Baby Name of the Day Maple: Vibrant Nature Find

The baby name Maple mixes nature names with a bright, upbeat sound and lots of autumn energy.

Thanks to Ella for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.

WHAT DOES THE NAME MAPLE MEAN?

Maple comes from the Old English mapultreow, which translates to maple tree. 

Some suggest that it links back to a word for knob or offshoot, but that’s far from certain. Unlike many a nature name, a maple is just a maple.

Then again, maple trees are prized for their strength and endurance.

It’s strongly associated with many places, especially Canada. It appears on their national flag, as well as their military insignia and other official symbols. 

We immediately think of maple syrup, associated with Canada, but also the northeastern United States, with Vermont a leading producer. 

Instruments from guitars to cellos to drums might be crafted from maple wood, adding a musical note to this name.

Also worth noting: the trees produce vibrant colors in the autumn, making maple trees part of tourism. That’s true not only in North America, but also in Japan, where leaf peeping is called momijigari. 

NATURE NAMES ON THE RISE

We’re in the golden age of nature names. 

From vintage favorites like June and Hazel to more modern choices like River or Clover, plenty of baby names are drawn from the natural world. Some, like Forrest, started out as a last name first. But many others come directly from the dictionary. 

Not every word borrowed from nature works, though. Maple benefits from similarity to established names: retro Mabel, Irish Maeve, nickname Maisie, and more. If Mae has long been a popular first and middle name choice, why not Maple? 

That ending -L sounds works, too. It’s shared by established choices like Abigail and Isabelle, as well as other nature names like Laurel. 

MAPLE IN POETRY

Way back in 1923, the poet Robert Frost wrote Maple, all about a girl grappling with her unusual given name.

It’s a sad story, but also a powerful one. Maple never quite knows why her parents chose the unusual name, musing that “… it may have been their one lapse into fancy.” But the name, in different ways, impacts her life over many years. 

COLORFUL MAPLE

Another factor: like Ruby or Scarlett, Maple tends to suggest the color red. It’s a rich red-brown, borrowed from the leaves in autumn.

Other colors sometimes associated with the tree might evoke maple syrup, or the wood itself.

And not every type of maple tree turns red. Golden leaves, orange, and even purple shades are possible, too.

HOW POPULAR IS THE NAME MAPLE?

The baby name Maple first appeared in US popularity data way back in 1896. That year, six girls received the name.

For privacy reasons, the US Social Security Administration only releases data on names given to at least five girls or boys in any given year. Their data traces back to 1880, so Maple has been around. 

It’s risen dramatically in use during the 21st century. Credit goes to all of those nature names. 

Worth noting: Jason Bateman and Amanda Anka are the parents of daughters Francesca Nora and Maple Sylvie. Amanda’s dad is singer Paul Anka, a native of Ottawa, so presumably it’s a shout-out to her Canadian roots. 

The younger Bateman was born in 2012. While she’s rarely in the spotlight, the name does start to rise in use right around the early 2010s. 

It’s easy to imagine parents hearing the word ‘maple’ and embracing it as a nod to Canada in the 2020s, too. 

Worth noting: the publication of Robert Frost’s 1923 poem didn’t seem to boost Maple as a given name. 

IS MAPLE A UNISEX NAME?

Way back in 1917, five boys were named Maple. That’s the only year Maple appears in the boys’ popularity data.

It’s a little surprising, because nearly any other tree name leans unisex.

That’s not the case for this name, maybe because it’s so close to Mae and Mabel.

VIBRANT NATURE NAME

The baby name Maple feels like a vibrant, unexpected choice for a daughter today. It sounds like so many stylish favorites, but offers a distinctive image, too.

With the poem and the symbolism associated with maple trees, there’s lots to appreciate about this compact and surprising choice.

What do you think of the baby name Maple?

First published on February 20, 2012, this post was revised on October 11, 2014 and again on October 3, 2026.