The baby name Poppy comes from the name of a flower that is part of the Papaveraceae family. It is derived from the Old English word popæg.
There are several varieties of poppy flowers, but the type that we are most familiar with are corn poppies, which have bright red petals and black stamens.
Corn poppies have become a symbol of remembrance for the soldiers who have died during wartime, following the trench warfare which took place on the fields of Flanders during the First World War.
Naming your daughter after a flower became increasingly popular in the Victorian era, when a symbolic 'language of flowers' was created.
In the Victorian language of flowers, Poppy is said to mean 'imagination'.Since the turn of the century, the name Poppy has steadily risen in popularity. In the year 2000 it was the 86th most popular name for baby girls, but it rose to become the 13th most popular name for baby girls born in 2012.
Famous people called Poppy:
Poppy Delevigne, model and socialite
Poppy Montgomery, actor
Poppy Jhakra, actor
Surnames to avoid pairing with the name Poppy:
Surnames beginning with an 'E' or 'Y' might cause problems, as when said aloud this combination of sounds may result in elision – when two words slurred together end up sounding like one.
Similar names: Polly (Hebrew) or how about an alternative flower name such as: Azalea, Clover, Daisy, Fern, Heather, Holly, Hyacinth, Ivy, Jasmine, Lily, Rose, Rosemary, Violet or Zinnia.
Masculine variants: Popilius (Shakespearean)
Celebrities who named their baby Poppy:
Jamie Oliver, chef
Anna Paquin, actor
Stephen Moyer, actor