It’s a traditional symbol of luck, but would it bring good fortune to your daughter?
Thanks to Corinne for suggesting Clover as Name of the Day.
Lily and Rose are ladylike choices. Most botanicals, from the fashionable Violet to the dated Myrtle, are undeniably feminine.
Not so Clover. She’s more like Daffodil – plucked straight from the field and still a little wild.
The word was imported from Germanic, to become clafre in Old English, and eventually clover. But unlike Aven or Azalea, she’s not just an overlooked nature name. Clover also connotes luck, good fortune and spirituality, too:
- Four leaf clovers have been considered lucky since at least the sixteenth century. It’s even possible to find clovers with five or more leaves – some have reported eighteen, twenty-one or even twenty-seven leafed clovers;
- Various folk traditions attach meanings to the leaves, but the most powerful association is with the regular ol’ three-leaf version, also called a trefoil. Saint Patrick is said to be the first to link the three leaves of a clover to the Holy Trinity;
- Shamrock is Irish for little clover, so clover is also a symbol of Ireland – though almost comically so;
- The expression “in clover” dates back to at least the eighteenth century. It means something like financially set, prosperous. That’s most likely because clover makes the livestock fat.
Clover is common, found from the mountains to the tropics. Besides pigs and cattle, butterflies lunch on clover, too. Some species – there are 300 – flower.
You’re more likely to trip over a four leafed clover than to meet a woman answering to the name. Clover has never ranked in the US Top 1000. The two notable uses are both fictional, and separated by more than a century:
- On the heels of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women – a literary blockbuster in 1868 – Susan Coolidge wrote What Katy Did. The 1872 novel tells of Katy, a tomboy transformed to an invalid after an accident. Katy’s little sister is Clover;
- 2006’s The Good Shepherd starred Matt Damon and Angelina Jolie in a work of semi-historical semi-fiction about the establishment of the CIA. Jolie plays Clover, the wife of Damon’s character, but in her case Clover is a nickname. She’s actually Margaret – and the story’s no fairy tale.
If you do find Clover on your family tree, there’s a chance it will be a surname. Nineteenth century medical pioneer Dr. Joseph Clover was an innovator in the field of anaesthesia. There’s also modern day poet Joshua Clover.
Most suggest that Clover isn’t about the green and leafy, but about cleavers or possibly cleves. In the first case, that makes Clover an occupational surname for someone who split boards; in the second case, a geographic name for someone who lived near a cliff.
Clover seems like a longshot. Except that she does meld the sounds of Top Ten Chloe and rising star Piper. She’s frills-free, sprightly and unusual without being outlandish. Weighed down with a more substantial middle name, Clover might just wear well.
Just don’t name her brother Crimson.
We are having a girl and Clover is our top choice for her middle name. It makes me think of the Natalie Wood film “Inside Daisy Clover”. Apparently her daughter thought so too bc I read she named her daughter Clover recently.
Eliza – I want to go over the top frilly here: Anastasia, Alexandria, Persephone, Callista, Hermione, Demetria, Elisabetta, Julietta. Less frilly but still substantial: Alexis/Alexia, Penelope, Elisabeth, Annelise, Beatrice, Suzette, Kimberly, Madeline (I like the long I prn. here), Daphne, Simone. All of the short, traditional middles work well too: Anne, June, Lynn, Susan, Marie, Joy. If you’re looking for something more on-trend: Hayden, Cadence, Isabelle/a, Marguerite, or pick something off the boys lists.
any suggestions on a substantial middle name to pair with clover?
After reading about Clover the other day, the sweetness of this name keeps coming into my mind. It kind of reminds me of Fern from Charlotte’s Web, perhaps b/c they are both green plants with small or no flowers… I also think the nn Clove or name for that matter is short, soft, sweet than spicy ( as in baking with cloves)!
This is on my back up list if the 90% accuracy for boy is wrong : )
I love Clover as a girl’s name. Also, I was born on St. Patrick’s Day, so I have a special affinity for clovers in general. I would definitely consider this for a girl.
Nine hours, nine doors, nine persons.
My daughter, Clover Melody, is about to turn 3. We get mixed reactions to her name…many people insist on calling her Chloe, and I gently correct them. People who don’t speak English as a first language are often the most confused. The average person we hang with, however, (artistic, educated, liberal-types), think its awesome. More often than not I hear “what a beautiful name!” I grew up with a name that was very common, and I was always envious of the little girls with more interesting names growing up. Besides, she wears it well.
My husband and I had a daughter in January and we named her Clover Mariah. My Husband really wanted a nature name and had come up with everything from Luna to Rain, I didn’t like any of them. Then one day I heard Clover and told him about it and he just fell in love with it.
We get two standard reactions with the name it either “I love that name” or “that’s nice” I get the impression that those saying “that’s nice” probably are not big fans. The name really fits her and I’m glad we choose it for her. I can’t imagine her with any other name.
My Daughter is due mid July And we have decided on the name Clover Anne for her.
My husband and I had been looking at the little pink book of baby names and they had a page on flower names. My husband and I laughed at it (thinking it antiquated) and tossed some foliage out for names. Clover happened to be one of them, and it stuck, we just fell in love with it.
And just to make it all the better years and years ago I purchased “The Golden Cloth” by J.B. Aldrich, an original print from 1874, I love both poetry and antique books. I just really got to look at it after we had found out about our daughter and found 3 pressed 4 leaf clovers in the book. I assume they were pressed by the original owner, an L. Evangeline Andrews, as she had put many other things in the book. Anyway that just sealed it for the name.
Lol sorry I didn’t mean to wright a novel, just wanted to share my story with the name Clover.
I think this is a sweet, adorable name! I recently met a girl named Cricket, which I love the sound of, and to me, Clover has a similar, cute ring to it.
As a side note, I also love the name of this website – so clever! =)
I really like Clover. If I’d use it, it’d most likely be as a middle. I do have the pairing CLover Giselle on my list, though. I find it really sweet & refreshing. I was a bit obsessed with it at the beginning of last year
My 10 yr old daughter is named Crimson, so I’ve never been able to convince my husband to go with Clover for another daughter. I keep telling him I’ll call her Cloey but he still won’t go for it.
Just to let you know, the nurse in the delivery room started singing Crimson and Clover when she was born and lots of people do it when they meet her. I’m not a fan of the song so it really annoys me, but my daughter loves it! I’m sure it would happen with a kid named Clover too.
I think I’d have really liked to have a theme song, so I get where Crimson is coming from!
What a daring name, and ten years ago you were really ahead of the curve! Wonder if all of these Scarletts will inspire more parents to consider Crimson? Hmmm …
I really want to like Clover. I feel like I should, it’s right up my ally. But… I just can’t bring myself to it. I think I’d like it on someone else’s child, but never my own. It seems silly and babyish to me. I don’t really like the sound, either. Cute imagine, but it doesn’t have the sound to match.
There is an area around here called Cloverly. I kind of like that more as a name than just Clover, adds a bit of femininity I guess. I also like that it’s not -leigh or anything crazy, just -ly. Cloverly… I’m actually surprised I’ve never heard of anyone using it.
I like the name Clover. I would definitely consider her for a middle name.
Clover is very, very pretty! I’m a sucker for naure names! 🙂 One concern I have is that it sounds a lot like Grover.
It seems a little too… hippyish, or something, to really appeal to me. I also associate it with a book I read when I was 10 or 11. Clover was a kidnapper, so not really the best association. But I wouldn’t mind it on someone else’s child.
I do sort of like Daffodil but doubt I would ever use it.
It’s a little bovine but then so are most botanical names to me really: Lily, Daisy, Rose, Flora, Daphne etc.. I guess they all have a certain innocence and sweetness about them.
I’d rather see this one over the ubiquitous Chloe although I personally prefer it as a middle name. Let’s just say that it’s more ‘realistic’ than Buttercup and Daffodil as a first name.
Buttercup? Is a Power Puff Girl. And a song. Two songs, I guess – Build Me Up, Buttercup and My Little Buttercup. But isn’t that a little bit like naming your daughter Sweetheart or Honey or Boo? Wait, that’s been done, too …
And the Princess Bride 😛 Oh and a little British girl called Matilda-Buttercup. Thankfully, she can drop Buttercup if she wishes but hyphenating makes it harder.
The worst is Tuppence. It may be another term of endearment used as a name for a good century but it essentially means “worthless” given it’s small value and is a genital euphemism. I think I’d take Buttercup (or even Poppet) as a first name as much as that would still pain me.
Of course! Okay, Buttercup as a Princess Bride reference I get. I still wouldn’t use it, but it makes more sense than the Power Puff girls. 🙂
I’m with you on Tuppence, but I do like Penelope.
Clover is mighty cute. I’d love to use it as a middle.
Yep — it was the only middle name that my husband and I could agree on. We have a 20 month-old daughter named Isobel Clover. But I do love it as a first name, too.
I remember reading a Baby-Sitter’s Club book way back when (I think it was about Dawn). She rescued two little girls named Clover and…I think Daisy was her sister? It always stuck with me for some reason. I like it!
I read every Baby-Sitter’s Club book and I don’t remember that at all, I want to track it down!
They were Clover and Daffodil. That sib set has stuck with me since I first read those books!
I love this name, but unfortunately it is a brand of butter over here in the UK, so a no-go for my husband!
So now margarine / butter ruined Clover and Flora! 🙁
Oh dear, Neva – I wouldn’t name a daughter Land O’ Lakes, either. 🙂
Am I wrong or is this a name from Watershop Down? It seems more appropriate for a bunny, anyway…
I don’t know about Watership Down, but my childhood pet rabbit was named Clover, so it’s not one that I’d personally use because of that association. Though the name has grown on me, since regularly reading the blog of a Mom with a 1 year old daughter named Clover.
I think you mean Hazel! But yes, Clover is a great name for a bunny. A friend of mine has a dog named Clover, too, so I’m not sure I could ever use it … but I do like it.
Okay, I tracked it down. There is a Clover – and she’s a girl bunny. 🙂 So I guess it’s a girl’s name after all. 😉
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/watership/characters.html
I stand corrected! 🙂
I really like Clover. There is something sweet about her. I find it very wearable and I am surprised it hasn’t caught on in popularity.
I have always had a soft spot for Clover! Years and years ago, I first heard it on a show on Cartoon Network that I believe was called Totally Spies. One of the main characters was named Clover. I never religiously watched the cartoon, but the name has stuck with me ever since! I don’t think I would ever use her, but it’s one of those names I would love hearing on someone else’s little girl.
I was going to mention Totally Spies too! It was my favorite TV show when I was younger. The other two spies were Sam & Alex. Clover is definitely a more interesting name than the other two.
Haha, you’re so right! I could remember what the other girls looked like, but not their names. Clover definitely made a greater impression with me!