Names Categorized "flora"

ABILENE f English
From a place name mentioned briefly in the New Testament. It is probably from Hebrew אָבֵל ('avel) meaning "meadow, grassy area". It has occasionally been used as a given name in modern times.

ACACIA f English (Rare)
From the name of a type of tree, ultimately deriving from Greek ακη (ake) "thorn, point".

AINA (3) f Japanese
From Japanese 愛 (ai) meaning "love, affection" and 菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens", as well as other character combinations.

AIRI f Japanese
From Japanese 愛 (ai) meaning "love, affection" combined with 莉 (ri) meaning "white jasmine" or 梨 (ri) meaning "pear". Other combinations of kanji characters are possible.

AMARANTE f French (Rare)
French form of AMARANTHA.

AMARANTHA f Various
From the name of the amaranth flower, which is derived from Greek αμαραντος (amarantos) meaning "unfading". Αμαραντος (Amarantos) was also an Ancient Greek given name.

AMARYLLIS f Literature
Derived from Greek αμαρυσσω (amarysso) "to sparkle". This was the name of a heroine in Virgil's epic poem 'Eclogues'. The amaryllis flower is named for her.

ANAR (2) f Kazakh
Variant of ANARA.

ANARA f Kazakh, Kyrgyz
Means "pomegranate" in Kazakh and Kyrgyz, ultimately from Persian.

ANEMONE f English (Rare)
From the name of the anemone flower, which derives from Greek ανεμος (anemos) "wind".

ANISE f English (Rare)
From the English word for the herb, also called aniseed.

ANTHEA f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Ανθεια (Antheia), derived from ανθος (anthos) meaning "flower, blossom". This was an epithet of the Greek goddess Hera.

ARAVIND m Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Tamil
Means "lotus" in Sanskrit.

ARTEMISIA f Ancient Greek
Feminine form of ARTEMISIOS. This was the name of the 4th-century BC builder of the Mausoleum, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. She built it in memory of her husband, the Carian prince Mausolus.

ASH m & f English
Short form of ASHLEY. It can also come directly from the English word denoting either the tree or the residue of fire.

ASK m Norse Mythology
Derived from Old Norse askr "ash tree". In Norse mythology Ask and his wife Embla were the first humans created by the gods.

AVELINE f English (Rare)
From the Norman French form of the Germanic name Avelina, a diminutive of AVILA. The Normans introduced this name to Britain. After the Middle Ages it became rare as an English name, though it persisted in America until the 19th century.

AZAHAR f Spanish
Means "orange blossom" in Spanish, ultimately from Arabic زهرة (zahrah) meaning "flower". It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora del Azahar, meaning "Our Lady of the Orange Blossom", because of the citrus trees that surround a church devoted to her near Murcia.

AZALEA f English (Modern)
From the name of the flower, ultimately derived from Greek αζαλεος (azaleos) "dry".

AZUCENA f Spanish
Means "madonna lily" in Spanish.

BAHARGÜL f Turkmen
Derived from Turkmen bahar meaning "spring" and gül meaning "flower, rose" (both roots ultimately of Persian origin).

BASIL (1) m English
From the Greek name Βασιλειος (Basileios), which was derived from βασιλευς (basileus) meaning "king". Saint Basil the Great was a 4th-century bishop of Caesarea and one of the fathers of the early Christian church. Due to him, the name (in various spellings) has come into general use in the Christian world, being especially popular among Eastern Christians. It was also borne by two Byzantine emperors.

BENTLEY m English
From a surname that was from a place name, itself derived from Old English beonet "bent grass" and leah "woodland, clearing". Various towns in England bear this name.

BENTON m English
From a surname that was derived from a place name, composed of Old English beonet "bent grass" and tun "enclosure".

BERRY (1) m English
Variant of BARRY.

BERRY (2) f English (Rare)
From the English word referring to the small fruit. It is ultimately derived from Old English berie. This name has only been in use since the 20th century.

BETONY f English (Rare)
From the name of the minty medicinal herb.

BLÁTHNAT f Irish, Irish Mythology
Means "little flower" from the Irish word blath "flower" combined with a diminutive suffix. In Irish legend she was a maiden abducted and married by Cú Roí. She was rescued by Cúchulainn, who killed her husband, but she was in turn murdered by one of Cú Roí's loyal servants.

BLOSSOM f English
From the English word blossom, ultimately from Old English blóstm. It came into use as a rare given name in the 19th century.

BOTUM f Khmer
Means "lotus" in Khmer.

BRIALLEN f Welsh
Derived from Welsh briallu meaning "primrose". This is a modern Welsh name.

BRIAR m & f English (Modern)
From the English word for the thorny plant.

BUD m English
Short form of BUDDY.

CALANTHE f English (Rare)
From the name of a type of orchid, ultimately meaning "beautiful flower", derived from Greek καλος (kalos) "beautiful" and ανθος (anthos) "flower".

CALLA f English
From the name of a type of lily, of Latin origin. Use of the name may also be inspired by Greek καλλος (kallos) meaning "beauty".

CAMELLIA f English (Rare)
From the name of the flowering shrub, which was named for the botanist and missionary Georg Josef Kamel.

CASSIA f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of CASSIUS.

CEDAR f & m English (Rare)
From the English word for the coniferous tree, derived (via Old French and Latin) from Greek κεδρος (kedros).

CELANDINE f English (Rare)
From the name of the flower, which derives from Greek χελιδων (chelidon) "swallow (bird)".

CELINDA f English (Rare)
Probably a blend of CELIA and LINDA. This is also the Spanish name for a variety of shrub with white flowers, known as sweet mock-orange in English (species Philadelphus coronarius).

CHANDAN m Indian, Hindi, Bengali, Odia
Derived from Sanskrit चन्दन (chandana) meaning "sandalwood".

CHERRY f English
Simply means "cherry" from the name of the fruit. It can also be a diminutive of CHARITY. It has been in use since the late 19th century.

CICELY f English
Medieval variant of CECILY.

CICERO m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen derived from Latin cicer meaning "chickpea". Marcus Tullius Cicero (known simply as Cicero) was a statesman, orator and author of the 1st century BC.

CLEMATIS f English (Rare)
From the English word for a type of flowering vine, ultimately derived from Greek κλημα (klema) "twig, branch".

CLOVER f English (Rare)
From the English word for the wild flower, ultimately deriving from Old English clafre.

CORIANDER f English (Rare)
From the name of the spice, also called cilantro, which may ultimately be of Phoenician origin (via Latin and Greek).

CYPRIAN m Polish, English (Rare)
From the Roman family name Cyprianus, which meant "from Cyprus". Saint Cyprian was a 3rd-century bishop of Carthage and a martyr under the emperor Valerian.

DAFINA f Albanian, Macedonian
Means "laurel" in Albanian, Bulgarian and Macedonian, of Greek origin.

DAHLIA f English (Modern)
From the name of the flower, which was named for the Swedish botanist Anders Dahl.

DAISY f English
Simply from the English word for the white flower, ultimately derived from Old English dægeseage meaning "day eye". It was first used as a given name in the 19th century, at the same time many other plant and flower names were coined.

DALIA (1) f Spanish (Latin American), American (Hispanic)
Spanish form of DAHLIA. The Dahlia is the national flower of Mexico.

DAPHNE f Greek Mythology, English, Dutch
Means "laurel" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was a nymph turned into a laurel tree by her father in order that she might escape the pursuit of Apollo. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the end of the 19th century.

DARNELL m English
From a surname, possibly derived from Old French darnel, a type of grass. Alternatively it may be derived from Old English derne "hidden" and halh "nook".

DIANTHA f Dutch, English (Rare)
From dianthus, the name of a type of flower (ultimately from Greek meaning "heavenly flower").

ĐURĐICA f Croatian
Croatian feminine form of GEORGE. It also means "lily of the valley" in Croatian.

EBONY f English
From the English word ebony for the black wood that comes from the ebony tree. It is ultimately from the Egyptian word hbnj. In America this name is most often used by black parents.

EGLANTINE f English (Rare)
From the English word for the flower also known as sweetbrier. It was first used as a given name (in the form Eglentyne) in Geoffrey Chaucer's 14th-century story 'The Prioress's Tale'.

ELAH m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "terebinth tree" in Hebrew. This was the name of the fourth king of Israel, as told in the Old Testament. He was murdered by Zimri, who succeeded him.

ELANOR f Literature
Means "star sun" in Sindarin. In 'The Lord of the Rings' (1954) by J. R. R. Tolkien this is Sam's eldest daughter, named after a type of flower.

EMBLA f Norse Mythology, Icelandic, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Meaning uncertain, perhaps related to Old Norse almr "elm". In Norse mythology Embla and her husband Ask were the first humans. They were created by three of the gods from two trees.

ERICA f English, Swedish, Italian
Feminine form of ERIC. It was first used in the 18th century. It also coincides with the Latin word for "heather".

FARLEY m English (Rare)
From a surname that was originally from a place name meaning "fern clearing" in Old English. A notable bearer of this name was Canadian author Farley Mowat (1921-2014).

FERN f English
From the English word for the plant, ultimately from Old English fearn. It has been used as a given name since the late 19th century.

FFION f Welsh
Means "foxglove" in Welsh.

FIORALBA f Italian
Combination of Italian fiore "flower" and alba "dawn".

FLEUR f French, Dutch, English (Rare)
Means "flower" in French. This was the name of a character in John Galsworthy's novels 'The Forsyte Saga' (1922).

FLORA f English, German, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Roman Mythology
Derived from Latin flos meaning "flower". Flora was the Roman goddess of flowers and spring, the wife of Zephyr the west wind. It has been used as a given name since the Renaissance, starting in France. In Scotland it was sometimes used as an Anglicized form of Fionnghuala.

FLORENTINA f Spanish, Late Roman
Feminine form of FLORENTINUS.

FLORIMOND m Literature, French
Possibly from Latin florens meaning "prosperous, flourishing" combined with the Germanic element mund meaning "protection". This is the name of the prince in some versions of the fairy tale 'Sleeping Beauty'.

FLORO m Italian (Rare), Spanish (Rare), Portuguese (Rare)
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of FLORUS.

FOREST m English
Variant of FORREST, or else directly from the English word forest.

FU m & f Chinese
From Chinese 富 (fù) meaning "abundant, rich, wealthy", 芙 (fú) meaning "hibiscus, lotus" or 甫 (fǔ) meaning "begin, man, father", in addition to other characters with a similar pronunciation. A famous bearer was the 8th-century Tang dynasty poet Du Fu, whose given name was 甫.

GARDEN f Basque
Means "transparent, clear" in Basque.

GARDENIA f English (Rare)
From the name of the tropical flower, which was named for the Scottish naturalist Alexander Garden (1730-1791).

GARLAND m English
From a surname meaning "triangle land" from Old English gara and land. The surname originally belonged to a person who owned a triangle-shaped piece of land.

GARRICK m English
From a surname that was originally derived from Occitan garric meaning "oak tree grove".

GENTIAN m Albanian
From the name of the flowering plant called the gentian, the roots of which are used to create a tonic. It is derived from the name of the Illyrian king GENTIUS, who supposedly discovered its medicinal properties.

GIACINTO m Italian
Italian form of HYACINTHUS.

GINGER f English
From the English word ginger for the spice or the reddish-brown colour. It can also be a diminutive of VIRGINIA, as in the case of actress and dancer Ginger Rogers (1911-1995), by whom the name was popularized.

GOLBAHAR f Persian
Means "spring rose" in Persian.

GOLNAR f Persian
Derived from Persian گل (gol) "flower, rose" and انار (anar) "pomegranate".

GUL m & f Urdu, Pashto
Means "flower, rose" in Urdu and Pashto, ultimately from Persian.

HADASSAH f Biblical, Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
From Hebrew הֲדַס (hadas) meaning "myrtle tree". In the Old Testament this is the Hebrew name of Queen Esther.

HAJNI f Hungarian
Diminutive of HAJNAL or HAJNALKA.

HAZEL f English
From the English word hazel for the tree or the light brown colour, derived ultimately from Old English hæsel. It was coined as a given name in the 19th century.

HE f & m Chinese
From Chinese 河 (hé) meaning "river, stream", 和 (hé) meaning "harmony, peace", or 荷 (hé) meaning "lotus, water lily" (which is usually only feminine). Other characters can form this name as well. A famous bearer was the 15th-century explorer Zheng He.

HEATHER f English
From the English word heather for the variety of small shrubs with pink or white flowers, which commonly grow in rocky areas. It is derived from Middle English hather. It was first used as a given name in the late 19th century, though it did not become popular until the last half of the 20th century.

HEITIARE f Tahitian
From Tahitian hei "crown, garland" and tiare "flower".

HERB m English
Short form of HERBERT.

HIDEKI m Japanese
From Japanese 秀 (hide) meaning "excellent, outstanding" or 英 (hide) meaning "excellent, fine" combined with 樹 (ki) meaning "tree". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.

HOLLIS m & f English
From an English surname that was derived from Middle English holis "holly trees". It was originally given to a person who lived near a group of those trees.

HOLLY f English
From the English word for the holly tree, ultimately derived from Old English holen.

HORTENSIA f Ancient Roman, Spanish
Feminine form of the Roman family name Hortensius, possibly derived from Latin hortus "garden".

HUỆ f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 慧 (huệ) meaning "bright, intelligent" or 蕙 (huệ) meaning "orchid".

HYACINTH (1) m Greek Mythology (Anglicized)
English form of HYACINTHUS.

HYACINTH (2) f English (Rare)
From the name of the flower (or the precious stone that also bears this name), ultimately from Greek hyakinthos (see HYACINTHUS).

HYACINTHUS m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name ‘Υακινθος (Hyakinthos), which was derived from the name of the hyacinth flower. In Greek legend Hyakinthos was accidentally killed by the god Apollo, who mournfully caused this flower to arise from his blood. The name was also borne by several early saints, notably a 3rd-century martyr who was killed with his brother Protus.

IANTHE f Greek Mythology
Means "violet flower", derived from Greek ιον (ion) "violet" and ανθος (anthos) "flower". This was the name of an ocean nymph in Greek mythology.

ILAN m Hebrew
Means "tree" in Hebrew.

INDIGO f & m English (Rare)
From the English word indigo for the purplish-blue dye or the colour. It is ultimately derived from Greek Ινδικον (Indikon) "Indic, from India".

IOLE f Greek Mythology
Means "violet" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was a woman beloved by Herakles.

IONE f Greek Mythology, English
From Ancient Greek ιον (ion) meaning "violet flower". This was the name of a sea nymph in Greek mythology. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century, though perhaps based on the Greek place name Ionia, a region on the west coast of Asia Minor.

IRIS f Greek Mythology, English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, French, Spanish, Greek
Means "rainbow" in Greek. Iris was the name of the Greek goddess of the rainbow, also serving as a messenger to the gods. This name can also be given in reference to the word (which derives from the same Greek source) for the iris flower or the coloured part of the eye.

IVA (1) f Bulgarian, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian
Means "willow tree" in South Slavic.

IVOR m Irish, Scottish, Welsh, English (British)
From the Old Norse name Ívarr, which was derived from the elements yr "yew, bow" and arr "warrior". During the Middle Ages it was brought to Britain by Scandinavian settlers and invaders, and it was adopted in Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

IVY f English
From the English word for the climbing plant that has small yellow flowers. It is ultimately derived from Old English ifig.

JARAH m Biblical
Means "honeycomb" and "honeysuckle" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a descendant of Saul.

JASMINE f English, French
From the English word for the climbing plant with fragrant flowers that is used for making perfumes. It is derived from Persian یاسمن (yasamen), which is also a Persian name.

JELENA f Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Estonian, Lithuanian
Form of YELENA in several languages. In Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia it is also associated with the South Slavic words jelen meaning "deer, stag" and jela meaning "fir tree".

JI-U f & m Korean
From Sino-Korean 芝 (ji) meaning "sesame" or 志 (ji) meaning "will, purpose, ambition" combined with 雨 (u) meaning "rain" or 宇 (u) meaning "house, eaves, universe". Other combinations of hanja characters can form this name as well.

JI-YEONG f & m Korean
From Sino-Korean 智 (ji) meaning "wisdom, intellect" or 知 (ji) meaning "know, perceive, comprehend" combined with 英 (yeong) meaning "flower, petal, brave, hero" or 榮 (yeong) meaning "glory, honour, flourish, prosper". Many other hanja character combinations are possible.

JONQUIL f English (Rare)
From the English word for the type of flower, derived ultimately from Latin iuncus "reed".

JUNIPER f English (Modern)
From the English word for the type of tree, derived ultimately from Latin iuniperus.

KAEDE f & m Japanese
From Japanese 楓 (kaede) meaning "maple" or other kanji that are pronounced the same way.

KALINA f Bulgarian, Macedonian, Polish
Means "viburnum tree" in Bulgarian, Macedonian and Polish.

KAMALA f & m Hinduism, Tamil, Indian, Kannada, Telugu, Hindi, Nepali
Means "lotus" or "pale red" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the feminine form कमला and the masculine form कमल. This is the name of one of the Krittikas, or Pleiades, in Hindu epic the 'Mahabharata'. It is also another name of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi.

KASUMI f Japanese
From Japanese 霞 (kasumi) meaning "mist". It can also come from 花 (ka) meaning "flower, blossom" combined with 澄 (sumi) meaning "clear, pure". Other kanji combinations are also possible.

KELILA f Hebrew
Means "crown of laurel" in Hebrew.

KIEFER m English (Modern)
From a German surname meaning either "pine tree" or "barrel maker".

KIELO f Finnish
Means "lily of the valley" in Finnish.

KLYTIË f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek κλυτος (klytos) meaning "famous, noble". In Greek myth Klytië was an ocean nymph who loved the sun god Helios. Her love was not returned, and she pined away staring at him until she was transformed into a heliotrope flower, whose head moves to follow the sun.

KUNALA m Sanskrit
Means "lotus" in Sanskrit. This was the name of a son of the 3rd-century BC Indian emperor Ashoka.

LALA f Bulgarian
From a South Slavic word meaning "tulip". It is derived via Turkish from Persian لاله (laleh).

LALE f Turkish
Means "tulip" in Turkish, of Persian origin.

LALEH f Persian
Means "tulip" in Persian.

LAN (1) f & m Chinese, Vietnamese
From Chinese 兰 (lán) meaning "orchid, elegant" (which is usually only feminine) or 岚 (lán) meaning "mountain mist". Other Chinese characters can form this name as well. As a Vietnamese name, it is derived from Sino-Vietnamese 蘭 meaning "orchid".

LAUREL f English
From the name of the laurel tree, ultimately from Latin laurus.

LAURENCE (1) m English
From the Roman cognomen Laurentius, which meant "from Laurentum". Laurentum was a city in ancient Italy, its name probably deriving from Latin laurus "laurel". Saint Laurence was a 3rd-century deacon and martyr from Rome. According to tradition he was roasted alive on a gridiron because, when ordered to hand over the church's treasures, he presented the sick and poor. Due to the saint's popularity, the name came into general use in the Christian world (in various spellings).... [more]

LAVENDER f English (Rare)
From the English word for the aromatic flower or the pale purple colour.

LAVERNE f & m English
From a surname that was derived from a French place name, ultimately derived from the Gaulish word vern meaning "alder". It is sometimes associated with the Roman goddess Laverna or the Latin word vernus "of spring".

LAYTON m English
From a surname that was originally derived from the name of English towns meaning "town with a leek garden" in Old English.

LEI (2) m & f Chinese
From Chinese 磊 (lěi) meaning "pile of stones" (which is typically masculine) or 蕾 (lěi) meaning "bud" (typically feminine). Other characters can also form this name.

LEILANI f & m Hawaiian
Means "heavenly flowers" or "royal child" from Hawaiian lei "flowers, lei, child" and lani "heaven, sky, royal, majesty".

LESLIE f & m English
From a Scottish surname that was derived from a Scottish place name, probably derived from Gaelic leas celyn meaning "garden of holly". It has been used as a given name since the 19th century. In America it was more common as a feminine name after the 1940s.

LIÊN f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 蓮 (liên) meaning "lotus, water lily".

LILAC f English (Rare)
From the English word for the shrub with purple or white flowers. It is derived via Arabic from Persian.

LILLIAN f English
Probably originally a diminutive of ELIZABETH. It may also be considered an elaborated form of LILY, from the Latin word for "lily" lilium. This name has been used in England since the 16th century.

LILY f English
From the name of the flower, a symbol of purity. The word is ultimately derived from Latin lilium.

LIN m & f Chinese
From Chinese 林 (lín) meaning "forest" or 琳 (lín) meaning "fine jade, gem". Other characters can also form this name.

LINDEN m English
From a German surname that was derived from Old High German linta meaning "linden tree".

LINFORD m English (Rare)
From a surname that was originally taken from place names meaning either "flax ford" or "linden tree ford" in Old English.

LINNAEA f English (Rare)
From the word for the type of flower, also called the twinflower (see LINNÉA).

LINTON m English
From a surname that was originally from place names meaning either "flax town" or "linden tree town" in Old English.

LINUS m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Ancient Greek (Latinized), German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
From the Greek name Λινος (Linos) meaning "flax". In Greek legend he was the son of the god Apollo, who accidentally killed him in a contest. Another son of Apollo by this name was the music teacher of Herakles. The name was also borne by the second pope, serving after Saint Peter in the 1st century. In modern times this was the name of a character in Charles Schulz's comic strip 'Peanuts'.

LJUBICA f Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Slovene
From the Slavic element lyuby meaning "love" combined with a diminutive suffix. It can also come from Serbo-Croatian ljubicica meaning "violet".

LOTUS f English (Rare)
From the name of the lotus flower (species Nelumbo nucifera) or the mythological lotus tree. They are ultimately derived from Greek λωτος (lotos). In Greek and Roman mythology the lotus tree was said to produce a fruit causing sleepiness and forgetfulness.

LUCINA f Roman Mythology
Derived from Latin lucus meaning "grove", but later associated with lux "light". This was the name of a Roman goddess of childbirth.

MAGNOLIA f English
From the English word magnolia for the flower, which was named for the French botanist Pierre Magnol.

MAI (1) f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 梅 (mai) meaning "plum, apricot" (refers specifically to the species Prunus mume).

MAILE f Hawaiian
From the name of a type of vine that grows in Hawaii and is used in making leis.

MAKVALA f Georgian
Derived from Georgian მაყვალი (maqvali) meaning "blackberry".

MAMI f Japanese
From Japanese 真 (ma) meaning "real, genuine" or 麻 (ma) meaning "flax" combined with 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other combinations of kanji can form this name as well.

MARGARET f English
Derived from Latin Margarita, which was from Greek μαργαριτης (margarites) meaning "pearl", probably ultimately a borrowing from Sanskrit मञ्यरी (manyari). Saint Margaret, the patron of expectant mothers, was martyred at Antioch in the 4th century. Later legends told of her escape from a dragon, with which she was often depicted in medieval art. The saint was popular during the Middle Ages, and her name has been widely used in the Christian world.... [more]

MARGARIDA f Portuguese, Galician, Catalan, Occitan
Portuguese, Galician, Catalan and Occitan form of MARGARET. This is also the Portuguese and Galician word for the daisy flower (species Leucanthemum vulgare).

MARGARITA f Spanish, Russian, Bulgarian, Lithuanian, Latvian, Greek, Late Roman
Latinate form of MARGARET. This is also a Latin word meaning "pearl" and a Spanish word meaning "daisy flower" (species Leucanthemum vulgare).

MARGUERITE f French
French form of MARGARET. This is also the French word for the daisy flower (species Leucanthemum vulgare).

MARIGOLD f English (Rare)
From the name of the flower, which comes from a combination of MARY and the English word gold.

MARJOLAINE f French
Means "marjoram" in French. Marjoram is a minty herb.

MARWA f Arabic
From the Arabic name of a fragrant plant. Al-Marwa is one of the names of a sacred hill near Mecca.

MARYAM f Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Bashkir, Tatar
Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Bashkir and Tatar form of Miryam (see MARY). In Iran it is also the name of a flower, the tuberose, which is named after the Virgin Mary.

MEI (1) f Chinese
From Chinese 美 (měi) meaning "beautiful" or 梅 (méi) meaning "Chinese plum" (species Prunus mume), as well as other characters that are pronounced similarly.

MEI (2) f Japanese
From Japanese 芽 (me) meaning "bud, sprout" combined with 依 (i) meaning "rely on", 生 (i) meaning "life" or 衣 (i) meaning "clothing, garment". Other kanji combinations are possible.

MELANTHIOS m Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek μελας (melas) "black, dark" and ανθος (anthos) "flower". In Homer's epic the 'Odyssey' this is the name of an insolent goatherd killed by Odysseus.

MELIA f Greek Mythology
Means "ash tree" in Greek, a derivative of μελι (meli) "honey". This was the name of a nymph in Greek myth, the daughter of the Greek god Okeanos.

MÉLINA f French
French form of MELINA.

MÉLINE f French
French form of MELINA.

MIHO (2) f Japanese
From Japanese 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" and 穂 (ho) meaning "grain". Other kanji combinations are also possible.

MIO f Japanese
From Japanese 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" combined with 桜 (o) meaning "cherry blossom" or 緒 (o) meaning "thread". Other kanji or kanji combinations can also form this name.

MISAKI f Japanese
From Japanese 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" and 咲 (saki) meaning "blossom". This name can be formed from other combinations of kanji as well.

MIYU f Japanese
From Japanese 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" or 実 (mi) meaning "fruit, good result, truth" combined with 優 (yu) meaning "excellence, superiority, gentleness" or 結 (yu) meaning "tie, bind" or 夕 (yu) meaning "evening". Other kanji combinations are possible.

MOMOKA f Japanese
From Japanese 百 (momo) meaning "hundred" or 桃 (momo) meaning "peach" combined with 花 (ka) meaning "flower" or 香 (ka) meaning "fragrance". Other kanji combinations are possible.

MOSS m English (Archaic), Jewish
Medieval form of MOSES.

MU m & f Chinese
From Chinese 慕 (mù) meaning "admire, desire", 木 (mù) meaning "tree, wood", or other characters with similar pronunciations.

MÜGE f Turkish
Means "lily of the valley" in Turkish (species Convallaria majalis).

MYRTLE f English
Simply from the English word myrtle for the evergreen shrub, ultimately from Greek μυρτος (myrtos). It was first used as a given name in the 19th century, at the same time many other plant and flower names were coined.

NALINI f Indian, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi
Means "lotus" in Sanskrit.

NANAMI f Japanese
From Japanese 七 (nana) meaning "seven" and 海 (mi) meaning "sea". It can also come from 菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens" duplicated and 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other kanji combinations are also possible.

NARI f Korean
Means "lily" in Korean.

NASH m English (Modern)
From a surname that was derived from the Middle English phrase atten ash "at the ash tree". A famous bearer of the surname was the mathematician John Nash (1928-2015). The name was popularized in the 1990s by the television series 'Nash Bridges'.

NASRIN f Persian, Bengali
Means "wild rose" in Persian.

NERIDA f Indigenous Australian
Possibly means "water lily" in an Australian Aboriginal language.

NETA f & m Hebrew
Means "plant, shrub" in Hebrew.

NEVENA f Bulgarian, Macedonian, Croatian, Serbian
Derived from South Slavic neven meaning "marigold".

NICTE f Native American, Mayan
Means "flower" in Mayan.

NIGELLA f English (Rare)
Feminine form of NIGEL.

NILOOFAR f Persian
Means "water lily" in Persian.

NITZAN m & f Hebrew
Means "flower bud" in Hebrew.

NURIT f Hebrew
Means "buttercup flower" in Hebrew (genus Ranunculus).

NYSSA f Various
From the name of an ancient town of Asia Minor where Saint Gregory was bishop. Nyssa is also the genus name of a type of tree, also called the Tupelo.

ODELL m & f English
From a surname that was originally from an English place name, itself derived from Old English wad "woad" (a plant that produces a blue dye) and hyll "hill".

OGDEN m English
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "oak valley" in Old English. A famous bearer was the humourous American poet Ogden Nash (1902-1971).

OLIVE f English, French
From the English and French word for the type of tree, ultimately derived from Latin oliva.

OMER m & f Hebrew
Means "sheaf of wheat" in Hebrew.

OREN m Hebrew
Means "pine tree" in Hebrew.

ORNELLA f Italian
Created by the Italian author Gabriele d'Annunzio for his novel 'La Figlia di Jorio' (1904). It is derived from Tuscan Italian ornello meaning "flowering ash tree".

PADMA f & m Hinduism, Indian, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu
Means "lotus" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the feminine form पद्मा and the masculine form पद्म. According to Hindu tradition a lotus holding the god Brahma arose from the navel of the god Vishnu. The name Padma is used in Hindu texts to refer to several characters, including the goddess Lakshmi and the hero Rama.

PADMAVATI f Hinduism
Means "resembling lotuses", derived from the Sanskrit word पद्म (padma) meaning "lotus" combined with वती (vati) meaning "resemblance". This is the name of the foster-mother of the god Hindu Skanda.

PADMINI f Indian, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu
Means "a multitude of lotuses", a derivative of Sanskrit पद्म (padma) meaning "lotus".

PALESA f Southern African, Sotho
Means "flower" in Sotho.

PANKAJA m Hinduism
Means "born of mud", referring to the lotus flower, derived from Sanskrit पङ्क (panka) meaning "mud" and ज (ja) meaning "born". This is another name of the Hindu god Brahma.

PANSY f English
From the English word for a type of flower, ultimately deriving from Old French pensee "thought".

PEONY f English (Rare)
From the English word for the type of flower. It was originally believed to have healing qualities, so it was named after the Greek medical god Pæon.

PERRY m English
From a surname that is either English or Welsh in origin. It can be derived from Middle English perrie meaning "pear tree", or else from Welsh ap Herry, meaning "son of HERRY". A famous bearer of the surname was Matthew Perry (1794-1858), the American naval officer who opened Japan to the West.

PETUNIA f English (Rare)
From the name of the flower, derived ultimately from a Tupi (South American) word.

PHYLLIS f Greek Mythology, English, German
Means "foliage" in Greek. In Greek mythology this was the name of a woman who killed herself out of love for Demophon and was subsequently transformed into an almond tree. It began to be used as a given name in England in the 16th century, though it was often confused with Felicia.

POPPY f English (British)
From the word for the red flower, derived from Old English popæg.

POSY f English
Diminutive of JOSEPHINE. It can also be inspired by the English word posy for a bunch of flowers.

PRIMROSE f English (Rare)
From the English word for the flower, ultimately deriving from Latin prima rosa "first rose".

PRIMULA f English (Rare)
From the name of a genus of several species of flowers, including the primrose. It is derived from the Latin word primulus meaning "very first".

PRUNELLA f English (Rare)
From the English word for the type of flower, also called self-heal, ultimately a derivative of the Latin word pruna "plum".

RAJIV m Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Tamil, Nepali
Means "striped" in Sanskrit. This is used to refer to the blue lotus in Hindu texts.

RAMSEY m English
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "wild-garlic island" in Old English.

RAN f Japanese
From Japanese 蘭 (ran) meaning "orchid" or other kanji pronounced in the same way.

REN m & f Japanese
From Japanese 蓮 (ren) meaning "lotus", 恋 (ren) meaning "love", or other kanji that are pronounced the same way.

RHODA f Biblical, English
Derived from Greek ‘ροδον (rhodon) meaning "rose". In the New Testament this name was borne by a maid in the house of Mary the mother of John Mark. As an English given name, Rhoda came into use in the 17th century.

RILEY m & f English
From a surname that comes from two distinct sources. As an Irish surname it is a variant of REILLY. As an English surname it is derived from a place name meaning "rye clearing" in Old English.

ROMAINE f French, English
French feminine form of Romanus (see ROMAN).

ROSALBA f Italian
Italian name meaning "white rose", derived from Latin rosa "rose" and alba "white". A famous bearer was the Venetian painter Rosalba Carriera (1675-1757).

ROSALIA f Italian, Late Roman
Late Latin name derived from rosa "rose". This was the name of a 12th-century Sicilian saint.

ROSAMUND f English (Rare)
Derived from the Germanic elements hros "horse" and mund "protection". The Normans introduced this name to England. It was subsequently influenced by the Latin phrase rosa munda "pure rose". This was the name of the mistress of Henry II, the king of England in the 12th century. She was possibly murdered by his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine.

ROSCOE m English
From an English surname, originally derived from a place name, itself derived from Old Norse rá "roebuck" and skógr "wood, forest".

ROSE f English, French
Originally a Norman form of a Germanic name, which was composed of the elements hrod "fame" and heid "kind, sort, type". The Normans introduced it to England in the forms Roese and Rohese. From an early date it was associated with the word for the fragrant flower rose (derived from Latin rosa). When the name was revived in the 19th century, it was probably with the flower in mind.

ROSEMARY f English
Combination of ROSE and MARY. This name can also be given in reference to the herb, which gets its name from Latin ros marinus meaning "dew of the sea". It came into use as a given name in the 19th century.

ROTEM m & f Hebrew
From the name of a desert plant (species Retama raetam), possibly derived from Hebrew רְתֹם (retom) meaning "to bind".

ROWAN m & f Irish, English (Modern)
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Ruadháin meaning "descendant of RUADHÁN". This name can also be given in reference to the rowan tree.

SAFFRON f English (Rare)
From the English word that refers either to a spice, the crocus flower from which it is harvested, or the yellow-orange colour of the spice. It is derived via Old French from Arabic زعفران (za'faran), itself probably from Persian meaning "gold leaves".

SAGE f & m English (Modern)
From the English word sage, which denotes either a type of spice or else a wise person.

SELBY m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname that was from a place name meaning "willow farm" in Old Norse.

SEQUOIA f & m English (Rare)
From the name of huge trees that grow in California. The tree got its name from the 19th-century Cherokee scholar Sequoyah (also known as George Guess), the inventor of the Cherokee writing system.

SHAKED f & m Hebrew
Means "almond" in Hebrew.

SIRVARD f Armenian
Means "love rose" in Armenian.

SOMA m Hungarian
From Hungarian som meaning "dogwood, cornel tree".

SORREL f English (Rare)
From the name of the sour tasting plant, which may ultimately derive from Germanic sur "sour".

SULTANA f Arabic, Urdu, Bengali
Feminine form of SULTAN.

SUSANNA f Italian, Catalan, Swedish, Finnish, Russian, Dutch, English, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Old Church Slavic
From Σουσαννα (Sousanna), the Greek form of the Hebrew name שׁוֹשַׁנָּה (Shoshannah). This was derived from the Hebrew word שׁוֹשָׁן (shoshan) meaning "lily" (in modern Hebrew this also means "rose"), perhaps ultimately from Egyptian sšn "lotus". In the Old Testament Apocrypha this is the name of a woman falsely accused of adultery. The prophet Daniel clears her name by tricking her accusers, who end up being condemned themselves. It also occurs in the New Testament belonging to a woman who ministers to Jesus.... [more]

TAKEHIKO m Japanese
From Japanese 武 (take) meaning "military, martial" or 竹 (take) meaning "bamboo" combined with 彦 (hiko) meaning "boy, prince". Other kanji combinations are also possible.

TAMARA f Russian, Ukrainian, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Hungarian, English, Dutch, Spanish, Italian
Russian form of TAMAR. Russian performers such as Tamara Karsavina (1885-1978), Tamara Drasin (1905-1943), Tamara Geva (1907-1997) and Tamara Toumanova (1919-1996) introduced it to the English-speaking world. It was also borne by the Polish cubist painter Tamara de Lempicka (1898-1980).

TANSY f English (Rare)
From the name of the flower, which is derived via Old French from Late Latin tanacita.

THAMARAI f Tamil
Means "lotus" in Tamil.

TOMOMI f & m Japanese
From Japanese 智 (tomo) meaning "wisdom, intellect" or 朋 (tomo) meaning "friend" combined with 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" or 実 (mi) meaning "fruit, good result, truth". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.

TRENA f Macedonian
Short form of TRENDAFILKA.

TRENDAFILKA f Macedonian
Derived from Macedonian трендафил (trendafil) meaning "eglantine, sweet briar".

TSUBAKI f Japanese
From Japanese 椿 (tsubaki) meaning "camellia flower", as well as other combinations of kanji that are pronounced the same way.

TUBA f Arabic, Turkish
From the name of a type of tree that is believed to grow in heaven in Islamic tradition. It means "blessedness" in Arabic.

TYRONE m English
From the name of a county in Northern Ireland, which is derived from Irish Gaelic Tir Eoghain meaning "land of EOGHAN". This name was popularized by American actor Tyrone Power (1914-1958), who was named after his great-grandfather, an Irish actor.

UBON f Thai
Means "lotus" in Thai.

UMA f Hinduism, Indian, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi
Means "flax" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu goddess Parvati. In Hindu texts it is said to derive from the Sanskrit exclamation उ मा (u ma) meaning "O (child), do not (practice austerities)!", which was addressed to Parvati by her mother.

VALERIAN m Russian, Ukrainian, Georgian, Romanian, History
From the Roman cognomen Valerianus, which was itself derived from the Roman name VALERIUS. This was the name of a 3rd-century Roman emperor. Several saints also had this name, including a 2nd-century martyr of Lyons.

VALLI f Hinduism
Means "creeping plant" in Dravidian. In Dravidian mythology the goddess Valli was the wife of Murunga.

VERE m English
From a Norman surname, which was from a French place name, which was itself derived from a Gaulish word meaning "alder".

VERED f Hebrew
Means "rose" in Hebrew.

VERNON m English
From a Norman surname, which was from a French place name, ultimately derived from the Gaulish word vern meaning "alder".

VERONICA f English, Italian, Romanian, Late Roman
Latin alteration of BERENICE, the spelling influenced by the ecclesiastical Latin phrase vera icon meaning "true image". This was the name of a legendary saint who wiped Jesus' face with a towel and then found his image imprinted upon it. Due to popular stories about her, the name was occasionally used in the Christian world in the Middle Ages. It was borne by the 17th-century Italian saint and mystic Veronica Giuliani. As an English name, it was not common until the 19th century, when it was imported from France and Scotland.

VIOLET f English
From the English word violet for the purple flower, ultimately derived from Latin viola. It was common in Scotland from the 16th century, and it came into general use as an English given name during the 19th century.

VIOREL m Romanian
Derived from viorea, the Romanian word for the alpine squill flower (species Scilla bifolia) or the sweet violet flower (species Viola odorata). It is derived from Latin viola "violet".

WAPASHA m Native American, Sioux
Means "red leaf" in Dakota. This was the name of several Dakota chiefs.

WIDO m Ancient Germanic
Originally a short form of names beginning with the Germanic element witu "wood" or wit "wide". From early times this name has been confused with the Latin name Vitus.

WILFORD m English
From a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "willow ford" in Old English.

WILLOW f English (Modern)
From the name of the tree, which is ultimately derived from Old English welig.

YAARA f Hebrew
Means "honeycomb" and "honeysuckle" in Hebrew.

YASEN m Bulgarian
Means both "ash tree" and "clear, serene" in Bulgarian.

YEONG-HO m Korean
From Sino-Korean 英 (yeong) meaning "flower, petal, brave, hero", 映 (yeong) meaning "reflect light" or 泳 (yeong) meaning "dive, swim" combined with 浩 (ho) meaning "great, numerous, vast" or 皓 (ho) meaning "bright, luminous, clear, hoary". Other hanja combinations are possible.

YEONG-HUI f Korean
From Sino-Korean 英 (yeong) meaning "flower, petal, brave, hero" or 泳 (yeong) meaning "dive, swim" combined with 姬 (hui) meaning "beauty" or 嬉 (hui) meaning "enjoy, play". Other combinations of hanja characters can form this name as well.

YUINA f Japanese
From Japanese 結 (yui) meaning "tie, bind" and 菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens". Other kanji combinations are possible.

YURI (2) f Japanese
From Japanese 百合 (yuri) meaning "lily". Other kanji or combinations of kanji can also form this name.

ZINNIA f English (Rare)
From the name of the flower, which was itself named for the German botanist Johann Zinn.