Parents famously draw baby name inspiration from a variety of sources ― including edible ones.
Over the years, fruit and vegetable names such as Apple and Kale have appeared in the popularity charts and on celebrity birth certificates. But spices and herbs are also finding new life in the form of baby names. Think classics like Ginger and Rosemary, as well as more obscure picks like Cayenne and Anise.
Below, we’ve rounded up 21 herb and spice names that parents have chosen for their children and the number of newborns who were given each name in 2019 in the US – the most recent year available in the Social Security Administration’s data.
Basil (71 boys, 28 girls)
Thyme (six boys)
Saffron (26 girls)
Sage (666 boys, 1,164 girls)
Anise (10 girls)
Ginger (57 girls)
Pepper (144 girls)
Rosemary (760 girls)
Cayenne (10 girls)
Clove (six girls)
Mace (60 boys)
Juniper (22 boys, 1,526 girls)
Curry (12 boys)
Cassia (54 girls)
Poppy (628 girls)
Lavender (114 girls)
Jasmine (2,092 girls)
Bay (seven boys, 15 girls)
Rue (41 girls)
Angelica (508 girls)
Yarrow (six girls)