Rowan

The rowan tree, with its clusters of small scarlet berries, was planted beside Scottish cottages for centuries to ward off witches — a folk belief strong enough to outlast the witches themselves. The name descends both from that tree, in the Gaelic rùn tradition, and from the Irish Ruadhán, meaning little red one. Rowan Atkinson made it British sitcom furniture; Rowan Williams wore it as Archbishop of Canterbury. The name sits comfortably on boys, girls, and everyone adjacent, currently ranking 71 and given to about one in 369 American babies. Two soft syllables; one mountain ash growing by a kitchen door, berries redder than rose hips.