Names Categorized "flora"

Abilene f Various (Rare)
From a place name mentioned briefly in the New Testament. It is probably from Hebrew אָבֵל (ʾavel) 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 derived from Greek ἀκή (ake) meaning "thorn, point".

Adonis m Greek Mythology
From Phoenician 𐤀𐤃𐤍 (ʾadon) meaning "lord, master". In Greek myth Adonis was a handsome young shepherd killed while hunting a wild boar. The anemone flower is said to have sprung from his blood. Because he was loved by Aphrodite, Zeus allowed him to be restored to life for part of each year. The Greeks borrowed this character from Semitic traditions, originally Sumerian (see Dumuzi).

Adsila f Cherokee
From Cherokee ᎠᏥᎳ (atsila) "fire" or ᎠᏥᎸᏍᎩ (atsilunsgi) "flower, blossom".

Aigul f Kazakh, Kyrgyz
Kazakh and Kyrgyz form of Aygül.

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

Airi 1 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.

Althea f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek name Ἀλθαία (Althaia), perhaps related to Greek ἄλθος (althos) meaning "healing". In Greek myth she was the mother of Meleager. Soon after her son was born she was told that he would die as soon as a piece of wood that was burning on her fire was fully consumed. She immediately extinguished the piece of wood and sealed it in a chest, but in a fit of rage many years later she took it out and set it alight, thereby killing her son.

Alvard f Armenian
Means "red rose" in Armenian, from ալ (al) meaning "red, scarlet" and վարդ (vard) meaning "rose".

Amarante f French (Rare)
French form of Amarantha.

Amarantha f Various (Rare)
From the name of the amaranth flower, which is derived from Greek ἀμάραντος (amarantos) meaning "unfading". Ἀμάραντος (Amarantos) was also an Ancient Greek given name.

Amaryllis f Literature
Derived from Greek ἀμαρύσσω (amarysso) meaning "to sparkle". This is the name of a character appearing in Virgil's pastoral poems Eclogues. The amaryllis flower is named for her.

Ampelio m Italian
Italian form of Ampelius, the Latin form of the Greek name Ἀμπέλιος (Ampelios), which was derived from ἄμπελος (ampelos) meaning "vine". Saint Ampelius was a 7th-century bishop of Milan.

Anar 2 f Kazakh
Variant of Anara.

Anara f Kazakh, Kyrgyz
From Kazakh and Kyrgyz анар (anar) meaning "pomegranate", a word ultimately derived from Persian.

Anemone f English (Rare)
From the name of the anemone flower, which is derived from Greek ἄνεμος (anemos) meaning "wind".

Angelica f English, Italian, Romanian, Carolingian Cycle
Derived from Latin angelicus meaning "angelic", ultimately related to Greek ἄγγελος (angelos) meaning "messenger". The poets Boiardo and Ariosto used this name in their Orlando poems (1483 and 1532), where she is the love interest of both Orlando and Rinaldo. It has been used as a given name since the 18th century.

Anh m & f Vietnamese
Often from Sino-Vietnamese 英 (anh) meaning "flower, petal, brave, hero". This name is frequently combined with a middle name to create a compound name; the meaning of Anh can change depending on the Sino-Vietnamese characters underlying the compound.

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

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

Anthi f Greek
Short form of names containing the Greek element ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower, blossom", such as Chrysanthi and Evanthia.

Anthoula f Greek
Diminutive of names containing the Greek element ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower, blossom", such as Chrysanthi and Evanthia.

Aravind m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Tamil
From Sanskrit अरविन्द (aravinda) meaning "lotus".

Arnviðr m Old Norse
Old Norse form of Arvid.

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.

Arve m Norwegian
Variant of Arvid.

Arvid m Swedish, Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Arnviðr, derived from the elements ǫrn "eagle" and viðr "tree".

Arvīds m Latvian
Latvian form of Arvid.

Asami f Japanese
From Japanese 麻 (asa) meaning "hemp" and 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.

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.

Aster f & m English (Rare)
From the name of the flower, which is derived via Latin from Greek ἀστήρ (aster) meaning "star".

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 (Rare)
Means "orange blossom" in Spanish, ultimately from Arabic زهْرة (zahra) 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.

Azahara f Spanish
Variant of Azahar. It can also be given in reference to the ruined Moorish city of Medina Azahara in Córdoba, which derives from the related Arabic root زهر (zahara) meaning "to shine".

Azalea f English (Modern)
From the name of the flower (shrubs of the genus Rhododendron), ultimately derived from Greek ἀζαλέος (azaleos) meaning "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).

Baia f Georgian
From the Georgian name for the buttercup flower (or any flowering plant from the genus Ranunculus).

Baktygul f Kyrgyz
Derived from Persian بخت (bakht) meaning "fortune, happiness" and گل (gol) meaning "flower, rose".

Basajaun m Basque Mythology
Means "lord of the woods" from Basque baso "woods" and jaun "lord". This is the name of a character in Basque folklore, the Old Man of the Woods.

Basil 1 m English
From the Greek name Βασίλειος (Basileios), which was derived from βασιλεύς (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 Mythology
Means "little flower" from Irish bláth "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 was in turn murdered by one of Cú Roí's loyal servants.

Blong m Hmong
Means "leaf" in Hmong.

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.

Boglárka f Hungarian
Means "buttercup (flower)" in Hungarian (genus Ranunculus), derived from the archaic word boglár meaning "ornament".

Bolortsetseg f Mongolian
Means "crystal flower" in Mongolian, from болор (bolor) meaning "crystal" and цэцэг (tsetseg) meaning "flower".

Botum f & m Khmer
From Pali paduma meaning "lotus", from Sanskrit पद्म (padma).

Boyce m English
From an English surname that was derived from Old French bois "wood".

Brandon m English
From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "hill covered with broom" in Old English.... [more]

Briallen f Welsh (Rare)
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.

Buttercup f Literature
From the English word for the yellow flower (genus Ranunculus). Author William Goldman used it for Princess Buttercup in his book The Princess Bride (1973) and the subsequent film adaptation (1987).

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

Călin m Romanian
From Romanian călin meaning "viburnum tree" (of Slavic origin).

Calla f English
From the name of two types of plants, the true calla (species Calla palustris) and the calla lily (species Calla aethiopica), both having white flowers and growing in marshy areas. Use of the name may also be inspired by Greek κάλλος (kallos) meaning "beauty".

Camélia f French
French form of Camellia.

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.

Cassiopea f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Variant of Cassiopeia.

Cassiopeia f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Κασσιόπεια (Kassiopeia) or Κασσιέπεια (Kassiepeia), possibly meaning "cassia juice". In Greek myth Cassiopeia was the wife of Cepheus and the mother of Andromeda. She was changed into a constellation and placed in the northern sky after she died.

Cecily f English
English form of Cecilia. This was the usual English form during the Middle Ages.

Cedar f & m English (Rare)
From the English word for the coniferous tree, derived (via Old French and Latin) from Greek κέδρος (kedros). Besides the true cedars from the genus Cedrus, it is also used to refer to some tree species in the cypress family.

Celandine f English (Rare)
From the name of the flower, which is derived from Greek χελιδών (chelidon) meaning "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 Hindi, Bengali, Odia
Derived from Sanskrit चन्दन (candana) meaning "sandalwood".

Chandana f & m Kannada, Telugu, Hindi, Bengali, Sinhalese
Feminine form of Chandan, as well as the Sinhala masculine form.

Cherry f English
Simply means "cherry" from the name of the fruit, derived from Latin cerasium, Greek κεράσιον (kerasion). It can also be a diminutive of Charity. It has been in use since the late 19th century.

Chrysa f Greek
Feminine form of Chrysanthos.

Cicely f English
Medieval variant of Cecily.

Cicero m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen derived from Latin cicer meaning "chickpea". Marcus Tullius Cicero (now known simply as Cicero) was a statesman, orator and author of the 1st century BC. He was a political enemy of Mark Antony, who eventually had him executed.

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

Clementine f English
English form of Clémentine.

Clover f English (Modern)
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).

Cosmo m Italian, English
Italian variant of Cosimo. It was introduced to Britain in the 18th century by the second Scottish Duke of Gordon, who named his son and successor after his friend Cosimo III de' Medici. On the American sitcom Seinfeld (1989-1998) this was the seldom-used first name of Jerry's neighbour Kramer.

Cyprian m Polish, History (Ecclesiastical)
From the Roman family name Cyprianus, which meant "from Cyprus". Saint Cyprian was a 3rd-century bishop of Carthage who was martyred under the Roman emperor Valerian.

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

Dafna f Hebrew
Means "laurel" in Hebrew, of Greek origin.

Dafni f Greek
Modern Greek form of Daphne.

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.... [more]

Dalia 1 f Spanish (Latin American), Arabic
Spanish and Arabic 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.

Daphné f French
French form of Daphne.

Daphnée f French (Rare)
French variant form of Daphne.

Darnell m English, African American
From an English surname that was derived from Old French darnel, a type of grass. In some cases the surname may be from a place name, itself derived from Old English derne "hidden" and halh "nook".

Defne f Turkish
Means "laurel" in Turkish, of Greek origin.

Deisy f Spanish (Latin American, Modern)
Spanish form of the English name Daisy.

Deysi f Spanish (Latin American, Modern)
Spanish form of the English name Daisy.

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

Diệp f & m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 葉 (diệp) meaning "leaf".

Dionysos m Greek Mythology
From Greek Διός (Dios) meaning "of Zeus" combined with Nysa, the name of the region where young Dionysos was said to have been raised. In Greek mythology Dionysos was the god of wine, revelry, fertility and dance. He was the son of Zeus and Semele.

Dornröschen f Literature
From German Dorn "thorn" and Rose "rose" combined with the diminutive suffix -chen. This is the name of Sleeping Beauty in the Brothers Grimm telling of the fairy tale.

Đurđica f Croatian
Croatian feminine form of George. It also means "lily of the valley" in Croatian.

Ebony f African American
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 in the black community.

Églantine f French
French form of Eglantine.

Eglantine f English (Rare)
From the English word for the flower also known as sweetbrier. It is derived via Old French from Vulgar Latin *aquilentum meaning "prickly". It was early used as a given name (in the form Eglentyne) in Geoffrey Chaucer's 14th-century story The Prioress's Tale (one of The Canterbury Tales).

Elah m Biblical
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 the fictional language 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.

Ema 2 f Japanese
From Japanese 恵 (e) meaning "favour, benefit" or 江 (e) meaning "bay, inlet" combined with 麻 (ma) meaning "flax". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.

Embla f Norse Mythology, Icelandic, Swedish, Norwegian
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".

Eugenia f Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Polish, English, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Feminine form of Eugenius (see Eugene). It was borne by a semi-legendary 3rd-century saint who escaped persecution by disguising herself as a man. The name was occasionally found in England during the Middle Ages, but it was not regularly used until the 19th century.

Eustace m English
English form of Eustachius or Eustathius, two names of Greek origin that have been conflated in the post-classical period. Saint Eustace, who is known under both spellings, was a 2nd-century Roman general who became a Christian after seeing a vision of a cross between the antlers of a stag he was hunting. He was burned to death for refusing to worship the Roman gods and is now regarded as the patron saint of hunters. Due to him, this name was common in England during the Middle Ages, though it is presently rare.

Eustache m French
French form of Eustachius or Eustathius (see Eustace).

Eustachio m Italian
Italian form of Eustachius (see Eustace).

Eustachius m Late Roman
Possibly from the Greek name Eustachys, or from the same elements. This (or Eustathius) is the Latin name of Saint Eustace.

Eustachy m Polish (Archaic)
Polish form of Eustachius (see Eustace).

Eustachys m Ancient Greek
Means "fruitful" in Greek. It is ultimately from the elements εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and στάχυς (stachys) meaning "ear of corn".

Eustacia f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Eustace.

Eustáquio m Portuguese (Brazilian)
Portuguese form of Eustachius (see Eustace).

Eustaquio m Spanish
Spanish form of Eustachius (see Eustace).

Evanthia f Greek
Modern Greek feminine form of Εὐανθία (Euanthia), a variant of Euanthe. This was the name of a 1st-century martyr from Skepsis who is considered a saint in the Orthodox Church.

Fábia f Portuguese
Portuguese feminine form of Fabius.

Fabia f Italian, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Fabius.

Fabián m Spanish
Spanish form of Fabianus (see Fabian).

Fabian m German, Dutch, Polish, Romanian, English
From the Roman cognomen Fabianus, which was derived from Fabius. Saint Fabian was a 3rd-century pope.

Fabiana f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Fabianus (see Fabian).

Fabiano m Italian, Portuguese
Italian and Portuguese form of Fabianus (see Fabian).

Fabien m French
French form of Fabianus (see Fabian).

Fabienne f French
French feminine form of Fabianus (see Fabian).

Fabijan m Croatian, Slovene
Croatian and Slovene form of Fabianus (see Fabian).

Fábio m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Fabius.

Fabio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Fabius.

Fabíola f Portuguese
Portuguese form of Fabiola.

Fabiola f Italian, Spanish, Ancient Roman
Latin diminutive of Fabia. This was the name of a 4th-century saint from Rome.

Fabius m Ancient Roman
Roman family name that was derived from Latin faba meaning "bean". Quintus Fabius Maximus was the Roman general who used delaying tactics to halt the invasion of Hannibal in the 3rd century BC.

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 (species Digitalis purpurea). This is a recently created Welsh name.

Filiz f Turkish
Means "sprout, shoot" in Turkish (borrowed from Greek φυλλίς (phyllis)).

Fioralba f Italian (Rare)
Combination of Italian fiore "flower" (Latin flos) and alba "dawn".

Fleur f French, Dutch, English (British)
Means "flower" in French. Saint Fleur of Issendolus (Flor in Gascon) was a 14th-century nun from Maurs, France. This was also the name of a character in John Galsworthy's novels The Forsyte Saga (1922).

Flor f Spanish, Portuguese
Either directly from Spanish or Portuguese flor meaning "flower", or a short form of Florencia.

Flora f English, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Dutch, French, Greek, Albanian, Roman Mythology
Derived from Latin flos meaning "flower" (genitive case floris). 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.

Flore f French
French form of Flora.

Florentina f Spanish, Romanian, Late Roman
Feminine form of Florentinus.

Florica f Romanian
Derived from Romanian floricea, itself a diminutive of floare "flower".

Florimond m Literature, French
Possibly from Latin florens meaning "prosperous, flourishing" combined with the Old German element munt 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.

Florry f English
Diminutive of Florence or Flora.

Florus m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen that was derived from Latin flos meaning "flower" (genitive case floris). It was borne by a 2nd-century saint who was martyred with Laurus in Illyricum.

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.

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 an English surname, of French Huguenot origin, that was 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.

Giacinta f Italian
Italian feminine form of Hyacinthus.

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 flower", from Persian گل (gol) meaning "flower, rose" and بهار (bahār) meaning "spring".

Golnar f Persian
Means "pomegranate flower", derived from Persian گل (gol) meaning "flower" and نار (nār) meaning "pomegranate".

Grania f Irish
Latinized form of Gráinne.

Granya f Irish (Rare)
Variant of Grania.

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

Gulbadan f Urdu (Rare)
Means "having a body like a rose" in Persian. This was the name of a daughter of the Mughal emperor Babur.

Gülnur f Turkish
Means "rose light" in Turkish, ultimately from Persian گل (gol) meaning "flower, rose" and Arabic نور (nūr) meaning "light".

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

Hajni f Hungarian
Diminutive of Hajnal or Hajnalka.

Hana 3 f Japanese
From Japanese 花 (hana) or 華 (hana) both meaning "flower". Other kanji or kanji combinations can form this name as well.

Haruna 1 f Japanese
From Japanese 晴 (haru) meaning "clear weather", 遥 (haru) meaning "distant, remote" or 春 (haru) meaning "spring" combined with 菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens". Other kanji combinations are possible.

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 and quickly became popular, reaching the 18th place for girls in the United States by 1897. It fell out of fashion in the second half of the 20th century, but has since recovered.

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 Ming dynasty explorer Zheng He (1371-1433).

Heath m English
From an English surname that denoted one who lived on a heath. It was popularized as a given name by the character Heath Barkley from the 1960s television series The Big Valley.

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.

Heide f German
German diminutive of Adelheid. It also coincides with the German word meaning "heath".

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.

Hina f Japanese
From Japanese 陽 (hi) meaning "light, sun" or 日 (hi) meaning "sun, day" combined with 菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens". Other kanji combinations are possible.

Hoa f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 花 (hoa) meaning "flower".

Hokolesqua m Shawnee
Means "cornstalk" in Shawnee. This was the name of an 18th-century Shawnee chief.

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. Holly Golightly is the main character in the novella Breakfast at Tiffany's (1958) by Truman Capote.

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

Hua f & m Chinese
From Chinese 华 (huá) meaning "splendid, illustrious, Chinese" or 花 (huā) meaning "flower, blossom" (which is usually only feminine). Other Chinese characters can form this name as well.

Huệ f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 慧 (huệ) meaning "bright, intelligent" or 蕙 (huệ) meaning "tuberose (flower)".

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 Ὑάκινθος (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.

Iantha f Various (Rare)
Variant of Ianthe.

Ianthe f Greek Mythology
Means "violet flower", derived from Greek ἴον (ion) meaning "violet" and ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower". This was the name of an ocean nymph in Greek mythology.

Iiris f Finnish
Finnish form of Iris.

Ilan m Hebrew
Means "tree" in Hebrew.

Ilana f Hebrew
Feminine form of Ilan.

Ilanit f Hebrew
Feminine form of Ilan.

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

Iolanthe f Various (Rare)
Probably a variant of Yolanda influenced by the Greek words ἰόλη (iole) meaning "violet" and ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower". This name was (first?) used by Gilbert and Sullivan in their comic opera Iolanthe (1882).

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 ἴον (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, Catalan, Italian, Slovene, Croatian, 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, Croatian, Serbian
Means "willow tree" in South Slavic.

Ives m History (Ecclesiastical)
English form of Yves, used to refer to Saint Ives (also called Ivo) of Huntingdonshire, a semi-legendary English bishop.

Ivor m Irish, Scottish, Welsh, English (British)
From the Old Norse name Ívarr, which was probably derived from the elements ýr "yew tree, bow" and herr "army, warrior". During the Middle Ages it was brought to Britain by Scandinavian settlers and invaders, and it was adopted in Ireland (Irish Íomhar), Scotland (Scottish Gaelic Iomhar) and Wales (Welsh Ifor).

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

Jade f & m English, French
From the name of the precious stone that is often used in carvings. It is derived from Spanish (piedra de la) ijada meaning "(stone of the) flank", relating to the belief that jade could cure renal colic. As a given name, it came into general use during the 1970s. It was initially unisex, though it is now mostly feminine.

Jannatul Ferdous f Bengali
From the Arabic phrase جنّات الفردوس (jannāt al-firdaws) meaning "gardens of paradise".

Jarah m Biblical
Means "honeycomb" 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 via Arabic from Persian یاسمین (yāsamīn), which is also a Persian name. In the United States this name steadily grew in popularity from the 1970s, especially among African Americans. It reached a peak in the early 1990s shortly after the release of the animated Disney movie Aladdin (1992), which featured a princess by this 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".

Jinan m & f Arabic
Means "garden" or "paradise" in Arabic, ultimately from the root جنّ (janna) meaning "to cover, to hide".

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, universe". Other combinations of hanja characters can form this name as well.

Ji-Woo f & m Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 지우 (see Ji-U).

Ji-Yeong f 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.

Kalei m & f Hawaiian
Means "the flowers" or "the child" from Hawaiian ka "the" and lei "flowers, lei, child".

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

Kamala f & m Hinduism, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Hindi, Nepali
Means "lotus" or "pale red" in Sanskrit. In Sanskrit this is a transcription of both the feminine form कमला and the masculine form कमल, though in modern languages it is only a feminine form. In Tantric Hinduism and Shaktism this is the name of a goddess, also identified with the goddess Lakshmi.

Kanako f Japanese
From Japanese 加 (ka) meaning "increase" or 香 (ka) meaning "fragrance" combined with 奈 (na), a phonetic character, or 菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens" and finished with 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations can form this name as well.

Kanna f Japanese
From Japanese 栞 (kan) meaning "bookmark" and 菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens". Other kanji combinations can form this name as well.

Kantuta f Aymara
Means "cantua flower" in Aymara (species Cantua buxifolia).

Kapua f & m Hawaiian
Means "the flower" or "the child" from Hawaiian ka, a definite article, and pua "flower, offspring".

Karen 3 f Japanese
From Japanese 華 (ka) meaning "flower" and 蓮 (ren) meaning "lotus, water lily". Other combinations of kanji can also form this name.

Karmela f Croatian
Croatian form of Carmela.

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.

Katniss f Literature
From the English word katniss, the name of a variety of edible aquatic flowering plants (genus Sagittaria). Katniss Everdeen is the protagonist of The Hunger Games series of novels by Suzanne Collins, released 2008 to 2010, about a young woman forced to participate in a violent televised battle.

Kelila f Hebrew
From Hebrew כְּלִיל (kelil) meaning "crown, wreath, garland" or "complete, perfect".

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 (species Convallaria majalis).

Klytië f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek κλυτός (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.

Kolab f Khmer (Rare)
Means "rose" in Khmer, ultimately from Persian گلاب (golāb).

Kulap f & m Thai
Means "rose" in Thai (of Persian origin).

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

Kusuma m & f Indonesian
Derived from Sanskrit कुसुम (kusuma) meaning "flower".

Květa f Czech
Either a short form of Květoslava or directly from Czech květ "flower, blossom".

Květoslav m Czech
Derived from the Slavic elements květŭ "flower" and slava "glory".

Kvetoslav m Slovak
Slovak form of Květoslav.

Květuše f Czech
Diminutive of Květoslava.

Laelia f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Laelius, a Roman family name of unknown meaning. This is also the name of a type of flower, an orchid found in Mexico and Central America.

Lala f Bulgarian (Rare)
From Bulgarian лале (lale) meaning "tulip" (of Persian origin).

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

Laleh f Persian
Means "tulip" in Persian.

Lalka f Bulgarian
From Bulgarian лале (lale) meaning "tulip". It is derived via Turkish from Persian لاله (lāleh).

Lalla f Literature
Derived from Persian لاله (lāleh) meaning "tulip". This was the name of the heroine of Thomas Moore's poem Lalla Rookh (1817). In the poem, Lalla, the daughter of the emperor of Delhi, listens to a poet sing four tales.

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".

Laureano m Spanish
Spanish form of Laurianus.

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

Lauren f & m English
Variant or feminine form of Laurence 1. Originally a masculine name, it was first popularized as a feminine name by actress Betty Jean Perske (1924-2014), who used Lauren Bacall as her stage name.

Laurena f English (Rare)
Elaboration of Lauren.

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]

Lauriana f Late Roman
Feminine form of Laurianus.

Lauriane f French
French form of Lauriana.

Laurianne f French
Variant of Lauriane. It can also be considered a combination of Laure and Anne 1.

Laurianus m Late Roman
Roman name that was derived from Laurus. This was the name of a 6th-century saint, a bishop of Seville, who was martyred by the Arian Ostrogoths.

Lauro m Italian
Italian form of Laurus (see Laura).

Laurus m Late Roman
Original masculine form of Laura. It was borne by a 2nd-century saint and martyr from Illyricum.

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

Laverne f & m English
From a French surname that was derived from a place name, ultimately from the Gaulish word vern "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. Like similar-sounding names such as Peyton and Dayton, this name began rising in popularity in the 1990s.

Lehua f & m Hawaiian
Means "ohia flower" in Hawaiian.

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".

Lela 1 f Georgian
Meaning uncertain, possibly from the name of a type of plant.

Lelia f Italian
Italian form of Laelia.

Leslie f & m English
From a Scottish surname that was derived from a place in Aberdeenshire, probably 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 (genus Syringa). 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. This is the name of the main character, Lily Bart, in the novel The House of Mirth (1905) by Edith Wharton. A famous bearer is the American actress Lily Tomlin (1939-).

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 & f English
From a German and Dutch 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).

Linnéa f Swedish
From the name of a flower, also known as the twinflower. The Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus named it after himself, it being his favourite flower.

Linnea f Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish
Variant of 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), Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German
From the Greek name Λίνος (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 ľuby meaning "love" combined with a diminutive suffix. It can also come from the Serbian and Croatian word ljubica meaning "violet (flower)".

Lore 2 f Basque
Means "flower" in Basque.

Lorelle f English (Rare)
Variant of Laurel.

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 λωτός (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 meaning "light". This was the name of a Roman goddess of childbirth.

Macdara m Irish, Old Irish
Means "son of oak" in Irish. This was the name of a 6th-century saint from Connemara.

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.

Mailys f French
Variant of Maylis.

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.

Maple f English
From the English word for the tree (comprising the genus Acer), derived from Old English mapul. This is the name of a girl in Robert Frost's poem Maple (1923) who wonders about the origin of her unusual name.

Marganita f Hebrew
From the name of a type of flowering plant common in Israel, called the scarlet pimpernel in English.

Margaret f English
Derived from Latin Margarita, which was from Greek μαργαρίτης (margarites) meaning "pearl", a word that was probably ultimately a borrowing from an Indo-Iranian language. 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. Also in these languages, this is the common word for the daisy flower (species Bellis perennis, Leucanthemum vulgare and others).

Margarita f Spanish, Russian, Bulgarian, Lithuanian, Latvian, Greek, Albanian, Late Roman
Latinate form of Margaret. This is also the Spanish word for the daisy flower (species Bellis perennis, Leucanthemum vulgare and others).

Margherita f Italian
Italian form of Margaret. This is also the Italian word for the daisy flower (species Bellis perennis, Leucanthemum vulgare and others).

Margriet f Dutch
Dutch form of Margaret. This is also the Dutch word for the 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 (Modern)
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, from Latin maiorana. Marjoram is a minty herb.

Marwa f Arabic
From the Arabic name of a fragrant plant. Al-Marwa is the name of one of the two sacred hills near Mecca.