585+ Botanical Baby Names

Kizzy was a character in Alex Haley's Roots; this and other Keziah variations were widely used among enslaved people. In Roots the name is explained by the hero Kunta as 'you sit down' or 'you stay put' in the Mandinka language meaning that 'this child would never get sold away'.

A name given to apple--specifically crab apple--trees. The first syllable rhymes with Cal.

An unusual possibility; Zea would fit right in with schoolmates named Tea and Leya.

An unusual floral -wen name which was the name of an 1878 opera by Welsh composer Joseph Parry.

Fiorello is one of the few floral names that works well for a boy. The colorful three-term World War II New York Mayor La Guardia made this one famous -- in fact he was nicknamed "the Little Flower". His life was the basis for the 1959 musical called, appropriately, "Fiorello!"

This sweet and simple name has origins in both Yiddish and Slavic, each with an equally appealing meaning.

A representative Japanese name with a meaning symbolizing ripeness.

Soma makes an unusual (outside Hungary) choice of nature name. It is rare that a beautiful flowering tree is used for a boy, so if you're looking for something floral for a boy, make sure you consider this choice.

Giacinta is as pretty in its way as Jacinta, the Spanish name for the same purple flower, and is also a saint's name. Gia is the nickname it shares with all Gia-starting names.

If you find Grover too fusty and furry, this is a much cooler-sounding alternative.

A rare flower name that works as well for boys as it does for girls, so named because of its resemblance to a small glove.

A pretty plant with pink or lilac flowers.

Kelilah, also spelled Kelila, is a lovely and unusual name that would make a perfect substitute for the trendy Delilah.

The most popular flower name in Israel, though that popularity does not extend to the US.

May derive from Estonian "sirel", meaning "lilac flower".

Suzette has a kind of clunky retro charm – so kitsch it's almost cool again.

Pema is related to the more familiar Hindu name Padma and means lotus flower. This delightful name was given to only 14 girls in the USA last year, so it's guaranteed to be a unique choice. Pema is probably most familiar to Westerners through Buddhist nun Pema Chodron and through Jetsun Pema, the Dalai Lama's sister.

Gwyneth Paltrow's Apple has opened the world of botanical names beyond flowers to trees, herbs, fruits, and — why not — nuts. Cayley and Brandon Jenner have a daughter named Joan Almond.

Pom is a shortened word name that's not much used in France, but cute and familiar here as one of Babar (the Elephant's) triplets. Pom, pommy and pommie are (non-derogatory) terms sometimes used by Australians, New Zealanders and South Africans to denote a person of English heritage. 

Perfect choice if your baby has grandpas named Barry and Eric, but also a bit military.