999+ Nature Names for Babies

  1. Hawthorn
    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Hawthorne
    • Description:

      The version with the e at the end relates to novelist Nathaniel, so that may be the one most parents attracted to this unusual name would choose. Hawthorn nudges it toward the nature category: Hawthorn is a type of hedge.
  2. Woods
    • Origin:

      Nature name
    • Description:

      Woods is a nature name that is a cousin to the stylish Brooks and Forest, evoking the entire world of trees. One caution: There is not a teenage boy in the English-speaking world who will appreciate having the nickname Woody.
  3. Petunia
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "trumpet-shaped flower"
    • Description:

      Literary heritage: the "Loony Tunes" girlfriend of Porky Pig. But with the increasing popularity of all kinds of unusual botanical names, Petunia may be a name we start to hear more of. Perhaps-more-pleasing Petunia alternatives: Petal, Posy, Poppy.
  4. Norma
    • Origin:

      English or Latin
    • Meaning:

      "from the north; or, the pattern"
    • Description:

      Invented for Bellini's opera, Norma had some star quality in the silent-screen and Marilyn Monroe days, but at this point it's a graying grandma in baby name limbo.
  5. Bayu
    • Origin:

      Indonesian
    • Meaning:

      "wind"
    • Description:

      Bayou? No, but it sounds the same, and since both the Indonesian name and the English word have appealing nature meanings, this is a perfect choice for the family that wants to bridge cultures.
  6. Ilma
    • Origin:

      Finnish, Hungarian, Spanish, or literary Quenya
    • Meaning:

      "air; starlight"
    • Description:

      A name that's unknown in the US and Britain but is popular as a nature name in Finland. May also be known as a Hungarian variation of Amelia and a Spanish form of Wilhelmina.
  7. Zariyah
    • Origin:

      Arabic, Hebrew, Russian
    • Meaning:

      "scattering wind; God has helped; sunrise, dawn"
    • Description:

      Zariyah has several possible origins: the Arabic Zahrah which means "flower" or Zariya "scattering wind"; the Hebrew name Azariah, meaning "God has helped"; or the Russian word Zaria which means "sunrise, dawn."
  8. Atria
    • Origin:

      Star name, Latin
    • Meaning:

      "entry hall"
    • Description:

      A star in the constellation Triangulum Australe, also the name of a publishing imprint and an assisted living corporation, probably because it has that streamlined corporate I-could-be-a-car-name feel. Atria is the plural of the more familiar term for an entry hall or foyer, atrium.
  9. Halley
    • Origin:

      Scottish and English
    • Meaning:

      "hall or woodland clearing"
    • Description:

      The Halley version of this popular name family hit the Top 1000 only once, in 1986, inspired by Halley's Comet, named for astronomer Edmund Halley.
  10. Ivara
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "yew tree, archer"
    • Description:

      Similar to Ivana but less personality-driven.
  11. Ardith
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "flowering field"
    • Description:

      Ethereal combination of Arden and Edith, with a sweet naturey meaning.
  12. Khione
    • Origin:

      Greek mythology
    • Meaning:

      "Snow"
    • Description:

      Khione was the name of several minor figures in Greek mythology, of which the most notable is the nymph who Hermes turned into a snow cloud. Khione works as both a high-brow mythological name and a Kardashian-trendy K name.
  13. Nimbus
    • Origin:

      Latin nature name
    • Meaning:

      "dark cloud"
    • Description:

      Nimbus is a word from nature for a type of cloud that has occasionally -- very occasionally -- been used for a human. But it's evocative and upbeat and certainly makes an intriguing and stylish nature name.
  14. Liliosa
    • Origin:

      Spanish
    • Meaning:

      "lily"
    • Description:

      Liliosa, one of the most extravagant forms of the ever-more-popular and varied Lily family, is an ancient saint's name that's a perfect candidate for revival by parents who love the double-L flower name trend but want a distinctive variation. Saint Liliosa was one of the martyrs of 9th century Cordoba, along with her husband Felix and cousins Aurelius and Natalia — all names newly fashionable in the modern world.
  15. Daffodil
    • Origin:

      Flower name, from Greek
    • Meaning:

      "asphodel"
    • Description:

      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.
  16. Jupiter
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "godfather"
    • Description:

      Jupiter may be known as the father of all the gods, but it's baby girls who have claimed his name for their own. Mythological and celestial baby names are hot across the board, so Jupiter was bound to rise in popularity. But the reason it's currently mostly female in the US is thanks to its similarities to the trendy feminine name Juniper.
  17. Olivine
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "olive"
    • Description:

      A gem named for its green hue.
  18. Wyndham
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "from the windy village"
    • Description:

      This artistic and aristocratic surname is a bold and daring choice, but with nature inspired names like Wren on the rise, and surnames-as-first-names being in vogue, Wyndham was a fast riser in 2023.
  19. Nightingale
    • Origin:

      Bird name from German
    • Meaning:

      "night singer"
    • Description:

      Charming nature name made even more appealing by the connection to iconic nurse and statistician Florence Nightingale.
  20. Fern
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "plant name"
    • Description:

      A fresh, green, rising nature name for girls that would make a cool possibility for a baby boy as well. It has ranked in the US Top 1000 for boys a handful of times since naming records began.