Nature Names for Boys: Most Popular

Nature names for boys have always been around.

Outdoorsy boy names like Glenn, Cliff, and Craig all had their moments in the not-so-distant past.

It’s not just American families over the last century, either. Many cultures bestow names based on nature, and have for millennia.

Plenty of them stay under the radar. We tend to think of names like Philip – friend of horses in Greek – in the classic category. Parents might name a son Silas and never dream of the woods, despite the meaning. (It’s from the Latin silva, meaning forest.)

From Greek mythology to common surnames, nature boy names can be found hiding everywhere.

Those mainstream – but subtle – earthy boy names aren’t the focus here.

Instead, the early twenty-first century is proving a golden age for word names, lifting nature names along with so many other categories. The overlap between a kindergarten list and a page in the dictionary is greater than ever before.

Many of these are straight-up words. Others feel slightly more name-like, but immediately suggest a specific animal or other borrowing from the natural world.

In April 2016, these were the ten most popular nature names for boys:

1. Leo
2. Kai
3. Rowan
4. August
5. Jasper
6. River
7. Brooks
8. Orion
9. Colt
10. Sage

Even if they’ve shifted position on the list, nearly every entry has continued to rise in use among baby boy names. It’s possible that more children today receive a nature-themed name than ever before.

Of course, that opens the door to ever more daring names that aren’t currently in use, from trees like Alder or Cedar, to animals like Hawk or Falcon, to natural features like Canyon or Cove. Weather-inspired names, like Storm and Frost, have potential, too. They’d fit in surprisingly well with so many names borrowed from the natural world.

If the great outdoors is your naming inspo, these are the names you should know.

MOST POPULAR NATURE NAMES FOR BOYS

34. HEATH (#848)

Originally a surname for someone who lived near a heath – a field or uncultivated land, from an Old English word – Heath long ago became a given name, too. The name’s original popularity traces to a television Western from the 1960s. It sounded like trending Keith at the time. Today it’s back in the US Top 1000, boosted by its fit with outdoorsy boy names.

33. EVEREST (#845)

While Everest likely owes its popularity to the unrelated Everett, it’s an undeniable nature name. Mount Everest is the Earth’s highest mountain, known for challenging even the most experienced climbers who try to reach the summit. Westerners refer to it as Mount Everest, named for British surveyor George Everest. Native peoples refer to it as Sagarmāthā in Nepali, Chomolungma in Tibetan, or Zhūmùlǎngmǎ Fēng or Mt Qomolangma in Chinese. It brings to mind the mountain, but also the idea of physical endurance and achievement.

32. BEAR (#826)

Plenty of names bring to mind bears, from Teddy to Arthur. That opens the door to just Bear, too. A handful of high profile birth announcements have featured the name, and, of course, figures like football coach Bear Bryant – born Paul – make it seem more familiar. With word names, and especially nature names for boys on the rise, this feels less surprising that it would’ve even ten years ago. With television series The Bear so popular, that’s one more reason this name could rise. (On that case, Bear is a nickname for the family surname, Berzatto – though there’s more to the story.)

31. ROBIN (#810)

Originally a nickname for Robert, Robin has spent years in style limbo. It was the name of Batman’s young sidekick and one of the Bee Gees. While Batman projects continue to appear on the big screen, Robin has been missing from the more recent iterations. Should that change, that might help boost the name further. For now, it benefits from our love of nature names, as well as unisex R choices. If Rowan, River, and Remy are popular, why not Robin?

30. RAY (#779)

Odds are that Ray is just an offshoot of Raymond, a noble and saintly Germanic name that’s since mellowed into the dad-next-door. Or maybe Ray is effortlessly cool, as in Ray Charles and Ray Donovan. But it makes this list for two reasons – the rays of the sun and sting rays. Both feel a little bit summery and quite coastal.

29. BLAZE (#761)

Saintly Blaise has nothing to do with fire. Instead, that traditional name brings to mind the ancient martyr – now invoked against illnesses of the throat – and mathematician Blaise Pascal. Respell it Blaze, and this name transforms. From an Old English word meaning shining or white, Blaze brings to mind campfires and the brightest of summer days. The name also serves as a virtue name – think of trailblazers.

28. BRIAR (#698)

Briar feels like a nature name that should succeed today. It brings to mind former favorites like Brian and Bryce, Brianna and Bree, as well as so many -r ending names we love. It’s a unisex choice, ranking for boys and girls alike. A briar or brier is a thorny shrub; it reads feminine to some because Briar Rose is one name for the princess in Sleeping Beauty. But with generations of men answering to Brian and Bryce, sound puts Briar in the same unisex category as Rowan.

27. DRAKE (#661)

A male duck. A surname meaning dragon. And a wildly successful rapper and hip hop artist. It’s a subtle nature name – and, of course, dragons are the stuff of fantasy. But somehow it still fits on this list. 

26. ROCKY (#657)

This name brings to mind fictional champion Balboa. But the big screen boxer aside, Rocky sounds tough and outdoorsy in equal measure, a name with plenty of strength and a little bit of fun mixed in. It also nods to many a place, from the Rocky Mountains to more local – but often just as outdoorsy – destinations. It’s sometimes used as a nickname for the French name Roch or Italian Rocco, suggest that Rocky means “little rock,” but that’s not quite right. Instead, Rocco might’ve originally referred to a crow, or a rook – which still makes it one of the outdoorsy boy names. 

25. OCEAN (#591)

A newcomer to the rankings in calendar year 2020, Ocean follows logically from River and Brooks. It’s also got some history – way back in 1620, Oceanus Hopkins was born aboard the Mayflower. And Océane topped the popularity charts for girls in France – and elsewhere in the French-speaking world – during the late 1990s. But Ocean for boys feels fresh today, a choice that’s equal parts powerful and zen, just right for surfers, sailors, or casual beachcombers.

24. CASPIAN (#578)

It’s a literary name – think of Prince Caspian, part of CS Lewis’ Narnia series. But Caspian is also the name of the world’s largest inland body of water, the Caspian Sea, located between Europe and Asia. That makes it a nature name, in the key of Orion. But it’s also a three-syllable, ends-with-n name, a successor to Adrian and Julian, and a very on-trend choice. While Caspian arrived in the Top 1000 relatively recently, it’s attracting plenty of attention.

23. CLAY (#543)

Clay and Clayton sound every bit as modern as Colt and Colton. But the Clay- names have appeared in the US Top 1000 every year since 1880. They started out as English surnames for someone who worked with clay or lived near a clay deposit. The even more popular Clayton indicated that your ancestors dwelled near such a place. That makes Clay an obvious nature name, and yet a long history of use makes this choice feel more traditional than some others on the list.

22. RIDGE (#528)

Ridge just plain sounds rugged. The Old English root originally referred to the back of a man or an animal; today it’s a geological term for a long, narrow mountaintop. (Think of a mountain ridge and a backbone to connect the two ideas.) It’s outdoorsy and modern. The Bold and the Beautiful first put Ridge on our list of possibilities in 1987, but today most parents are likely inspired by the sound and nature name style, rather than the soap opera character.

21. RIO (#516)

The Spanish word for river combines the charm of that very popular nature name with a bright O ending. While many non-English word names don’t make this list, Rio is widely known in English, thanks to rivers like Texas’ Rio Grande.

20. REED (#421)

As a given name, Reed most likely comes from an Old English surname meaning red. But reed also refers to a type of tall grass. Spelling Reid started out as Scots, but now is the more popular choice in English. Opt for the “ee” spelling and Reed leans to the nature names category. Because many woodwind instruments use a thin piece of cane, similar to the grass, as part of their mouthpiece, it’s also a musical term.

19. SAGE (#413)

Sage combines the best of color names, virtue names, and nature names for boys, too. Depending on your preference, it can mean wise, refer to a shade of green, or be the name of an evergreen also used as an herb. Sage is given to boys and girls in growing numbers; it’s more popular for girls in the US popularity rankings, but still feels unisex. It’s a successor to more traditional – but equally herbal – names like Basil.

18. OAKLEY (#410)

We do love a good ends-with-ley name, and lately Oakley is a favorite in this category. For girls, Oak-names like Oaklee and Oaklyn/n have become favorites in recent years. All of the names clearly reference the mighty oak, a tree long associated with strength and endurance. That makes it a little bit of a virtue name, too.

17. FORREST (#407) 

Forest also ranks in the Top 1000. But Forrest – a surname originally given to someone who lived near or worked in a woodland – is consistently more popular. The name spiked after Tom Hanks played the unconventional hero at the heart of 1994 Oscar-winning movie Forrest Gump. It faded, but now Forrest is a perfect name for parents attracted to both surnames and the natural world. 

16. WILDER (#392)

This name could be lots of things. It’s a little bit heavy metal – especially when spelled Wylder, another Top 1000 entry. The surname can bring to mind figures like legendary Hollywood director Billy Wilder or author Thornton Wilder. But it also suggests the wild outdoors, and for that reason, it counts for this list, too.

15. WELLS (#376)

Wells is a recent arrival to the US Top 1000 – it charted just a handful of the times in the nineteenth century, then disappeared until 2016. It’s a surname, but also fits with nature names for boys. Well once meant a spring or a fountain; now, it’s more likely to refer to the hole dug in order to pull up water (or oil) hidden underground. It also implies health, well-being, and abundance – think of words like wellspring.

14. STERLING (#372)

As in sterling silver. Technically, it’s an alloy – not something you mine directly. But if Ruby and Pearl make the girls’ list, then Sterling feels like it belongs on the boys’ side. Another reason? Sterling means “little star,” from stars imprinted on Norman pennies way back in the day. Sterling is sometimes a synonym for excellent, another reason it might appeal to parents.

13. ONYX (#358) 

This gemstone name also refers to a shade of black – even though the mineral comes in a wide range of colors, including white, red, and yellow. If Jasper works, then Onyx should, too, especially with that appealing letter ‘x’. It debuted in the US Top 1000 in 2018, and has climbed considerably since then.

12. WADE (#341) 

Up until recently, Wade didn’t make the list of most popular nature names for boys – even though it’s never left the US Top 1000. Wade is a surname derived from the verb – to wade is to cross river at a low point. The surname typically referred to someone who lived nearby such a place. Then Disney Pixar’s Elemental gave the name to a character; and that helped us think of Wade and water much more clearly. In our Cade/Kade moment, Wade reads as a well-established choice for boys in the United States.

11. ORION (#325)

Mythological baby names have always enjoyed some use, but never have they been more mainstream than today. Greek name Orion feels more like a night sky choice – and thus, suitable for this list – than one from myth. That’s probably because the constellation is among the most recognizable, thanks to the bright stars of the celestial hunter’s belt. With O names like Oliver and Owen topping the charts, that appealing first letter also bolsters this name.

10. KOA (#292)

Kai is the Hawaiian word for sea; Koa, the Hawaiian word for a type of tree. The wood is used for everything from guitars to canoes. Oh, and surfboards. Pro surfer Koa Smith was born in Hawaii. Factor in the stylish sound – it rhymes with Top Ten Noah, and it has an -a ending, just like Ezra and Luca – and it’s no surprise that Koa is rapidly climbing, on the popularity charts, and among nature names for boys.

9. COLT (#276)

Have wild horses have inspired a growing number of parents to give this name to their sons? A colt is a young, male horse. Or maybe credit goes to Samuel Colt, founder of the firearms manufacturer? Maybe both, but the data suggests that Colt and Colton owe their success to 1980s television series, The Fall Guy, starring Lee Majors. Majors played Hollywood stunt man Colt Seavers. The series folded after five seasons, but Colt and Colton kept marching up the popularity charts. Old English name Colter is also heard; it started out as an occupational surname for someone who tended horses.

8. JASPER (#133)

Jasper brings to mind the gemstone, which is why the name makes this list. But tradition also gives it to one of the three Wise Men who visited the newborn Jesus in the manger. It means “treasurer” in Hebrew, from a Persian word, though there’s no link between the stone and the job title. The English have used it over the centuries – Jasper Tudor fought in the Wars of the Roses. Jasper makes a great compromise, less classic than James, but not as novel as Jaziel. American artist Jasper Johns lends this name a a pop art cool quotient.

7. RIVER (#112)

Once, River stood out as a wild hippie-gone-Hollywood name, suitable only for young actor River Phoenix. (His siblings? Summer, Rain, Liberty, and Joaquin – formerly known as Leaf.) And then, following Phoenix’s tragic death, a generation grew up and decided it was a downright great name, the masculine equivalent of nature names like Lily. River also picks up on the ends-in-r trend.

6. ATLAS (#101)

While Atlas might be viewed as a nod to the Greek mythological figure, it’s also a book of maps. That ties it to the natural world, and to history and adventure, too. Atlas comes from a Greek word meaning “to endure.” It’s shared with the Atlas Mountains in North Africa.

5. AUGUST (#88)

You might think August belongs with the epic boy names, the Legends and the Mavericks. The Latin augustus means venerable. And yet, it feels like a gentle nature name thanks to the lazy, hazy height of summer month. (The month was, of course, named for ancient ruler Augustus Ceasar.) Celebrated playwright August Wilson also takes this name away from the Roman Empire and in a more creative direction. Homespun nickname Gus adds to the name’s casual, artistic, approachable vibe.

4. KAI (#76)

Kai is imported from … Hawaii. Which isn’t exactly an import, but neither is it a language most of us speak. Despite that, many parents can instantly tell you that Kai refers to the sea. A Lego ninja helped boost the name; so did celebrities and a handful of other uses. Over a dozen possible origins lend Kai other possible meanings, and yet, it owes much of its success to the nature name tie. 

3. ROWAN (#71)

A nearly unisex name, used for boys and girls, Rowan remains slightly more popular for our sons. Maybe that’s because tree names tend to lean masculine. Or because Rowan is an Irish surname, a two-syllable, ends-with-n choice that fits in seamlessly with so many popular picks of recent years. Kevin and Brian gave way to Ryan and Brandon, followed by Aidan, Nolan, and now Rowan. It’s also a color name, since the red berries give the rowan tree its name.

2. BROOKS (#67)

Brooks powered up the most popular boy names in recent years. It owes an awful lot to country music greats Garth Brooks and the (unrelated) duo Brooks & Dunn. But Brooks also sounds like, well, Brooke. And brook, as in babbling, as in another body of water name, right up there with River. It’s much more clearly a surname than most names on this list. Besides the musicians, there’s haberdasher Brooks Brothers, long known for traditional menswear. That pushes Brooks in a different direction, and puts this name on the list of preppy hellraisers. But it’s undeniably a nature name, too, one with a straightforward English origin.

1. LEO (#24)

Leo is the best of both worlds. It’s a short name that stands alone, though longer forms abound. It feels mainstream, even traditional, but still immediately brings to mind the mighty lion. The sparky, upbeat ‘o’ ending makes Leo sound modern, but generations of accomplished men by the name remind us that it is grounded in history. (Tolstoy and Da Vinci qualify as some pretty heavy hitters.) Imports like the Arabic name Laith and Russian Lev are just lion in disguise. Wolf remains rare, but Leo? It’s the most popular nature name for boys by a long shot. 

This post was originally published on September 22, 2017. It was updated and re-published on April 22, 2019; September 12, 2020; June 30, 2021; July 28, 2022; September 5, 2023; September 15, 2024; and February 26, 2026.