Extensive List of Botanical Names

  1. Cassia
    • Origin:

      Feminine form of Cassius or Greek
    • Meaning:

      "cinnamon"
    • Description:

      Cassia is related to the cassia tree, which has yellow flowers and produces a spice that can be a substitute for cinnamon. Keziah, the name of Job’s daughter in the Old Testament, derives from the name of the plant as well. Cassia also has ties to the Ancient Roman name Cassius, an Ancient Roman family name meaning "hollow."
  2. Catkin
    • Origin:

      Nature name
    • Description:

      In botany, a catkin is a long, thin flower cluster found on trees such as willow, hazel, oak and birch. The word derives from Middle Dutch katteken "kitten", due to the resemblance to a kitten's furry tail.
  3. Cedar
    • Origin:

      English and French from Latin tree name
    • Meaning:

      "cedar tree"
    • Description:

      Cedar is, like Ash, Oak, Pine and Ebony, one of the new tree/wood names that parents are starting to consider; this one is particularly aromatic.
  4. Celandine
    • Origin:

      English botanical name
    • Description:

      A botanical name belonging to a small yellow flower in the poppy family. The word ultimately derives from chelidon, the Ancient Greek for "swallow (bird)".
  5. Cherry
    • Origin:

      Fruit name
    • Description:

      With other fruity names like Clementine, Olive and Plum ripe for the picking, sweet Cherry remains remarkably underused: just 27 baby girls received the name in 2017, down from 343 at its peak in 1948. The unsavory slang meaning no doubt goes a long way towards explaining its fall from grace.
  6. Chrysanthemum
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "gold flower"
    • Description:

      One of the rarest of the flower names, that of the blossom celebrated in Japan as a symbol of the sun and a possible object of meditation. One of the rare flower names counted among names for autumn babies, Chrysanthemum is also one of the most unusual nature-themed girl names starting with C.
  7. Clary
    • Clemensia
      • Origin:

        Latin
      • Meaning:

        "mild, merciful"
      • Description:

        With Clementine on the rise and Clemence and Clemency considered chic in Europe, this unusual Latinate option could be a fresh alternative. Clementia is another, more common, spelling.
    • Clementine
      • Origin:

        French feminine version of Clement, Latin
      • Meaning:

        "mild, merciful"
      • Description:

        Clementine is a Nameberry favorite that broke back into the US Top 1000 in 2014 after more than half a century off the list.
    • Clove
      • Origin:

        Nature name
      • Description:

        Clove is a spice name that is a tad more piquant than Saffron or Cinnamon. It might get more attention now as a member of The Hunger Games family of names.
    • Clover
      • Origin:

        Flower name, from Old English
      • Meaning:

        "key"
      • Description:

        Clover is a charming, perky choice if you want to move beyond hothouse blooms like Rose and Lily, and it's recently become a new celeb favorite, chosen by both Neal McDonough and Natasha Gregson Wagner, who used it to honor her mother, Natalie Wood, one of whose most iconic films was Inside Daisy Clover.
    • Columbine
      • Origin:

        Latin
      • Meaning:

        "dove"
      • Description:

        A beautiful flower name deriving from the Latin word for dove. Sadly, in America this name is now forever linked with a tragic terrorist attack on a Colorado high school.
    • Cypress
      • Origin:

        botanical name
      • Description:

        Lovely entry into the tree name genre, joining Maple, Pine, Oak, and Willow.
    • Candytuft
      • Celosia
        • Chicory
          • Corydalis
            • Cosmos
              • Cowslip
                • 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.