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Mostly Nature Names

  1. Pyrite

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "fire stone"

    • Description:

      So named because it emits sparks when struck with a stone.
  2. Peridot
    • Quartz

      • Origin:

        Mineral name

      • Description:

        This may be a bit quirky to make it as a name, especially in first place. If you love it, you might try it in the middle.
    • Quill

      • Origin:

        Irish, diminutive of Quillan or Quiller; also English word name

      • Description:

        Quill is a unique possibility for the child of writers -- even if they do use computers rather than pens; could also serve as a rhyming tribute to an ancestor named Gil, Phil, or Bill (or Jill).
    • Quince

      • Origin:

        Latin

      • Meaning:

        "applelike fruit"

      • Description:

        The girls have Apple, Plum, Peaches, Cherry, and Berry: here's one variety of fruit suitable for a boy.
    • Rain

      • Origin:

        Nature name

      • Description:

        Mostly feminine, though "Office" star Rainn Wilson gives it a slight masculine twist. You might also use this as a short form of Raines.
    • Reed

      • Origin:

        English

      • Meaning:

        "red-haired"

      • Description:

        A slim, elegant, silvery surname, Reed could be a banker or a sculptor, and therein lies the appeal of this simple yet distinctive name. The versatile Reed can be seen as a grass-like nature name and a musical name.
    • Shale

      • Origin:

        Word name

      • Description:

        Slate, Stone and Steel are on the rise, so why not Shale?
    • Sorrel

      • Origin:

        Botanical name and French

      • Meaning:

        "reddish brown"

      • Description:

        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.
    • Stone

      • Origin:

        Word name

      • Description:

        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.
    • Schist
      • Spinel
        • Sulphur
          • Thorn

            • Origin:

              English

            • Meaning:

              "prickle"

            • Description:

              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.
          • Tin

            • Description:

              Tin is a masculine name with multiple cultural origins. In Vietnamese, it means "belief" or "trust," making it a name with positive virtues embedded in its meaning. In Chinese culture, the name can represent different characters depending on the tone and written form, potentially meaning "sky" or other concepts. As a Western name, Tin might be used as a shortened form of names like Martin, Austin, or Constantin. The brevity of Tin gives it a modern, minimalist appeal that works well cross-culturally. While uncommon as a standalone name in most Western countries, its simplicity and international versatility make it an increasingly interesting choice for parents seeking a name that is both concise and meaningful.

          • Toad
            • Twig
              • 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.
              • Wisp
                • Zinc

                  • Origin:

                    Color or mineral name

                  • Description:

                    Extreme cool possibilities in either of these modern categories, like a postmodern Linc.

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