Yummy Baby Names Worthy of a Feast
Food can easily become an obsession when you’re having a baby — whether you’re pregnant or raising a little one, it’s pretty much a constant topic on your mind. It makes sense, then, that food winds up inspiring many baby names, in many languages and traditions.
But if you’re considering a baby name that refers to food or drink, we suggest you proceed with caution. These are names that can be absolutely beautiful, enchanting, and adorable. But they can also veer into cliché territory, or sound just exactly like the musings of a pregnant lady with a craving (or who really misses booze). We also don’t want it to seem like you’re naming the food baby that temporarily formed in your belly after having seconds at dinner (unless that’s what you thought this article was about, in which case, what do you think of “Pork Tacos”?).
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That’s why we combed through some popular and unusual baby names to come up with the following list of drink and food baby names that are timeless as they are appetizing.
Food-inspired names for girls
For some reason there are far more choices of names based on food for girls than for boys. It’s going to take some sociologists, gender studies scholars, and historians to figure out why, but here we are.
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Amandine (French for “much-loved,” and an almond garnish)
Anara (Persian for pomegranate flower)
Apple (If Gwyneth can do it, so can you.)
Brandy (one of the few boozy names that doesn’t sound tacky)
Brie (It’s not just the runny French cheese, but also a region of France.)
Cassia (This is both a Greek name and an East Asian evergreen tree whose bark is similar to cinnamon.)
Cereza/Cerisse (Spanish or French for “cherry”)
Clementine (The sweet fruit is timeless as a name, too.)
Coco (Whether you want to refer to coconuts or cocoa, this is a very cute double-syllable name.)
Dulce/Dolce (The Spanish and Italian words are far preferable to naming your child Candy.)
Fabiana (Latin for bean farmer, which is something that really just sounds better in Latin.)
Ginger (The spicy herb makes a classic name, no red hair necessary.)
Harissa (The North African chili paste sounds as good as it tastes.)
Honey (This is one way to skip straight to the term of endearment.)
Juniper (This is a good botanical name that’s also a very subtle nod to gin.)
Lavender (evoking the flower, tea, and its color all in one)
Lilikoi (a Hawaiian passion fruit)
Malina (This name has a few different meanings in different languages, but in Slavic languages it means “raspberry.”)
Marsala (a city in Sicily and the wine from there)
Miel (“honey” in Spanish)
Nori (Japanese seaweed snack)
Olive (a simple alternative to Olivia)
Peach (less cutesy than Peaches)
Pepper (so spicy!)
Plum (fruity without being too common)
Pomona (Latin for “orchard fruit”)
Poppy (the flower and the seed and the Troll)
Rosemary (This herb and flower name was popular in our grandparents’ era, so it’s due for a comeback.)
Saffron (the colorful spice suits a colorful person)
Food-inspired names for boys
Though this harvest is spare, we picked some fresh names for your boy.
Anjou (formerly a French province and a name from Shakespeare, also a type of pear)
Basil (It means “kingly,” but makes us think of pesto.)
Bran (Welsh and Celtic “raven,” as well as something we like in our cereal)
Chip (literally means “man,” but is also a food we couldn’t live without, whether it’s chocolate or potato!)
Colby (“dark village,” an actual village in England, and also the cheese)
Graham (like the delicious crackers, without which s’mores wouldn’t be possible)
Iskender (The Turkish form of Alexander is also a popular lamb kebab.)
Minze (German for “mint”)
Quince (the fruit is also the name of a Midsummer Night’s Dream character)
Reichan (Hebrew for “basil plant”)
Reuben (means “behold, a son” … but is also the name of a very tasty sandwich!)
Ringo (“apple” in Japanese)
Rye (an alternative to Ryan)
Sorrel (both French for “reddish brown” and a delicious Jamaican flower tea)
Taro (Japanese for “big boy” and also the starchy root)
Tarragon (The herb sounds majestic somehow.)
Thyme (Just prepare your kid for puns.)
Food-inspired gender-neutral names
Many of the names above also work for any gender, but here are some more that can go either way.
Anise (only if you like the taste of licorice)
Baker (not meant to prophesy your kid’s career)
Barley (the grain makes for a happy name)
Bean (more likely a great nickname or middle name, like Frances Bean Cobain)
Caraway (a tasty seed that offers an alternative to Kara)
Clove (an aromatic flower and a Hunger Games character)
Coriander (the herb and its seeds have a musical sound)
Cress (a green herb that’s less pretentious than Cressida)
Kale (if you really love your greens)
Sage (wise and tasty!)
These celebrities turned to so many unique sources of inspiration for their baby names.
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