120 Unique Nature Baby Names Inspired by the Sky, Sea, Flowers, and More

When it comes to baby names, inspiration is all around us—literally. From the oceans, rivers, and seas to the stars in the sky, parents are naming their kids after all of the awe-inspiring natural phenomena in the world.

"Parents may appreciate nature names for their connections to serenity or peacefulness, or see them as evoking a wild, untamed quality," says Sophie Kihm, editor-in-chief of baby-naming website Nameberry. "Others may opt for nature names because of their evocative images—we’ve seen many parents choose a name like River, for example, in connection to a special river in their hometown or an otherwise meaningful place."

For families who dig the earthy vibes, check out these nature-inspired baby names.

To get proof that these names are red-hot, one only needs to scan the list of the 1,000 most popular baby names in the United States put out by the Social Security Administration (SSA). These names all made the list in the top 500, and they're listed from most popular to least popular.

Boy Names

1. Hudson
2. Brooks
3. Kai
4. Atlas
   
5. River
   
6. Rowan
   
7. Ares
   
8. Orion
9. Onyx
10. Banks
11. Wells
12. Forrest
13. Sage
14. Apollo
    
15. Reed

Girl Names

1. Luna
2. Violet
3. Aurora
   
4. Hazel
5. Lily
6. Isla
   
7. Ivy
8. Nova
9. Willow
10. Stella
11. Ruby
12. Iris
13. Eden
14. Daisy
15. Autumn

John Legend named his daughter Luna, which is the Latin word for moon.

The SSA separates the most popular names by gender, but the distinction is increasingly irrelevant—another trend that the nature-inspired baby names can prove. So many names appear on both lists, including River, Rowan, Sage, and Eden. Parents who want to get on the unisex-name trend can try these on for size.

1. Briar
2. Cedar
3. Cove
4. Cyprus
5. Ocean
6. Robin
7. Sequoia
8. Sunny
9. Wren
10. Zephyr

From blossoms and wildflowers to herbs and shrubs, baby-name inspiration sprouts right out of the ground. Start with these names, which evoke a sweet scent just by looking at them.

1. Azalea
2. Basil
3. Bud
4. Clover
5. Dahlia
6. Elwood
7. Flora
8. Heath
9. Holly
10. Indigo
11. Jasmine
12. Leaf
13. Marigold
14. Oleander
15. Petunia
16. Poppy
17. Rose
18. Sorrel
19. Valerian
20. Zinnia

Yes, trees are also plants—but it's a category so might that, like a great Willow, can stand on its own. There are also variants of tree names—think Oakley and Oaklynn, after Oak—or you can just go with the short-and-sweet common tree name. There are also names that evoke a wooded place, like Arbor, Sylvan, or Forest.

1. Alder
2. Apple
   
3. Ash
4. Aspen
   
5. Birch
   
6. Ewan
   
7. Koa
8. Laurel
   
9. Lilac
   
10. Linden
    
11. Magnolia
12. Oak
13. Olive
14. Spruce
15. Woody

Gwyneth Paltrow was ahead of the curve when she named her daughter Apple.

Some of the most popular nature names we've seen so far, like Ocean and River, call to mind a place with rolling waves and babbling waterways. If that appeals, these names evoke the mysteries of the deep.

1. Bay
2. Calder
   
3. Caspian
4. Delta
5. Fjord/Ford
6. Lake
7. Loch
8. Marina
9. Rain
10. Reef
11. Rio
12. Navy
13. Sailor
14. Tiberius
15. Wade

Constellations are also a huge wealth of baby names, but that's not the only place where parents are finding celestial names. Think stars, planets, and other up-in-the-air features, as seen in names like Luna (meaning moon), Aurora (meaning daybreak), and Nova (a kind of star).

1. Andromeda
2. Cassiopeia
   
3. Castor
4. Celeste
5. Cosmo
6. Dawn
7. Elio
8. Estella
9. Leo
10. Phoebe
11. Selena
12. Skye/Skylar
13. Sol
14. Soleil
15. Vesper

If a baby name isn't found in the stars, maybe it'll come from the Earth, like jewel and gemstone names like Onyx, Ruby, and Jade.

1. Amber
2. Amethyst
3. Ebony
4. Emerald
5. Coral
6. Crystal
7. Garnet
8. Jasper
9. Jem
10. Mercury—also a celestial name!
11. Obsidian
12. Opal
13. Pearl
14. Sapphire
15. Stone

Looking for more great baby names? Check out these Good Housekeeping guides: Disney Baby Names | Indian/Hindu Boy Names | Indian/Hindu Girl Names | Italian Baby Names | Japanese Baby Names | French Baby Names | Hispanic Boy Names | Hispanic Girl Names | Irish Boy Names | Irish Girl Names | Long Names for Boys | Long Names for Girls | Short Names for Boys | Short Names for Girls | Gender-Neutral Names | Western/Cowboy Baby Names | 1920s Names | 1930s Names | 1940s Names | 1950s Names | 1960s Names | 1970s Names | 1980s Names | 1990s Names | Y2K Baby Names

Marisa LaScala

Senior Parenting & Relationships Editor

Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; previously, she wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother. She lives with her toy-collecting husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found helping out her team at bar trivia or posting about movies on Twitter and Bluesky.