Magnolia is the flowering tree, named by Linnaeus after the French botanist Pierre Magnol, so as a name it means simply "magnolia blossom". The tree is a symbol of the American South and the state flower of Mississippi and Louisiana, and the name has a lush, romantic sound with the nickname Maggie or Nola. Magnolia ranked number 2203 in 2000, entered the top 1000 in 2013 and has climbed from number 635 in 2015 to number 124 in 2025.