Nature Names for Cats

Dune is a name of several layers. It's a modern nature name, like Ocean, Bay and Reef, although rarer, conjuring up images of breezy sand dunes on summer beach days.

Related to blackberry plants and colloquially to any thorny shrub, Bramble also has history as an English surname.

Zuma was entered in the American name lexicon when musicians Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale chose it for their son. Californians will recognize Zuma as the name of a beautiful beach in Malibu, and it's also the surname of a South African president. With the lovely meaning of peace and its place-name associations, Zuma is one of those American names that literally sprang from the earth.

A brisk and beachy word name. For those of us saddened that Cove now has negative connotations, Coast could be an appealing alternative.

While Lillian is the English version of this elaborated flower name and Liliana is the authentic Spanish and Portuguese spelling, Lilliana is a familiar and perfectly usable option in the US.

Avis is a bird name that's been in hibernation for awhile, possibly due to the car rental association, but it could make a return on the wings of Ava. Baldwin brother Daniel chose it for his daughter.

An unusual name related to the willow family.

While Woodrow is too forbidding, its nickname Woody is a bit cartoonish, as in Woody Woodpecker and the animated cowboy character in Toy Story. Woody Allen was born Allen.

One of the rarest of the floral names, though not without some teasing potential. Peony is a historical 1948 novel by Pearl S. Buck.

Jacinta, the Spanish word for hyacinth, is a lot softer and sweeter than the English version. The correct Spanish pronunciation is ha-SEEN-ta, though many English speakers would say ja-SIN-ta. Although the name is slightly different, Jacinta is largely associated at present with Australian-born actress Jacinda Barrett.

One of the most unusual flower names, Tulip is cute but tough to pull off as a first. It has some celebrity cred via Charlie Tamara Tulip, twin daughter of Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O'Connell. It derives from Persian dulband "turban", due to the distinctive shape of the flowers.

Less known than other Cornish beauties like Demelza, Elowen and Kerensa, Elestren is a pretty Cornish botanical name ripe for wider usage.

Animal names are on the rise, especially more of the aggressive Hawk-Fox-Wolf variety than cute little Bunnys or Robins, and Hawk is a prime example.

Hawk is more commonly heard as a surname, represented by uber-skateboarder Tony Hawk, a pioneer of modern vertical skateboarding. Variations include Hawke, as in actor Ethan, Hawks, as in Golden Age movie director Howard, Hawking, as in scientist Stephen, and Hawkins, as in musicians Coleman, Screamin' Jay and Sophie B, and was recently given to his baby boy by quarterback Tony Romo. There have been characters named or nicknamed Hawk in The Revenant, The Path and Robert B. Parker's Spenser novels. Hawk ranks at Number 699 on Nameberry.

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!

Though most Buttercups are of the bovine persuasian, this humble flower name was given to the lovely princess in "The Princess Bride." If Buttercup still feels too lowly for you, you might consider Clover, Daffodil, or Daisy.

Like Sky and Sunshine, this fluffy name from the hippie 1970s has floated back onto the naming radar.

Unusual choice that was the original name of children's illustrator Tasha Tudor, but is an interesting elaboration of Star, taking it into avian territory.

Long heard as a last name, as in venerable poet Robert, U.K. talk show host David, British actress Sadie and old Jack Frost, Frost has suddenly entered the scene as a possible first, along with other seasonal weather names like Winter and Snow.

Daire, along with brother names Dara and Darragh, is among the Top 100 boys' names in Ireland today. An ancient name with an inspirational meaning, pronunciation could prove confusing to Americans.

The nature boy version of the Scandinavian Leif, which actually means "heir". In the creative-naming Phoenix family, Leaf is the former name of the actor we know as Joaquin.