75 Desert Names Inspired by the Desert Landscape
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Finding a name inspired by the desert for your little one can be a creative way to come up with a unique and meaningful name.
Nature-inspired names like desert names are gaining popularity in recent years. The wide-open spaces of the desert, paired with its distinct arid weather, give way to inspiration for many brilliant names. The desert is also home to a variety of fauna and flora for ideas!
Did you know that not all deserts are hot? Antarctica is actually considered a cold desert! Ed Sheeran, an English musician, actually named his daughter Lyra Antarctica in 2020. A desert is defined as a place that receives less than ten inches of precipitation (rain) a year, whether that place is hot or cold.
Below you’ll find desert names for boys and girls as well as sand and desert-themed names inspired by the plant life, desert towns, and even the feelings the deserts bring out in us!
Desert Names for Girls
![dad and baby girl in the desert](/sites/default/files/inline-images/dad-baby-girl-desert.jpg)
Discover the beauty and strength in nature with these enchanting desert-inspired names for girls. From names evoking sand dunes to those reflecting the serenity of desert sunsets, each name captures a sense of resilience and grace ideal for any little girl.
- Amaterasu - Japanese name, goddess of the sun.
- Angola - Located on the west coast of South Africa, this place is another known for their deserts.
- Ari - Hebrew name, means lion, lions are one of the animals in the Sahara Desert.
- Arizona - From the state in North America, an obvious yet fitting name for your baby girl.
- Asia - Greek, means "Sunrise."
- Atacama - Named after the driest desert in the world from Chile.
- Bast - An Egyptian goddess, daughter of the sun god and associated with protection and cats.
- Boa - After a desert rosy boa snake that lives in the Mojave Desert.
- Bosa - Old English name meaning "clearing or glade."
- Cleopatra - Greek, can shorten to "Cleo", like the Egyptian Queen!
- Daenerys - Popularized by Game of Thrones, "lady of light" or "lady of hope", the character spent plenty of time crossing deserts.
- Dykuma - Lithuanian name for "desert."
- Gila - After the river that runs through New Mexico and Arizona.
- Hesperia - Greek, "land of the setting sun."
- Johona - Navajo name meaning "the sun."
- Kalahari - This is the name of a desert in Africa meaning "the great thirst."
- Kuuma - Finnish for "hot."
- Leona - Latin, "lion."
- Magdalena - Part of the Sonoran Desert.
- Namibia - For the Namib Desert, the oldest in the world.
- Nevada - Another state in North America where desert covers land.
- Phaedra - Greek, meaning "bright", like the sun in the desert.
- Pyla - After the largest sand dune in Europe.
- Sahara - The largest hot desert in the world, found in North Africa's Morocco.
- Sandy/Sandra - Another obvious choice for desert lovers.
- Savannah - Spanish, means "treeless plain" but definitely makes us think of the South.
- Seri - Named after an indigenous tribe that's associated with Sonoran Desert.
- Sinai - Hebrew, "from the clay desert."
- Sonora - A Mexican state bordered by Chihuahua Desert means "pleasant sounding."
- Sunny/Sunshine - Obvious choice, this is a beautiful name for a baby girl that lights up your life.
- Tomesha - Native American name, means "ground afire."
Desert Names for Boys
![little boy in desert](/sites/default/files/inline-images/little-boy-desert.jpg)
Embrace the rugged charm and adventurous spirit with these distinctive desert-inspired names for boys. Each name carries a sense of vast landscapes, warmth, and mystery, perfect for parents seeking a unique and evocative moniker for their son.
- Addax - After the white antelope that runs the desert in Africa.
- Altan - Mongolian name meaning "golden." just like that desert sun!
- Audun - Means "deserted."
- Auraq - Also from Pakistan meaning "sand or dust colored."
- Aster - After the Mojave aster plant.
- Barren - Speaks to the emptiness of the desert.
- Basin - After the Great Basin National Park in the desert of Nevada.
- Brick - You can't make bricks without sand!.
- Clay - Can have a lot of different meanings, but for this piece, we'll equate it with the sands covering the desert!.
- Darwin - Only the strongest survive the desert!
- Edan - Hebrew, means "fire."
- Erden - Also from Mongolia meaning "treasure."
- Gobi - Indian name meaning "happy."
- Grannus - The Celtic god of fire and sun, great for a strong baby boy.
- Hopper - Named after the locusts that populate the desert world.
- Jack - After the jackrabbits that run around in the deserts.
- Javier - Spanish, meaning "bright."
- Joshua - This name can be common, but it might surprise you to find out that the Joshua Tree National Park is a place you can go to visit both the Mojave and Colorado deserts at once!.
- Kahli - From the biggest desert of the Arabian Peninsula, this means "eternal."
- Khufu - After the great Egyptian pharaoh.
- Lawrence - Inspired by Lawrence of Arabia. A great choice for boys!.
- Marudeva - Hindi, "lord of the desert."
- Molopo - Named after the river running through the Kalahari Desert.
- Moreno - Spanish name, can be shortened to "Reno." for the city in Nevada or means "brown haired."
- Nero - Latin, "powerful".
- Ordos - A desert in China.
- Oryx - A species of gazelle that lives in some deserts.
- Rayan - From Pakistan meaning "brilliant"; "bright, and radiant."
- Rocky - Most desert lands are rock.
- Saguaro - When you think of a cactus, the saguaro cactus is the common one to come to mind. It would make for a unique baby boy name!
- Soloman - "Man of peace."
- Thar - After the Thar Desert in Pakistan, "ice."
- Tucson - A state in Arizona, a desert state.
- Yemen/Yamin - A country in south Saudi Arabia, this comes from the Arabic word for "South." which is often associated with heat.
Gender-Neutral Names That Mean Desert
![Young mother playing with her son on vacation in the dunes](/sites/default/files/inline-images/mom-baby-desert-dunes.jpg)
Explore the allure of gender-neutral names inspired by the desert landscape. These names carry a sense of tranquility, independence, and natural beauty, making them a perfect choice for those seeking a name that transcends traditional gender norms while reflecting the captivating essence of the desert.
- Acacia - Greek, “thorny tree.”
- Arid - Describes the dry air of the desert.
- Jordan - A river that runs through the desert-like plains of Israel.
- Phoenix - After the mythical bird and means “deep red."
- Ryn - Welsh name, “ruler”, like the many ancient rulers of the deserts.
- Sage - After the common desert sage that grows wild despite the environment.
- Sphinx - Like the great sphinx found in the deserts of Egypt!
- Tequila - The name may be very different, but if you’re a fan of the stuff, it’s made from the agave plant that grows in the desert!
- Thorn - For obvious reasons, this an ode to those prickly cactus.
- Zuni - Native American name, “beauty” after the Zuni tribe in New Mexico.
Why Choose a Desert Name for Your Baby?
![mom and son in African desert](/sites/default/files/inline-images/mom-son-desert-Africa.jpg)
Whether you’re looking for a desert name to remind you of your favorite trail, are in love with succulents, or just want something different for your little one, we’ve compiled a list of the best baby names for girls and boys inspired by the desert to help!
“I have always loved the desert. One sits down on a desert sand dune, sees nothing, hears nothing. Yet through the silence something throbs, and gleams...”
― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince[1]
For more baby name inspiration check out these popular baby name lists:
- 75 Earthy Boy Names for Your Little One
- Top 1,000 Most Popular Baby Girl Names in the U.S
- Top 1,000 Most Popular Baby Boy Names in the U.S
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