Published on 06/18/2020 09:18 By Cheryl Freedman
Edited by | Fact-checked by
There’s something irresistible about a nature-inspired baby name. They bring to mind the wonders of the natural world around us – so it’s no surprise that more and more parents are choosing earth inspired names for their new baby.
Earthy names manage to feel both fresh and timeless – with just a touch of hippy free love and creativity. Think trees, mountains, herbs, flowers and plants, valleys, the ever-changing weather – in fact, anything that brings to mind the world outside your window.
Often we think of as being for girls – just think of the rise in popularity of names like Willow, or the enduring popularity of vintage flower-themed names like Rose and Iris, but there are plenty of nature inspired names meaning Earth, too.
Now plant and flower based baby boy names are getting in on the act as well, plus the best names meaning sky, wind and and air. We know it can be tough finding the perfect boy name for your baby but we’ve picked our top favourites that feel special, different and modern with a twist!
Tree-inspired baby names
1. Acorn (English), meaning “fruit of the oak tree”
2. Ainsley (Scottish), meaning “clearing in the woods”
3. Alder (old English origin), meaning “old” or referring to the alder tree
4. Ash (English origin), meaning “ash tree”
5. Aspen ( English origin), named for the poplar tree
6. Beech (English origin), meaning “beech tree”
7. Birch (English origin), named for the silver-trunked tree
8. Cedar (American origin), named after the tree
9. Cypress (Greek origin), named for the tree of the same name
10. Cullen (Irish origin), meaning “holly tree”
11. Darragh (traditional Irish name), meaning “oak”
12. Eoghan (Irish origin), meaning “born of the yew tree”
13. Forest or Forrest (French), meaning “woodsman” or “woods”
14. Idra (Hebrew origin), meaning “fig tree”
15. Larch (Latin origin), meaning “larch tree”
16. Linden or Lyndon (American and English origin), meaning “linden tree hill”
17. Laurel (English origin), meaning “laurel” or “sweet bay tree”, also “victorious”
18. Leaf (Scandinavian origin), meaning “heir” from the name “Leif”
19. Juniper (Latin), meaning “young” or “evergreen”
20. Oakley (old English name), meaning “meadow of oak trees”
21. Oleander (Greek), meaning “evergreen tree”
22. Oliver (Latin name), meaning “olive tree”
23. Spruce (Prussian origin), meaning “neat”; also refers to the pine tree
24. Vernon (Latin origin), meaning “the place of alders”
25. Woody (also Woodrow) (American origin), meaning “from the lane in the woods”
Animal-Inspired Baby Names
1. Arne (Scandinavian origin) , meaning “eagle”
2. Bear (German origin), meaning “brave bear”
3. Bjorn (Swedish name), meaning “bear”
4. Buck (American name), meaning “deer” or “cowboy”
5. Conan (Irish origin), meaning “wolf”
6. Connell (Irish origin), meaning “strong wolf”
7. Darby (Norse origin), meaning “place of the deer”
8. Drake (English origin), meaning “snake” or “dragon”, also refers to a male duck
9. Everley (English origin), meaning “boar meadow”
10. Fisher (English name), meaning “fisherman”
11. Finch (English origin), meaning “to swindle”
12. Fox (English origin), referring the common red-haired mammal
13. Hawk (English origin), meaning “bird of prey” or “falcon”
14. Jay (English name), named for the brightly-coloured bird
15. Lupin (Latin origin), meaning “of the wolf”
16. Lynx (Greek origin), meaning “keeper of the forest’s secrets”
17. Marshall (Irish name), meaning “horse servant”
18. Orson (Latin origin), meaning “bear cub”
19. Phoenix (Greek origin), meaning “deep red” or referring to the mythical bird
20. Puma (American origin), named for the wild cat
21. Raven (English origin), named after the blackbird
22. Robin (German origin), meaning “bright” and “fame”
23. Sparrow (English origin), meaning “small bird”
24. Sterling (English origin), means “star” or “starling
25. Tiger (American origin), meaning “powerful cat”
26. Wolf (German origin), referring to the wolf
27. Wren (English origin), named after the little songbird. Often used for girls, but can be used for a boy too
28. Yael (Hebrew name), meaning “ibex”
Botanical-Inspired Baby Names
1. Basil (Greek origin), meaning “brave and fearless”
2. Bramley (Old English), meaning “woodland clearing”
3. Garland (French), meaning “land of the spear”
4. Kale (Gaelic name), meaning “calm” and “fair”, and also referring to green leafy vegetable
5. Moss (Anglo-Saxon name), meaning “peat bog”
6. Reed (Old English), meaning “red” as well as referring to the plant commonly growing by streams
7. Ren (Japanese name), meaning “of the lotus”
8. Thyme or Tyme (English name), referring to the wild herb
9. Yarrow (English origin), named after the strongly scented herb
Land-Inspired Baby Names
1. Acker (German origin), meaning “field”
2. Arlo (Anglo Saxon origin), meaning “fortified hill”
3. Barrow (Anglo-Saxon origin) meaning “grove”
4. Bryn (Welsh origin), meaning “hill”
5. Canyon (Spanish origin), meaning “footpath” and also ravine
6. Clay (English origin), means “mortal”
7. Cliff or Clifford (old English origin), meaning “cliff” or “slope”
8. Craig (Celtic origin), “meaning rock”
9. Dale (English name), meaning “one who lives in the valley”
10. Dusty (Norse origin), meaning “Thor’s stone”
11. Flint (English origin), meaning “born near an outcrop of flint”
12. Fraser (French origin), meaning “strawberry”
13. Everest (English origin), meaning “dweller on the Eure river”, but usually referring to the famous mountain
14. Glen (Irish origin), meaning “valley”
15. Grover (German origin), meaning “ditch digger”
16. Heath (English origin), meaning “someone who lives near the moor or heath”
17. Jet (French origin), named for the “black gemstone“
18. Knox (Scottish origin), meaning “from the hills” or “round hill”
19. Marsh (English origin), “one who lives by the mash or fen”
20. Parker (English name), meaning “park keeper”
21. Pierce (Anglo Saxon origin), meaning “rock”
22. Rock or Rocky (English or American name), named after “stone”
23. Rush (old English), meaning “one who lives by the rushes”
24. Slater (English name), meaning “slate worker”
25. Stone (American name), meaning “dweller by the stone or rocks”
Water-Inspired Baby Names
1. Cyan (American), meaning “light blue-green”
2. Dylan (Welsh origin), meaning “son of the sea”
3. Fleet (English origin), meaning “stream”
4. Irving (Scottish name), meaning “green river” or “sea friend”
5. Lake (English origin), meaning “someone who lives by a body of water”
6. Merlin (Welsh origin), meaning “sea fortress”
7. Morgan (Welsh name), meaning “sea defender”
8. Ocean (Greek origin), meaning “sea”
9. Pacific (Latin origin), meaning “tranquil” or named for the Pacific Ocean
10. River (English), meaning “flowing body of water”
11. Trent (Latin origin), meaning “gushing waters”
12. Wade (Anglo-Saxon origin), meaning “ford”
Weather-Inspired Baby Names
1. Arun (Indian name), meaning “dawn” or “reddish sky”
2. Artemis (Greek origin), named for the goddess of the moon
3. Badur (Arabic origin), meaning “full moon”
4. Cyrus (Iranian origin), meaning “sun”
5. Elio (Spanish origin), a variant on Helios (see below)
6. Frost (Scandinavian origin), meaning “born of the time of frost/winter”
7. Guthrie (Scottish origin), meaning “windy place”
8. Helios (Greek origin), meaning “sun”, named after the Greek sun god
9. Nevis (Spanish name), meaning “snow”
10. Quilo (Roman origin), meaning “north wind”
11. Rain (American origin), meaning “abundant blessings from above”
12. Samir (Indian name), meaning “windy”
13. Storm (English origin), meaning “tempest”
14. Sunny (Indian name), meaning “sunny” or “cheerful”
15. Winter (English name), inspired by the coldest season
Other Nature-Inspired Names For Boys
1. Beaumont (Norman origin), meaning “lovely hill”
2. Eden (Hebrew origin), meaning “garden of pleasures” or “delight”
3. Lennox (Scottish name), meaning “with many elm trees”
4. Linwood (Scottish and English origin), meaning “lime wood”
5. North (English origin), meaning “one from the north”
6. Perry (English origin), means “one who lives by the pear tree”
7. Rafferty (Irish name), meaning “flood tide”
8. Sylvian (Nordic origin), meaning “from the forest”
9. Tarragon (Greek origin), meaning “serpent”
10. Taurus (Latin origin), meaning “bull-like)
11. Thorn (Norse origin), meaning “one who lives near a tower”
12. Walden (old English), meaning “from the valley of the Britons”
13.Wilder (English origin), meaning “wild or untamed animal”
14. Woodrow or Woody (English name), meaning “row of houses by a wood”
15. Wyatt (English origin), meaning “wood” or “wide”
If you enjoyed reading these baby names and feel inspired, why not check out the 84 best names meaning sun and our 100 best names meaning star, for your child who’ll shine brightly? The world around us provides so much inspiration, so there’s plenty to choose from.
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