As new parents leave behind the traditional names of the past in favor of more modern, unique names, there has been some handwringing about the possible effects of unusual names. Are there actual psychological benefits for children who grow up with such names?

“Parents are pushing the envelope in lots of ways in terms of choosing names that will be different,” says Pamela Redmond Satran, author of The Baby Name Bible. “They’re looking for names that their child won’t share with anyone else.”

One of the most beautiful ways to give your child a unique name is to be inspired by nature. Many nature names are new and rare, while others have actually been used for centuries.

“A unique name,” Satran told Yahoo Parenting, “is part of a whole package that parents pass on to their child. It symbolizes their hopes and dreams for their kids. So if you want your child to stand out from the crowd, be independent, and a real individual, a unique name is one way to show him that you value those qualities.” 

To seek inspiration for a nature baby name, look at the world around you. Or find something on this list that is just what you were looking for. Many nature names are used for both boys and girls.

Learn more about the meanings, origin, and popularity of 50 nature-inspired baby names.

Amber

  • Origin: EnglishMeaning: The amber gemstone or its orange/red colorAlternative Spellings & Variations: Ambre, AmbraFamous Namesakes: Amber Valletta (model), Amber Heard (actor)Peak Popularity: 1986

Autumn

  • Origin: LatinMeaning: Fall seasonAlternative Spellings & Variations: AutumFamous Namesakes: Autumn Reeser (actor)Peak Popularity: 2013

Ava

  • Origin: LatinMeaning: Like a birdAlternative Spellings & Variations: Aiva, AvahFamous Namesakes: Ava Gardner (actor), Avora DuVernay (director), Ava Helen Pauling (civil rights activist), Saint Ava (9th century Roman Catholic nun)Peak Popularity: 2020

Azalea

  • Origin: GreekMeaning: Dry flowerAlternative Spellings & Variations: AzealiaFamous Namesakes: Iggy Azalea and Azealia Banks (recording artists)Peak Popularity: 2020

Blossom

  • Origin: EnglishMeaning: Flower, bloomFamous Namesakes: Blossom Seeley (jazz singer), Blossom Russo (fictional TV character)Peak Popularity: 1925

Brooke

  • Origin: EnglishMeaning: Small streamAlternative Spellings & Variations: Brook, BrooksFamous Namesakes: Brooke Shields (model/actor), Brooke Adams (actor/producer), Brooke Hogan (musical artist)Peak Popularity: 2003

Camelia

  • Origin: LatinMeaning: Young, virginalAlternative Spellings & Variations: Camylia, Camellia, Camila, CamillaFamous Namesakes: Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall (British royal family member), Camila Cabello (recording artist)Peak Popularity: 2020 (Camila and Camilla)

Cassia

  • Origin: GreekMeaning: CinnamonAlternative Spellings & Variations: Kassia, CaissaFamous Namesakes: Kassia (medieval female composer/poet)Peak Popularity: Rare

Chanel

  • Origin: FrenchMeaning: CanalAlternative Spellings & Variations: Shanelle, ChanelleFamous Namesakes: Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel (fashion designer), Chanel West Coast (television personality on MTV’s Ridiculousness)Peak Popularity: 1991

Crystal

  • Origin: LatinMeaning: Brilliant glassAlternative Spellings & Variations: Cristal, KrystleFamous Namesakes: Crystal Gayle (singer), Crystal Method (electronic rock group)Peak Popularity: 1982

Daisy

  • Origin: EnglishMeaning: Daisy flowerAlternative Spellings & Variations: Deisy, Dazy, DaisieFamous Namesakes: Daisy Fuentes and Daisy Ridley (actors), Daisy Bates (civil rights leader)Peak Popularity: 1900

Dale

  • Origin: GermanMeaning: ValleyFamous Namesakes: Dale Carnegie (writer), Dale Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (race car drivers), Dale Evans (singer/songwriter/actor/wife of Roy Rogers)Peak Popularity: 1958 (for boys named Dale), 1952 (for girls)

Drake

  • Origin: EnglishMeaning: DragonFamous Namesakes: Drake Bell (actor/singer), Drake (recording artist)Peak Popularity: 2010

Ebony

  • Origin: EnglishMeaning: Dark black-wooded treeAlternative Spellings & Variations: EboniFamous Namesakes: Ebony Obsidian (actor), Ebony Hoffman (basketball player)Peak Popularity: 1982

Forest

  • Origin: EnglishMeaning: From the woodsAlternative Spellings & Variations: ForrestFamous Namesakes: Forest Whitaker (actor/producer/director), Forrest Gump (fictional movie character)Peak Popularity: 1904

Ginger

  • Origin: EnglishMeaning: The ginger spice or its reddish-orange colorAlternative Spellings & Variations: JingerFamous Namesakes: Ginger Spice (member of musical group Spice Girls), Ginger Rogers (actor/dancer)Peak Popularity: 1971

Hazel

  • Origin: EnglishMeaning: Hazel treeAlternative Spellings & Variations: Haizel, HazelleFamous Namesakes: Hazel Mae Clark (athlete), Hazel Blears (British politician), Hazel Mae Gagulada (Canadian sportscaster)Peak Popularity: 1907

Heather

  • Origin: EnglishMeaning: Heather plantFamous Namesakes: Heather Locklear and Heather Graham (actors)Peak Popularity: 1975

Holly

  • Origin: EnglishMeaning: Plant with red berriesAlternative Spellings & Variations: Holli, Hollie, Hollye, HolleyFamous Namesakes: Holly Hunter (actor), Holly Madison (reality-TV star), Holly Golightly (fictional character in Breakfast at Tiffany’s)Peak Popularity: 1983

Huckleberry

  • Origin: EnglishMeaning: Sweet berryFamous Namesakes: Huckleberry ‘Huck’ Finn (fictional character).Peak Popularity: Rare

Inna

  • Origin: RussianMeaning: Rough streamFamous Namesakes: Inna (musical artist)Peak Popularity: Rare

Ivy

  • Origin: EnglishMeaning: Climbing vine plantFamous Namesakes: Ivy Queen (recording artist), Poison Ivy (fictional DC Comics character)Peak Popularity: 2020

Jade

  • Origin: EnglishMeaning: Green gemstoneAlternative Spellings & Variations: Jayde, JadessaPeak Popularity: 2002

Jasmine

  • Origin: EnglishMeaning: Jasmine flowerAlternative Spellings & Variations: Yasmine, JazmineFamous Namesakes: Yasmine Bleeth (actor)Peak Popularity: 1997

Kai

  • Origin: HawaiianMeaning: SeaAlternative Spellings & Variations: Cai, Chi, KyFamous Namesakes: Kai Ryssdal, radio hostPeak Popularity: 2020

Leilani

  • Origin: HawaiianMeaning: Heavenly flowerAlternative Spellings & Variations: LelaniPeak Popularity: 2020

Lilac

  • Origin: LatinMeaning: Blueish purple flowerPeak Popularity: Rare

Mavis

  • Origin: EnglishMeaning: Song thrush (a type of bird)Famous Namesakes: Mavis Staples (musical artist), Mavis Nicholson Leno (political activist)Peak Popularity: 1927

Meadow

  • Origin: EnglishMeaning: Field of grassFamous Namesakes: Meadow Soprano (fictional TV character in “The Sopranos”)Peak Popularity: 2020

Morgan

  • Origin: WelshMeaning: Sea circleFamous Namesakes: Morgan Freeman and Morgan Fairchild (actors)Peak Popularity: 1995 (for the male version of the name), 1997 (for the female version of the name)

Pearl

  • Origin: EnglishMeaning: Smooth, round bead formed by a molluskFamous Namesakes: Pearl Buck (author/foreign adoption advocate), Pearl Bailey (actor/singer)Peak Popularity: 1900

Penelope

  • Origin: GreekMeaning: A type of duckFamous Namesakes: Penelope Cruz and Penelope Ann Miller (actors), Penelope (fictional wife of Greek mythical hero, Odysseus), Penelope Spheeris (director), Penelope Heyns (Olympic swimmer)Peak Popularity: 2019

Phoenix

  • Origin: GreekMeaning: An immortal birdAlternative Spellings & Variations: PheonixFamous Namesakes: River Phoenix and Joaquin Phoenix (actors), Phoenix (fictional villain in X-Men)Peak Popularity: 2020 for both males and females

Raven

  • Origin: EnglishMeaning: BlackbirdAlternative Spellings & Variations: Raviyn, Ravyn, RaevynFamous Namesakes: Raven-Symone (actor/singer), Raven Goodwin (actor)Peak Popularity: 1993

Robin

  • Origin: EnglishMeaning: Reddish breasted thrushFamous Namesakes: Robin Williams (actor), Robin Gibb (musician, member of the Bee Gees), Robin Wright (actor), Robin Roberts (journalist)Peak Popularity: 1956 (for the male version of the name), 1963 (for the female version of the name)

Rose

  • Origin: English
  • Meaning: Rose flower
  • Famous Namesakes: Rose Kennedy (mother of U.S. president John F. Kennedy), Rose Byrne (actor)
  • Peak Popularity: 1913

Ruby

  • Origin: EnglishMeaning: Red gemstone Famous Namesakes: Ruby Dee (actor), Ruby Bridges (activist, first African-American child to desegregate an all-white elementary school in Louisiana) Peak Popularity: 1911

Sage

  • Origin: EnglishMeaning: Sage herbAlternative Spellings & Variations: Saige, SaygeFamous Namesakes: Sage (WWE wrestler)Peak Popularity: 2018 (for the male version of the name), 2020 (for the female version of the name)

Sierra

  • Origin: SpanishMeaning: Saw, from the mountains Alternative Spellings & Variations: Siera, Syera, SierrahFamous Namesakes: Sierra McCormick and Sierra McClain (actors)Peak Popularity: 1999

Sky

  • Origin: Old NorseMeaning: Heaven, cloudAlternative Spellings & Variations: Skye, Skyy, SkaiFamous Namesakes: Sky Ferreira (recording artist)Peak Popularity: 2014

Snow

  • Origin: EnglishMeaning: Frozen rain, snowFamous Namesakes: Phoebe Snow (singer), Snow White (animated Disney character)Peak Popularity: Rare

Star

  • Origin: EnglishMeaning: StarFamous Namesakes: Star Jones (talk show host/attorney)Peak Popularity: 1980

Storm

  • Origin: EnglishMeaning: Weather eventAlternative Spellings & Variations: Stormy, StormiFamous Namesakes: Storm (fictional superhero character in X-Men)Peak Popularity: 1995

Summer

  • Origin: EnglishMeaning: Summer seasonFamous Namesakes: Summer Sanders (TV host)Peak Popularity: 1977

Sunshine

  • Origin: EnglishMeaning: SunshinePeak Popularity: 1975

Sylvester

  • Origin: EnglishMeaning: From the forestFamous Namesakes: Sylvester Stallone (actor)Peak Popularity: 1901

Tempest

  • Origin: EnglishMeaning: StormyAlternative Spellings & Variations: TempesttFamous Namesakes: Tempestt Bledsoe (actor)Peak Popularity: Rare

Violet

  • Origin: EnglishMeaning: Purple/blue flowerPeak Popularity: 2019

Wesley

  • Origin: EnglishMeaning: From the west fieldAlternative Spellings & Variations: WestleyFamous Namesakes: Wesley Snipes (actor)Peak Popularity: 1977

Willow

  • Origin: EnglishMeaning: From the willow groveFamous Namesakes: Willow Smith (recording artist)Peak Popularity: 2019

Fun Fact: “Amber” was a hit song in 2001 by the reggae-rock band 311.

Fun Fact: Ava Gardner is listed among the American Film Institute’s 25 Greatest Female Stars of Classic Hollywood Cinema.

Fun Fact: Daisy Duck is a cartoon character created in 1940 by Walt Disney Studios as the girlfriend of Donald Duck.

Fun Fact: “Ebony and Ivory” is a 1982 number-one single by Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder.

Fun Fact:

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884) is a novel by Mark Twain commonly named among the great American novels.

Fun Fact: The name of the rock band “Pearl Jam” is a reference to frontman Eddie Vedder’s great-grandmother Pearl (who was married to a Native American and had a special recipe for peyote-laced jam).

Fun Fact: “The Raven” by Edgar Allen Poe is one of the most famous poems ever written.

In 2014, “Summer” by Calvin Harris was named the song of the summer by Spotify. It was the most listened to track with more than 160 million plays.