Extensive List of Botanical Names
- Tilia
Origin:
Swedish, Norwegian, DanishMeaning:
"prosperous"Description:
Form of Ottilia
- Tulip
Origin:
Flower name, from PersianMeaning:
"turban"Description:
One of the most unusual flower names, Tulip is cute but tough to pull off as a first. It has some celebrity cred via Charlie Tamara Tulip, twin daughter of Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O'Connell. It derives from Persian dulband "turban", due to the distinctive shape of the flowers.
- Torenia
- Violanthe
- Violet
Origin:
English from LatinMeaning:
"purple"Description:
Violet is soft and sweet, yet with a vivacious edge.
- Wildflower
Origin:
Nature and flower nameDescription:
Wildflower may be the ultimate hippie name, added to the lexicon by Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden when they chose it as one of their daughter's middle names. It's generic in the way that Flora and River are, as opposed to Iris and Nile, say. But it has a certain free and creative charm.
- Wildrose
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"wild rose"Description:
A dramatic botanical smoosh name that's starting to gain attention among adventurous baby namers. If Primrose feels a little... well, prim for you, Wildrose could be a daring alternative.
- Willow
Origin:
English nature nameMeaning:
"willow tree"Description:
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.
- Wisteria
Origin:
Flower name, from English surnameMeaning:
"Wister's flower"Description:
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.
- Whin
- Willowherb
- Yew
Origin:
Nature nameDescription:
Yes, Yew is a tree name, but it's similarity to "you" makes it a potentially problematic choice as a first name.
- Zenobia
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"force of Zeus"Description:
With historical roots as a beautiful and intelligent ancient queen and literary ties to Hawthorne and Edith Wharton novels, this rarity could appeal to adventurous parents seeking the romantically unusual. Tina Fey used it as her daughter Alice's middle name.
- Zinnia
Origin:
Flower name, from German surnameMeaning:
"Zinn's flower"Description:
Zinnia is an unusual floral choice with a bit more edge and energy than most and beginning to find its way onto namers' wish lists of botanical possibilities. Named after an eighteenth German botanist called Johann Gottfried Zinn, it appears in Roald Dahl's Matilda as the young protagonist's mother.