Respondents: 89 (This poll is closed)
I like [name_f]Jonquil[/name_f], Larkspur, [name_f]Lotus[/name_f], & Oleander from these choices. The only one I think I’d use myself is [name_f]Lotus[/name_f]. Other suggestions include [name_f]Hyacinth[/name_f], [name_f]Azalea[/name_f], & [name_f]Orchid[/name_f].
[name_f]Azalea[/name_f], [name_f]Hyacinth[/name_f] and [name_f]Orchid[/name_f] are all very pretty (although the etymology of [name_f]Orchid[/name_f] isn’t super nice). With this poll, I tried to incorporate names I’d rarely or never seen on the forum, and those are ones I have seen with at least a little regularity, but they’re more usable than most of the choices here, probably. 
(I, myself, am a huge fan of [name_f]Freesia[/name_f] and [name_f]Jonquil[/name_f]; I think those are the only two I’d even consider using from here. Oleander is cool, but it has more of a “boy” sound, like [name_m]Leander[/name_m], y’know?)
Ooh, fancy flower names! For some unknown reason, I am strangely compelled to vote for Poinsettia. I think it has a bright, spunky (if a bit hippie-ish) [name_u]Christmas[/name_u] vibe and has enough good NN possibilities. My runners-up would be [name_f]Freesia[/name_f] and [name_f]Peony[/name_f] in that order
I’m not too keen on Oleander, though, aren’t oleander leaves poison? o.O
I like [name_f]Jonquil[/name_f] a lot (a favourite flower of mine) and Larkspur is actually much more appealing to me than the more-popular [name_f]Lark[/name_f].
I am not sure I’d use them as first names though. Combos like [name_u]Clare[/name_u] [name_f]Jonquil[/name_f] or [name_f]Renee[/name_f] Larkspur appeal to me. Something about the middle name feeling like an exotic jewel accenting a classic FN and not a hippie two-for-one sale.
I am a huge fan of really weird botanicals that I never seen on Nameberry. Should I bring them up, or stick to the poll?
Asphodel is interesting. It does have underworld connotations in mythology, but so does [name_f]Persephone[/name_f] and people like that. Cribbing from Merriam-[name_m]Webster[/name_m]:
This common name is variously applied and thus much misunderstood. The asphodel of the poets is often a narcissus; that of the ancients is either of two genera, Asphodeline or Asphodelus. Asphodels are hardy herbaceous perennials with narrow leaves and an elongated stem bearing a handsome spike of white, pink, or yellow flowers.
^[name_f]Jonquil[/name_f] is also a narcissus. [name_m]Just[/name_m] an interesting coincidence. There’s a Hebrew name, Irit (ee-reet) that means asphodel, I think I might like it better than Asphodel itself? Maybe just becaus As- seems like such a hard first syllable to wear, as much as I like [name_f]Aster[/name_f] and [name_f]Astrid[/name_f].
There are two different plants called bergamot, I like one a lot more than the other, and it’s other name is Monarda. Is that pretty or goofy? I’ve never decided. Bergamot doesn’t appeal itself to me - I know too many people with [name_m]Berg[/name_m]- or -berg last names. I like the ending, but prefer [name_f]Peridot[/name_f] or [name_f]Margaux[/name_f].
I love [name_f]Lotus[/name_f] and Larkspur and I know girls with both names. Larkspur is [name_f]Anastasia[/name_f] Larkspur but she goes exclusively by Larkspur (her mother has a mild case of Asperger’s (think I spelled wrong) and she is very awkward socially and flat doesn’t care that’s it’s so unusual). She doesn’t even shorten it down to [name_f]Lark[/name_f]. [name_m]Just[/name_m] Larkspur and everyone’s used to it and it’s not too bad. Her brother is [name_m]Peregrine[/name_m] [name_f]Tempest[/name_f] (he was almost Nightingale before me and her husband talked her down. Took a lot of doing).
The other is [name_f]Lotus[/name_f] [name_f]Avalon[/name_f] (with brother Kaydrien Voltaire. Terrible first name). And there was a little sibset in [name_m]Mcdonald[/name_m]'s not long ago named [name_f]Lotus[/name_f] and [name_u]Angel[/name_u].
I just wanted you to know those names are being used! For fancy flowers, I really like [name_f]Forsythia[/name_f]. There was one in the daycare I worked at. No one had a problem with it and all the kids (she was in the 3 year old room) could say it. She was a little genius so I love it.
@Stripedsocks, yes, please, any additional unusual botanicals would be great! I love the sound of Asphodel, but I do think it might be tough to wear. Monarda is an interesting one… could be an alternative to [name_f]Monica[/name_f], though, I suppose!
@[name_u]Remy[/name_u], I’m happy to hear of some of these names being used! I actually really like [name_f]Lotus[/name_f] in a vacuum, but I have a bad personal association with one I know [name_m]IRL[/name_m]. [name_f]Love[/name_f] the [name_f]Forsythia[/name_f] story.
[name_m]Calix[/name_m] or Calyx
Larkspur is really the only one that caught my eye…
Oooh, yay!
Okay here I go, obscure botanicals I find usable enough to consider myself, but feel free to be honest about what you think of them, I’d appreciate it:
Tillandsia - this is air-plant. It’s a plant that’s always seemed nearly magical to me. Fascinated me since I was a child. Some people find air-plants and mosses (it’s related to Spanish moss) terrible, but I like [name_m]Moss[/name_m] (for a boy) as well. Seems like a fascinatingly unexpected way to [name_f]Tillie[/name_f]… or to [name_f]Andie[/name_f]…?
Tamarix - The Latin name for the very-similar Tamarisk tree. Frothy pink flowers, but bone hardy. Pretty tree, and far rarer name than, say, [name_f]Magnolia[/name_f]. Tamarix as a name feels like a spin on [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] to me.
Kalmia. A flowering laurel native to my homestate, in fact the State [name_f]Flower[/name_f]. The flowers look like those red-and-white peppermint candies. http://www.flickr.com/photos/7147684@N03/1292338417 They are poisonous, but so are half the lilies, and I don’t see anyone complaining about [name_f]Lily[/name_f]. 
Ixora - Jungle [name_u]Flame[/name_u], Jungle [name_f]Geranium[/name_f], [name_u]West[/name_u] [name_f]Indian[/name_f] [name_f]Jasmine[/name_f]. A beautiful tropical flower with an interesting sort of name, at least to me. Very beautiful and lush. Similar to names like [name_f]Izora[/name_f] or [name_f]Azura[/name_f] or [name_f]Isidora[/name_f]… it feels name-shaped? I like to think it could be usable. I’ve never heard of it actually being used though.
[name_f]Calanthe[/name_f] - a sub-category of orchids. I don’t find [name_f]Orchid[/name_f] all that attractive as a given name, but I’m fond of [name_f]Calanthe[/name_f].
It’s derived from Greek kalos- “beautiful” and anthos- “flower” and was a name and then a flower and could reasonably be a name again… but not one you hear often. I admit a weakness for all the Greek girls’ names that end in “e.”
I have more but I don’t want to wear out my welcome. Thanks for the thread, it’s been lovely.
My niece’s middle name is Oleander
I think [name_f]Lotus[/name_f] is beautiful for a middle name. Look up the meaning of the [name_f]Lotus[/name_f], such a special flower and they are gorgeous.
Oleander is actually a boys name in Norway! So weird how that works, right?
My favorite flower name is Symre. I don’t know if it works in English, but it’s gorgeous in Norwegian! A few other flower names:
Tinnia
Tilia
[name_f]Kamille[/name_f] (kah-mill-eh)
Iljen
Lilje / [name_f]Lilja[/name_f]
[name_f]Syrin[/name_f]
I am most intrigued by Asphodel, Larkspur, Oleander and Poinsettia, with Oleander being my favourite.
I dislike Bergamot, [name_f]Peony[/name_f] (Pee) and Hibiscus.
Though I would never use it, I’ve always thought Japonica could be a name!
Hibiscus and Oleander are my faves, though Oleander sounds male to me. I’ve come across a Hibiscus once -I think it was on TV- and she went by Hibby for short, which I think is quite sweet. The others just aren’t my style but I dislike [name_f]Freesia[/name_f]. My associations with that one are predominantly bovine 
@Stripedsocks - Ooh, those ARE obscure. I love it. 
[name_f]Calanthe[/name_f] is beautiful. I have [name_f]Calantha[/name_f] on a list somewhere; I assume they’re related. I like many of the Greek “-e” names, too.
Tamarix is fascinating. I really like the sound, as it reminds me both of [name_f]Beatrix[/name_f] and of [name_f]Tamarind[/name_f], which is another rarity I enjoy (more so in the kitchen, perhaps, than as an actual name, but still). Ultimately, I think I prefer [name_f]Tamar[/name_f] out of all the “[name_m]Tam[/name_m]-” beginning names, but one that can incorporate [name_f]Trixie[/name_f] as a nickname is pretty cool!
Kalmia and Ixora are both pretty (that photo is awesome!). I think they’re name-shaped as well; I could see them being used. Tillandsia is a bit of a clunker for me… something about that “nds” combination of consonants just doesn’t sit quite right in my brain.
@[name_f]Pernille[/name_f] - [name_m]How[/name_m] is Symre pronounced? I love Scandinavian names.
My faves are not on here:
[name_f]Poppy[/name_f], [name_f]Tansy[/name_f], Delphinium
I like Larkspur best of the ones listed
@stripedsocks Yes Calanthe is going on my list! Thanks. Is it pronounced coal-AN-thee ?
It’s pronounced SYM-reh. The Y is not like an I, but hmm. Clearer? [name_f]Do[/name_f] you know understand what I’m trying to explain?