Nature Names Off the Beaten Track

Sorrel is a gentle, amber-hued herbal and autumnal name that's used most often to describe the color of a horse. Sorrell is a variant spelling. Both make excellent names for autumn babies and can be used for either gender.

With related choices such as Lark and Phoenix gaining popularity, why not Sparrow? Though it's usually thought of as a female name, Nicole Richie and Joel Madden chose it for their son.

A handsome, spruced-up post-Bruce tree name.

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.

Though some may find such names rather harsh and severe, increasing numbers of parents are gravitating toward this kind of flinty, steely, stony single-syllable name.

Windswept and dramatic, but perhaps asking for trouble. Quite popular in Denmark and Sweden, where it derives from Stromr, which is a fairly common surname. Storm Thorgerson is a famous bearer of the name - he designed iconic album covers for Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, the Cranberries, Anthrax, and Pink Floyd.

Despite its somewhat menacing meaning, this name has been widely used in recent years, probably due to the appeal of its trendy on ending.

A hardwood tree native to Africa, India and other tropical regions, which bears sweet pod-shaped fruits which are used as a flavoring in many world cuisines, including Indian and Filipino. A rare and intriguing nature name which could honor an ancestral Tammy or Tamar.

We've had Apples, Plums, Peaches, Cherries, and Berries added to the fruit basket: you could be the first to pick a Tangerine.

Tansy is a flower name rarer than Rose, livelier than Lily and a lot less teasable than Pansy.

Aromatic but also problematic.

This name of both a grayish-greenish-blue color and a kind of wild duck can be used for both boys and girls.

Thayer is an affable, less-common alternative to Taylor, with a much more indirect connection to its occupational source. Actor Thayer David (born David Thayer: Thayer was his father's first name) was known for his roles in Rocky and Dark Shadows.

Rose and Briar are popular, and Hawthorn is cool – so why not the equally prickly Thorn? Add an E to give it a surnamey spin.

This name of the bright orange flower found in Asia has been used occasionally in English-speaking countries. A notable namesake is Tiger Lily, the Native American princess from Peter Pan. Read more about Tiger Lily and other Disney Princess Names in our featured blog.

As a name, Topaz is sophisticated and sultry; as a golden gem, it's said to have healing and energizing properties and also to bring good luck-- and being the birthstone for November it's one of the perfect names for November babies, with that final 'z' giving it some extra sizzle.

Turquoise is similar in hue to Aqua, which is one of the cool new color names on the palette. Other blue-hued options: Cerulean, Cyan, Indigo, or Blue itself.

Vale is part place name, part nature name -- a poetic term for a type of valley. Today Show coanchor Savannah Guthrie put Vale on the baby name map when she chose it for her daughter, but there's no reason the name can't work equally well for a boy. Vale might also be a short form for Valentine or a spelling variation of the city name Vail.

This name of a Roman emperor and of a sedating plant doesn't have much of a baby name future, unless you just like its strong, rhythmic sound.

A natural phenomenon that makes a stylish baby name. Teen Mom's Kailyn Lowry used it for her daughter, twin to Verse.