Have you ever wondered what’s behind the names that express colors, or the reason why people choose to name their children based on their color preferences? People have always found real inspiration in nature and nature elements and their beautiful colors. You can literally find every color of the rainbow in nature and get inspired by the colors of the sunset and sunrise or by the green grass and the trees’ crowns and why not, the blue sky.
Let’s discover together some name meaning that are inspired by colors you can find everywhere around you, by natural colorful elements, such as gems, flowers, trees, or even the color of the land. So, if you are looking for a name, you have plenty of options to choose from, or you can even create your own unique name just by looking around you and let yourself get carried away by the greatest painter in the world, the nature itself.
Names inspired by the color white:
- Bianca – Very popular feminine name that derives from the French name “Blanche” that is also a derivate from the Latin word “blancus” which means “white”, widely used in Europe, where it gained its popularity in the early 2000s. It also has some variants in many cultures and countries: Blanca (Catalan, Spanish), Blanch (English), Blanche (English, French), Branca (Galician, Portuguese), Bianka (German, Polish, Hungarian), Blanka, (Croatian, Czech, Hungarian, Polish, Slovak, Slovene), Bianca (Romanian, Italian). The bearers of this name are usually fun and cheerful persons to surround yourself with, having a strong and playful personality and a positive vibe, that could be influenced by the symbolism of the color white.
- Ivory – Ivory is the material from which the elephant tusks are made of. It’s not a pure white color, but rather a creamy-white color, or pale white, such as our teeth, the white piano keys and the pieces of domino. Since this color is being associated with elephants that have been known for their memory, wisdom and as a symbol of prosperity, the name is linked with purity and innocence. This gender-neutral name and is most preferred in the United States, despite its English origins.
- Jennifer – A feminine given name, derived from the Cornish form of the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar (Guinevere), although it can also be associated with the Old Irish name Findabair. Both names have in common the meaning of “white phantom”, having a strong connection with the significance of the name Jennifer. The name came in use in the 18th century and become trendy during the 20th century, especially in the 1970s. Known and used in other cultures and languages, it has lots of variants on the European continent: Jenifer (Spanish, Cornish), Yenifer (Spanish – Latin American), Jenny (Finnish, Norwegian, Icelandic), Jenna, Jenni (Finnish), Guenièvre (French), Dzsenifer (Hungarian), Gaenor, Gaynor (Welsh).
- Edelweiss – German in origins, this female name derived from two elements edel which means “noble” and weiß which is “white” (“noble white”). It references the mountain flower that is scientifically called Leontopodium nivale (“lion’s paw”), but is most recognized by its German variant Edelweiß. The Anglicized spelling, Edelweiss, is preferred. As this mountain flower is very unique, rare and protected by the state’s law, not only in Germany, but also in Romania, France and Italy, the symbolism of the flower is passed on to the name as rare with a built-in lullaby, usually used nowadays among the groups of botanists.
- Fiona – A feminine given name that has Gaelic origins, associated with Gaelic traditions in Ireland and Scotland. It supposedly comes from a Latinized form of the Gaelic word fionn which can be translated into “white” or “fair”, or an Anglicization of the Irish name Fiona, or can be a derivate from the Scottish Gaelic name Fionnghal. First used in 1761 by the poet James Macpherson in his poem called Fingal, this name had its peak in the 2000s, in Germany, Liechtenstein and United States.
Names related to the color red or pink:
- Scarlett/Scarlet – Feminine popular name in England, Wales and the United States, it is associated with a shade of red color – scarlet. The meanings behind the red color are multiple and have always been associated with passion, joy and courage and today, this name is usually given to red-headed persons. Early on, the name was associated to the other meaning of the word “scarlet”, denomination given to the persons who sold scarlet, a luxury wool cloth produced in Medieval Europe. The name with Arabic or Persian origins (from the word siklāt in Arabic and the word saghrelat in Persian) has entered the popularity scale only in the 21st century, when Scarlett Johansson became a Hollywood star and was very well liked in England and Wales.
- Rubina/Ruby – This name comes from the Latin word rubinus or the Portuguese rubi or the Italian ruby which means “red”. The feminine name, Rubina, used in Italy and Portuguese, has another variant, Ruby(e), which is used in the English-speaking countries and was taken from the gemstone ruby, that came into use in the late Victorian era, in the 19th century. People view this name to be strong, precious and refined, just like the gemstone.
- Poppy – A feminine name, derived from the Old English word popæg, which is the red flower that blooms in late spring, in May. The popularity of this name has fluctuated over the years in the United Kingdom and Wales, or in New Zealand and even Australia. Last year, in 2021 the usage of name Poppy has scaled up, being ranked no 27 in Northern Ireland. The name Poppy feels fresh and modern, despite the symbolism behind the flower which has a deep connection to the World War I, thus we can associate this name with strength and the beauty of sacrifice.
- Sienna/Siena – It derives from the English word “sienna” that comes from the “orange-red” iron-rich clay that could be seen on the rooftops of Siena, a medieval Italian city. Recently, the Princess Beatrice gave her daughter the name “Sienna”, born in 2021 and now the name has gotten the biggest boost of all times. This feminine name feels like a colorful summer sunset in a bohemian and romantic atmosphere.
- Rosie/Rose – Rosie is a well-used English feminine given name and a diminutive form of another English name Rose, with Latin roots. In England, it was introduced in the forms Roese and Rohese and became popular in English and Wales during the early 21st century, but was used even in Victorian times. The meaning of it is undoubtably originated from the beautiful and most desirable flower among women, the rose, due to its significance that can be translated into feelings of love and appreciation. This special name has many variants across the world: Rosa in England, Catalonia, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Holland, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden; Roza in Bulgary, Hungary (Róza), Macedonia, Poland (Róża), Russia, Rosalia/Rosalie in Holland, Italy, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Czech Republic (Rozálie); Rozalia in Romania, Poland, Slovakia (Rozália), Croatia (Rozalija), Rozālija in Latvia, Russia (Rozaliya).
Names shaped by the color green:
- Esmeralda – Trendy name in Mexico, Portugal and Spain, being ranked among other fashionable names for girls, is being linked to the word “emerald”, a green-colored gemstone. It gained its popularity after it was mentioned in Victor Hugo’s novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame that appeared in 1831 and alongside the release of the Disney movie with the same title, in 1996. Other variants of this name are: Smaragda in Greece and Zümra in Turkey. The name is celebrated in Latvia, on the 5th of July.
- Oliva/Olive – Olive derived from the Latin word oliva, which can be simply translated to “olive tree” and came into fashion in the 1800s as a girl name, along with the name Olivia, that is also a very popular name nowadays. The meaning of the olive tree branch is associated with victory, but can also be a symbol of fruitfulness, hence we can anticipate the meaning of the name. Other variants in other languages: Olivie in Czech, Olívia in Hungarian, Oliwia in Polish, Olívia in Portuguese and Slovak and Alivia and Olyvia in English. It feels to me that this name would be a perfect fit for someone who is very peaceful and down-to-earth.
- Sage/Saige/Sange – A unisex given name that has the meaning of “herb” and “prophet”, which can be easily associated with the color green and wisdom. The name could also make reference to the Seven Sages of Greece or Seven Wise Men or the sagebrush plant that was once believed to have healing properties. Saige is the feminine version of this name and is used mostly in English.
- Clover – If you believe in luck, you definitely have heard of the four-leaf clover or the Irish shamrock, due to traditional tales about good fortune. The name ultimately derived from the Old English word clāfre and has increased in usage lately, due to the trend of “cottagecore names”. “Clover” in English is associated to a meadow flower and could definitely be a reference to the color green. Based on a Germanic meaning of the verb “to adhere”, the name Clover stands for an allusion to the adhesive property of clover sap and can be expressed in the phrase “She who clingy loingly”.
- Ivy – With English and Latin origins, the name has the signification of “vine” and derives from the Old English word ifig that denominates a climbing evergreen plant that has small yellow flowers. The word “ivy” sprang in the Greek culture and is known as a symbol of fidelity, eternity and faithfulness. What makes this name so charming is the simplicity of it and is appropriate for nature-loving persons. It’s a very popular female name around England and Wales, being ranked no 6 in 2020.
Do you happen to know names that are related to other colors of the rainbow, such as blue or violet, or even orange? Let us know so we can investigate them in our next articles. We are waiting for your hint. Until then, pick your favorite color and your favorite name from the ones above and tell us why you like it.
