Nature Names for Girls

This name derives from the name of a group of buttercup yellow butterflies. It is also a zingy twist on the more familiar Serena.

An evergreen with yellow flowers, Ambretta works to modernize Amber.

A Hybrid Tea Rose is a popular garden rose, developed to produce a single flower per stem. Tearose is a rare but whimsical compound that could perhaps be used as a middle for the daughter of a florist or gardener.

An overlooked floral name that would make a bold choice for a first or middle name. Hibiscus — in particular, the yellow hibiscus — is the state flower of Hawaii. Dried hibiscus is used to make tea revered for its deep magenta color. The Spanish name for the flower, Jamaica (ha-MY-kah), also makes a beautiful name.

Olympic athlete Usain Bolt introduced this unusual and electric nature name to the lexicon when he chose it for his daughter's middle name: Olympia Lightning Bolt. Now there's a name with layers of meaning!

One of the evocative new nature names with a simple, stylish feel.

This name of London's famous river (it's pronounced tehms) might be an evocative if confusing choice for a non-British child. But if you want an unmistakably British girl name, this would be a clear choice.

In botany, a catkin is a long, thin flower cluster found on trees such as willow, hazel, oak and birch. The word derives from Middle Dutch katteken "kitten", due to the resemblance to a kitten's furry tail.

The term "wintergreen" historically referred to plants that remain green through the winter, for which we use the word "evergreen" today. Gaultheria wintergreens, shrubs, contain the oil used to make wintergreen mint flavoring, used in chewing gum, toothpaste, and even root beer.

As a new set of word names washes up on the shore, names like Beach could appeal to parents with a love for the sand and the waves. If you prefer hiking and forests over surfing and dunes, Beech would be a more appropriate spelling.

Strong meaning, sweet but strong sound, fresh and earthy: a winner.

For the boyds. Er, boys, if only judging my the statistics, which have this rare bird name given to a handful of baby boys in the US but no recent baby girls. But it certainly would make a majestic choice for a child of either gender.

The Layke spelling of this refreshing nature name was introduced for one of the Waldrop sextuplets, Layke Bryars, who is male, but the name is gender neutral.

A genus of tropical shrubs that bear white and pink flowers.

Fresh, evocative choice.

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

Fragrant herb often used for cooking, but scarcely as a name.

While Hill reads as a nickname for Hillary, adding an S puts it in the same category as plural nature names like Rivers and Brooks. It also softens the name's image: one hill is an obstacle, but many together form a lovely landscape. Hills are also a recurring image and metaphor in both the New and Old Testament.

As a name, it's linked to Sir Mulberry Hawk, a character in Charles Dicken's Nicholas Nickleby.

Eurybia is a sea titaness and consort of Krios. A lesser-known name from Greek mythology, it may be on board to follow other goddesses back to glory.