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Looking for cool and earthy gender neutral nature names? I’ve got you covered!

Unisex nature names combine two major trends in baby names today: gender neutrality and earthy nature vibes.

You’ll find unisex nature names popping up throughout the Top 1000 Popular Names list, such as Nova, Wren, Sage and Hadley. Since nature words are often not gendered, most nature names are easily worn by both boys or girls.

To save you time on your hunt for the perfect unisex nature name, I’ve compiled this list of my favorite names with their meanings. I’m a researcher who has been analyzing name trends for over 5 years.

I also have a personal connection to unisex names: I spent countless hours looking for my own kids’ gender neutral names (one of them is on this list!)

Below you’ll find gender neutral nature names taking inspiration from the land, animals, waterways, botanicals and the skies.

The list includes a mix of already popular options like River and Bailey; up and coming names like Cove and Zephyr; and, unique names like Taryn and Cedar.

And if you’re looking for more gender neutral name ideas, check out:

Text that says 70 unisex names inspired by nature with a graphic of mountains underneath

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Why choose a nonbinary nature name?

So, why might you consider a gender neutral nature name for your baby? There are four features of nonbinary nature names that really stand out.

1. On-trend and on-message

Both nature-themed and unisex names are very fashionable right now. They capture the zeitgeist of the time, highlighting individuality, environmental consciousness, and the shedding of gender norm.

2. Future flexibility

Unisex names don’t box a child into a particular gender role, giving them the flexibility to find themselves as they grow. As society continues to develop its understanding and acceptance of gender fluidity, a unisex name gives your child with more space to express their identity.

3. Easy & straightforward

Many nature names strike the ideal balance of being unique while also being recognizable. Names like “River,” “Sky,” or “Sage” are unique as names but are straightforward words. Since they’re so recognizable, it reduces the chances of misspellings or mispronunciations.

4. Uniqueness

While nature names aren’t just hippie names anymore, many of them are still less common than traditional names. This means that it is less likely your child will share a name with multiple classmates in the future.

Now that you know why nature unisex names are great, let’s take a look at some name ideas.

Unisex nature earth names with four vertical pictures of different land behind the text

Earthy Names

This first set of unisex nature names is inspired by the land. These nature names are down to earth and grounded (puns!). It includes names with landforms, gemstones and terrain meanings.

Land nature words are great unisex name options because they often do not have a gender association, like how flower names are more common for girls.

Related Post: 75 Middle Names for Amari

1. AINSLEY

  • Meaning: meadow

2. ARDEN

  • Meaning: eagle valley

3. ARLO

  • Meaning: rock hill

4. BAILEY

  • Meaning: berry clearing

5. BRYNN

  • Meaning: hill

6. DELL

  • Meaning: small valley

7. EDEN

  • Meaning: biblical garden

8. HADLEY

  • Meaning: heather field

9. HARLOW

  • Meaning: rocky hill

10. BERYL

  • Meaning: gemstone

11. LOGAN

  • Meaning: balanced stone, marsh

12. ONYX

  • Meaning: black gemstone

13. OPAL

  • Meaning: gemstone

14. TARYN

  • Meaning: of the earth

15. LEE

  • Meaning: meadow
Animal-themed names with four pictures of animals in the background, including frog, two birds, and a giraffe

Animal-Inspired Names

Below are gender neutral names inspired by animals in nature. Many of these names come from bird names, which are currently enjoying a rise in popularity led by names like Wren and Piper.

Related Post: Bird Inspired Baby Name Ideas

I personally love the name Winnow as a unique option for the nickname Winnie. While still more common with girls, I think Piper would make a great choice for a little boy with the nickname Pip.

16. AVIAN

  • Meaning: bird-like

17. BIRDIE

  • Meaning: little bird

18. FALCON

  • Meaning: bird of prey

19. HUNTER

  • Meaning: one who hunts

20. LARK

  • Meaning: songbird

21. LYNX

  • Meaning: wild cat

22. PHOENIX

  • Meaning: mythological immortal bird

23. PIPER

  • Meaning: sandpiper

24. ROBIN

  • Meaning: songbird, bright

25. TEAL

  • Meaning: small duck

26. WINNOW

  • Meaning: to blow the air with ones wings

27. WREN

  • Meaning: passerine bird

28. YAEL

  • Meaning: mountain goat
Water name ideas with four verticle pictures of the ocean and seas in the background

Water and Sea Names

If you’re looking for calm and flowing name inspiration, consider one of the following unisex nature names with water and sea meanings.

Of the names on this list, I predict Harbor and Cove to start popping up more. They fit in nicely with currently popular name River (#110 for boys, #151 for girls). I personally like the names Marin and Marlow as gender neutral options.

29. ADRIAN

  • Meaning: sea

30. BAY

  • Meaning: sea inlet

31. CARY

  • Meaning: stream

32. COVE

  • Meaning: bay, inlet

33. CREEK

  • Meaning: small river

34. DYLAN

  • Meaning: song of the sea

35. HARBOR

  • Meaning: protected water safe for ships

36. LYNN

  • Meaning: lake

37. MARIN

  • Meaning: of the sea

38. MARLOW

  • Meaning: driftwood

39. MORGAN

  • Meaning: bright sea

40. OCEAN

  • Meaning: sea

41. RIVER

  • Meaning: wide stream of fresh water

42. RYLAN

  • Meaning: island meadow
Plant inspired baby names with four pictures of flowers and leaves in the background

Botanical Names

While floral names are having a moment with hits like Rose and Daisy, expand your search to consider these great gender neutral botanical names. The list includes names inspired by nature’s trees, herbs and plants.

Names like Sage and Oakley are already quickly climbing the top name charts for both boys and girls (Sage: #427 boys, #179 girls; Oakley: #403 boys, #193 girls). Ash and Ollie are both great names that work as nicknames or standalone names.

43. ARBOR

  • Meaning: tree

44. ASH

  • Meaning: Ash tree

45. ASHTON

  • Meaning: Ash tree

46. ASPEN

  • Meaning: Aspen tree

47. BLAKELY

  • Meaning: dark wood

48. BRIAR

  • Meaning: shrub

49. CEDAR

  • Meaning: Evergreen tree

50. CLOVER

  • Meaning: herb that symbolizes luck

51. LAUREL

  • Meaning: Bay Laurel tree

52. LENNOX

  • Meaning: Scottish elm grove

53. LINDEN

  • Meaning: flowering tree

54. JUNIPER

  • Meaning: juniper-berry, evergreen

55. OAKLEY

  • Meaning: meadow of oak trees

56. OLLIE

  • Meaning: olive tree

57. ROWAN

  • Meaning: rowan tree

58. SAGE

  • Meaning: herb
text that says space names with four vertical pictures of space in the background

Space-Themed Names

Finally, the sky and stars above inspire this last set of gender neutral space names. These nonbinary names include names from the sun, weather, and planets.

Though more common for girls, Ariel and Celeste both actually have gender neutral roots and would be refreshing picks for boys.

Nova is fast on the rise, only recently hitting top 100 for girls and entering the list of top boy names in 2017.

Rare name like Zephyr and Rain are so infrequently given that they don’t have preconceived gendering, making them great unisex earthy options.

And for more celestial names, check out my list of 50+ Twin Names That Mean Sun and Moon.

59. ARIEL

  • Meaning: moon of Uranus

60. ASTER

  • Meaning: star

61. CELESTE

  • Meaning: heavenly

62. LUZ

  • Meaning: light

63. MOON

  • Meaning: natural satellite of a planet

64. NOVA

  • Meaning: new star

65. RAIN

  • Meaning: rain shower

66. SKY

  • Meaning: upper atmosphere, Norse for cloud

67. SOL

  • Meaning: sun

68. SUNNY

  • Meaning: sunshine

69. VESPER

  • Meaning: evening star

70. WINTER

  • Meaning: winter season

71. ZEPHYR

  • Meaning: gentle breeze
Looking up at bamboo tree forest. There is a white circle in the middle iwth text that says 70 boy & girl nature names with earthy meanings for babies

Conclusion: Note on Gender Neutral Names

Before wrapping up, let me offer a quick warning that finding a unisex name that stays truly gender neutral over time is a tall order.

Picking a unisex name today is capturing a moment in time — today’s nature gender neutral name may easily become tomorrow’s hit boy or girl name.

There are multiple reasons for this. First you may be catching a name as it transitions from being used by one gender to the other. A name may also be too new or unique to have an associated gender.

For a deeper dive into these trends that gender neutral names often follow, check out our list of 101 Nonbinary Names.

Unisex nature names are often neutral because they are newer names without a gender association. The benefit of these more unique nature names is that rarer names are less likely to hit a critical mass needed to swing the name into gendered territory.

To get a better idea of how your favorite nature names are trending, try out our name trend data tool, which visualizes both girl and boy names in the same graph.

Looking for more gender neutral baby name ideas? Check out our list of 101 Nonbinary Name Ideas with Meanings.

About the Author

Elizabeth Jon is a Ph.D. researcher whose work focuses on pregnancy and education. At Shoestring Baby, she uses her skills to research baby name trends, in-depth baby gear reviews & money savings ideas for parents.

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