Flower Names: 130+ Floral Baby Names for Girls and Boys With Meanings

Flower names are given names taken from blooms and plants, or names that mean flower in another language: classics like Rose, Lily, Violet, Daisy and Iris sit beside rarer picks such as Linnea, Zinnia, Eirlys and Florian.

This list gathers more than 130 flower names for girls, boys and any baby. Each has its own entry in a name reference, so the origin and meaning beside it are documented, not guessed. Where a meaning is debated, we say so.

You will find classic flower names for girls, rare flower names, botanical names for boys, and names that mean flower in languages from Welsh to Nahuatl. After the lists come birth month flowers, middle name pairing tips and a short guide to choosing.

The Best Floral Baby Names at a Glance

Every entry below is in use as a given name and has its own entry on Behind the Name, a reference database of name etymology. Our origins and meanings follow those entries. This is a list of names, not a list of garden plants, so a few lovely flowers are missing because no reference entry supports them as names.

Looking for something broader? See our baby girl names, baby boy names, gender neutral names and unique baby names lists.

Classic Flower Names for Girls

Behind the Name notes that Daisy and Myrtle were first used as given names in the 19th century, when many other plant and flower names were coined. Some classics are older than they look: Rose began as a Germanic name and was only later tied to the flower.

Name	Origin or usage	Meaning or story
Rose	English, French	First a Norman form of a Germanic name, “famous type”; long linked with the flower (Latin rosa)
Lily	English	The flower, a symbol of purity; from Latin lilium
Daisy	English	The white flower; from Old English for “day eye”
Violet	English	The purple flower; from Latin viola
Iris	Greek	“Rainbow”; the Greek rainbow goddess, and the flower named with the same word
Jasmine	English, French	The fragrant climbing plant; from Persian yasamin
Poppy	English	The red flower; Old English popæg
Ivy	English	The climbing plant; Old English ifig
Dahlia	English (modern)	The flower, named for Swedish botanist Anders Dahl
Heather	English	The small shrub with pink or white flowers
Holly	English	The holly tree; Old English holen
Rosemary	English	Rose + Mary, or the herb (Latin ros marinus, “dew of the sea”)
Laurel	English	The laurel tree; Latin laurus
Magnolia	English	The flower, named for French botanist Pierre Magnol
Camellia	English (rare)	The flowering shrub, named for botanist Georg Josef Kamel
Marigold	English (modern)	The flower, whose name combines Mary and gold
Primrose	English (rare)	The flower; from Latin prima rosa, “first rose”
Azalea	English (modern)	The flowering shrub; from Greek azaleos, “dry”
Lavender	English (modern)	The aromatic flower or the pale purple color
Myrtle	English	The evergreen shrub; from Greek myrtos
Hazel	English	The tree or the light brown color
Willow	English (modern)	The tree; Old English welig
Olive	English, French	The tree; Latin oliva
Juniper	English (modern)	The tree; Latin iuniperus
Viola	English, Italian and more	Latin for “violet”; the heroine of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night
Susanna	Biblical	From Hebrew shoshan, “lily” (in modern Hebrew also “rose”)
Marguerite	French	French form of Margaret (“pearl”); also the French word for the daisy
Erica	English, Swedish, Italian	Feminine of Eric; coincides with the Latin word for heather

Rare and Unique Floral Names

These botanical names are real but seldom heard. Several honor the botanist a flower was named for, which gives you a story to tell.

Name	Origin or usage	Meaning or story
Zinnia	English (rare)	The flower, named for German botanist Johann Zinn
Petunia	English (rare)	The flower; its name comes from Tupi, an indigenous language of Brazil
Lilac	English (rare)	The shrub with purple or white flowers; via Arabic from Persian
Hyacinth	English (rare)	The flower; from Greek hyakinthos
Blossom	English	The English word; Old English blóstm
Posy	English	Pet form of Josephine; also the word for a bunch of flowers
Clover	English (modern)	The wild flower; Old English clafre
Bryony	English (rare)	A Eurasian vine; from Greek bryo, “to swell”
Lotus	English (rare)	The lotus flower; from Greek lotos
Peony	English (rare)	The flower, named after the Greek medical god Paeon
Pansy	English	The flower; from Old French pensee, “thought”
Jonquil	English (rare)	The flower; from Latin iuncus, “reed”
Amaryllis	Literary	From Greek amarysso, “to sparkle”; the flower is named for a character in Virgil’s Eclogues
Calla	English	The calla and calla lily; perhaps also Greek kallos, “beauty”
Tansy	English (rare)	The flower; via Old French from Late Latin tanacita
Gardenia	English (rare)	The tropical flower, named for Scottish naturalist Alexander Garden
Eglantine	English (rare)	The flower also known as sweetbrier
Celandine	English (rare)	The flower; from Greek chelidon, “swallow (bird)”
Clematis	English (rare)	A flowering vine; from Greek klema, “twig, branch”
Anemone	English (rare)	The flower; from Greek anemos, “wind”
Daffodil	English (rare)	The flower; from Dutch de affodil, “the asphodel”
Saffron	English (rare)	The spice, the crocus flower it comes from, or its yellow-orange color
Diantha	Dutch, English (rare)	From dianthus, a flower name from Greek for “heavenly flower”
Calanthe	English (rare)	A type of orchid; Greek for “beautiful flower”

Flower Names for Boys and Gender Neutral Botanical Names

Floral names for boys are easier to find once you count trees, herbs and names that mean flower. Florian and Fiore come straight from the Latin and Italian words for flower. Oliver, number 3 for boys in the Social Security Administration (SSA) data for 2025, may trace to the Latin for olive tree, though Behind the Name calls the origin debated.

Name	Origin or usage	Meaning or story
Florian	German, French, Polish and more	From Roman Florianus, a derivative of Florus (Latin flos, “flower”)
Fiore	Italian	“Flower”; used for girls and boys
Rowan	Irish, English	Anglicized from Ruadhán (from “red”); also given for the rowan tree
Sage	English (modern)	The English word for the spice or for a wise person
Basil	English, from Greek	“Royal, kingly”; basil is also an aromatic herb
Ash	English	Short form of Ashley, or the tree
Alder	English (rare)	The tree (genus Alnus); Old English alor
Aspen	English (modern)	The tree (genus Populus); Old English æspe
Cedar	English (rare)	The coniferous tree; from Greek kedros
Linden	English	Surname from Old High German linta, “linden tree”
Forest	English	Variant of Forrest, or the English word
Sylvan	English	Variant of Silvanus, or from Latin silva, “wood, forest”
Laurence	English	“From Laurentum”, a city whose name probably comes from Latin laurus, “laurel”
Oliver	English and many more	From Old French Olivier, possibly from Latin oliva, “olive tree”; origin debated
Linus	Greek	From linon, “flax”
Ivor	Irish, Scottish, Welsh	From Old Norse Ívarr: probably “yew tree, bow” + “army, warrior”
Heath	English	Surname for someone who lived on a heath
Briar	English (modern)	The thorny plant; used for boys and girls
Aster	English (rare)	The flower; from Greek aster, “star”; used for girls and boys
Jacinto	Spanish, Portuguese	Form of Hyacinthus, a Greek name taken from the hyacinth flower
Narciso	Italian, Spanish, Portuguese	Form of Narcissus; also the word for the narcissus flower
Kunal	Hindi, Marathi, Bengali and more	Modern form of Kunala, Sanskrit for “lotus”
Pankaj	Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati and more	Modern form of Pankaja, “born of mud”, a name for the lotus
Ren	Japanese	“Lotus” when written 蓮; other kanji give other meanings
Oren	Hebrew	“Pine tree”
Alon	Hebrew	“Oak tree”
Nitzan	Hebrew	“Flower bud”; used for boys and girls
Eoghan	Irish	Possibly “born from the yew tree”; debated

One name that is not floral, despite the look: Anthony. Behind the Name explains that it comes from the Roman family name Antonius, and that the h was added in the 17th century because the name was wrongly linked with Greek anthos, “flower”.

Names That Mean Flower or Blossom in Other Languages

If you want the meaning without the English word, these names mean flower, blossom or bud in their own languages.

Name	Origin or usage	Meaning or story
Flora	Latin	From flos, “flower”; the Roman goddess of flowers and spring
Fleur	French	“Flower”
Flor	Spanish, Portuguese	“Flower”, or a short form of Florencia
Fiorella	Italian	Fiore, “flower”, plus a diminutive ending
Fflur	Welsh	Welsh form of Flora
Blodwen	Welsh	“White flowers”
Anthea	Greek	From anthos, “flower, blossom”; an epithet of the goddess Hera
Chrysanthe	Ancient Greek	Feminine of Chrysanthos, “golden flower”
Xochitl	Nahuatl	“Flower”
Zahra	Arabic	“Shining, brilliant, bright”; a related Arabic name means “blooming flower, splendor”
Hana	Japanese	“Flower” when written 花 or 華; other kanji can form the name
Pua	Hawaiian	“Flower, offspring”
Leilani	Hawaiian	“Heavenly flowers” or “royal child”
Kukka	Finnish	“Flower”
Lore	Basque	“Flower”
Bluma	Yiddish	From blum, “flower”
Tsvetana	Bulgarian	Feminine of Tsvetan, from tsvet, “flower, blossom”
Pushpa	Hindi, Marathi, Tamil and more	From Sanskrit for “flower”
Hoa	Vietnamese	From Sino-Vietnamese 花, “flower”

A note on Japanese and Chinese names: the meaning depends on the characters used to write them. Hana, Ren, Sumire, Ayame, Sakura, Kiku and Lian carry the floral meaning only with the characters shown, so check with a fluent speaker before you choose.

Rose, Lily, Jasmine and Lotus Names From Around the World

Most languages have their own rose, lily and jasmine names. These are established names in the languages listed. If a name comes from a culture that is not yours, learn how it is said and used there first.

Name	Origin or usage	Meaning or story
Róisín	Irish	Diminutive of Róis, or of Irish rós, “rose”
Rhoda	Greek, Biblical	From rhodon, “rose”
Vered	Hebrew	“Rose”
Warda	Arabic	“Rose”
Nasrin	Persian, Bengali	“Wild rose”
Shoshana	Hebrew	Modern Hebrew form of Susanna (“lily”)
Lilja	Icelandic, Faroese, Finnish	Cognate of Lily
Azucena	Spanish	“Madonna lily”
Kielo	Finnish	“Lily of the valley”
Yasmin	Arabic, Hebrew	“Jasmine”
Kamala	Sanskrit	“Lotus” or “pale red”
Padma	Sanskrit	“Lotus”
Lian	Chinese	“Lotus, water lily” when written 莲; other characters give other meanings
Niloufar	Persian	“Water lily”
Ianthe	Greek mythology	“Violet flower”
Sigal	Hebrew	“Violet flower”
Sumire	Japanese	“Violet” when written 菫; other kanji can form the name
Ayame	Japanese	“Iris” when written 菖蒲; other kanji can form the name
Sakura	Japanese	“Cherry blossom” when written 桜; other kanji can form the name
Kiku	Japanese	“Chrysanthemum” when written 菊; other kanji are possible
Lale	Turkish	“Tulip”
Narges	Persian	“Daffodil, narcissus”
Margarita	Spanish, Latin and more	Latin form of Margaret; also the Spanish word for the daisy
Jacinta	Spanish, Portuguese	Feminine form of Hyacinthus
Lilach	Hebrew	“Lilac”
Nurit	Hebrew	“Buttercup”
Linnea	Swedish	The twinflower, named for botanist Carl Linnaeus
Eirlys	Welsh	“Snowdrop”
Briallen	Welsh (rare)	From briallu, “primrose”
Capucine	French	“Nasturtium”
Garance	French	The madder plant (genus Rubia), used to make red dye
Nevena	Bulgarian, Macedonian, Croatian, Serbian	From neven, “marigold”
Kalina	Bulgarian, Macedonian, Polish	“Viburnum tree”
Hadassah	Hebrew, Biblical	From hadas, “myrtle tree”

Linnea has an unusually well documented story. The U.S. Forest Service describes the twinflower (Linnaea borealis) as having pink to white, bell-like, nodding flowers borne in pairs, and reports that it was the favorite plant of Carl Linnaeus and was named in his honor by his friend and teacher Jan Frederik Gronovius.

Floral Names by Color

These groupings use only the colors that the name references themselves describe.

• Purple: Violet and Viola (the purple flower), Lavender (the pale purple color), Lilac (purple or white flowers), Ianthe and Sigal (“violet flower”).
• White: Daisy (the white flower), Calla (white flowers), Blodwen (“white flowers”) and Eirlys (the snowdrop, which Penn State Extension describes as having dainty white flowers).
• Red and pink: Poppy (the red flower), Heather (pink or white flowers), Kamala (“pale red”), Garance (the plant behind a red dye) and Rowan (from a word for red).
• Gold and yellow: Marigold (Mary + gold), Chrysanthe (“golden flower”) and Saffron (a yellow-orange spice).

Birth Month Flowers and Matching Names

Birth month flowers are a tradition, not a science, and lists vary. The table uses the list published by The Old Farmer’s Almanac. Penn State Extension’s Master Gardeners, for example, name the snowdrop for January and agree on the violet for February and the daffodil for March.

Month	Birth flowers (The Old Farmer’s Almanac)	Matching names from this list
January	Carnation, snowdrop	Eirlys
February	Violet, primrose	Violet, Viola, Ianthe, Sumire, Primrose, Briallen
March	Daffodil, jonquil	Daffodil, Jonquil, Narges
April	Daisy, sweet pea	Daisy, Marguerite, Margarita
May	Lily of the valley, hawthorn	Kielo
June	Rose, honeysuckle	Rose, Róisín, Rhoda, Vered, Warda
July	Larkspur, water lily	Niloufar, Lian
August	Gladiolus, poppy	Poppy
September	Aster, morning glory	Aster
October	Marigold, cosmos	Marigold, Nevena
November	Chrysanthemum	Kiku
December	Narcissus, holly	Holly, Narciso, Narges

A birth flower also makes a sweet detail for nursery decor or a pregnancy announcement.

Middle Names That Pair Well With Floral Names

• Use a short bloom in the middle: one-syllable botanical names such as Rose, Fern, Sage and Ash fit after almost any first name.
• Balance the length: a long first name such as Magnolia, Primrose or Florian reads well with a one or two syllable middle name. A short first name such as Iris, Ivy or Ash can carry a longer one.
• Mix word names and traditional names: two word names in a row can sound like a seed catalog. Pairing a flower with a family name grounds it.
• Check the surname: say the full name out loud. A floral first name beside a nature surname (Field, Wood, Bush, Rivers) can turn into a phrase.
• Honor a relative quietly: a grandmother called Rose, Lily or Margaret can be honored with Rosemary, Lilja or Marguerite. Choosing what she will be called is a separate job: see names for grandma.

How to Choose a Botanical Name

• Look up the name, not only the plant: a reference entry tells you where a name is used and whether its meaning is certain. Iris means rainbow. Amaryllis comes from a word for sparkle.
• Look up the plant too: find out where it grows and when it blooms, so the name fits your family story.
• Think about popularity: Olivia, which Behind the Name says may be based on the Latin for olive, is number 1 for girls in SSA data for 2025. Most other floral names sit outside the top 10, and many on this list are rare.
• Check the nickname: Rosie, Lil, Flo and Posy come ready made.
• Say it with sibling names: one floral name among siblings is charming. A full bouquet is a choice you will be asked about.

Skip symbolism you cannot source. The Victorian language of flowers changes from book to book, so we have left it out. The one note we kept comes from the name reference itself, which calls the lily a symbol of purity.

Related Betteroo Guides

• Baby girl names
• Baby boy names
• Gender neutral names
• Unique baby names
• Nursery themes
• Names for grandma

The Bottom Line

Floral names work because they are familiar words with gentle sounds, and the range is wide: classic Rose and Lily, rare Zinnia and Eirlys, sturdy Rowan and Florian, and names like Flora, Xochitl and Hana that simply mean flower. Pick the ones you love, confirm the meaning in a reference source and say the full name out loud.

With the name chosen, the flower can carry through to the nursery theme or the menu from our baby shower food ideas.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Betteroo Guides

• girl names that start with A