Top Eco-friendly Baby Names in 2024 – David and Emma Lead the Green Brigade!

As the calendar flips over into 2024, the freshest wave of baby name trends arrives – yet this one has an eco-twist! Our new research has unearthed the ‘greenest’ baby names in 2024. And it turns out that if your newborn is named David or Emma they could have a green future.

We analysed 20,000 names from our company’s internal data and looked both at the frequency of the names coming up and the type of ‘green’ request they made. This narrowed down the top 50 most sustainable customer names. Then we cross-referenced our greenest names with BabyCentre’s list of the most popular baby names in 2024.

This determined the most popular baby names for little ones most likely to become eco-warriors and enjoy an environmentally friendly life. Discover the top eco-friendly baby names in 2024 and inspiration for other nature-themed names.

baby sat in a blanket.

Top 20 eco-friendly baby names

David heads up the pack with a significant lead in sustainable practices, according to the latest data. Not only is it still a popular name in 2024 after trending for a few years, but it’s also the name that gets the most enquiries about recycling here at Business Waste. The name has biblical roots and means ‘beloved.’

On the girls’ side, the name most interested in sustainability with the most queries around recycling is by far Emma. It’s also the seventh top-trending name in the UK in 2024 according to BabyCentre. The name originates from the Germanic word ermen, which means ‘whole’ or ‘all-containing.’

Here are the top 20 trending baby names in 2024 that are most likely to care for the environment and lead a sustainable life:

list of top 20 baby names 2024.
olive tree branch.

Naming eco-warriors 
of the future

As we navigate the era of sustainability, nature is inspiring more parents when naming their newborns. People have always chosen names that sound nice but often also have a deeper meaning. These names are both beautiful and seem to be championing the cause of a cleaner and greener tomorrow.

Adam and Maria, both biblically rooted, now sprout new meaning in the green baby name trend. These names are growing in popularity among families who cherish the earth. Zoe, a name with a zest for life and currently in favour, is fast becoming synonymous with a desire to live sustainably.

This list might be a good source of inspiration for new parents who hope their kids will be green advocates for our planet. Other nature-based names from the list that stand out include Hazel, which simply originates from the hazel tree and Oliver, which harks back to the olive tree.

child holding globe with dad behind her.

52 nature-influenced baby names

Our research found the 40 greenest baby names currently in use but there are many more nature-inspired names out there. Some are still very popular, a few are subtle, and others are pretty on the nose. Find further inspiration as new parents with this list of the most beautiful nature-inspired baby names:

list of nature-inspired baby names.

Many of these girls’ names also appear in the top baby names of 2024 according to BabyCentre. These include Aurora (8), Luna (10), Lily (18), Hazel (24), Violet (30), Willow (31), and Ivy (35). Far fewer nature-inspired boys’ names appear though, but there are places for Asher (12), Rowan (62), and Colton (73).

This seems to indicate that parents are more likely to choose a nature-influenced name if they have a daughter. Floral names are especially popular and lend themselves well to baby girls, like Flora, Heather, Jasmine, Lily, and Rose. Being named after seasons is also common for girls, such as Autumn and Summer.

Some of the nature-inspired boys’ names are a bit bolder and many are directly taken from animals – think Falcon, Wolfe, and Hawk. Others like Cliff and Glen are a bit more old-fashioned, but they could make a comeback. It might just be a matter of time and we’ll see more nature-influenced boys’ names in use in the future.

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