For moms-to-be who have a love of nature and are particularly passionate about the environment, they should look to the great outdoors for some name inspiration. Many baby names for both boys and girls are inspired by things in nature. Think of plants and stones that represent each birth month, as these can serve as a clever way to come up with a baby name. Species of flowers, trees, and other plants also make surprisingly cute names. Many of these natural names are also gender neutral, so no matter what the expectant mom is having, she may be able to find something she loves in this list.
Many elegant names come from flowers, such as Rose, Blossom, and Daisy. Tree-inspired names include Oak and Willow. Some moms even think outside of the box and go with something unusual, like Canyon, Alder, or Indigo. Whether an earthy mom wants something feminine, strong, simple, or super creative, nature is a great place for name inspiration. Many of these names have likely been heard before, but some are much more rare. When thinking about nature in general, many of us think about beauty and tranquility — so it makes sense that people would gather name ideas from the outdoors.
Nature-inspired names may also be a good fit for parents who love animals, enjoy gardening, or are interested in astrology. It all ties back to nature. Here are 30 nature-inspired name ideas that "tree-hugging" parents will love!
WILLOW
This feminine name comes from the familiar tree. "Willow trees are noted for their flexibility and graceful appearance, hence the adjective willowy, which means 'gracefully slender and lithe,'" notes Baby Name Wizard. It's a name that is right in the middle of popular and unusual so it's a good fit if either matter on the baby name must list.
CANYON
A canyon, like the Grand Canyon, is a deep gorge, typically one with a river flowing through it. It's a bold and wonderful name for a boy and it is quite uncommon. According to Baby Name Wizard, the name hasn't made it on to any popular name list, but that's totally the charm of it. A beautiful nod to nature.
DAISY
A daisy flower has a distinctive round yellow center, resembling the sun. Daisy is a pretty name for a baby girl and it has been popular since the 1800s, and while it's not on the most popular baby name lists right now, it's known enough that the name won't turn any heads. Other than the fact that it's super pretty, though.
WREN
A wren is a small songbird, and it also makes a charming name for a little boy — but it could work just as well for a little girl. The name is an option if finding a name on the shorter side is important. Also, it's a really pretty word to look at, isn't it? It's rare to find lovely names that start with W that also aren't heard all over the place.
NOVA
A nova is a star that has increased in brightness and then slowly returned to its original state. When you think about that as the backdrop of inspiration, what better meaning is there? Nova is a beautiful name for a girl that peaked in popularity in 2012, but there are still hundreds of girls given this name every year.
AURORA
Many people have heard the name Aurora from the Disney princess movie, Sleeping Beauty. Aurora means "dawn" in Latin and the name peaked in popularity in 2012. Whether the goal is to find inspiration from movies, Disney itself, or nature, Aurora is a beautiful name that should be on the list of possibilities for girls.
PHOENIX
Phoenix is a name that is gender neutral, and it works well that way. The name is often associated with fire because it is derived from a Greek word meaning "bright red." It is also the name of a mythological bird that bursts into flames at the end of its life and then is reborn from its own ashes. What a gorgeous meaning that's tied to nature!
OPAL
An opal is gemstone of varying colors. It is the birthstone for the month of October, so this would be a beautiful name for a baby girl born in that month. But even if the baby is due at the opposite end of the year, Opal is one of those classic and vintage names that never really go out of style. It's the perfect nod to nature without needing it to be right in the face.
JADE
Jade is another name that has also been used for all genders in the past. The name comes from the semiprecious gemstone, jade, which typically has a pretty green color. It baby was born with green eyes, this could be a good idea to highlight that gorgeous quality. But loving the name itself is reason enough to give it to a little one.
SAGE
Sage is another nature-inspired name that can be used for any gender. "Derived from the vocabulary word sage, which denotes a type of plant regarded by many to have special healing and cleansing properties," according to Baby Name Wizard. In 2005, it peaked in popularity as a girls' name, but it's still a hot choice.
ROSE
The name Rose was popular in the 1900s, but even 120 years later, we're still seeing this name given to little girls. It's a rare classic name never goes out of style. A rose is one of the most well-known flowers in the world, and classic red roses symbolize love and passion. Rose is a beautiful symbolism to love of nature.
BLOSSOM
Blossom is a fun and feminine name. It was a popular name in the 1920s. It is also popularly known as the name of the leader of The Powerpuff Girls and for any parent-to-be that was born in the '80s, chances are the name is memorable from the TV show by the same name. Maybe a sibling named Six in the future?
OAK
Oak, like an oak tree, is a strong name for a boy and great for any nature-loving mom. The name is an unusual choice, but it wouldn't be the strangest name people have ever heard. If Oak piques the interest, but something a little different is preferred, Oakley has the same nature vibe to it without being too short and as obvious as the tree.
STORM
Storm is another name that works for a boy or a girl. Kylie Jenner broke the internet in early 2018 with the announcement that she had named her new baby girl Stormi. Whether a parent chooses Stormi, like Kylie, or goes with Storm, like the X-Men character, it's an unusual name that will help a little girl feel special.
ASH
Ash is the black, powdery residue left after something burns — which could be an interesting symbolism for rebirth. The name is often short for Ashton or even Ashley, but is a pretty cool name on its own, too. It's perfect if finding a shorter name is something on the list of wants in a baby name, but it's also a tie to nature, but not in an overly obvious way.
INDIGO
Indigo is another name that can be used for any gender. The name comes from indigofera which is a large genus of over 750 species of flowering plants. The flowers of some species are used to make a blue dye that's traditionally used to color denim. While this may not be a super obvious nature reference, it's a pretty name that should be considered.
REED
A reed is a tall, slender plant that grows in water or marshy land. While that might not seem like the cutest inspiration for a baby name, it's hard to say the name Reed isn't just that. The name is sweet and short name, perfect for a little baby boy. According to Baby Name Wizard, the name has been up and down in popularity over the years.
ALDER
An alder is a common tree from the birch family. The name is distinctive and a great choice for a mom who wants a nature-inspired name for her son. The name translates to mean "old" which is an interesting choice for a brand new human. What we love so much about it is that it's unusual and it sounds like it could be a last name, which always make strong first names.
ASPEN
According to Baby Name Wizard, "Taken from the name of the aspen tree, which is derived from the Old English æspe. The name is indicative of any of the kinds of poplar trees that have leaves which flutter in the slightest breeze." Aspen is also the name of a town in Colorado. Aspen is a cute name for a boy or a girl, but it is currently more common for girls.
CLAY
Clay is a finely grained natural rock or soil material, and while that's an interesting place to find inspiration, if we just look at the name itself, it's an adorable choice for a little dude. The name Clay is also short for Clayton, so parents can choose to have the full or short name given at birth, and either of them work. .
HEATH
Many of us know the name Heath from the actor Heath Ledger, because not only was his name an unusual one for Hollywood, but he was an incredible actor, too. The name, fit for a sweet little boy, is a nod to nature because of its Old English meaning of "a moor" aka a large piece of uncultivated land. A great name choice, whether the inspiration comes from nature or the actor.
CALLA
Calla for a little girl has all the good qualities to it: it's short, inspired by a beautiful classic flower, and is not a name that's too popular. Finding a name with all those qualities is not easy, which is why this name should be on every nature-loving family's list of potential baby names — and it's meaning (beauty) is fit for a princess.
LAKE
We all know that a lake is … well, a lake, a body of water, but it's also a quirky name choice for a little boy. It's obviously inspired by nature — and it's OK to wear that loudly and proudly. The name is ideal for a little dude who is going to grow up being super happy and his best self surrounded by water. Think a swimmer, surfer, or someone who loves to go fishing with dad.
PIERCE
If a nature-inspired name is important on the checklist of the perfect baby name, but having one that's super obvious isn't idea — Pierce is a sound option. It's a sophisticated choice because … hello, 007, but it's also one that will grow along with the baby. A sweet 6-week old boy with the name Pierce is just as fitting as a 65-year-old dude.
POPPY
The name Poppy literally means "red flower" which makes complete sense since the flower is a red flower. The name was brought back into our potential list after the movie Trolls was made and we all watched it over and over again. The main character was a happy, bubbly girl, and that's exactly the personality we see now for any girl named Poppy.
FORREST
OK this might be a really obvious choice for a baby name that is inspired by all things nature and the land, but we love it. The name may sound like a strange choice, but the popularity of the name actually dates way back to the 1910s when it was one of the more popular names for little boys. We don't hear it too much these days, but it shouldn't be ignored.
EDEN
The biblical Garden of Eden is the inspiration behind the baby name Eden, but even if the love for the name doesn't come from a spiritual place, it's a great nature-inspired choice. Eden is a sweet girls' name that is on the shorter side, has the cute vowel sounds that we love so much, and while the name itself is popular, the choice for a new baby given the name is surprisingly not overwhelming in numbers.
ROWAN
Rowan is another unisex name that can be fitting for any gender and it really isn't swayed in popularity in any direction. While this one isn't super obvious on how it's tied to nature, the name translates to "From the Rowan Tree" or can also mean "little red-haired one." It's English in origin, if finding those details out are key to making a final decision.
CORAL
Coral is a baby name that comes with a whole lot of history behind it. It's one of those vintage names that we rarely hear anymore, and that's exactly why it should be on the list to consider. Given to a little girl, Coral was really popular back in the 1880s and is inspired by the animals that live in the ocean.
ARWEN
Arwen is a name that is typically given to little girls, but it really could be used for any gender. The name isn't super popular, and never really has been, so it gives leeway to make our own rules about it. We first heard it in the Lord of the Rings book and again in the movie series for the Elf that had that really pretty soothing voice.
