Earth Day Baby Names

Milkvetch. Wallflower. Toothwart.

Yes, the Earth is indeed a wellspring for baby names.

Actually I skipped those. Here are a few favorites culled– believe it or not– from endangered species lists. Morbid as that may seem, I promise they’re quite nice! Famous conservationists and a few other notables help bring it back down to Earth. I’d love to see Audubon or Fossey as firsts or to meet an all-American infant Sigurd.

Truly though, the names are of minor importance. Gasp! The most we can hope for is that our children do better than we did.

FAMOUS CONSERVATIONISTS

John James Audubon

Rachel Carson

Jeff Corwin

Jacques Cousteau

Dian Fossey

Buckminster Fuller

Jane Goodall

Julia Butterfly Hill

Steve Irwin

Aldo Leopold

Chico Mendes

John Muir

Frederick Law Olmsted

Sigurd F. Olson

Peter Simon Pallas

Henry David Thoreau

EMBLEMS OF THE EARTH

GIRLS

Anona- Roman goddess of the harvest

Avani- Sanskrit, “earth”

Ceres- Ancient Roman, “to grow”, Roman goddess of agriculture

Demeter- Greek, “earth mother”, Greek goddess of agriculture

Flora- Roman goddess of flowers

Gaia- Greek, “earth”, and the goddess of the earth

Georgia, Georgina, Georgianna- Greek, “farmer”

Kun- Chinese, “earth”

Luna- Roman goddess of the moon

Maia- Roman goddess of Spring

Perpetua- Latin, “continuous”

Terra- Latin, “earth”

Zoe- Greek, “life”

BOYS

Adam- Hebrew, debated meaning; man formed from the Earth

Asa- Hebrew, “healer”

Chayim- Hebrew, “life”

Enki- Sumerian, “lord of the earth”, god of water and wisdom

Francis- Italian saint reknowned for his connection to animals

George- Greek, “farmer, earthworker”

Pax- Latin, “peace”

Vitus- Ancient Roman, from the latin for “life”

Zephyr- Greek god of the west wind

ANIMAL (proceed with caution)

Akialoa

Anemone

Bear

Bison

Caribou

Condor

Crane

Delphine

Eagle

Eider

Gazelle

Lynx

Nightingale

Ocelot

Peregrine

Rhea

Warbler

Wren

Wolf

VEGETABLE

Aster

Azalea

Banyan

Birch

Briar

Bryony

Cicely

Clementine

Clover

Columbine

Crocus

Cypress

Elm

Fern

Hazel

Huckleberry

Hyssop

Indigo

Juniper

Maple

Oak

Phlox

Plum

Primrose

Reed

Rosemary

Rosette

Sage

Sedge

Sorrel

Spruce

Thistle

Verbena

Willow

Yarrow

MINERAL (a rather Soap-Operatic category)

Bay

Coral

Earth, Eartha

Flint

Jasper

Marina

Obsidian

Ocean, Oceane

Onyx

Peter, Petra

Reef

Ridge

Slate

Solstice

Stone

There are so many Earth names, this could go on for days. Did I miss your favorite?