The Great Big List of Cottagecore Names

  1. Thistle
    • Origin:

      English flower name
    • Meaning:

      "to prick"
    • Description:

      Quirky and charming flower name. Thistle is Scotland's national symbol.
  2. Thorne
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "thorn thicket"
    • Description:

      Rose and Briar are popular, and Hawthorn is cool – so why not the equally prickly Thorne? The E ending gives it a surnamey spin à la Hawthorne.
  3. Tilda
    • Origin:

      Estonian, diminutive of Matilda
    • Description:

      Actress Tilda Swinton injected this dated nickname name with some modern charm.
  4. Timber
    • Origin:

      Nature name
    • Description:

      Though some forward-looking parents are now choosing wood-related names like Oak, Pine, and Ash, this generic option would be even more avant garde.
  5. Tulip
    • Origin:

      Flower name, from Persian
    • Meaning:

      "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.
  6. Una
    • Origin:

      Latin, Irish, or Old Norse
    • Meaning:

      "one; lamb; happy"
    • Description:

      In an epic poem, the personification of truth, beauty, and unity; this ancient name is popular in several European countries but less common in the US. The Oona spelling is slightly more popular but Una sleeker.
  7. Vale
    • Origin:

      Geographical name
    • Description:

      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.
  8. Valley
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Meaning:

      "valley"
    • Description:

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

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "truth"
    • Description:

      If you love Puritan virtue names and want to move beyond Hope and Faith and Grace, this is a wonderful choice, both for its meaning and its sound. A rare find here, though occasionally heard in England. It was used in Winston Graham's Poldark novels, was Madonna's name as James Bond's fencing instructor in Die Another Day, and made a brief appearance in Harry Potter. Not to mention being a fixture on British and Australian soaps. Verity also appears in one of Agatha Christie's Miss Marple mysteries.
  10. Vincent
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "conquering"
    • Description:

      Vincent is a name with a complex image. After being quietly used for centuries, it is suddenly seeming stylish, along wih other V names. Even the nickname Vince has been given a reprieve via actor Vince Vaughn and country singer Vince Gill. Vin Diesel was born with the more prosaic name Mark Vincent.
  11. Violet
    • Origin:

      English from Latin
    • Meaning:

      "purple"
    • Description:

      Violet is soft and sweet, yet with a vivacious edge.

  12. Virginia
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "virginal, pure"
    • Description:

      Virginia is a lovely place name starting with the fashionable V and having deep historical roots, yet, unlike some other other girls' classics, has been sorely neglected in recent years.
  13. Wallace
    • Origin:

      Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "foreigner, stranger"
    • Description:

      Wallace is so square could almost be ripe for a turnaround, especially with the hipness imparted by the British Claymation series Wallace & Gromit. And Wally makes an adorable Leave it to Beaver retro-style nickname.
  14. Walt
    • Origin:

      German, diminutive of Walter
    • Description:

      A straightforward, down-to-earth nickname many Walters, from Whitman to Disney, have chosen to go by.
  15. Wendy
    • Origin:

      English, Celtic, Welsh
    • Meaning:

      "friend or white"
    • Description:

      It is popularly claimed that the name Wendy was invented by Sir James Barrie in 1904 for the big sister character in his play Peter Pan, which was followed by the classic novel in 1911. Barrie supposedly took it from the nickname "fwendy-wendy", that he was called by a young girl acquaintance.
  16. Wesley
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "western meadow"
    • Description:

      Reminiscent of the Old West, with rugged charm and a gentle, easy-going feel, Wesley has long been a staple on the US charts.
  17. Wilda
    • Origin:

      Variation of the word wild or German
    • Meaning:

      "to strive"
    • Description:

      Wilda (or Wylda) has two widely divergent images. Pronounced vill-da, it feels like a cousin of Hilda: a sturdy and none-too-attractive prairie settler. But you can also think of her as wild-ah, as in the feminine of wild and wilder.
  18. Wilder
    • Origin:

      Surname or word name
    • Meaning:

      "wild, untamed, uncontrolled"
    • Description:

      Rugged, outdoorsy, and full of energy, Wilder entered the US Top 1000 back in 2015. Part bad boy, part Western, part preppy, and part nature-loving, Wilder is given to nearly 800 babies each year.
  19. Willa
    • Origin:

      Feminine variation of William
    • Meaning:

      "resolute protection"
    • Description:

      Willa has become increasingly fashionable, with its combination of Willa (born Wilella) Cather-like pioneer strength and the graceful beauty of the willow tree.
  20. Willow
    • Origin:

      English nature name
    • Meaning:

      "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.