Best of… Fruit Baby Names

Parents find name inspiration in what they love, so perhaps it’s no surprise that millennials–also known as the avocado-toast generation–are increasingly naming their babies after food. As foodies ourselves, we can’t say we’re opposed to the food-name trend. 

And as summer comes to an end, we’re feeling a special fondness for the sweet, fresh tastes of the sunny season:  the crunch of an apple, the fragrance of ripe strawberries, the heft of a watermelon at the height of summer, the sight of pink-skinned dragonfruit, and the gorgeous sweetness of dark-red cherries. 

While most of us probably think of Gwyneth Paltrow’s daughter Apple when we think of fruit-inspired baby names, there’s a world of delicious names out there, ripe for the picking. Here are some of our top choices!

Airén

Airén is the name of a Spanish white grape varietal used primarily for wine and brandy making. But it could also be the name of a child! Parents can go with the Spanish pronunciation, which sounds more like AY-REN, or choose the familiar sounding AIR-IN and keep this less common spelling. Fun fact: the word airen means “compassion” in Japanese and “lover” in Mandarin.

Bartlett

The name of one of the most delicious eating pears out there, Barlett also falls into the trending category of last names as first names. A Hebrew name meaning “son of the earth,” Bartlett also has a presidential association–albeit a fictional one–to West Wing president, Josiah Bartlett. As familiar as the surname is, first-name Bartlett has never been in the top 1000 US baby names.

Cara

This lovely and romantic name has either Latin roots (meaning “beloved”) or Gaelic ones (meaning “friend”). A sweet-spot name, Cara has never been too popular nor too obscure, making it a timeless choice. We were inspired here by the red-fleshed Cara Cara orange.

Cavendish

Though we were inspired by the common Cavendish banana in selecting this name, bananas will be the last thing on people’s minds when they hear it. Instead, this aristocratic English name makes us think of explorers and dukes and dashing heroes. And we think Cav and Ven make perfect casual nickname options for this formal-sounding moniker.

Clementine

Clementine is quickly climbing the charts, as it should! With sweet Wild West charm (due to the song “My Darling Clementine” and the John Ford western of the same name), this “cutie” of a name is making a comeback. Most popular in 1911, it’s having a vintage revival after disappearing from the top 1000 in 1953. With its meaning of “merciful, gentle, and mild” and its great nickname in Clem, it has real delicious appeal! 

Courtland

This gender-neutral name is also one of fall’s most striking apples, the bright red and green-topped Courtland. An Anglo-Saxon name in origin, it also has the makings of a name on the rise with its surnamey style. A modern take on the classic name Courtney, Courtland is equal parts pep and prep.

Galia

The galia melon, half cantaloupe and half honeydew, is a hybrid melon developed first in Israel. It shares its place of origin with the name, Galia, which means “wave of God” in Hebrew. It has that appealing -ia ending, but in a completely unexpected name that will bring some freshness to a peer group packed with Sophias and Olivias.

Juniper

We usually don’t think of juniper berries in the traditional sense of fruit, but fruits they are. Besides its use as an ingredient in gin making, though, Juniper has experienced a huge jump in name use over the last ten years. It entered the SSA top 1000 names for the first time in 2011, and has quickly risen to 281. It’s a name with a ton of charm: its connection to nature, its ample possibilities for nicknames, and its meaning of “youth producing” or “evergreen.” We can see why parents, more and more, are selecting this for their babies.

Lingon

Nobody’s naming their babies Lingon, but we want to ask, why not? Inspired by the tart, red, Scandinavian fruit, the lingonberry, we think Lingon has the same degree of cool as the much-adored Lincoln, but with less popularity and some added foodie cred.

Logan

Logan is a top 10 name, and we can’t blame parents for loving it. Taking a huge leap in popularity back in the mid-1970s, this name has not let up since then. Though Logan is a Scottish name that means “small hollow,” we are inspired by its associations here to the raspberry-like loganberry.

Mirabelle

This marvelous French baby name is also the name of the highly sweet yellow-red plum grown in France’s Lorraine region. Beautiful and delicate like the fruit that shares its name, Mirabelle is also a great way to get to the nicknames Mira or Belle.

Persea

Persea isn’t so much a fruit as it is a genus of plants that includes the buttery and beloved avocado. Persea also has Egyptian and nature ties: it was the name of an Egyptian tree sacred to the God Ra. As a baby name, Persea has a musical quality to its sound that we love, and it reminds us just a little bit of Perseus, without the obvious associations.

Quince

Almost Quincy but not, Quince can be more than just a nickname. The name of the golden-toned, aromatic fruit makes a charming baby name as is. For people looking for a biblical connection in their baby name choice, some people think the apple in the Garden of Eden was actually the golden quince (since apples weren’t yet available in the region at the time of the Bible).

Thompson

The Thompson grape has many delicious incarnations: as a ready-to-eat table grape, as a wine grape, and as the basis for golden raisins, also known as sultanas. As a personal name, Thompson has been a lot more common as a last name than as a first name. But parents–even royal ones!–have been loving the -son endings (Jackson, anyone?), and this one is waiting to be discovered.

Valencia

This romantic name comes from the south of Spain, home to the city of Valencia, which is known for its sweet oranges (though the Valencia orange hybrid was actually developed in Southern California). Meaning “healthy and strong,” the name also has a religious tie. It is derived from the name of St. Valentine.

Yubari

Yubari is a place name with potential as a first name. A Japanese city located in the Sorachi Subprefecture, the city is well known for the delicious (and expensive) melons that share its name. They are sometimes sold for upwards of $20,000! Yubari also has pop culture associations. Quentin Tarantino fans may recognize the name from Kill Bill Vol. 1’s killer schoolgirl, Gogo Yubari.

That’s our list of fruit baby names. Would you ever name your baby after a fruit? Other foodies out there, tell us what you think. And give us your juicy picks!