Nickname help!
We want to name our baby Penelope but we can’t decide on a nickname? Help!
Looking for water baby names that will have baby coasting through life? Much like our puns, these names flow effortlessly.
And just wait until you plunge into the depths of their meanings.
Water evokes peace and tranquility and also conjures images of powerful ocean waves and rushing rivers.
It’s life-giving and sustaining – and something we truly cannot live without.
Names that mean water are a great way of celebrating new life and immersing baby in all the magic H₂O can provide in every plane.
It’s high tide, erm, time to get your feet wet, test the waters, and make a splash.
Let’s dip our toes into this list of the best baby names inspired by water.
But don’t let our puns fool you, still waters run deep.
And our water baby name meanings run even deeper.
In this article: 📝
- What are names that mean water?💧
- What are water-related names for girls?
- What are some cool water names for boys?
- What are good ocean names? 🌊
What are names that mean water?💧
Let’s jump right into the deep end, shall we?
Up to 60% of our bodies are made of water, so it makes sense that so many incredible baby names are inspired by our aqueous natures.
Here are our favorites from all over the world:
- Aqua: Eager to attract all the qualities water has to offer? Demonstrate your intentions to the universe proudly with this Latin name meaning “water” or “sea blue”.
- Bardo. This name has German and Tibetan origins. There’s a hint of a poet there too.
- Maya or Maia: This Greek name also boasts a bunch of other meanings in different cultures including “great”, “illusion”, and “good mother”, to name a few.
- Mesi: Egyptian in origin. A name that needs no introduction to football lovers.
- Nahla: This powerful Arabic and African name means “the first drink of water.” And yes, it’s a close relative to The Lion King’s Nala.
- Namazzi: Staying within the African continent to bring you this unique Ugandan water baby name.
- Tallulah. Wondering what are come Celtic water names? We love this Irish gem that means “leaping water”.
What are water-related names for girls?
Femininity and water go hand-in-hand.
And not just because of mermaids, nymphs, and ancient myths.
Earth and water have long been seen as feminine elements because of their nourishing, calming properties.
It’s also associated with depth of mind and mystery (amongst other things).
Where will the current take you:
- Adair: Meaning “ford of the oaks”. A Gaelic water name and a tree name in one!
- Amaya: Of Spanish origin, this atmosheric name means “night rain”.
- Anahita: An ancient Persian goddess of the water.
- Avonlea: Meaning “river by the field”.
- Azure: A beautiful shade of blue.
- Beverly: Meaning “beaver stream.” There have been so many famous Beverlys through the ages, from children’s book writers to singers to doctors to actors.
- Brooke or Brook: Like a babbling one. Coos are also welcome.
- Cary: Cary is the name of an old Celtic river and means “pleasant stream”.
- Cascade: Meaning “like a waterfall”.
- Chantara: This name of Thai origin means “moon water”. 🌕
- Delta: Meaning “mouth of the river”.
- Eyre: As a middle name? With Jane, perhaps? Maybe too much. But as a name on its own, pronounced “air” and meaning “riverbank”, gorgeous.
- Guadalupe: This Spanish name is quite rare these days. It means “river of black stones”. Moody.
- Jenna: A shortened form of Jennifer, Jenna proudly stands on its own. It means “white wave” and “magical being.” ✨
- Lupe: Meaning “river of the wolf”. Pretty badass. 🐺
- Kendall: A river valley in Kent, England
- Nami: Meaning “wave” or “surf”. Japanese in origin.
- Kisima: A Swahili name meaning “spring”. 🌷
- Lake: English water names are back in style.
- Lynn: A Welsh name meaning “lake”. If you like your lake names a little more subtle.
- Laguna: You may associate with the Californian beach, but this name means “pool or pond”.
- Misty. Covered in little water droplets.
- Narelle: This name has a French feel, but it originally comes from Australia and means “little river”.
- Nerida: In ancient Greek mythology, the nereids were mermaids. 🧜♀️
- Nile: As in the largest of rivers. Its Celtic origins bestow it with added meaning “champion”.
- Nimue: Meaning “Lady of the Lake”. Yep, the very same from the Legends of King Arthur.
- Nixie: This playful name is of German origin and means “water sprite”.
- Nori: Yes, it means “seaweed” — but this beautiful name also means “belief.”
- Ondine: This is a Latin word meaning “little wave”. Sweet and strong.
- Rain: No messing about with this water name. We love its meaning “abundant blessings from above”.
- Ren: This sweet name means “water lily”.
- Sabrina: Not only is she a teenage witch, she is also a river—the River Severn, to be precise.
- Sereia: Another mermaid name, this time from Portugal.
- Serena: Meaning “peaceful” or “tranquil” like calm water. 🧘♀️
- Shannon: Meaning “old wise river” from the Gaelic word sean. Named for Ireland’s longest river, it’s a sweet heritage name.
- Talia: Meaning “dew of heaven”.
- Tarni: Surf’s up! This name is very popular in Australia, where it means “wave”.
- Vanora: An unusual name that means “white wave”.
- Yara: Another unique choice for your water baby. It has roots in Arabia and ancient Persia, as well as Brazil, where it means “water lady”.
- Zarya. A name with Arabic, Nigerian and Slavic roots, Zarya means “water priestess.”
What are some cool water names for boys?
Water is cool.
It is quite literally refreshing.
But it’s also naturally easygoing, inviting, and a little bit mysterious.
So if you want a super [cool baby name], the water is where you’ll find it:
- Dougie: Meaning “black stream”.
- Banks: Like the banks of the river.
- Beck: A brook or stream.
- Beckett: This name means “little brook”.
- Beckham: Yes, a famous soccer player, but also a peaceful name meaning “home by the stream”.
- Bourne: Meaning “someone who lives beside a stream”.
- Bradford: Meaning “river crossing”.
- Calder: Meaning “a stony river”.
- Callan or Kallan: Originally from Scandinavia, this name means “running water”.
- Carlow: As well as being a part of Ireland, Carlow means “lake”.
- Cove: An inlet or protected sanctuary of water.
- Clyde: The name of a Scottish River and a famous outlaw.
- Cruise: A nod to crossing the sea, with hints of a certain uber-successful movie star of course.
- Devere: A French name, meaning “from the fishing place”.
- Douglas: Meaning “black stream”.
- Eaton: This is one of our favorite water names for boys, and it could be an edgy alternative to Ethan. It means “riverside”.
- Fisher: The first step to having a little fisherman on your hands.
- Ford: Before it was a car, it was a river crossing.
- Harbor: A safe haven for boats, this could be a strong nautical name for your future son. 🚣♀️
- Holmes: Not Sherlock, but an island in the river.
- Morrissey: Meaning “choice of the sea”.
- Indra: Meaning “possessing raindrops”, from Sanskrit. He was also a god of the rain and sky.
- Irving: Meaning “green, fresh water”.
- Jordan: This popular, gender neutral Hebrew name means “flow down”.
- Kano: With origins in both Africa and Japan, this name means “god of the water”.
- Taki: A Japanese name meaning “falling water”.
- Lincoln: Meaning “a settlement by water,” the Lincoln name has many historical resonances.
- Loch: A Scottish lake or sea inlet.
- Malek or Malik: This name can mean “wave” but also “king”. 👑
- Maxwell: “A great stream”.
- Moses: This biblical name means “to draw out of the water.”
- Rafferty: This Irish name means “flood” – but in a good way. Like an abundance of water.
- Remington: Meaning “place on a riverbank”.
- Rio: The Spanish and Portuguese name for “river”.
- Como: As in the exceptionally beautiful Italian lake and top-tier destination for the chic, stylish, and uber-rich. Now that’s manifesting.
- River: This one needs very little explanation except to say that it is ever-popular.
- Struan: A Scottish word for “a stream” and a unique alternative to Stuart.
- Tiberius: Meaning “near the River Tiber,” this name comes with a whole lot of gravitas.
- Wade: Meaning “to go through the water” or “ford” from the Old English word (ge)wæd.
What are good ocean names? 🌊
We’ve covered the calming lake vibes and the river’s easy go-with-the-flow nature, but what about power, strength, and enormous potential?
We could do a whole article on names that mean ocean – which we already did – but here are some of our favorites:
- Aalto: A Finnish name meaning “wave”.
- Adrian: This popular name is of Latin origin and means “sea” or “wave”.
- Bay: A perfect name to pay tribute to the coast. You could also opt for the Portuguese option: Baia.
- Caspian: As in the sea and the prince (from The Chronicles of Narnia).
- Cordelia: The Celtic name means “daughter of the sea.” And she just so happened to be the most gentle and just of King Lear’s daughters.
- Darya. This beautiful name means “ocean”.
- Delmar or Delmore: A boy’s name meaning “from the sea”.
- Deniz: A Turkish name meaning “sea”.
- Doris: This sweet name means “gift of the ocean”. It’s worth taking note that vintage names like this are set to make a comeback.
- Dylan: While this name means “son of the sea,” it’s become increasingly popular as a girl’s name too.
- Eldoris: Meaning “from the ocean”.
- Guinevere: A sophisticated Welsh name, Guinevere means “white wave.” Fun fact: this is the name that gave birth to Jennifer.
- Hali: Another lovely girl’s name meaning “ocean”.
- Hurley: A unique name meaning “sea tide”.
- Kai or Kairi: The Hawaiian version of this name means “sea.” The Japanese meanings extend to “restoration” and “recovery.”
- Moana: Another beautiful Hawaiian name. Meaning “ocean”, if is of course a firm favorite for Disney fans.
- Kaimana: The Hawaiian names just keep on flowing. This striking one means “strength of the ocean”.
- Mar: A short, strong boy’s name meaning “of the sea”.
- Marino: Meaning “by the shores of the sea”.
- Marella: A melodic girl’s name meaning “ocean”.
- Maren: Meaning “star of the sea” ⭐
- Marina: Meaning “the maiden of the sea”.
- Alon: Meaning “wave” for your future little sailor.
- Merlin: A magical name meaning “sea fortress”.
- Mieke: From Dutch and then Afrikaans origins, Mieke means “sea of bitterness”.
- Oceana: A bit on the nose but a beautiful Greek ocean name all the same.
- *Morgan: A gender-neutral name meaning “sea born”.
- Morwenna: Meaning “waves of the sea”.
- Murdoch: Meaning “mariner” in Gaelic.
- Muriel: An old-fashioned name meaning “from the sea”.
- Murray: Meaning “settlement of the sea”.
- Naia: A short girl’s name meaning “ocean”.
- Nerissa: Meaning “sea nymph”.
- Adira: Meaning “strength of the sea”.
- Poseidon: The Greek god of the sea. 🔱
- Thalassa: Meaning “under the sea”. Another mythological powerhouse.
- Tide: Like the ebb and flow of the ocean.
- Zale: A Greek name meaning “sea-strength”.
124 names fit for a baby.
And you can dive into plenty more in the Peanut community.
Not to mention top tips for riding those parenting waves like a surfer pro. 🏄♀️
We’ll see you there!
🏄♀️