US Popularity Rank: 11843

Origin: Greek

Meaning: Thistly plant

Cynara is a Greek girl's name meaning "thistly plant" after the thorny bush—an almost poetic juxtaposition as the Cynara plant blooms into a striking purple flower. This rebel plant survives against all odds in the most breathtaking but harsh landscapes of the Middle East and North West Africa. Baby will be as resilient and uncompromising in their beliefs as their namesake. Cynara is also the object of love and admiration in the poet Ernest Dowson’s devastatingly beautiful work.