For prospective parents

Here's a great idea to help you choose a name: the baby name test drive. (http://babynamegenie.com/)

Baby Name Test Drive Link

Just type in the first and last name and you will be given realistic sentences to say out loud. It will help you decide if the name sounds right.

Forest

Here's one of my personal favorites, although I'm surprised I still like it after seeing Forrest Gump so often (thanks Dad). In fact, the name peaked in popularity for the second time the year the movie was released, jumping to number #217 in 1994. 1899 was the first peak. Forest doesn't have an obvious nickname, but it's one of those names you enjoy saying without having to shorten it. Forest is Old French, meaning "woods." A famous namesake is St. John Forest of the 16th century, and another is actor Forrest Whittaker. This name can be spelled Forest or Forrest. The version Forrest seems more popular for boys, but I prefer the direct spelling. In 2011 there were 160 baby boys named Forrest with two R's, ranking just outside the top 1000. Just under that was Forest with one R, with 84 baby boys given the name last year.

Here are some other male names with "forest" in their meaning...

Arden - "great forest"
Boyce - "forest"
Dagwood - "shining forest"
Fraser - "of the forest men"
Heywood/Haywood - "hedged forest"
Holt - "woods, forest"
Keith - "woodland, forest"
Kimberly - "Cyneburg's meadow" (Cyneburg means "royal forest")
Kirkwood - "church forest"
Lockhart - "deer from the forest"
Lockwood - "forest near the fortified place"
Morio - "forest boy"
Ranger - "forest guardian"
Rinji - "peaceful forest"
Sherwood - place name from Robin Hood
Silas - "forest"
Silvan/Sylan, Silvano/Sylvano, Silverio, Silvio & Silvanus/Sylvanus - "forest"
Upwood - "upper forest"
Waldo - "woods, forest"
Waldwick - "village in the forest"
Yaar - "forest"

Similarly, here are male names that mean "wood/woods"...

Ainsley - "only hermitage wood or clearing"
Atwood - "at the wood"
Bosley - "meadow near the woods"
Boston - "town by the woods" (place name)
Boswell - "well near the woods"
Bosworth - "fenced farm near the woods"
Burl - "knotty wood"
Calhoun - "the narrow woods"
Carden - "wood carder" (occupation name)
Carver - "one who carves wood" (occupation name)
Covert - place name that refers to a small area of woods that gives shelter to game
Coy - "woods"
Culley - "the woods"
Deodar - "divine wood"
Early - "eagle wood" (also a word)
Elwood/Ellwood - "noble wood"
Farley - "fern wood"
Fleetwood - "woods with the stream"
Glade - refers to a clearing in the woods
Greenwood - "green wood"
Grimshaw - "dark woods"
Griswold - "grey woods"
Guy - "wood"
Harwood - "wood of the hares"
Hazelwood - "wood of hazel trees"
Holt - "woods"
Locke - "woods"
Marwood - "lake near the woods"
Norwood - "woods in the north"
Oswald - "man from the south woods"
Renshaw - "raven woods"
Roscoe - "deer wood"
Sawyer, Sayer & Turner - "wood worker" (occupation name)
Shaw - "wood"
Sherwood - "luminous wood"
Stanwood - "stone woods'
Waldorf - "village in the woods"
Winwood - "friend's woods"
Woodrow - "row of houses by the wood"
Woodson - "wood's son"
Woodward - "warden of the woods"

Silvester/Sylvester - "wooded"

Camellia: Perfect for tea lovers

Cultivated camellia flowers

Camellia sinensis (tea plant)

Whether I included Camellia in my "new nature names" post or not, it is the perfect name for tea lovers and nature name lovers. Most people are aware that the camellia, native to Asia, is a flowering plant, known for its pretty pink blooms, but the camellia sinensis is what produces tea leaves. There is a difference between the two kinds of camellia (any many more varieties), one difference being that camellias grown for their flowers are often hybrids or cultivated. A little known fact is that camellias are evergreens.

Fun fact: Camellia in Japanese is Tsubaki, also used as a girl's name. Camellia has always been a rare name. In 2010 there were 28 baby girls named Camellia and 22 spelled with only one L, Camelia (which to me seems a little too "camel"). There were also similar names - 11 Camella and 15 Camillia. In 2011 there were 33 baby girls named Camellia and 22 spelled Camelia. Camellia comes with the cute and kind of rare nickname Cammy.

Clelia

St. Clelia

Clelia, used in the Italian film Le Amiche and several other movies, also the name of several Italian actresses such as Clelia Rondinella, Clelia Bernacchi, and Clelia Matania. This is pronounced CLAY-lee-ah, and was the name of Dr. Clelia Duel Mosher, a Victorian era female doctor who researched sexual knowledge before Kinsey and commented on the dangers of Victorian sexual beliefs with evidence in tow. The name is derived from the Latin name Cloelia meaning "illustrious, famous," which seems dead-on considering all the famous Clelia's. Clelia Barbieri was an Italian saint, the youngest founder of a religious community in Catholic history, and Clelia Strepponi was an opera singer. Cloelius was a Roman family name. Also, Cloelia was the name of a female hostage given to the Etruscans by the Romans, who was able to escape by swimming the Tiber.

The New Nature Baby Names

Hawthorn berries

I have rounded up a bunch of nature names, some old classics and some that would shock grandma. Feel free to comment with any I might have missed.

Trees:
Acacia
Sequoia
Magnolia
Birch
Pine
Cedar
Timber
Cypress
Maple
Juniper
Linden
Olive
Hickory
Franklin
Rowan
Ash
Aspen
Oak
Poplar
Spruce
Willow
Hazel
Senna
Myrtle
Mimosa
Laurel
Jacaranda
Holly
Cherry
Bay
Cassia
Quince
Banyan
Alder
Balsam
Ornella
Oren
Alona
Ilana
Linnea
Tilia
Elowen

Plants:
Clover
Fern
Bryony/Briony
Thistle
Poinsettia
Ren
Lotus

Flowers:
Jasmine
Jessamine
Rose
Lily
Tigerlily
Freesia
Lilac
Wisteria
Lavender
Celandine
Plumeria
Violet
Amaryllis
Azalea
Blossom
Flower
Petal
Bluebell
Camellia
Dahlia
Tulip
Tansy
Primrose
Marigold
Iris
Forsythia
Gardenia
Hyacinth
Chrysanthe
Amarantha
Poinsettia
Pansy
Poppy
Petunia
Briar Rose

Water:
Cascada/Cascade
Ocean, Oceana
Caspian, Caspia
Lake
River
Bayou
Cove
Shellina
Isla
Coral
Rain
Bay
Rialta
Laguna
Rio
Kai
Lucerne
Marina
Delta

Herbs & Spices:
Cayenne
Coriander
Basil & Basilia
Sage
Paprika
Pepper
Chamomile
Clove
Lavender
Mint
Saffron
Caraway
Sorrel
Tarragon
Rosemary
Ginger

Fruits:
Plum
Pomeline
Lilikoi
Lemon
Pomona
Cherry

Birds:
Finch
Nightingale
Starling
Sparrow
Avis
Linnet
Swan
Feather
Lark
Oriole
Raven
Falcon
Fox
Dove
Robin
Columba
Wren
Aquilina

Celestial (excluding planets, constellations & star names)
Nova
Star
Moon

Animals:
Wolf
Bear
Tiger
Cricket
Hawk
Peregrine
Heron
Sable
Mink
Epona, Eponine
Felina

Extra:
Cloud
Ember 
Cinder
Meadow
Midnight
North
Ravine
Forest
Silvana
Cotton
Heather
Moss
Fennel
Snow
Dawn
Fauna
Fawn
Ivy
Prairie
Frost
Stone
Kelda

A Lesson in English

I understand that a lot of parents spell names in a way that is supposed to make them easier to pronounce, or to spell the name like it actually sounds (phonetics), but sometimes the end result is even more confusing. Here are a few examples, but know that there are so many more.

Bradyn #815 Unlike Brayden, #37, Bradyn would sound more like Brad-in, as in Bradley. Without that y after the first three letters, it’s not as intended.

Izayah #816 With the real name Isaiah being spelled with an S, not to mention how easily recognizable Isaiah is, there’s really no need to spell it like this. It comes across sounding more like Iz-ah-yah.

Aaden #797 Why it was necessary to spell it like Aaron, I do not know, considering how hugely popular Aiden is. Then again, there’s Ayden, Aden, Aidyn and Aidan, so why not? Oh, right, because it’s not Aaron.

So, folks, my suggestion is to edit your baby names like you would edit a professional paper, the first step being spelling, the second being comprehension. Would you turn in a paper to your boss that only had phonetics? No. Would your college professor give you a perfect score if he couldn't understand your paper? No. I understand naming a baby is not equal to writing a polished report, but it is similar. You want the finished, polished paper (baby name) you share with those who read (hear/see) it to be understood and well liked. I'm not saying everyone will like your paper (baby name), but at least they will be able to digest it without having issues.

Gwen

This post has been edited on August 24, 2012.
I'll be blunt. I am at a point where I love Guinevere and Gwendolen so much, as individual names, that if I have to see Gwen as a nickname for Guinevere one more time, I'll scream. I understand that Guin and Gwen share the same root, but the spelling for each nickname is so different, and Guin is pronounced gwin, and Gwen, obviously gwen. It's not Gwenivere, thanks, and no better than smushes. Gwendolyn is barely tolerable, in my opinion. On another note, Gwenna is pretty interesting, as is Gwendoline.