73 baby names that mean water, ocean, river and more

And ocean and river—names that reflect Mother Nature's greatest gifts.
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Water-inspired baby names are earthy, a little bit quirky, and honestly just fun to say—who wouldn’t want a name like Caspian, Maren, or Kai? Plus, your little guppy is likely to be the only one in their class with their name. And if they do meet someone with the same one? Instant bonding material.
Whether you’re someone who loves being by the water or you’re hoping to raise a future Olympic swimmer, these water-inspired names are just what the baby name doctor ordered. While the overarching theme of this list is water, we’ve rounded up names that also mean ocean, sea, river, stream, rain, and brook. There are boho-vibes names for parents who like something a little more unexpected and classic, vintage options that have stood the test of time.
If water names speak to you, you might also love our lists of baby names inspired by nature, unique baby names, or Hawaiian baby names (many of which have gorgeous water connections). For even more inspiration, browse our roundups of spring baby names, summer baby names, and strong baby names.
Girl names that mean water
From the quiet beauty of a rain shower to the power of the open ocean, these girl names carry water’s full emotional range. You’ll find picks rooted in Greek mythology, Hawaiian tradition, Persian culture, and beyond.
1. Amaya — Japanese origin. Night rain.
2. Anahita — Persian origin. Water goddess; river goddess.
3. Bayou — French/Choctaw origin. Small stream or marshy outlet.
4. Brook — English origin. Small stream.
5. Cari — Turkish origin. Flows like water.
6. Cascade — French/English origin. Waterfall.
7. Coral — Latin origin. Underwater sea growth.
8. Cordelia — Celtic/Welsh origin. Daughter of the sea.
9. Darya — Persian origin. Sea; ocean.
10. Delta — Greek origin. Area of land formed by a river’s mouth.
11. Doris — Greek origin. Gift of the ocean; sea nymph.
12. Hali — Greek origin. The sea.
13. Hurley — Irish/Gaelic origin. Sea tide.
14. India — Sanskrit origin. Water; body of water.
15. Isla — Scottish/Spanish origin. Island; from the River Isla.
16. Kailani — Hawaiian origin. Sea and sky.
17. Kairi — Japanese origin. Ocean village; sea.
18. Kendra — English origin. Knowing; also said to mean water baby.
19. Laguna — Spanish/Italian origin. Lagoon.
20. Lynn — Irish/Anglo-Saxon origin. Lake; cascade.
21. Maren — Latin origin. Of the sea.
22. Marina — Latin/Slavic origin. Of the sea; harbor for boats.
23. Mira — Sanskrit origin. Ocean; sea.
24. Moana — Polynesian/Hawaiian origin. Ocean; wide expanse of water.
25. Muriel — Irish/Celtic origin. Bright sea.
26. Nahla — Arabic origin. Drink of water.
27. Nerida — Greek origin. Sea nymph; from the Nereids.
28. Nixie — German origin. Water sprite; water nymph.
29. Ondine — French/Latin origin. Little wave; water spirit.
30. Rainey — English origin. Rain; queen.
31. Ria — Spanish origin. Mouth of a river; estuary.
32. Rosemary — Latin origin. Dew of the sea.
33. Shannon — Irish/Gaelic origin. Old, wise river.
34. Talise — Native American (Creek) origin. Lovely water.
35. Talia — Hebrew origin. Dew from heaven.
Boy names that mean water
Whether you’re drawn to the rugged strength of a river name or the mythology of ancient sea gods, these boy names bring depth (literally) and character. Many have been climbing the baby boy name charts in recent years.
36. Adrian — Latin origin. Water; from the Adriatic Sea.
37. Beckett — English origin. One who lives by a brook.
38. Brooks — English origin. Of the brook; small stream.
39. Caspian — English origin. From the Caspian Sea.
40. Douglas — Scottish origin. Dark water.
41. Dylan — Welsh origin. Son of the sea; born from the ocean.
42. Fisher — English origin. Fisherman; one who fishes.
43. Ford — English origin. River crossing; shallow passage in water.
44. Hudson — English origin. From the Hudson River; son of Hugh.
45. Irving — Scottish origin. Green water; sea friend.
46. Kai — Hawaiian origin. The sea.
47. Malik — Arabic/Greenlandic origin. Wave (Greenlandic); king (Arabic).
48. Merlin — Welsh origin. Sea fortress.
49. Murphy — Irish/Gaelic origin. Sea warrior.
50. Neptune — Latin/Roman origin. God of the sea.
51. Nile — Egyptian origin. From the River Nile.
52. Poseidon — Greek origin. God of the sea and earthquakes.
53. Sailor — English origin. One who sails; boat worker.
54. Triton — Greek origin. Son of the sea god; messenger of the sea.
55. Wade — English origin. To walk through water; river crossing.
56. Zale — Greek origin. Sea strength.
Gender-neutral water baby names
Some of the best water names work beautifully for any baby. These picks feel modern, nature-forward, and flexible—a great fit if you’re keeping things open or just love the sound. If you’re into more gender-neutral options, check out our full list of trending baby girl names and trending baby boy names to see which water names are on the rise.
57. Bay — English origin. Inlet of the sea; body of water.
58. Blue — English origin. The color of water and sky.
59. Deveraux — French origin. From the riverbank.
60. Innes — Scottish/Gaelic origin. From the island; river island.
61. Jordan — Hebrew origin. To flow down; descending river.
62. Lake — English origin. Inland body of water.
63. Maris — Latin origin. Of the sea.
64. Maxwell — Scottish origin. Great stream; Mack’s stream.
65. Morgan — Welsh origin. Sea circle; sea born.
66. Ocean — English/Greek origin. The vast body of salt water.
67. Orwell — English origin. Branch of a river.
68. Rain — English origin. Precipitation; water from the sky.
69. Remington — English origin. Place on a riverbank.
70. Rio — Spanish/Portuguese origin. River.
71. River — English/Latin origin. Flowing body of water.
72. Romney — Welsh origin. Winding river.
73. Shui — Chinese origin. Water.
Whether you end up with a Kai, a Cordelia, or a River, a water-inspired name is one your child will carry with as much fluidity and strength as its meaning suggests. For more baby name ideas, explore our gemstone baby names or Scorpio baby names (a water sign!) for even more inspiration.
A version of this post was published October 28, 2021. It has been updated.

















































































