When we trying to think of baby names, we often look to the things we love for inspiration.
And with so many of us loving the natural world, plenty of parents love the idea of nature names. From flora and fauna to the ocean, seasons and the elements, nature baby names are a wonderful idea.
Nature baby names are rising in popularity around the world as we become much more conscious of the natural world and environmental causes, especially as more and more parents opt for more unique baby names.
We already know from our list of 111 ugly baby names that the name you give your child can influence a number of aspects of their life in the future. So if you want your little one to grow up to be a nature lover like you, check our list of 171 nature baby names.
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Table Of Contents
171 nature inspired baby names for boys and girls
Some of these nature names will be more than familiar, made up of either very traditional names or ones that have a very obvious link to nature. Others are a bit rarer, or the nature link might take you by surprise. And you might be surprised at just how many flower names for boys there are.
Let's dive in!
Nature names for boys
Kicking off with the nature names for boys...
1. Acorn
Acorns are the fruit of oak trees, falling to the ground to grow into new oak trees or be carried elsewhere by wildlife to grow in new places.
2. Alder
The alder tree is seen throughout Celtic mythology. It is symbolic of the balance between men and women (maybe it works better as a unisex name!) because it grows both male and female flowers on the same branches.
3. Arthur
Arthur is the Celtic version of the name 'Arturo', meaning 'bear'. It also made our list of strong middle names for boys.
4. Ashton
Ashton is a well-known name that you might not know the meaning of. It means 'ash tree places'.
5. Aster
Considered a gender neutral name, we think this one just leans a bit too much to the boy names. Aster is the Greek for 'star'.
6. Bark
Forgetting the bark of a tree, Bark is also a German/Dutch name for someone who lived near a birch tree or birchwood. It may also have come from the word 'Berke', which describes someone who lived on a mountain.
7. Barrow
Certainly more common as a surname, Barrow has long been linked to 'long hill' or 'mound'.
8. Bear
Bear is a boy's name with German origins. It's a nature name with close links to strength and bravery. The best known Bear is probably adventurer and survival expert Bear Grylls, who exhibits both of those traits.
9. Birch
The name of the specie of tree, as a name itself, Birch means 'dweller by the birchwood'.
10. Bluejay
A blue jay is a small bird known for its striking blue feathers found in North America. It might work best a the full name while use 'Blue' or 'Jay' more often.
11. Buckthorn
Buckthorn is a small, spiny tree often found in shrubs and hedgerows across central and eastern England. Fans of Marvel might like to use thins alongside the nickname 'Bucky'.
12. Callum
A Scottish name that comes from the Latin word 'Columba', Callum means 'dove'.
13. Cliff
Cliff is the short form of either Clifford or Clifton. Either way, it's a name meaning 'lives near the ford by the cliff'.
14. Cloud
I'll admit, I've never heard of anyone named Cloud. But the nature naming meaning should be pretty straightforward.
15. Coast
This is a lovely one for families who love spending their time on the coast, or maybe even live by the coast.
Often quiet, relaxing places for the people who live there, it could set up your son for a life of peace and tranquility.
16. Colt
Colt is a British name but is more popular in the US. It means 'young horse' and therefore has connections with cowboys.
17. Connor
Connor is an Irish name meaning 'lover of hounds'.
18. Dean
A name meaning many different things, one of them comes from the Anglo-Saxon word for 'valley'.
19. Dolph
A diminutive of Adolph, Dolph means 'noble wolf'.
20. Drake
Sure, people are more likely to name their son after the musician that a male duck. But it's a nature name nonetheless.
21. Dylan
A popular Welsh names for boys, Dylan means 'son of the sea. In Welsh mythology, Dylan was god of the seas who caused the waters of Britain and Ireland to weep when he died.
22. Ewan
Ewan is a Scottish name that means 'born of the yew tree'. Its most popular carrier is probably the actor Ewan McGregor, most famous for his portrayal as Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars franchise.
23. Field
Field has been described as the male version of Meadow. We all know what a field is, but it's a name that means a 'dweller in open country'.
24. Flint
Flint, also known as flintstone, is a type of rock commonly used to make stone tools during the Roman Empire and start fires.
25. Florian
Florian is the boy name for Flora, also meaning 'flower' or 'flowering'. It's particularly popular in German-speaking countries and is often used as a way of honouring a grandmother whose name was Flora (or similar) with a baby boy.
26. Ford
No, not the car. A ford is a shallow section of a river or stream that allows animals and people to cross it by foot or vehicle.
27. Forrest
In my opinion, this is one of the best nature boy names. Best known for the actor Forrest Whitaker, its meaning is actually slightly different than you'd expect. Rather than just meaning a literal forest, relating to a person it means 'dweller by the woods'.
28. Fraser
Although Frasier is commonly used - with no small thanks to the TV series Frasier - Fraser is the original Scottish spelling of the name meaning 'strawberry'.
29. Glenn
Glenn is a Scottish name meaning 'valley' or 'narrow valley'.
30. Grove
I've learned so much from writing this list. A grove of trees is a small group of trees in a woodland with no or limited undergrowth.
31. Harvest
Harvest is the agricultural term, process and season of gathering crops from farms.
32. Hawk/Hawke
A common surname, Hawk and Hawke are being used more and more as first names. Hawks are a family of birds of prey, and are believed to represent clarity, the pursuit of dreams, protection and inner wisdom.
33. Hawthorn
A hawthorn is a tree known for its red berries and small, fragrant white flowers. As a name, it means 'lives where the hawthorn hedges grow'.
34. Heath
The name Heath means 'healthland dweller'. Heathland is an area of open, uncultivated land with sandy soil and scrubby vegetation that lies 1,000m above sea level.
Heath Ledger is easily the most famous of the Heaths; the actor who took his life shortly after his unforgettable portrayal of The Joker in The Dark Knight.
35. Heron
Heron may be a large, long-legged bird, but it's also the Greek word for 'hero'.
36. Jasper
Jasper comes from the French and Latin words meaning 'spotted/speckled gemstone'. Jasper is one of the precious stones and is known for being fairly hard.
37. Kai
Kai is a name that has plenty of different origins around the world. In this instance, it's the Hawaiian word for 'sea'.
38. Land
Contrary to what you might think, the name Land doesn't simply refer to all land. In fact, it's a shortened version of Landon, which means 'long hill'.
39. Leaf/Leif
The spelling Leif is for parents who don't want to be seen naming their child after leaves...
40. Leo
Leo is a great option is you want to name your son after a lion, but prefer to be a little more subtle about it. Leo actually has links to the GOAT, too. Because Leo Messi is the greatest footballer of all time.
*Waits for angry comments from Ronaldo fans...*
41. Lion
The king of the jungle. Enough said.
42. Marsh
A low-lying wetland filled with herbaceous plants, it's often known for being waterlogged and boggy - maybe not the association you want for your son's name.
43. Morgan
Morgan is predominantly a Welsh boy name but it is growing in popularity as a girl name around the world. It means 'sea born'.
44. Nash
One of the rarer nature names for boys, Nash is more commonly used as a surname. It's an English word meaning 'by the ash tree'.
45. Oak
Not a terribly common name, but the oak tree is a symbol of longevity and strength... which makes it a great choice for a nature name.
46. Oliver
A hugely popular name in English-speaking countries, Oliver is the Latin word for 'olive tree'.
47. Orion
Orion is one of the nature inspired names that goes beyond our world. The best known connection is the Orion constellation and 'Orion's Belt', which are three of the brightest stars in our sky.
48. Orson
We all probably think of Orson Welles, however it's also an English name meaning 'bear cub'.
49. Philip
One of the most traditional names on this list, Philip is a Greek name meaning 'lover of horses'.
50. Quartz
Quartz is an almost-pure mineral that makes up much of the land we live on. It accounts for around 12% of land mass, and 20% of the Earth's crust.
51. Raife
Yes I put my own son's name on the list. Deal with it. I'll admit, I thought it was an Irish name, but it's actually Old Norse name that means 'wolf'. It can also be spelled Rafe or Ralph (like the actor Ralph Fiennes).
52. Ren
Ren is a diminutive of the French name 'Rene' but also has roots in Japan. It means both 'water lily' and 'lotus'.
53. Ridge
We often use the word ridge when talking about hills, mountains and cliffs.
54. Robin
A diminutive version of Robert and means 'bright fame'. But, of course, it's a nature name because of those wonderful, red-breasted birds we often associate with Christmas.
55. Rocky
Easily best known from Rocky Balboa from the Rocky films, it's an Italian-English name.
56. Roscoe
This one was popular at the start of the 20th century but has since plummeted in popularity. It's an Old Norse name meaning 'deer forest'.
57. Seal
Perhaps best known for the British musician, Seal is quite a unique choice.
58. Silas
Silas is a name with Latin, Greek and Aramaic heritage, meaning 'of the forest'.
59. Shire
Shire is a Hebrew name meaning 'my song'.
60. Sonny
Also spelled 'Sunny', it's often used as a nickname. Hopefully you don't need us to explain why it's on our list of nature names...
61. Tiger
Hopefully this one doesn't need explaining. It's just really cool, and is certainly best known for the golfer, Tiger Woods.
62. West
West is arguably the most fashionable directional name. We haven't come across many Souths yet...
63. Wolf
A shortened version of the name Wolfgang, which has German origin, and means 'the travelling wolf'.
64. Woody
Your mind may jump to Woody from Toy Story, but the name is actually a shortened version of Woodrow, which itself means 'a row of houses near the wood'.
Nature names for girls
Moving onto the nature names for girls, we've got 73 crackers for you.
65. Apple
Apple is probably one of the first 'unique' baby names to be born out of celebrity culutre when actor Gwyneth Paltrow and Coldplay singer Chris Martin chose the fruit for their daughter.
66. Autumn
Probably the second most common of the seasonal baby names after Summer, Autumn inspires images of wrapping up warm with golden leaves falling to the floor.
67. Aurora
Aurora is a Latin name meaning 'dawn', but it also has the connection with the Aurora Borealis, otherwise known as the 'Northern Lights'.
68. Ayla
Ayla is a beautiful name with equally beautiful meanings. It's considered to be a Hebrew name but also has some Turkish origins. It means 'oak tree', 'moonlight', and 'halo'.
69. Blossom
Blossom is a wonderful girl name is you want your daughter to thrive in life.
70. Chloe
One of the most popular nature names (that perhaps you didn't realise had a connection!), Chloe is a Greek name meaning 'young green shoot', and therefore symbolises new growth.
71. Clementine
Although it's a French name meaning 'mild' and 'merciful', Clementine sits on this list of nature names because of the citrus fruit that belongs to the family of oranges.
72. Clover
One of the flower names, Clover is also the Old English word for 'key'.
73. Coral
Coral was at its most popular during the Victorian period. The name immediately creates images of the vibrant colours and shapes of a coral reef.
74. Dahlia
A common Swedish surname, Dahlia is also part of the group of flower names. The flower itself was named after the Swedish botanist Andreas Dahl.
75. Daisy
You learn something every day. It turns out that Daisy is actually a nickname for Margaret, because the flower is actually called by the French word 'Marguerite'. The nickname came from the phrase 'day's eye' because the petals of the flower would open at daybreak.
76. Dawn
Peaking in popularity in the 1960s and 70s, Dawn could be a nice nature name if you want to instil a sense of each day being a new beginning into your daughter's life.
77. Daphne
Perhaps best known for the character is the US sitcom Frasier, Daphne is a Greek name meaning 'laurel tree', or 'bay tree'. According to Greek mythology, Daphne was the daughter of the River God, Peneus, who saved her from Apollo's romantic advances by turning her into a laurel tree.
78. Dove
The name of the gentle white bird, the word is also associated with peace.
79. Eira
Eira is a beautiful Welsh name meaning 'snow'.
80. Elowen
Elowen is a Cornish name meaning 'elm', the tall tree found across the northern hemisphere.
81. Evening
Some people prefer the mornings, others prefer the night. Can you imagine Evening being a morning person?
82. Fauna
Fauna is the world used to describe the collection of animals living in a land - in the phrase 'flora and fauna', flora refers to the plants while fauna refers to the animals.
Fauna was also the name of the Roman goddess of the Earth.
83. Fawn
A fawn is a young deer. A while deer are wonderfully gentle creatures, you might think of Bambi... and maybe you don't want to tempt fate when it comes to your partner!
84. Fern
Fern is a flowering plant without any flowers. It shares many of the characteristics, but doesn't have a blossoming flower.
85. Flora
Flora is the Latin name meaning 'flower'. Flora was the Roman goddess of flowers and spring.
86. Fleur
Fleur is the french translation of Flora, and therefore naturally carries the same meaning - 'flower'.
The minds of Harry Potter fans will surely jump to Fleur Delacour.
87. Gaia
In Greek mythology, Gaia is the earth goddess and the universal mother of earth. Actor Emma Thompson used it for her daughter, citing the connection to ecology as the reason why she and her partner chose it.
88. Galaxy
Galaxy is an out of this world choice for a nature name. Quite literally...
89. Guinevere
A Welsh name synonymous with the legend of King Arthur, Guinevere was Arthur's wife and Queen who ruled Camelot. Although it's meaning is usually taken as 'white shadow', many also take it to mean 'white wave'.
90. Hazel
Hazel is a girl's name from England and simply means 'hazelnut tree'.
91. Heather
One more to add to the list of floral names, heather is a low-lying evergreen shrub that produces short towers of small pink and purple flowers.
The name was at its most popular during the 1970s and 80s, even being named the third most popular girls name in 1975.
92. Holly
One of the more consistently popular girl names, the holly tree is a prickly plant with red berries that we often associate with Christmas.
93. Iris
Not only is Iris a type of flower, it's also a Greek name meaning 'rainbow'.
94. Isla
Somewhat bizarrely, Isla is a name with both Scottish and Spanish origins. It simply means 'island'.
95. Ivy
Ivy is, of course, a type of plant. In the language of flowers, ivy symbolises faithfulness, which is why Ancient Greeks presented it to newlyweds.
96. Jasmine
Jasmine is the Persian word meaning 'gift from God', however it is derived from the flower.
97. Juniper
Juniper is the Latin name of the collection of shrubs and tall plant that offers their own blue berries. Juniper trees are understood to be among the oldest species in the world, and are known for their strength and ability to survive in hostile environments.
98. Laurel
Remember the story of Daphne, who was turned into a laurel tree? Well, you could just name your baby girl Laurel.
99. Lavender
The purple flower best known for its wonderful smell. The name Lavender was arguably made famous by the Harry Potter books with the character Lavender Brown.
100. Liana
Liana is strongly linked to a flowering, tropical vine. It's a French name with the literal meaning 'to climb like a vine'.
101. Lily
Another of the flower names, Lily has also become synonymous with 'purity'.
102. Luna
A huge favourite with Harry Potter fans (there's bit of a theme developing here) thanks to the eccentric Luna Lovegood, Luna is a baby name inspired by the night sky. It comes from the Latin word for 'moon'.
103. Magnolia
Another of the flower names, Magnolia is known for its sweet smell.
104. Maple
Another of the tree names on this list.
105. Maren
An uncommon name with Latin origin, Maren means sea. It can also be spelled 'Marin', which is fittingly the stunning coastal county north of San Francisco.
106. Meadow
Definitely one of the more obvious nature names on this list.
107. Misty
Image: Pokemon
Dads of a certain generation will immediately think of the Pokemon character. However, as a girl name it refers to the sometimes eery, sometimes calming mist that often greets us on a cold winter morning.
108. Nova
Nova is the Latin word for 'new'. It's on this list of nature names, however, because of it's connections with the night sky. Nova is an astronomical term used to describe a star that suddenly increases its brightness but quickly fades.
109. Narcissa
Famed by the Harry Potter character, Narcissa is actually a Greek name meaning 'daffodil'.
110. Olive
Just like Oliver, Olive also means 'olive tree'. Actors Isla Fisher and Sacha Baren Cohen chose Oliver for their daughter.
111. Olivia
Although they're similar, there feels enough of a difference between Olive and Olivia that we could include them as two separate names. Olivia does also mean 'olive tree', however.
112. Pearl
Pearls are one of the precious stones most commonly used for expensive jewellery. They are found inside oysters and mussels that in saltwater oceans and freshwater lakes around the world.
113. Pepper
A number of things spring to mind when you hear Pepper - Pepper Potts from Marvel, the vegetable, the condiment. But it's actually a word of Latin origin meaning 'berry'.
114. Petal
Often used as a nickname for girls regardless of what their actual name is, Petal of course refers to the petals of a flower. However, the word actually comes from the Greek language and means 'leaf.
115. Poppy
One of the most popular girl names in English-speaking countries for the pas 30 years, Poppy is, of course, the famous red flower used to commemorate fallen soldiers.
116. Prairie
The prairies are flat, temperate grasslands found in North America. They mainly compromise of tall grasses and wildflowers.
117. Primrose
The prairies are flat, temperate grasslands found in North America. They mainly compromise of tall grasses and wildflowers.
118. Rosalind
Rosalind is a Latin name meaning both 'pretty rose' and 'supple horse'
119. Rose
One of the most popular middle names for girls inspired by nature, a rose is one of the most famous flowers in the world, often given romantically.
120. Rosemary
Rosemary is a girl name with more than one natural meaning. Firstly, it is of course the herb plant known for its salty texture and distinct fragrance. But comes from the Latin words 'ros' meaning 'dew', and 'marinus' meaning 'of the sea'.
121. Roisin
Yes, it's another name with a link to roses. Roisin is an Irish name (pronounced 'ro-sheen') that delicately means 'little rose'.
122. Rue
Another name made hugely popular by The Hunger Games, Rue is a herbal plant formerly used as a skin antiseptic and insect repellent.
123. Season
Season is a great choice if you want to your daughter's name to have meaning wherever she goes, all year round.
124. Seren
Seren is a hugely popular Welsh girl name meaning 'star'. And stars' connection with Christmas has made it an especially popular name for babies born around Christmas time.
125. Sierra
Although it's a Spanish name meaning 'saw', Sierra is on this list of nature names thanks to the Sierra Nevada mountain range in western United States.
126. Sky/Skye
Although it's considered a gender neutral name, Sky or Skye are definitely more commonly used as girl names. Hopefully we don't need to explain the meaning of this one...
127. Solstice
We use solstice to describe the longest and shortest days of the year. But why? It comes from the words 'sol' meaning 'sun' and 'sistere' meaning 'to stand still', and so solstice means 'when the sun stands still'.
127. Sorrel
I always think Sorrel sounds like quite a sad name meaning it sounds so similar to sorrow. Apologies if you were thinking of picking it! But it has a place on this list of nature names because it is the name of a herbaceous plant.
128. Sparrow
Sparrows are small birds known to be vital components of their ecosystems.
129. Stella
We already have the Welsh and Greek words for 'star', but Stella is actually the Latin word for 'star'.
130. Summer
One of the seasonal baby names most often used for a baby girl.
131. Sylvie/Sylvia
Arguably considered to one of the older names on this list, Sylvie and Sylvia are both of Latin origin and mean 'from the forest'.
132. Tempest
The word tempest means 'storm', which makes it an interesting choice considering storms usually cause damage and pain to people's lives...
133. Terra
Arguably the most applicable nature name, Terra is Latin for 'Earth'.
134. Venus
Another out of this world baby name.
135. Violet
Violet is, of course, part of the collection of flower names.
136. Willow
Of course, Willow is on the list of nature names because of the willow tree. Willow trees are often associated with grace and elegance.
137. Wren
A wren is a small bird (also also a kitchen retailer), and is quickly rising up the ranks of popular names for girls.
Gender neutral names inspired by nature
There are, of course, those who prefer a gender neutral name. And there are plenty of nature baby names to fit that choice.
138. Ashley
Perhaps one of the most commonly used names for both boys and girls, Ashley was at the top of the charts in the early 90s. It means 'dweller near the ash tree meadow'.
139. Aspen
Aspen is a great nature name for both baby boy and baby girl. It's reflective of the aspen tree, known for its grace and heart-shaped leaves.
140. Basil
I'll admit, the only Basil that springs to mind is Basil Fawlty from the 80s British sitcom, Fawlty Towers. But it is a nature name for a boy that also means 'royal'.
141. Bay
Bay is a nature name that means a few different things. You have a bay tree, you have a coastal area where the land curves around the sea, and it's a Latin word meaning 'berry'.
142. Berry
Speaking of Berry... that's a great choice in itself!
143. Blaze
One for the fire lovers, blaze simply means 'fire'.
144. Bramble
A somewhat thorny name, brambles are blackberry shrubs known for being quite prickly.
145. Brook/Brooke
Brook is an English nature name meaning 'a small stream'.
146. Cedar
Cedar trees are among the largest, spreading wide layers of branches and leaves, and growing as tall as 35m. They're often found in the ground of stately homes.
147. Clay
Image: Netflix
A short form of Clayton, Clay saw a spike in popularity thanks to the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why and Sons of Anarchy.
148. Cove
A cove is a small bay.
149. Dale
If you grew up in a valley and want to pay homage to the land you call home, Dale could be a nice option because it means... valley.
150. Dusk
Dusk is the favourite time of day for a lot of people. The twilight zone between day and night holds a certain uniqueness.
151. Eden
Yes, this writer has got both of his kid's names onto this list! It's a unisex name calling back to the Garden of Eden, the biblical paradise created by God.
152. Ember
Ember is the French version of Amber, the golden precious stone that is said to draw diseases from the body, heal and renew the nervous system, and rebalance the brain.
While Amber is commonly seen as a girl's name, the slight variation has been Ember a little more popular as a boy name.
153. Fox
Most commonly used as a surname, Fox means...well, fox.
154. Lake
Love spending your time by the lake as a family? Lake could work...
155. Lark
A lark is a small specie of bird commonly found in Africa.
156. Linden
Once very common in Britain, linden trees are now particularly rare and usually found in ancient woodland.
157. Lotus
Lotus flowers are among the most unique flowers in the world. They rise unstained from muddy waters and are often taken to symbolise purity as a result.
158. Marlow/Marlowe
It's usually spelled with an 'e' for girls, but both versions are an English word for 'driftwood'.
159. North
Certainly most famous as the daughter of Kanye West and Kim Kardashian, North is of course the cardinal direction north that sits at the top of a compass.
160. Ocean
Ocean is a gender neutral name that it perfect for parents who love to live their life near, in, or on the ocean.
161. Rain/Raine
This one is pretty obvious, too, right?
162. Reed
Reed is the name used for several different types of tall grasses found in wetlands. Their strength has seen reeds used in construction around the world throughout history.
163. River
A gender neutral name with a pretty obvious meaning. River, unsurprisingly, means 'river'.
164. Rowan
Rowan is a large, bushy tree with red berries. Many centuries ago, they often planted near houses as protection against witches. At the time, the colour red was thought to fight off evil. And so, the rowan tree's bright red berries were deemed the perfect solution.
165. Sage
Sage is best known as a herb plant, but it's the wonderful fragrance and connotations to 'wisdom' that make this such a popular nature name for girls.
166. Severn
This is perhaps one for people who live near the River Severn in the UK. It was named by the Romans who called it the Latin term 'Sabrina'. The Welsh for Sabrina is Hafren, meaning 'boundary'. So it could be taken at a nature name that means the boundary between two lands.
167. Star
We've had the Welsh, Greek and Latin versions of Star, now you have the literal one.
168. Storm/Stormy
Although Kylie Jenner's choice of Stormi may have put this one on the map, it's quite a rare one given the connotations of a storm.
169. Stone
No explanation needed. We all know what stones are.
170. Tree
We've had the names of plenty of trees on this list. This one is a bit more on the nose.
171. Winter
The final season, the final name on our list.
FAQs
What are the best flower names?
Flower names are usually reserved for girls, but there are a few boy names out there, too. You could have Florian, Hawthorn, Clover, Dahlia, Daisy, Flora, Fleur, Heather, Iris, Ivy, Jasmine, Lavender, Lily, Magnolia, Poppy, Rose, Violet or Lotus.
What are the best tree names?
Trees are among the favourite types of nature names. And with so many different types of tree, there are plenty of tree names to choose from.
Acorn, alder, Ashton, Bark, Birch, Buckthorn, Ewan, Grove, Hawthorn, Nash, Oak, Oliver, Apple, Daphne, Elowen, Hazel, Holly, Juniper, Laurel, Maple, Olive, Olivia, Willow, Ashley, Aspen, Bay, Cedar, Linden, Rowan, and well, Tree.
What makes a cool nature name?
Nature names often evoke feelings of calmness and tranquility. But it's really a subjective answer. It depends what's important to you and your lives. Someone who has spent their entire life by the coast may think that's the coolest possible baby name inspired by nature. Someone who has spent their entire life in a big city might not...
