Many people have plant, tree, or flower names. These baby names are abundant, and they age well. A botanical name for your little one won’t lose its flair over time. Read on to learn about the origins of the most popular plant names for boys and girls.
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Plant, Tree, Flower and Botanical Themed Boy Baby Names
If you’re having trouble figuring out plant names for boys, a good process may be to create a short list of your 10 favorite boy plant names and ask your family for feedback. You may be surprised by the useful advice you receive and it can help you pick from your favorite boy plant names.
Alder – refers to the alder tree. In spring, the leaves have a purple sheen, and the bark is white-spotted gray.
Amaranth – a plant with red, gold, or green flowers. The name means “unfading” in Greek.
Anthony – comes from the Greek word for “rose,” which is anthos.
Ash, Ashley – The ash tree comes from the Old English aesc, which means “spear.”
Ashton – is a version of Ash or Ashley, which was initially a surname meaning “ash tree town.”
Aspen – refers to the tree native to colder climates. It comes from the Old English aespe.
Aster – is a daisy-shaped flower native to Asia and Europe. The name means “star” in Greek.
Balsam – refers to several tree species that yield resin. The Hebrew name basam means “perfume” or “spice.”
Basil – the common culinary herb, means “king” in Greek.
Bay – refers to the bay leaves that come from trees. The name comes from the Latin word baia, meaning “bay” or “inlet.”
Bentley – derives from beonet in Old English, meaning “bent grass,” and leah, which means “clearing.”
Birch – According to Celtic lore, people used birch trees to ward off evil.
Bramwell – was initially a surname that means “bramble well” or “broom” in Old English.
Calix – also spelled Calyx, describes a flower’s funnel-shaped part.
Cedar – is a common tree native to the Himalayan region and the Mediterranean. Cedar comes from the Greek word kedros.
Clay – Although not plant-based, this earthy name was an English surname of someone who lived near clay or worked with the earth.
Clove – is a bud that grows out of evergreen trees that produce crimson flowers. This spice is common in many autumn foods.
Corey or Cory – is short for the flower Coreopsis, which means “from the hollow.”
Crysanthos – a Greek name that means “golden flower.”
Elm – based on the white elm tree, is likely a shorter version of Elmer or Elmo.
Florin – is a popular name for French boys, and it means “flowering.”
Forrest – was an English surname of someone who lived in forests.
Garland – refers to a wreath of leaves or flowers to signify cultural or religious importance.
Hawthorne – originally an English and Scottish surname, traditionally taken by someone who lived near a Hawthorne bush.
Ilan – means “tree” in Hebrew. The female equivalent is Ilana.
Indigo – a very trendy name and describes the deep blue of the indigo plant.
Jared or Jarred – is a name that means “rose” in Hebrew.
Kale – as a vegetable, is a popular cooking ingredient and is one of many popular plant names for boys.
Kunal – a lotus flower that thrives in muddy ponds. Kunal means “someone who sees beauty in everything” in Sanskrit.
Moss – grows on all seven continents and provides a plush carpet for forests. The ancients used moss to heal wounds.
Narcissus – as in the flower, is also known as the daffodil or jonquil. Narcissus was the Greek god who turned into a flower after staring lovingly at his reflection in the
mirror.
Oak – refers to the oak tree, and its name means “king of the forest.” Oakley is an English surname that means “oak clearing.”
Odell – derives from the Old English woad, meaning “blue-dye plant” and hyll for “hill.”
Oleander – the flower, has a Greek story. Leander was a man whose lover would cry out, “O, Leander!” before he appeared with a bouquet of white flowers.
Oliver – likely associated with the olive tree. This name derives from the Norman French Olivier, as well as the Old Norse name Aleifr.
Orrin – derived from the Irish Odhra, meaning “little pale green one.”
Palmer – an English name that came from the Latin phrase for “palm tree.”
Parker – traditionally an English surname meaning “keeper of the park.”
Reed or Reid – means “red” in Old English. A reed is a tall plant that grows in wetlands.
Ren – in Irish means “water lily” and “lotus” in Japanese.
Rowan – refers to a tree with red berries. The name first originated as Ruadh in Irish, which means “red.”
Rue – a medicinal herb and is derived from rhyte in Greek.
Sherwood – means “the bright forest” and is probably most closely associated with the legend of Robin Hood.
Sorrel – a spinach-type plant. Its sour taste likely inspired the Germanic word sur, meaning “sour.”
Sylvan – comes from the Latin silva, meaning “forest” or “wood.”
Thorne – originally the English surname of someone who lived near a thorn bush.
Timothy – another name for cat’s tail or Timothy grass. The Greek derivative is Timotheos, which means “to honor God.”
Trevor – comes from shatrevar, which is Persian for “flower.”
Valerian – as in the plant valerian root, first appeared in ancient Rome and was called Valerianus or Valerius.
Vernon – a name given to an alder tree grove. The name originally comes from vern, a Gaulish word that means “alder.”
William – a name that’s German in origin. Sweet William refers to flowers that come in clusters of pink, purple, white, and red.
Yarrow – an herb that produces white and pink flowers. Its name comes from the Welsh garw or “rough.”
Plant, Tree, Flower and Botanical Themed Girl Baby Names
Baby girls are so cute and sweet, choosing plant names for girls can be a great fit. Compile your top 5-10 plant or flower names for girls and sleep on it. You may wake up feeling fresh and more focused on the potential winner.
Ainsley – English and Scottish in origin. The name is a combination of Anne and Leah, which means “solitary” and “woodland,” respectively.
Alyssum – a flowering plant that produces white, purple, pink, or yellow and is mainly ground cover.
Azalea – another flowering plant with the Greek name αζαλεος that means “dry.”
Briar – inspired the character, Briar Rose, in the Brothers Grimm tale Sleeping Beauty. This English name refers to prickly or thorny plants, such as roses.
Bryn – a name derived from Welsh, which is more nature-based and means “mound” or “hill.”
Bryony – a climbing plant that yields white-greenish flowers. The name is a variant of Briony.
Calendula – the scientific name for Marigold. This flower has been used as a dye and medicine.
Calla – an alternative to Lily, as in Calla Lily. This flower grows naturally in South Africa.
Camellia – akin to Camilla or Camille but has a different origin. Its name refers to the flowering shrub named after Georg Josef Kamel.
Chloe – means “green shoot” in Greek and symbolizes new growth.
Cicely or White Cecily – has Roman origins and means “blind.” Sweet Cicely is a fern-like plant with white flowers.
Clementine – a cross between the sweet orange and mandarin orange. The root name Clement means “gentle” and “merciful.”
Dahlia – flower named after Anders Dahl, a Swedish botanist.
Daisy – a timeless name and a classic flower. The name is from the Old English word doegesaege meaning “eye of the day.”
Fern – first used as a name in the 19th century. Its Old English derivation is fearn.
Florence – comes from the Latin florens, which means “flourishing” or “prosperous.”
Forsythia – a plant with bright yellow flowers. The surname Fearsithe in Gaelic, which means “man of peace.”
Ginger – a classic name that refers to the ginger root, which is popular in desserts like cookies and pumpkin pie.
Hazel – as a name, originates from the Old English haesel, which refers to a light brown tree.
Heather – gained popularity in the 20th Century and comes from hather in Middle English. They are small shrubs with pink or white flowers.
Holly – refers to the holly tree. The name originates from the Old English holen.
Hyacinth – the English version of the Greek Hyacinthus. In Greek mythology, Apollo accidentally killed Hyacinthus, and a lily grew out of his blood.
Iris – in Greek mythology, was the messenger of the gods and the goddess of the rainbow.
Ivy – a climbing plant with small yellow flowers. The name derives from ifig in Old English.
Jasmine – another climbing plant that has aromatic flowers often used in perfume making. The name is yasamen in Persian.
Juniper – a type of cypress tree. Its name comes from the Latin iuniperus.
Laurel – refers to the laurel tree, also identified as sweet bay.
Lavender – the name for both the fragrant flowering plant and the light purple color.
Lily – comes from the Latin word lilium. This white flower typically symbolizes purity.
Linden – associated with the linden tree and comes from the Old High German word linta.
Magnolia – a flowering tree, got its name from the French botanist, Pierre Magnol.
Maple – as a name, comes from mapulder in Old English, meaning “maple tree.”
Marigold – combines the name Mary and the English word “gold,” which describes this brightly-colored flower with the spicy smell.
Meadow – derives from the Old English maedwe, which is a wide span of land devoid of trees but blanketed with plants and grass.
Myrtle – an evergreen bush with white, star-like flowers. Its name comes from myrtos in Greek.
Olive or Olivia – comes from the Latin word olive, referring to olive trees.
Poppy – the brightly colored flower, is named from the Old English popaeg.
Primrose – a Latin derivative of prima rosa. Primrose is also the name of a prominent Scottish clan, whose name comes from prenn rhos or “tree of the moor.”
Rose – one of the most popular plant names for girls. It was likely a Germanic name that became Roese or Rohese in English.
Rosemary – the combination of Rose and Mary. It comes from the Latin ros marinus, meaning “dew of the sea.”
Saffron – a yellow-orange spice that comes from the crocus flower. The name likely came from the Arabic za’faran, which means “gold leaves.”
Sage – refers to the common herb and to a person who possesses wisdom.
Sakura – a name that means “sweet blossom” in Japanese.
Savannah – the English term for a large, grassy plain. The name’s equivalent is zabana in the indigenous language Taino.
Sequoia – the endangered giant redwood, possibly got its name from the Latin sequi, which means “to follow.”
Terra, or Tara – comes from Latin, which means “earth” or “land.”
Violet, or Viola – a purple flower. The violet was a sign of love and fertility in ancient Rome.
Willow – trees that thrive near water, and their bark serves as a natural pain remedy. The name translates into welig in Old English.
Wisteria – a fragrant flower that grows on a vine. Its name comes from Caspar Wistar, an anatomist whose name derives from the German Westländer, meaning “Westerner.”
Yvette or the male Yves – refers to yew, which are different kinds of coniferous trees. The name originates from the Germanic iv, meaning “yew.”
Zinnia – a brightly colored flower named after the German botanist Johann Zinn.
Picking your favorite plant names for boys or plant names for girls is never an easy task. These names will last a lifetime and can affect all facets of your child’s life. Don’t worry, you’ll make the right decision, just give it the time the decision deserves.
