Nature Names for Girls
- Liliane
Origin:
French variation of LilianMeaning:
"lily, a flower"Description:
Now that Lily has become hugely popular, parents in love with this flower name are looking further afield for substitutes such as Liliane and Liliana.
- Amphitrite
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"the surrounding sea or the surrounding third"Description:
Amphitrite is a mysterious Greek mythological figure, most often cited as a sea goddess who was the wife of Poseidon. She was said to be the personification of the sea water itself and was said to be present at the birth of Apollo.
- Cypress
Origin:
Nature nameDescription:
Lovely entry into the tree name genre, joining Juniper, Oak, and Willow.
- Rayen
Origin:
Mapuche (Chilean)Meaning:
"flower"Description:
Rayen is well-known in Chile, and sometimes seen in the Netherlands, as a Mapuche girls name meaning flower. This name could be an alternative to people who like Ryan but want to keep it as a boys name or as a spunkier alternative to other names that mean flower, such as Fleur and Flora.
- Rosetta
Origin:
PersianMeaning:
"splendid"Description:
Associated with the ancient Rosetta stone, this is also the pretty Italian pet form of Rosa.
- Madelief
Origin:
Dutch, '"daisy"Meaning:
"daisy"Description:
Madelief is an uncommon name but not unheard of in the Netherlands, where 123 girls were called Madelief in one recent year. With its soft sounds and similarities to all those "Madeleine" type names as well as names ending in "eef/eev" sounds (Aoife, Eve, Genevieve), Madelief has potential in English-speaking countries to be a fresh and pleasant change from Daisy, Margaret and Madeleine.
- Nima
Origin:
Hebrew, Arabic, and HindiMeaning:
"thread, hair; blessing; margosa tree"Description:
Multicultural name often heard in the Near East. Also spelled Neema.
- Olea
Origin:
Latin botanical name, genus of treesMeaning:
"olive"Description:
Olea is an unusual botanical name that relates to both olive and oil, brought to public attention when it was chosen by actress Amy Adams as the middle name for her daughter Aviana. Olea is also an occasionally used Norwegian and Danish girl's name and is said to be an Old Hebrew word for night or moon.
- Oaklyn
Origin:
American invented nameMeaning:
"oak lake"Description:
Oaklyn is one of the oak-related names moving up the popularity charts, along with more popular sister Oakley and near-identical twin Oaklynn. The Oaklynn spelling used for three times as many baby girls as Oaklyn -- 1800 vs. 600.
- Berry
Origin:
Nature nameDescription:
With the recent arrival of fruit names like Apple and Plum, this more traditional example, symbolic of fertility, might rise in popularity. Photographer Berry Berenson was born Berinthia.
- Jacinda
Origin:
Variation of JacintaMeaning:
"hyacinth"Description:
Jacinda, a form of the lovely and unusual Spanish and Portuguese flower name Jacinta (for Hyacinth), was first popularized by the Australian actress Jacinda Barrett. Today, the girls' name Jacinda is most notable as the name of New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern, one of the first world leaders to give birth in office, widely credited with her strong and compassionate leadership during the coronavirus pandemic.
- Strawberry
Origin:
Fruit nameDescription:
Another entry in the fruit name category, this one borne by writer Strawberry Saroyan, granddaughter of William, so named by her hippie parents. While fruit names may become more familiar, they'll never pass without comment -- but maybe that's what you're looking for.
- Lemon
Origin:
English word nameDescription:
Given to around 25 girls in the US each year, this is a name that could go either way - summery and refreshing or just plain sour. You decide.
- Fuchsia
Origin:
Plant and color nameDescription:
A plausible color name, it was chosen by the singer Sting as a middle name for his daughter, after a character in the Gormenghast fantasy trilogy, of which he's a big fan.
- Mar
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"sea"Description:
The Spanish and Portuguese word for "sea" is a Top 100 name in Spain. In America, it's sometimes used as a nickname for names like Martina and Marina, but it could also plausibly stand on its own.
- Derya
Origin:
TurkishMeaning:
"sea"Description:
Derya is a unisex name in its native Turkey, though even there it is far more popular for women than for men. It is related to the Persian name Daria, which also means sea.
- Freesia
Origin:
Flower name, from German surnameMeaning:
"Freese's flower"Description:
A rare, free-feeling flower name for the parent who wants to move far, far beyond Rose and Daisy. Named for German physician Friedrich Freese.
- Mignon
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"delicate, dainty"Description:
Charming French endearment, first used as a name by Goethe, that now makes an appealing choice -- though the proper feminine form is Mignonne. Note, though, that this is not actually used as a name in France, where Manon would be the closest choice.
- Swan
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"swan"Description:
Obsolete Swanhild gives way to oh-so-modern Swan, joining the flock of newly fashionable bird names such as Wren and Lark. In France, the Swann spelling is fashionable for both sexes. But Swan carries an image of grace, though perhaps also a bit of languor. It's a lovely and original name, right for our times.
- Alyvia
Origin:
Variation of OliviaMeaning:
"olive tree"Description:
Parents finding Olivia too popular first turned to Alivia and then went further with Alyvia. But making the spelling different does not improve on the original. If you love Olivia, name your daughter Olivia.