From naming flowers to moss, spores and fungus, this powerful plant name generator will give you name ideas for thousands of different fantasy plants. Simply click the ‘Random’ button to get a random plant name idea.
Generally, all plants have a scientific name and a common name. Their scientific plant name is normally in the form of a Latin word. The common version normally describes the plant’s appearance or features. This is the same for when you are generating a new species of any kind – Take a look at our species name generator.
For example, ‘Gaultheria procumbens’, the scientific name for Wintergreen, is also known as the teaberry or checkerberry. This is a green bush or shrub plant with bright red berries. During the winter this shrub’s leaves form a beautiful red tint on them. In Latin ‘Gaultheria’ means an evergreen shrub, and ‘procumbens’ means falling forward or sinking. Both Latin words represent the appearance of the ‘Gaultheria procumbens’ or Wintergreen shrub.
Here’s a challenge for you: Pick at least ten names from our generator and create your own fantasy plant field guide. In this field guide, you can draw a picture of each plant, along with a detailed written description. You might also find our forest name generator useful.
What can I name my plant?
When it comes to made-up plant names, you need to start with the appearance of your plant. It may help to draw a picture of this plant before naming it. After you have the image of your fantasy plant, you can note down its key features, as well as a description of the plant’s appearance. Finally, you need to summarise this plant description into two or three words, this will form the common name of your plant.
Take, for example, a yellow flower with blue spots that could be named:
- Blue Speckle
- Yellow-rain
- Blue-pin
- Yellow-sky
- blue-point
You can use our printable plant name generator below to create your very own made-up plant name using your name:
How do you make a flower name?
In most cases, the scientific flower name follows the following format: the genus and the specific epithet. The genus is a category of species. While the epithet is an adjective to describe the plant or flower. Take the Digitalis purpurea as an example. ‘Digitalis’ is Latin for finger or thimble plant. While ‘purpurea’ is Latin for purple.
When it comes to common name alternatives for flowers, there are no naming rules in particular. Instead, the name generally describes the appearance of the flower. The lack of rules in common names means that a single flower could have several common name variations. For example, the common names for the Digitalis purpurea include:
- Foxglove
- Bloody bells
- Fox’s finger
- Lion’s mouth
- Lady’s thimble
- Dragon’s mouth
- Cow Flop
- And so on…
What is the weirdest name for a plant?
Some of the weirdest and funniest plant names we discovered include:
- Sneezewort (Achillea ptarmica)
- Mother-in-law’s tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata)
- Monkey puzzle tree (Araucaria araucana)
- cow flop (Digitalis purpurea)
- Sneezeweed (Helenium ‘Rubinzwerg’)
- Golden creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’)
- bottlebrush buckeye (Aesculus parviflora)
- Bluebeard (Caryopteris)
How do you write common names for plants?
There are no strict naming rules for common plant names. Some techniques for providing common names for plants include:
- Describe the plant’s appearance in one or two words. For example, sunburst or red knotweed.
- Name the plant after a person. Common examples include King George, Plum Victoria or Bishop of Llandaff.
- A mix of techniques 1 and 2. Take, for example, Paddy’s Pride, Elton Knight, or Rose of Sharon.
- A random adjective and noun that makes you think of the plant. For example, Blue Pearl, WInter Sun or Disco Orange.
Take for example if you wanted to name a venus fly trap. You could consider the following name ideas:
- Green Snap
- Fly Hole
- Venom Mouth
- Spike Mouth
- Feisty Smile
- Deadly Smile
- Victor’s Trap
- Victoria’s Smile
As you can see in some way these name ideas relate to the venus fly trap plant.
What is the prettiest flower name?
All flowers are beautiful. But some flower names are prettier than others. Here are our top ten prettiest flower names:
- Rose
- Lily
- Cherry Blossom
- Daisies
- Poppies
- Freesia
- Sunflowers
- Morning Glory
- Zinnias
- Dahlia
Random Fantasy Plant Name Ideas
Here is our mega list of the best mythical plant names – Which one is your favourite?
Common Names:
- Fire Foot
- Yellow Daisy
- Sun Spear
- Water Peony
- Cliff Poppy
- Goose Fieldcress
- Garden Eye
- Summer Stonecrop
- Red Clove
- Dream Thimbleweed
- Horse Fluxroot
- Bear Horn
- Meadow Bell
- Duck’s Cacti
- Toxic Pilewort
- Goat Needle
- Germ Whitehill
- Angel Claw
- Sun Nut
- Snake’s Fieldcress
- Spike Spear
- River Fruit
- Witch’s Orchid
- Horse Hedge
- Duck’s Weed
- Echo Weed
- Dog’s Pine
- Poison Tulip
- King’s Crimson
- Poison Saffron
- Germ Weed
Latin Names:
- Rubrumacus
- Noxarbor
- Xanthopisum
- Hortbulbus
- Ostreaflorus
- Daemonpisum
- Stellabacca
- Caecarpus
- Ursanthus
- Somnicanthus
- Lasiflos
- Aestaarbor
- Apisflorus
- Apisroot
- Canibulbus
- Murarbor
- Diasci
- Oviacus
- Heiflorus
- Ovicanthus
- Macrarbor
- Ignisgramen
- Polypisum
- Cruetam
- Cruecanthus
Did you find this random plant name generator useful? Let us know in the comments.
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