Flower/plant names

Rue has gone from Golden Girls actress to Hunger Games heroine. This botanical name is also a coincidental double word name, meaning "regret" in English and "street in" French. Despite these unfortunate secondary meanings, Rue has real potential to be one of the most popular new middle names for girls.

Intriguing name with great symbolic meaning in Eastern religions.

Stockard Channing -- "West Wing" 's first lady -- picked this strong, Waspy first name over her original, Susan.

Would you really want to name your child after a Japanese anime movie called Tamala 2010: A Punk Cat in Space.

Tamar is a rich, strong Old Testament name sometimes given to girls born on the holiday of Sukkoth, as palm branches were used to make the roof of the sukkah. In the Bible, there are several Tamars, including a daughter of King David and also Absalom's daughter, who is praised for her 'fair countenance'.

Adding a final a to Tamar lends it a more sensual Slavic tone, making it a more popular choice than the original.

Tupelo, one of the common name for trees of the Nyssa genus, stems from words in the Creek Native American language meaning swamp tree.

This botanical name is not as attractive as several other versions of the tree including Birch and Berkeley.

Occasionally heard in the 1920s and 30s, along with siblings Bina and Mina; Vienna would be a more modern choice.

Too close to violent.

Violet is soft and sweet, yet with a vivacious edge. Today, Violet is the top flower name for girls, outranking Lily and Iris in the Top 100, and the second most popular color name for girls after Scarlett.

An ancient tree that figures in literature from Shakespeare to Harry Potter and is believed to possess magical powers, Willow is a lovely name, as graceful as its inspiration.

A frilly southern-accented flower name yet to be planted on many birth certificates. In the language of flowers, the wisteria is a symbol of devotion. It is named for American horticulturalist John Caspar Wister.

X marks the spot in names these days, usually at the middles or ends of names, but here is one that puts it squarely up front.

Yesenia is a Latinx favorite popularized by a character on a Spanish-language soap opera. Jessenia is another variation. The name is drawn from the name of a palm tree in South America, but Yesenia is also an Arabic name meaning flower, making it an excellent cross-cultural choice.

On paper, with its stylish ties to fashion legend Yves Saint-Laurent (born Henri), Yves looks great, but the pronunciation--EVE-- could lead to gender confusion. German variation Ivo might be cooler and clear up the issue.

This French name has the elegance of other '-ette' names such as Colette and is a botanical name without being too obvious about it.