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Millennials are naming their babies after plants and now they're going to top the 2019 list.

From pot plants taking over millennial homes to featuring on desks in classrooms, it seems everyone’s obsessed with #plantlife; including new parents, who are increasingly using botanical-themed names for their children.

And no, we’re not just talking about Gwyneth and Apple.

According to a report from trend analysts McCrindle, in the top 100 names given to babies in Australia for 2019, three out of five of the most popular girls’ names were nature-inspired.

How to pick the perfect baby name. Post continues after audio.

The report predicts, for example, that Jasmine, Olive, Ivy and Willow are set to surge in popularity in the next year.

Once the preserve (pun intended) of celebrities, it seems more parents are willing to go out on a limb (ahem) to make not only their homes, but also their families, ‘green’.

“Of the top five girls’ names that most significantly increased in popularity in the 2010s, three had a botanical theme,” Ashley Fell, Social Researcher at McCrindle, told Mamamia.

“In contrast, no top 100 boys’ names have botanic influences.”

Fell explained the reasoning behind the findings.

“The parents of our emerging generation today, our Generation Alphas – the label given to the generation under 10 – are ‘the Millennials’ or the Gen Y’s (those aged between 25 and 39).

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“The Millennials are a generation that have been impacted by social change and activism, with many giving consideration to the environment in their purchases, to even being inspired by botanic themes when naming their children.”

Brace yourself: Reddit reveal the worst baby names they’ve ever heard. Post continues after video. 

But Fell explained that the names, although somewhat whimsical, are still carefully chosen.

“Another trend that coincides with the botanical theme is for parents to choose names for their daughters that are softer-sounding. Softer-sounding names for girls and firmer-sounding names for boys is an ongoing trend in Australian baby names.

“Not only do the girls’ names have more syllabus on average, but they also are more likely or start and end with vowels (Willow, Ivy, Lily, Poppy, Daisy, Rose, Jasmine and Olive all end with a vowel sound).”

Fell also explained that this generation of new parents feel empowered to choose non-traditional names, in a way that celebrities, such as the ones we list below, have always felt.

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“Prior to the 1980s, when baby name books started to emerge, the only names used were ones that people had commonly heard of and were aware of,” she said.

“However, in the last decade, there has been an explosion of blogs, websites and social media influencers that are all inspiring how Australian parents name their children.”

Here are the other names which ranked on the report, and in brackets, the celebrities who’ve used those names:

10. Willow (Will Smith)

18. Ivy (Beyonce has Blue Ivy)

22. Lily (Johnny Depp has Lily Rose)

39. Violet (Emily Blunt)

41. Poppy (Jamie Oliver)

47. Daisy (Olivia Wilde)

56. Rose (Rachel Bilson has Briar Rose)

63. Jasmine (Dwayne The Rock Johnson)

79. Olive (Drew Barrymore)

Sydney mum Hazel, who has three daughters, Iris, Jasmine and Poppy, explained her personal reasons behind her choices.

“There’s something very peaceful about botanical names,” she said.

“I was named after my grandmother, so mum didn’t name me after a flower, but I made a conscious decision to do that with my girls.

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“People always comment that the girls have ‘pretty’ names, but to me it was more about being natural and connected to the Earth, rather than giving, for example, a Biblical name.”

Being uncommon, but also a real name, was important to Hazel.

“My name isn’t very common, and I grew up liking how different it was. I wanted that for my daughters, I think it makes their names as people special.”

Nature seems to have inspired baby names in the UK, too.

Nameberry, a website devoted to everything to do with baby names, has listed Poppy as its ninth most popular girls’ baby name, Lily at 11th, Ivy at 15th, and Willow at 18th.

They’ve also released the most popular nature-inspired baby names according to their research; Apple, Buttercup, Camellia, Cedar, Clover, Dahlia, Hazel, Iris, Lavender, Peach and Sage.

If you’re thinking that perhaps many of these names seem more like traditional girls’ names, here are some nature-inspired ideas for boys: Phoenix, River, Aspen, Denver, Juniper, Rain, Solstice and Sterling.

Nama Winston has had a decade-long legal career (paid), and a decade-long parenting career (unpaid). Now a Mamamia Contributor and freelance writer, Nama uses her past experience as a lawyer to discuss everything from politics, to parenting. You can follow her on Instagram: @namawinston and Facebook: @NamaWinston.