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30 English names

English names from nature

Names taken from flowers, trees, gems and the natural world, such as Lily, Willow, Ruby and River.

Names

  1. AmberGirlAM-bur · EnglishMeans “amber, a golden fossil resin”Amber is the English word for the golden-brown stone made from very old tree resin; the word itself came into English from Arabic through French. It started to be used as a first name in the late 19th century, together with other gem names. The 1944 novel Forever Amber made it much more popular.
  2. AshleyGirlASH-lee · Old EnglishMeans “ash tree clearing”Ashley was first an English place name and then a surname, made of Old English words for an ash tree and a clearing in a wood. It was mainly a boys’ name at first, like Ashley Wilkes in Gone with the Wind. In the US it became a very common girls’ name in the 1980s and 1990s.
  3. ChloeGirlKLOH-ee · GreekMeans “young green shoot”In ancient Greece, Chloe was a name given to the goddess Demeter, who looked after crops and new growth. It appears once in the New Testament, in a letter of St Paul, so Puritans began to use it in the 17th century. It became very popular in Britain and the US from the 1990s onwards.
  4. DaisyGirlDAY-zee · EnglishMeans “daisy, day’s eye”Daisy is the name of the small white flower; the word comes from Old English and described how the flower opens in the morning and closes at night. It began as a pet name for Margaret, because the French word marguerite means daisy. Today it is used as a name of its own and is well liked in Britain.
  5. HazelGirlHAY-zul · EnglishMeans “hazel tree”Hazel is the name of a small tree that gives hazelnuts, from an Old English word, and also of a light brown eye colour. It was first used as a first name in the late 19th century, when nature names were fashionable. After a long quiet period, it is popular again in the US.
  6. HollyGirlHOL-ee · EnglishMeans “holly tree”Holly is the evergreen plant with shiny leaves and red berries, from an Old English word. Because people use it to decorate homes at Christmas, the name is often given to girls born in December. It became common in Britain and the US in the 20th century.
  7. IrisGirlEYE-ris · GreekMeans “rainbow”In Greek mythology, Iris was the goddess of the rainbow, who carried messages from the gods. The name is also the word for a colourful flower and for the coloured part of the eye. It became a first name in the late 19th century.
  8. IvyGirlEYE-vee · EnglishMeans “ivy plant”Ivy is the evergreen climbing plant, from an Old English word, and has long been a symbol of loyalty and lasting love. It became a first name in the late 19th century with other plant names. It is very popular again in the UK and US in the 2020s.
  9. JadeGirlJAYD · EnglishMeans “jade stone”Jade is a green stone used for jewellery and art. The word comes from Spanish piedra de la ijada, “stone of the side”, because people believed it could cure pain in the side of the body. It became a common first name in Britain from the 1970s.
  10. JasmineGirlJAZ-min · PersianMeans “jasmine flower”Jasmine is a climbing plant with sweet-smelling white or yellow flowers, and its name comes from Persian yasaman through Arabic and French. It became a first name in English in the early 20th century. The princess in Disney’s Aladdin helped make it more popular.
  11. JasperBoyJAS-per · PersianMeans “possibly treasurer”Jasper is the English form of Gaspar, a name given by tradition to one of the three wise men who visited the baby Jesus. It probably comes from a Persian word for “treasurer”, although this is not certain. It is also the name of a red or brown gemstone.
  12. LauraGirlLOR-uh · LatinMeans “laurel”Laura comes from the Latin word for the laurel or bay tree, whose leaves were used to crown winners in the ancient world. The Italian poet Petrarch wrote many love poems to a woman called Laura in the 14th century. It has been used in England since the 19th century.
  13. LeoBoyLEE-oh · LatinMeans “lion”Leo is the Latin word for “lion”. It was the name of many popes, including Pope Leo the Great. Short and easy to say in many languages, it has become one of the most popular boys’ names in England and the US in the 2020s.
  14. LilyGirlLIL-ee · EnglishMeans “lily flower”Lily is the name of a tall white flower, from Latin lilium, which is a symbol of purity. It was also an old pet form of Elizabeth. It has been one of the most popular girls’ names in England and the US in recent years.
  15. MargaretGirlMAR-gret · GreekMeans “pearl”Margaret comes from the Greek word for a pearl, which itself probably came from Persian. St Margaret of Scotland, an 11th-century queen, made it very popular in Britain, and Queen Elizabeth II’s sister was Princess Margaret. It has more nicknames than almost any other English name.
  16. MeganGirlMEG-un · GreekMeans “pearl”Megan is a Welsh pet form of Meg, which is short for Margaret. For a long time it was used mostly in Wales. It spread across Britain, the US and Australia in the 1980s and 1990s.
  17. OliverBoyOL-iv-er · LatinMeans “olive tree”Oliver comes from the Old French name Olivier, usually linked to the Latin word for “olive tree”, although it may have Germanic or Norse roots. Oliver was a hero in old French legends of Charlemagne, and Charles Dickens later wrote Oliver Twist. It has been one of the most popular boys’ names in England and the US in the 2020s.
  18. OliviaGirluh-LIV-ee-uh · LatinMeans “olive”Olivia was first used by Shakespeare for a rich young woman in his comedy Twelfth Night. Its origin is debated: it is usually linked with the Latin word for olive, but it may have been made as a female form of Oliver. It has been one of the most popular girls’ names in England and the US in the 2020s.
  19. PhoenixUnisexFEE-niks · GreekMeans “dark red”In Greek myth the phoenix is a bird that dies in fire and is born again from the ashes, so the name suggests new life. The Greek word also meant a deep red or purple colour. It is used for both boys and girls, and it is also the name of a city in Arizona.
  20. PoppyGirlPOP-ee · EnglishMeans “poppy flower”Poppy is the bright red flower, from an Old English word. After the First World War, the poppy became the symbol for remembering soldiers who died, and people in Britain wear paper poppies in November. As a first name it has been very popular in England since the 2000s.
  21. RachelGirlRAY-chul · HebrewMeans “ewe, female sheep”In the Old Testament, Rachel is the beloved wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin. English Puritans began using the name in the 17th century. It was very common in Britain and the US from the 1970s to the 1990s.
  22. RiverUnisexRIV-er · EnglishMeans “river”River is simply the English word for a large stream of water, used as a name since the late 20th century. It suggests calm, flowing nature. It is given to both genders, a little more often to boys.
  23. RobinUnisexROB-in · GermanicMeans “bright fame”Robin began in the Middle Ages as a pet form of Robert, a Germanic name made from words for “fame” and “bright”, and it is also the name of a small red-breasted bird. It is the name of the outlaw hero Robin Hood. In the UK it is more often a man’s name, while in the US it is more common for women.
  24. RoseGirlROHZ · GermanicMeans “rose flower”Rose was first a Norman name, probably from Germanic words for fame or horse. Over time people connected it with the flower, from Latin rosa, which is a symbol of love. It is now often used as a middle name as well as a first name.
  25. RowanUnisexROH-uhn · IrishMeans “little red one”Rowan comes from the Irish name Ruadhán, from a word for “red”, and it is also the name of a tree with bright red berries. It is mostly a boy’s name. It is given to girls as well, often because of the tree.
  26. RubyGirlROO-bee · EnglishMeans “ruby, a red gem”Ruby is a precious red stone; the word comes from Latin ruber, meaning red. It was first used as a name in the late 19th century, together with other gem names. It has been one of the most popular girls’ names in England in recent decades.
  27. SageUnisexSAYJ · EnglishMeans “wise; the herb sage”Sage is an English word for a wise person and also for a herb used in cooking. Both words come from Latin, through French. It is used for both genders, and somewhat more often for girls.
  28. SusanGirlSOO-zun · HebrewMeans “lily”Susan is the English form of Susanna, from the Hebrew name Shoshannah, which comes from a word for a lily or similar flower. Susanna appears in the Bible, both in the Gospel of Luke and in a story added to the Book of Daniel. It was one of the most popular girls’ names in Britain and the US in the 1950s.
  29. VioletGirlVY-uh-lut · EnglishMeans “violet flower”Violet is the name of a small purple flower and of its colour, from Old French violete and Latin viola. It became popular in Victorian times, when flower names were fashionable. It is very popular again in the US and UK in the 2020s.
  30. WillowGirlWIL-oh · EnglishMeans “willow tree”Willow is a tree with long thin branches that often grows near water, from an Old English word. It became a first name in the 20th century as part of the trend for nature names. It is now popular in both Britain and the US.