999+ Nature Names for Babies

Pacific is an adventurous kind of place-name, with the added bonus of the association with peace.

Ten times as many boys are named Oak as girls: about 50 boys last year to five girls. Of course, nature names don't have any traditional gender identification the way names like John and Mary do, so Oak works well for all babies. Oakley is the most popular Oak name for babies of all genders.

Whether it's an Asian surname-name or short for Channing, has a sound and feel that's both simple and stand-out.

From the botanical name for common heather, Calluna vulgaris, which ultimately derives from the Greek kallos "beauty". A unique, nature-inspired route to the fashionable nicknames Callie and Luna.

Short, simple international names like this make distinctive middle name possibilities. Nir also makes for a nature-oriented first name that's both straightforward and unusual. But be prepared for a lifetime of "...and far" jokes.

The bright yellow weed lends itself to a creative baby name, although we don't recommend the nickname Dandy.

A fierce nature name which could give cool short form Nash.

Vicus, an unusual ancient Roman place-name, is used for modern-day boys in Africa.

A name gaining recognition in Australia, based on the huon pine tree which grows in Tasmania. Boatbuilders especially love this rare wood, which floats well, is resistant to rot, and has a strong pine-y scent.

Adventurous parents are venturing deeper into the garden in search of fresh names, but remember that this also makes for an alcoholic brunch.

His nickname would inevitably be Bull.

A very popular name for boys in Ireland that's well-used throughout the British Isles, Darragh is also occasionally used for girls and certainly sounds feminine or at least unisex to the American ear. Simplified form Dara pushes it further toward the girls' side.

Photographer Diane Arbus named her daughter Doon, inspired by the sand dunes she walked among when pregnant. Used this way, Doon might be considered a nature name, a refashioning of the word dune. But Doon might also stem from the familiar Scottish surname Dunn or Dunne, which means brown or dark, originally used for a dark-haired person.

Lilium is the genus of the lily family of plants and sounds a bit botanically formal for a first name. Try Lillia or Lilias.

A potential successor to River, albeit without the appealing connection to nature.

Veridian is a variation on Viridiana or Viridis, meaning green. Veridian is also the name of an American aeronautical company, so we recommend you stick with the alternatives.

Related to the Arabic Warda, Vered is a strong sounding nature name with a sweet floral meaing.

The Reid spelling is surprisingly more popular than the naturey Reed for both boys and girls, though more than 95% of little Reids are male.

61 Cygni is a star in the constellation Cygnus. It's pronounced similarly to the Scandinavian name Signe/Signy.

This botanical name is one of the few Dutch names that could work outside the Netherlands, especially in Germany or Scandinavia.