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Looking for the perfect name for your new arrival? We’ve got you covered. Check out our list of mesmerizing mermaid baby names.
Appearing in folklore from all over the world, mermaids have charmed, delighted, and fascinated humans for eons.
These magnificent mermaid names reflect the spellbinding appeal of these mythical wonders.
The mer in mermaid refers to the Old English mere for sea.
So mermaids are quite literally the maidens of the sea.
Perhaps you grew up singing “Part of Your World” at full volume as you watched Ariel dream of life on land.
Or you’re a fan of the Hans Christian Anderson tale that inspired the Disney classic.
Or you’ve always been captivated by the shape-shifting natures of the mermaid’s extraordinary form.
Whatever inspiration drew you here, we’ve got you covered.
Check out these names that mean mermaid or are related to mermaids in some way.
In this article 📝
- What are some mermaid names?
- More mermaid names for girls
- Mermaid names for boys
- What are some girl ocean names?
- What’s a name that means siren?
What are some mermaid names?
Let’s start with the obvious—Ariel and her sisters from Disney’s The Little Mermaid.
If you’re a fan of the movie, then you know the song well.
“We are the daughters of Triton, great father who loves us and named us well….”
- Aquata: This Latin name means “water.”
- Andrina: The feminine form of Andrew, this name means “brave.”
- Arista: From Greek roots meaning “to harvest.”
- Attina: This lovely name is a variant of Athena, the Greek goddess of war and wisdom.
- Adella: Of Old German origins, meaning “noble.”
- Alana: This name has a few different meanings depending on the root it’s traced back to. From the Old German, it means “precious.” Its Irish meaning is “child.” And from its Hawaiian origins, it means “harmony.”
“And then there is the youngest in her musical debut…” Here is the name that probably comes to mind first when you think of mermaid names. Drum roll, please!
- Ariel: Likely the most well-known of mermaid names, Ariel is from Hebrew roots and means “lion of God.”
More mermaid names for girls
But of course, there are so many more mermaid names for girls than just the ones in The Little Mermaid. Here are some other favorites.
- Annette: This name makes a splash because it belonged to swimmer and actor Annette Kellermann. She performed as a mermaid way back in the very early 20th century.
- Calypso: This ancient Greek nymph kept Odysseus captive on her island. Her name means, appropriately, “to hide.”
- Ceto: Also from Greek mythology, Ceto was a goddess of the sea and its monsters.
- Daryl: Remember the 1984 film Splash? Daryl Hannah played its famous mermaid.
- Esther: While this name means “star,” it gets a spot on this list because it belonged to actress Esther Williams who played Annette Kellermann in Million Dollar Mermaid.
- Ianthe: One of the 3,000 water-nymph daughters of Oceanus, Ianthe means “she who delights.” It may also refer to the violet flower.
- Madison: Back to Splash—Madison was the name of the mermaid character in this 80s classic.
- Nerida: This mermaid name refers to the Nereids, the sea nymphs of Greek mythology.
- Nixie: How’s this option for an adorable mermaid name? It’s of German roots and means “water nymph.”
- Sequana: This unusual name belongs to the Celtic river goddess.
- Sereia: This lovely name is the Portuguese word for mermaid.
Mermaid names for boys
And not to leave the mermen out of the picture, here are some masculine mermaid options:
- Abijah: This powerful merman name means “father of the sea.”
- Dillon: This popular gender-neutral name is of Gaelic and Welsh roots and means “son of the sea.”
- Llyr: With its Welsh roots, Llyr means “of the sea.”
- Merlin: This magical name means “sea fortress.”
- Morgon: From Welsh roots, Morgon means “sea-born,” “sea-song,” or “sea-circle.”
- Morogh: With its Scottish roots, Morogh means “man of the sea.”
- Samudra: This Sanskrit name has a mighty meaning— “gathering together of waters.”
- Seager: Originally a surname, Seager means “sea-spear.”
- Seaward: From its English roots, this sweet name means “sea guardian.”
- Varun: This name is of Hindi origin and means “water god.”
What are some girl ocean names?
Let’s honor the dwelling place that’s provided a home for these magical creatures:
- Aerwyna: This name of Old English roots means “friend of the sea.”
- Anahita: This unusual name refers to an Old Persian water goddess.
- Asherah: With its Hebrew origins, this divine name means “she who treads on the sea.”
- Brizo: A name with a lot of pizzazz, Brizo was an ancient Greek water goddess.
- Coralie: This sweet French name refers to the coral that makes up the habitat of mermaids.
- Darya: From its Persian roots, it can refer to the ocean but also means “possessing goodness.”
- Delphine: With its Greek origins, this name refers to a dolphin.
- Doris: This classic name means “bounty” and belonged to one of the sea nymphs from Greek mythology.
- Kai: From its Hawaiian roots, Kai means “sea” and from its Japanese, “shell.” Both have perfect mermaid associations.
- Lana: This peaceful name means “afloat in calm waters” from its Hawaiian origins.
- Maira: This sweet Irish name means “sea dew.”
- Maria: A popular name in so many parts of the world, Maria means “of the sea.” It has a few other meanings too—“beloved,” “rebellious” and “bitter.”
- Marin: From its Latin roots, Marin means “of the sea.” Opt for this option or add an “a” on the end to make it Marina.
- Meri: This cheerful Estonian and Finnish name means “sea.”
- Meribella: Combining “sea” with “beautiful” seems like an excellent mermaid pick.
- Moana: This Hawaiian name has become popular recently because of the Disney movie of the same name. It means “ocean.”
- Muriel: This Celtic name is a combination of “sea” and “bright.”
- Ondine: This adorable name of French origins means “little wave.”
🌊 Check out more sea-inspired baby names here: 67 Baby Names That Mean Ocean
What’s a name that means siren?
While sirens aren’t exactly mermaids, they are very closely related to them.
In Greek mythology, sirens used their beautiful voices to lure sailors to their demise.
And while that may sound negative, it might be time to reclaim their story from another perspective.
What power in their song! What weaponry in their music!
Yep, those sirens had a different kind of might.
Rather than being half fish, half human, sirens were half bird and half human.
But sometimes, the term is used to describe a variety of powerful feminine beings who have the power to distract through their physical beauty or the beauty of their song.
Here are some options for siren names:
- Ava: This name makes the list because it means “bird-like,” just like the sirens were. Interestingly, it can also mean “water” or “island” from its German roots.
- Isla: Meaning “island,” this name is the homeplace of many a siren.
- Lira: If you’re looking for a darker twist on the mermaid tale, this siren is from To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo. Fun fact about her? She has the hearts of seventeen princes in her collection.
- Lorelei: In German folklore, Lorelei sat on a rock and, with the force of beauty, lured sailors to their doom.
- Melody: Like the siren’s sweet song.
- Raidne: This unusual name is of Latin origins and means “siren.”
- Serina: While this name actually means “serene” or “calm,” it makes our list because of just how close it sounds to siren.
So, whether you’re a Disney fan or just fascinated by the mythology of the sea, there are lots of names to choose from here. Good luck!
👶 More baby name ideas from The 411:
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47 Baby Names that Mean Moon
60 Breezy Baby Names That Mean Sky
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54 Baby Names That Mean Blue
79 Refreshing Baby Names That Mean Rain
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68 Breezy Baby Names That Mean Wind