floral option so called because their beautiful blooms generally last only a day.

Dianella

Botanical name

Dianella is the botanical name of a small plant which grows across Australia. It flowers in spring with a star-like purple flower which develops into a blue berry. Dianella feels wearable as an…

Drosera

Greek

"dewdrops"

An obscure name from Greek mythology — Drosera was a nymph — with a quirky, ethereal meaning.