"Sweet Spot" Nature Names for Boys

I’m looking for some nature names for boys that are unusual, with a poetic touch, but still altogether usable and wearable. The sweet spot between slightly-lackluster [name_u]Oak[/name_u] and slightly-excessive Evergreen. Girls get names such as [name_u]Juniper[/name_u] and [name_f]Amaryllis[/name_f] - distinctive and romantic, but wearable, nature names - but what is there for boys in the same category?

[name_f]Lark[/name_f], or [name_u]Ashley[/name_u], perhaps…

I will look forward to having some suggestions!

My favorite nature names for boys are [name_m]Banyan[/name_m] and [name_m]Lorcan[/name_m].

I’m looking for the exact same type of boy names. It’s tough! I wish [name_u]Juniper[/name_u] was a bit more unisex because I really like it for a boy but I think he’d hear “isn’t that a girl’s name?” his whole life. But some days I want to use it anyway.

Names that fit the description for me:

[name_u]Sage[/name_u] (I know, it’s more common lately, but I do think it fits this vibe otherwise)
[name_m]Sylvan[/name_m] (meaning “of the forest”)
[name_u]Linden[/name_u]
[name_u]Florian[/name_u]
[name_m]Lucien[/name_m]/[name_m]Lucian[/name_m] (not exactly a nature name, but means “light”)
[name_u]Sequoia[/name_u] (maybe a bit too out there for a first name?)
[name_u]Vale[/name_u]
[name_u]Sterling[/name_u] (calling this a nature name is a stretch maybe)
[name_f]Starling[/name_f]
[name_m]Peregrine[/name_m]

I always have this issue too!

Oleander (a little more ‘out there’ but he can go by [name_u]Ollie[/name_u], [name_u]Andy[/name_u] or [name_m]Anders[/name_m])
[name_u]Kit[/name_u]
[name_u]Rowan[/name_u]
[name_f]Briar[/name_f] (maybe a bit feminine to some but it’s closeness to [name_m]Brian[/name_m] makes it less so to me)
[name_u]Parker[/name_u] (not quite naturey but parks are in nature lol)
[name_m]Thorn[/name_m]/Thornley
[name_m]Cove[/name_m]
[name_m]Jasper[/name_m]
[name_f]Topaz[/name_f] (a little more out there)
[name_u]Wren[/name_u]
[name_u]Robin[/name_u] (again, feminine for some but I have a grandpa named this so not for me)
[name_m]Forest[/name_m]/[name_m]Forrest[/name_m]
[name_m]Flint[/name_m]
[name_m]Cliff[/name_m]
[name_m]Griffin[/name_m]
[name_m]Leif[/name_m]
[name_u]Lake[/name_u]
[name_m]Oliver[/name_m]
[name_m]Archer[/name_m] (he could go by [name_m]Archie[/name_m])
[name_m]Arrow[/name_m]
[name_m]Pierce[/name_m] (means ‘rock’)
[name_u]Reed[/name_u]
[name_u]Ash[/name_u]/[name_m]Asher[/name_m]
[name_f]Arbor[/name_f]
[name_u]August[/name_u] (not technically naturey but reminds me of summer which is ?)
[name_u]Linden[/name_u]
[name_u]Grove[/name_u]/[name_m]Grover[/name_m]
[name_m]Hawk[/name_m]
[name_m]Talon[/name_m]
[name_m]Quill[/name_m]
[name_u]River[/name_u]

Lots of lovely suggestions so far! I’d love to see names like [name_u]Juniper[/name_u], [name_f]Willow[/name_f], [name_f]Briar[/name_f] and [name_u]Wren[/name_u] used more for boys too.

[name_u]Yarrow[/name_u]
Osier
[name_u]Corbin[/name_u]
[name_m]Griffin[/name_m]
[name_m]Aubin[/name_m]
[name_u]Pepper[/name_u]
[name_m]Helios[/name_m]
[name_f]Cypress[/name_f]
Swift
Speedwell
[name_m]Heath[/name_m]
[name_f]Aster[/name_f]
[name_u]Bay[/name_u]
Poplar
[name_u]Cedar[/name_u]
Betony
[name_m]Jupiter[/name_m]
[name_f]Nova[/name_f]
Rosewood
[name_u]Rue[/name_u]
Siskin
[name_m]Pippin[/name_m]
[name_u]Golden[/name_u]
[name_f]Tansy[/name_f]
Tallow
Pipit
[name_f]Garland[/name_f]
Fennec
[name_m]Lynx[/name_m]
Wolfram
Bluejay
Meander
Borealis
[name_m]Sol[/name_m]
[name_u]Ray[/name_u]
Enfys
[name_f]Aster[/name_f]
[name_m]Rocket[/name_m]
[name_u]Dell[/name_u]
[name_u]March[/name_u]
[name_u]Winter[/name_u]
[name_u]Zephyr[/name_u]
Lumen
[name_m]Drake[/name_m]

[name_u]Rowan[/name_u] is my favorite nature name for a boy. I have never actually met a [name_u]Rowan[/name_u], so this seems like a sweet spot name to me, but it does seem to be getting a lot of buzz lately.

I think [name_m]Hawthorn[/name_m] and [name_m]Basil[/name_m] meet that description, along with maybe [name_u]Spruce[/name_u] and Alder. Others:

[name_u]Ash[/name_u]
[name_u]Reed[/name_u]
[name_u]Oakley[/name_u]
Rockford
[name_m]Wolfgang[/name_m]
Conifer
[name_m]Heath[/name_m]
[name_u]Willoughby[/name_u]
[name_u]Mercury[/name_u]

I love nature names for boys! Prepare for a long list. Quite a few of these can be regarded as too out-there, but I thought I’d include them anyway. Apologies for any repeats.

Animal/bird names:
[name_m]Arno[/name_m] - “eagle”
[name_m]Callum[/name_m] - “dove”
Velasco - “crow”
[name_m]Lon[/name_m]án - “little blackbird”
[name_m]Cormac[/name_m] - “raven-son”
[name_u]Bran[/name_u] - “raven”
[name_m]Bertram[/name_m] - “bright raven”
Corbinian/Corvus - “raven”
Fiachra - “raven”
Wolfram - “wolf raven”
Cionnfhaoladh - “wolf head” (my biggest GP!)
[name_m]Beowulf[/name_m] - “bee wolf”
[name_m]Conan[/name_m] - “little wolf”
[name_m]Lowell[/name_m] - “little wolf”
[name_m]Leonidas[/name_m]/[name_m]Leon[/name_m]/[name_m]Leonard[/name_m] - “lion”
[name_m]Laith[/name_m] - “lion”
Aslan - “lion”
[name_m]Aries[/name_m] - “ram”
Oisín - “little deer”
Damhán - “fawn”
[name_m]Hirsh[/name_m] - “deer”
[name_m]Oscar[/name_m] - “deer friend”
[name_m]Orson[/name_m] - “bear cub”
[name_m]Arthur[/name_m]/[name_m]Arto[/name_m]/[name_m]Art[/name_m] - “bear-man”
[name_m]Everard[/name_m] - “brave boar”
[name_m]Wilbur[/name_m] - “wild boar”
[name_m]Todd[/name_m] - “fox”
[name_m]Fintan[/name_m] - “white bull”
Rónán - “little seal”
Cernunnos - “horned”, god of animals
[name_m]Fox[/name_m]
[name_m]Bear[/name_m]
[name_m]Buck[/name_m]
[name_m]Tiger[/name_m]
[name_m]Drake[/name_m]
[name_u]Dove[/name_u]
[name_u]Jay[/name_u]
[name_m]Wolf[/name_m]
[name_m]Newt[/name_m]
[name_m]Hawk[/name_m]
Kingfisher
[name_u]Wren[/name_u]
[name_m]Peregrine[/name_m]
Cormorant
Whinchat
Dunlin
[name_m]Griffin[/name_m]
[name_u]Falcon[/name_u]
[name_u]Finch[/name_u]
[name_u]Robin[/name_u]
Kestrel
Whimbrel
[name_u]Phoenix[/name_u]
[name_m]Heron[/name_m]
[name_f]Starling[/name_f]
Kittiwake

[name_f]Flower[/name_f] names:
Anthemion - “little flower”
[name_u]Florian[/name_u]/Florinus - “flower”
Florimel - “flower + honey”
Rosamel - “rose + honey”
Viorel - “sweet violet”
Acanthus - “thorned flower”
Aesacus - “branch of myrtle”
[name_m]Narciso[/name_m] - “narcissus flower”
Aciano - “cornflower”
Alecrim - “rosemary”
[name_m]Cicero[/name_m] - “chickpea”
Oleander
Hibiscus
[name_f]Orchid[/name_f]
Hemlock
[name_f]Geranium[/name_f]
[name_m]Basil[/name_m]
Gentian
Foxglove
Asphodel
Calamint
[name_m]Hawthorne[/name_m]
Conifer
Hellebore
Chamomile
Middlemist
Carnation
Gladiolus
[name_m]Valerian[/name_m]
[name_f]Hyacinth[/name_f]
[name_f]Briar[/name_f]
Campion
[name_u]Sage[/name_u]
Bramble
Nettle
Thistle
[name_m]Moss[/name_m]
[name_f]Thyme[/name_f]

[name_u]Berry[/name_u]/tree names:
Corymbus - “ivy berries”
[name_u]Aeron[/name_u] - “berry”
[name_u]Perry[/name_u] - “pear tree”
[name_f]Celyn[/name_f] - “holly”
[name_u]Laurence[/name_u] - “laurel”
[name_m]Ivo[/name_m]/[name_m]Yves[/name_m] - “yew”
Allon - “oak”
[name_f]Elah[/name_f] - “oak tree”
[name_m]Palmer[/name_m] - “palm tree”
Acastus - “maple tree”
Canelo - “cinnamon tree”
[name_m]Acacius[/name_m] - “thorn”
Gwydion - “born of trees”
[name_m]Sylvester[/name_m] - “of the forest”
[name_m]Silvanus[/name_m] - “forest”
Bipin - “forest”
Hylaeus - “woodland”
Bergamot
Cardamon
Alder
[name_u]Linden[/name_u]
[name_u]Juniper[/name_u]
Yew
[name_u]Oak[/name_u]
[name_f]Tupelo[/name_f]
[name_u]Cedar[/name_u]
[name_m]Thorn[/name_m]
[name_u]Leaf[/name_u]
[name_u]Rowan[/name_u]
[name_u]Sequoia[/name_u]
Sycamore
Manuka
[name_u]Elm[/name_u]

Compound/place names that don’t look like nature names:
Vedastus - “stranger of the wood”
[name_m]Eoghan[/name_m] - “born from the yew tree”
[name_m]Ogden[/name_m] - “oak valley”
[name_m]Evander[/name_m] - “yew warrior”
[name_m]Barclay[/name_m] - “birch wood”
Briscoe - “birch wood”
[name_m]Linton[/name_m] - “linden tree town”
[name_m]Elwood[/name_m] - “elder tree forest”
[name_u]Lennox[/name_u] - “place of elms”
[name_m]Garrick[/name_m] - “oak tree grove”
[name_u]Willoughby[/name_u] - “willow town”
[name_u]Leslie[/name_u] - “garden of holly”
Bessarion - “wooded valley”
[name_m]Linwood[/name_m] - “stream forest”
[name_u]Bentley[/name_u] - “bent grass clearing”
[name_u]Raleigh[/name_u] - “roe deer clearing”
[name_u]Roscoe[/name_u] - “doe wood”
Berewold - “beaver forest”
Ayalon - “place of gazelles”
Heathcote - “heather cottage”
[name_m]Whitaker[/name_m] - “white field”
[name_m]Roosevelt[/name_m] - “rose field”
[name_m]Wesley[/name_m] - “west meadow”
[name_m]Norwood[/name_m] - “north wood”
Gwenallt - “fair wood”
[name_m]Sherwood[/name_m] - “bright forest”
Witimer - “famous forest”
Greenwood - “green wood”
Rosewood - “rose wood”
[name_m]Wolfgang[/name_m] - “wolf path”
[name_u]Stanley[/name_u] - “stone clearing”
[name_m]Irving[/name_m] - “green water”
Glyndwr - “valley water”
Somerset - “land of summer”
[name_m]Montague[/name_m] - “pointed mountain”
Fenrir - “fen-dweller”
Somerled - “summer traveller”

Water/weather names:
[name_m]Corentin[/name_m] - “hurricane”
[name_m]Thor[/name_m] - “thunder”
Anani - “my cloud”
Braonán - “rain”
Glaw - “rain”
[name_u]Zephyr[/name_u] - “the west wind”
[name_m]Nereus[/name_m] - “water”
Aberthol - “outpouring of water”
[name_u]Douglas[/name_u] - “dark river”
Meriadoc - “forehead of the sea”
[name_m]Mortimer[/name_m] - “dead sea”
[name_m]Llyr[/name_m] - “the sea”
Marinus - “of the sea”
Kaikea - “clear sea”
Kaikoa - “sea warrior”
[name_m]Poseidon[/name_m] - “lord of the earth”, sea-god
[name_u]Rain[/name_u]
[name_u]Cloud[/name_u]
[name_u]Brook[/name_u]
[name_u]River[/name_u]
[name_u]Lake[/name_u]
[name_u]Ocean[/name_u]
[name_m]Caspian[/name_m]

[name_f]Sun[/name_f] names:
[name_m]Helios[/name_m]/[name_m]Elio[/name_m] - “sun”
[name_m]Sol[/name_m] - “sun”
[name_m]Samson[/name_m] - “sun”
[name_m]Anatole[/name_m] - “sunrise”
[name_m]Sulien[/name_m] - “born from the sun”
[name_m]Ravi[/name_m] - “sun”, sun-god
Belenus - “bright”, sun-god
[name_m]Apollo[/name_m]/[name_m]Apollinaire[/name_m] - sun-god

[i]Space counts as nature names, right?

[name_f]Star[/name_f] names:[/i]
Astrophel - “star lover”
Vespertine - “of the evening star”
[name_u]Vesper[/name_u] - “evening star”
Aurvandill - “morning star”
Asterios - “starry”
Astrolabe - “star taker”
[name_u]Sterling[/name_u] - “little star”

Other space names:
Ganymede - moon of jupiter
[name_m]Pan[/name_m] - moon of saturn
Prometheus - moon of saturn
[name_m]Titan[/name_m] - moon of saturn
[name_m]Atlas[/name_m] - moon of saturn
Hyperion - moon of saturn
Albiorix - moon of saturn
[name_u]Oberon[/name_u] - moon of uranus
[name_m]Prospero[/name_m] - moon of uranus
Triton - moon of neptune
Charon - moon of pluto
[name_m]Altair[/name_m] - star in aquila
Aldebaran - star in taurus
Acamar - star in eridanus
[name_m]Sirius[/name_m] - star in canis major
Alnilam - star in orion
Regulus - star in leo
Antares - star in scorpio
Arcturus - star in boötes
Eltanin - star in draco
Polaris - star in ursa minor
Alderamin - star in cepheus
Alioth - star in ursa major
[name_m]Castor[/name_m] - star in gemini
[name_m]Pollux[/name_m] - star in gemini
[name_u]Rigel[/name_u] - star in orion
[name_u]Orion[/name_u]
Eridanus
Delphinus
Cygnus
[name_m]Taurus[/name_m]
[name_m]Leo[/name_m]
[name_f]Comet[/name_f]
[name_m]Saturn[/name_m]
[name_u]Mars[/name_u]
[name_u]Neptune[/name_u]
[name_m]Jupiter[/name_m]
[name_u]Mercury[/name_u]

Thank you so much everyone, this is brilliant!

Thank you @ccghi in particular for such a fantastic long list! So many wonderful ideas…!
I personally put names with nature meanings like [name_m]Lonan[/name_m] and [name_m]Arthur[/name_m] in another category - I adore them, but here I’m looking for names where the meaning is more obvious. We automatically like [name_u]Florian[/name_u] to flowers, but the link between [name_m]Lonan[/name_m] and blackbirds is only visible to people in the know. I just love so many of the ones you mentioned, though - [name_m]Arno[/name_m] and [name_m]Everard[/name_m] are favourites of mine.

I do love [name_u]Juniper[/name_u] for a boy - there’s even a male St [name_u]Juniper[/name_u]! - but so many sites list it as uniquely feminine, so I eventually dismissed him. But I will definitely consider him again, especially as a middle name.

Bramble has rather too vivid associations of scratched legs for me to warm up to him, but I adore [name_f]Briar[/name_f].

I’m adding to my name repertoire:

[name_u]Wren[/name_u]
Swift
Bluejay
[name_m]Heron[/name_m]
Falco / [name_u]Falcon[/name_u]
[name_m]Peregrine[/name_m]
[name_u]Linden[/name_u]
[name_m]Sylvan[/name_m]
[name_u]Florian[/name_u]
[name_m]Olivier[/name_m]
[name_u]Perry[/name_u]
Alder
[name_m]Heath[/name_m]
Rosewood
[name_m]Hawthorn[/name_m]
[name_u]Oakley[/name_u]
[name_m]Moss[/name_m]
[name_m]Orson[/name_m]
[name_f]Hyacinth[/name_f]
Briscoe
[name_u]Roscoe[/name_u]
[name_m]Caspian[/name_m]
[name_m]Griffin[/name_m]
Wolfram
[name_u]Winter[/name_u]
[name_u]Zephyr[/name_u]
[name_u]Brook[/name_u]
[name_u]Vesper[/name_u]
Glyndwr

I also spotted lots of my old favourites, like [name_u]Robin[/name_u] and Somerled.

If anyone has any more suggestions, I’d love to hear them!

My first thoughts were [name_u]Cedar[/name_u] and [name_m]Forrest[/name_m].

[name_u]Aspen[/name_u]
[name_u]Phoenix[/name_u]
[name_m]Fox[/name_m]
[name_m]Forrest[/name_m]
[name_u]Orion[/name_u]
[name_m]Caspian[/name_m]

Kestrel
[name_m]Peregrine[/name_m]
[name_m]Heron[/name_m]
[name_u]Yarrow[/name_u]
[name_u]Reed[/name_u]
[name_u]Juniper[/name_u]
[name_m]Crane[/name_m]
[name_f]Sparrow[/name_f]
[name_u]Wren[/name_u]
[name_u]Ash[/name_u]
Alder
[name_u]Elm[/name_u]
[name_u]Rowan[/name_u]
[name_f]Willow[/name_f]
[name_f]Laurel[/name_f]
[name_u]Cedar[/name_u]
[name_f]Briar[/name_f]
[name_u]Phoenix[/name_u]
[name_u]Blaze[/name_u]
[name_m]Altair[/name_m]
[name_u]Rain[/name_u]
[name_u]Spruce[/name_u]
[name_u]Orion[/name_u]
[name_m]Forest[/name_m]
[name_m]Birch[/name_m]
[name_u]Hollis[/name_u]
[name_u]Everest[/name_u]
[name_u]River[/name_u]

[name_f]Briar[/name_f]
[name_m]Caspian[/name_m]
[name_u]Everest[/name_u]
[name_u]Blaze[/name_u]
[name_u]Ember[/name_u]
[name_m]Brooks[/name_m]
[name_u]Harbor[/name_u]
Oleander
[name_u]Onyx[/name_u]
[name_m]Peregrine[/name_m]
[name_u]Sequoia[/name_u]
[name_m]Valerian[/name_m]
[name_f]Azure[/name_f]
Amaranth
[name_m]Drake[/name_m]
[name_u]Hollis[/name_u]
[name_u]Indigo[/name_u]
[name_u]Linden[/name_u]
[name_m]Basil[/name_m]
Bracken
Bramble

Sorry for any repeats!

[name_f]Thyme[/name_f]
Sycamore
Oleander
Koi
[name_m]Pike[/name_m]
[name_f]Briar[/name_f]
[name_f]Garnet[/name_f]
Kestrel
[name_u]Sage[/name_u]
[name_u]Clove[/name_u]
[name_u]Cedar[/name_u]
[name_u]Kit[/name_u]
[name_m]Birch[/name_m]

What a great list here. A few more I think of as naturey:

[name_m]Falconer[/name_m]
[name_m]Fielding[/name_m]
[name_m]Fisher[/name_m]
[name_u]Gardener[/name_u]
[name_m]Wilder[/name_m]

Some of my favourites (not ones that just have hidden nature meanings, which I love too… but separately)

[name_m]Moss[/name_m]
[name_u]August[/name_u]
[name_m]Huon[/name_m] - this is a bit odd but it’s a kind of tree, a very beautiful tree here in Australia. Sounds like [name_m]Hugh[/name_m] + the end of [name_u]Owen[/name_u].
[name_m]Forest[/name_m]
[name_m]Heath[/name_m]
[name_m]Jasper[/name_m]
[name_m]Fox[/name_m]
[name_m]Hawthorn[/name_m] - this is the same plant as [name_f]May[/name_f], but [name_m]Hawthorn[/name_m] has such a different feel as a name. It is strong and hardy, but it does flower, and it also has huge long thorns. Same plant is sometimes called Hawkthorn.
Bramble
[name_u]Sage[/name_u]
[name_u]Ash[/name_u]
[name_u]Onyx[/name_u] & [name_u]Jet[/name_u] - something appealing about a glossy black stone.
[name_u]River[/name_u]
[name_u]Linden[/name_u] - underused tree name
[name_m]Peregrine[/name_m] - this name is so evocative of falcons to me that I think it counts.
[name_m]Hart[/name_m] - I tend to save this for a middle but I do like it.
[name_u]Reed[/name_u]
[name_u]Leaf[/name_u]

My favorite nature names for boys are, in no particular order:

[name_u]Oak[/name_u] ([name_u]Oakley[/name_u])
[name_u]River[/name_u]
[name_m]Forest[/name_m]
[name_u]Sage[/name_u]
[name_u]Cedar[/name_u]
[name_m]Hawk[/name_m]
[name_u]Ash[/name_u]
[name_m]Ridge[/name_m]

Thank you for all these brilliant suggestions! [name_m]Huon[/name_m] is a really interesting idea, @botanical latin, and thank you for reminding me about [name_m]Hart[/name_m] and [name_m]Hawthorn[/name_m]. I am liking [name_m]Heath[/name_m] more and more as well.

I also love [name_f]Garnet[/name_f] for a boy, @reynardine, but I’m not sure I could bring myself to use it! It has a lot of family significance for me, so perhaps as a middle name…

My favorites are…
[name_m]Asher[/name_m]
[name_m]Atlas[/name_m]
[name_m]Forrest[/name_m]
[name_m]Griffin[/name_m]
[name_m]Jupiter[/name_m]
[name_u]Oakley[/name_u]
[name_u]Reed[/name_u]
[name_u]River[/name_u]
[name_u]Rowan[/name_u]
[name_m]Wilder[/name_m]

Devereux
[name_u]Roux[/name_u]
[name_m]Corentin[/name_m]
[name_m]Cosimo[/name_m]
[name_u]Denali[/name_u]
[name_u]Everest[/name_u]
[name_u]Rio[/name_u]
[name_u]Onyx[/name_u]
[name_m]Stone[/name_m]
[name_u]Ash[/name_u]
[name_u]Slate[/name_u]
Obsidian