585+ Botanical Baby Names

This name of a giant tree, itself named for a nineteenth-century Cherokee who invented a way to write his tribe's language, makes a strong, stately statement.

Defne is one of the most popular names for baby girls in Turkey, ranking at the top of the list along with Zeynep and Elif. This is one girls' name that makes an easy transition to English-speaking countries or that could work for a family with roots in both cultures.

If you're looking for an unusual alternative to all those Rose names, Rhoswen might be a good choice. This name has the soft sounds we've come to love from the Welsh language but is still not as familiar as Bronwen and Rhiannon.

This masculine floral name literally means "burning bush", and is the Bulgarian word for the dittany plant. The name derives from the highly volatile oils produced by the plant, which can actually catch fire in hot weather. A notable bearer of the Bulgarian-form of the name is Rosen Plevneliev, a former President of Bulgaria.

The th sound both softens and complicates this Melanie relative.

Arbor is a quirky nature name with holiday vibes.

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

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.

One of those slender names, like Lena or Etta, that's used in several cultures and carries a range of meanings. But by being so many things, it doesn't feel decidedly like anything.

In Greek Mythology, Melinoe was the daughter of Persephone, and fathered by both Zeus and Hades. She was one of two moon goddess, the other being Hecate, but was thought to be the bringer of nightmares and madness. Her name means "having the color of quince," a fruit with a yellow-greenish color that would have been associated with illness and death.

This name of the Roman goddess of fruit trees is also associated with a suburban town in Southern California.

Laurie morphed into the more streamlined Lori in the sixties but now feels dated for a girl in either spelling. Update Lauren has been renovated as Laurel or Laura itself.

This feminine form of Abel is also a flower name and makes a distinctive alternative to the widely used Abigail. There is a similar name, Adelia, that is beginning to be rediscovered thanks to the trend for all names Adel- related.

Diantha, a mythological flower of the supreme Greek god Zeus, is a melodious and more unusual cousin of Diana, heard most often in The Netherlands.

Azami has a prickly image and feel — reinforced by the thistle's image in Eastern mythology as one of defiance. A name that spans two widely divergent cultures, Azami might make the perfect international choice, at once unusual and easy to comprehend.

Ilana is a name with seemingly endless variations, well used in Israel, sometimes chosen for little girls born on the holiday of TuB'Shevat, the New Year of the Trees.

Rosella can be seen as a nature name (a rosella is the name of a variety of beautiful Australian cockatoos and an Australian flower) or a diminutive version of Rose.

Like River and Lake, a cool, refreshing modern water-related choice. This name is also associated with bay leaves, the bay laurel, the contemporary term of endearment, "bae", and the Old English word beġ meaning "berry"

No - not a creative spelling of Cade. This name, which can be used for boys or girls, means maple tree. Kaede is unusual in Japan although it has been gaining more popularity after it has been used for several anime and manga characters.

Rapunzel is famous as the long-haired heroine of the fairy tale, locked in a tower only to fall in love with a handsome prince who climbed to her side via her hair. Rapunzel has never been widely used as a first name the way, say, Aurora -- the mortal name of Sleeping Beauty -- has. Like Cinderella, it's too closely identified with the fairy tale to really take off as a girls' name. In German, it's the name of several varieties of wild-growing, edible leaves. Read more about Rapunzel and other Disney Princess Names in our featured blog.