From the herb name sorrel, ultimately from French, and also linked to a reddish-brown color.
Sorrel takes its name from the herbaceous plant prized for centuries in European kitchens and apothecaries. The word derives from Old French surele, itself from a Germanic root related to 'sour' — a reference to the plant's sharp, lemony taste, caused by oxalic acid in its leaves. Sorrel has been a culinary staple since antiquity, appearing in Roman salads and medieval French soups (soupe à l'oseille remains a classic), and it was considered a powerful medicinal herb thought to cool fevers and purify the blood.
As a given name, Sorrel belongs to the nature-name tradition that has deep roots in English naming practice — alongside Ivy, Hazel, Sage, and Clover — but carries a distinctly uncommon, even rare quality that distinguishes it from more familiar botanical names. Its earthy, slightly tart character gives it a personality all its own. In British usage, sorrel also describes a reddish-brown color, particularly used to describe horses with a chestnut coat, lending the name warm autumnal visual associations.
Sorrel appears as a character name in several works of English fiction and is occasionally found in records from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, when plant names were more freely given to children. In contemporary naming culture, Sorrel appeals to parents drawn to the quiet originality of nature names that haven't yet been widely discovered. It sits at an interesting intersection: old enough to feel rooted and genuine, rare enough to feel fresh. The name has a tart brightness to it — much like the plant itself — that feels alive and distinctive without straining for effect.