Unique Nature Names for Christmas Babies
Are there any unique nature names for Christmas babies?
Yes, there’s the exchanging of presents and family reunions, turkey and tinsel—but nature also plays a significant part in the Christmas festivities. There’s the tree, of course, and the wreaths, but also the floral décor and the herbs that spice up Christmas dinner. Along with the (sometimes imaginary) field of snow.
Here, the best unique nature-related Christmas names.
Nature Names for Christmas Babies
Amaryllis
Bright red Amaryllis is one of the most popular flowering plants for Christmas. The name is among the more exotic floral names now being considered. A Greek name with the festive meaning ‘to sparkle’ it was often heard in ancient Greek pastoral poetry and was found in the families of Virginia Woolf, Richard Branson and the Kennedys.
Artemisia
This luxuriously long name is a silvery plant often incorporated into holiday wreaths. An elaboration of Artemis, Greek mythological goddess of the moon, it was most famously borne by the esteemed Italian Baroque painter Artemisia Gentileschi.
Berry
Berries strung on the tree, glistening cranberry sauce on the table — what could be a more Christmassy name than Berry? Until around 1970, Berry was a not uncommon boy name — as in Motown founder Berry Gordy. Now it's more rare but still, maybe surprisingly, used more for boys.
Calanthe
Calanthe is the scientific name for what’s commonly known as the Christmas orchid. This rarely heard appellation has a soft, soothing sound, similar to Ianthe — and the option of Callie as a nickname.
Cedar
The Eastern Red Cedar is a popular Christmas tree choice because of its piney aroma and natural pyramid crown. Strong and yet warm, Cedar is a relatively new tree in the baby name landscape, but has risen significantly in the last two decades, especially for boys.
Cypress
Another Christmas tree favorite is the Leyland Cypress, with its soft, grayish-green needles. Cypress is an interesting recent entrant into the tree name category for both sexes, with the friendly nickname Cy.
Fraser
The shape and structure of Fraser firs makes them popular for decorating at Christmas. They have natural conical shapes and a wonderful scent that lingers. Though TV’s Frasier publicized that version, Fraser is the original Scottish spelling, and that’s where it still ranks in the Top 100.
Garland
Swaths of greenery garlands are another attractive element of holiday décor. Garland was a surprising Top 250 boy name in the early twentieth century, but these days it could equally be a sweetly evocative name for a girl, conjuring up images of Dorothy in Oz.
Hollis
Holly is a classic Christmas name but Hollis updates it. Hollis was used for about 200 boys and 120 girls in the US last year and is a rising trend for both genders. It means "near the holly bush."
Ivy
The ivy in those garlands has some religious symbolic meaning as well: the prickly leaves represent Jesus’s crown of thorns and the berries the drops of blood he shed. Ivy is a wonderful name that packs a lot of vibrant personality into its three letters. It’s currently enjoying a big bounce in popularity—especially since Beyoncé and Jay-Z named their daughter Blue Ivy. Ivy is in the Top 50 baby names in the, and is a Top 5 name in England!
Juniper
Juniper trees are members of the cypress family and are often decorated as Christmas trees. Juniper has become one of the favorite unique names for girls in recent years, especially for the option of nicknames like June and Junie.
Lavender
Christmastime relevance: it is believed that Mary washed Jesus’s swaddling clothes in this fragrant herb. A purple-hued name following Violet, Lilac and Mauve, Lavender came into the spotlight via Harry Potter character Lavender Brown, and is climbing steeply. Whilst still uncommon, it more than doubled in usage in the last five years.
Lumi
If you're dreaming of a white Christmas, then Lumi, Finnish for snow, might be an inspired choice for your holiday baby. Names that mean snow can be good secular choices for babies born near Christmas, putting the emphasis on winter instead.
Noble
The Noble Fir, aka Christmastree is tall and narrow, with bluish-green needles and is beautifully symmetrical. Noble is one of the newly admired virtue names for boys, though it has a long and storied history—it was as high as 312 in 1901.
Rosemary
Live rosemary plants are often used to make mini Christmas trees. And it’s said that rosemary bloomed and bore fruit (out of season) on the night Jesus was born. Sweet Rosemary, a Top 100 name in the 1940s, is making a comeback.
Sage
In addition to being an ingredient in many a stuffing recipe, Sage has another Christmas connection. Legend has it that Mary and baby Jesus hid in a large blooming sage bush when King Herod was searching for them. Fragrant name Sage became a unisex option in the 1990s and is used for about twice as many girls as boys. Toni Collette, Jack Huston and Brian Grazer all have daughters named Sage.