Baby naming

Dive Into This Massive List Of Baby Names That Mean Water

Choices as wide as the ocean.

by Team Scary Mommy
Updated: 
Originally Published: 
A mom and her toddler in the ocean — names that mean water.
M Swiet Productions/Getty Images

When selecting names for their baby, parents consider several factors, including a name’s meaning, origin, and particular characteristics or personality traits it is associated with. Names that mean water touch on all of the above, making them a popular choice with parents. After all, there are few things as vital to human existence as water. Yes, we need to eat, but without water, crops couldn’t grow, and livestock couldn’t survive. Look at any ancient civilization or cities founded before the technological advances of the 19th and 20th centuries: Most (if not all) grew up around a body of water, whether it was the ocean, a natural harbor, a river, or a lake.

Water is extremely powerful too. Not only is it needed to sustain life, but in situations like hurricanes and floods, it can also cause a lot of destruction. Either way, water dictates our future.

To honor this incredible element, we’ve compiled a massive list of names that mean water for girls and boys, as well as some that are gender-neutral.

Girl Names That Mean Water

Here is a selection of girl names that mean “water,” or have some sort of connection to water:

1. Adria

Origin: Latin

Meaning: sea or water

2. Adriana

Origin: Latin

Meaning: sea or water

3. Alda

Origin: Icelandic

Meaning: wave

4. Alma

Origin: Latin

Meaning: river in Crimea

5. Amaya

Origin: Basque

Meaning: night rain

6. Anahita

Origin: Persian

Meaning: water and river goddess

7. Asita

Origin: Sanskrit

Meaning: River Yamuna

8. Avonlea

Origin: English

Meaning: field by the river

9. Beverley/Beverly

Origin: English

Meaning: beaver stream; meadow

10. Breena

Origin: Irish

Meaning: little drop of water

11. Brenna

Origin: Irish

Meaning: moisture; drop

12. Brooke

Origin: Irish

Meaning: small stream

13. Brooklynn

Origin: Irish

Meaning: small stream

14. Chamiree

Origin: French

Meaning: crooked stream

15. Chandania

Origin: Indian

Meaning: river

16. Cherith

Origin: Hebrew

Meaning: winter stream

17. Cordelia

Origin: Welsh

Meaning: daughter of the sea

18. Darya

Origin: Iranian

Meaning: sea

19. Dayla

Origin: Hebrew

Meaning: to draw water

20. Delta

Origin: Greek

Meaning: triangle of land formed by water

21. Doris

Origin: Greek

Meaning: gift of the ocean

22. Dwyn

Origin: Welsh

Meaning: wave

23. Evian

Origin: French

Meaning: spa town in France

24. Guadalupe

Origin: Spanish

Meaning: river with black stones

25. Guinevere

Origin: Welsh

Meaning: white wave

26. Hali

Origin: Greek

Meaning: sea

27. Jenna

Origin: Welsh

Meaning: white wave

28. Jennifer

Origin: English

Meaning: white wave

29. Kaimana

Origin: Hawaiian

Meaning: power of the ocean

30. Kendra

Origin: Anglo-Saxon

Meaning: clear water

31. Lindsey

Origin: English

Meaning: linden trees near the water

32. Loire

Origin: French

Meaning: from Loire River in France

33. Lucerne

Origin: Swiss

Meaning: lake

34. Lupe

Origin: Spanish

Meaning wolf river

35. Lupeta

Origin: Spanish

Meaning: wolf river

36. Lyre

Origin: English

Meaning: fork in the river

37. Marella

Origin: Latin

Meaning: shining sea

38. Marilla

Origin: Latin

Meaning: shining sea

39. Marina

Origin: Latin

Meaning: a basin on a shore of a body of water

40. Maya

Origin: Hebrew

Meaning: water

41. Mayim

Origin: Hebrew

Meaning: water

42. Meredith

Origin: Welsh

Meaning: protector of the ocean

43. Michal

Origin: Hebrew

Meaning: tiny drops of water

44. Mira

Origin: Sanskrit

Meaning: ocean; sea

45. Misty

Origin: English

Meaning: sea mist

46. Moana

Origin: Polynesian

Meaning: sea

47. Muriel

Origin: Celtic

Meaning: of the bright sea

48. Nahla

Origin: Arabic

Meaning: first drink of water in the desert

49. Naida

Origin: Latin

Meaning: water nymph

50. Namra

Origin: Indian

Meaning: delicious water

51. Narelle

Origin: Scandinavian

Meaning: from the North; a river in New South Wales

52. Noelani

Origin: Hawaiian

Meaning: heavenly mist

53. Oceana

Origin: Greek

Meaning: ocean

54. Reva

Origin: Hindi

Meaning: rain

55. Rhea

Origin: Greek

Meaning: flowing

56. Rheanna

Origin: Welsh

Meaning: stream; goddess

57. Ria

Origin: Danish

Meaning: flowing

58. Rihanna

Origin: Celtic

Meaning: nymph

59. Rosemary

Origin: Latin

Meaning: dew of the sea

60. Sabrina

Origin: Celtic

Meaning: from the river Severn

61. Salila

Origin: Indian

Meaning: water

62. Sarita

Origin: Indian

Meaning: river

63. Sereia

Origin: Latin

Meaning: mermaid; siren

64. Talia

Origin: Hebrew

Meaning: gentle rain

65. Tallulah

Origin: Indigenous American

Meaning: leaping water

66. Zarna

Origin: Indian

Meaning: sweet water

67. Zarya

Origin: Slavic

Meaning: water priestess

Boy Names That Mean Water

Here is a selection of boy names that mean “water,” or have some sort of connection to water:

1. Adair

Origin: Scottish

Meaning: river near oaks

2. Afron

Origin: Welsh

Meaning: river

3. Afton

Origin: Celtic

Meaning: from Afton River

4. Alon

Origin: Tagalog

Meaning: wave

5. Alton

Origin: English

Meaning: town or source of river

6. Andreus

Origin: Greek

Meaning: on of river Peneius

7. Arnon

Origin: Hebrew

Meaning: rushing stream

8. Bahari

Origin: Africa

Meaning: ocean

9. Bergren

Origin: Scandinavian

Meaning: mountain stream

10. Brodny

Origin: Slavic

Meaning: one who lives near a stream

11. Brookes

Origin: English

Meaning: small stream

12. Brooks

Origin: English

Meaning: running water

13. Calder

Origin: English

Meaning: stream

14. Chilton

Origin: Anglo-Saxon

Meaning: a town by the river

15. Dalas

Origin: Irish

Meaning: valley of water

16. Dallan

Origin: Irish

Meaning: valley of water

17. Douglas

Origin: Scottish

Meaning: dark water

18. Dougy

Origin: Scottish

Meaning: dark water

19. Fenton

Origin: English

Meaning: marsh town

20. Firth

Origin: Scottish

Meaning: arm of the sea

21. Ford

Origin: English

Meaning: river crossing

22. Gafar

Origin: Arabic

Meaning: stream

23. Haf

Origin: Icelandic

Meaning: ocean

24. Hudson

Origin: English

Meaning: from Hudson River or Hudson Bay

25. Jafar

Origin: Hindi

Meaning: little stream

26. Kallan

Origin: Scandinavian

Meaning: flowing water

27. Kalloll

Origin: Indian

Meaning: large waves

28. Kaveri

Origin: Hindi

Meaning: sacred river of India

29. Kelvin

Origin: Gaelic

Meaning: from the narrow river

30. Lincoln

Origin: English

Meaning: settlement by water

31. Malik

Origin: Greenland

Meaning: wave

32. Maren/Marin

Origin: Latin

Meaning: sea

33. Moses

Origin: Hebrew

Meaning: drawn from the water

34. Moss

Origin: English

Meaning: drawn from the water

35. Ninad

Origin: Indian

Meaning: gentle sound of water

36. Odine

Origin: Latin

Meaning: little wave

37. Ohio

Origin: Indigenous American

Meaning: large river

38. Paroo

Origin: Indian

Meaning: graceful flow of water

39. Pavati:

Origin: Indigenous American

Meaning: clear water

40. Pulin

Origin: Indian

Meaning: river

41. Redford

Origin: English

Meaning: red river crossing

42. Rilian

Origin: German

Meaning: small stream

43. Rio

Origin: Spanish

Meaning: river

44. Ryver

Origin: Anglo-Saxon

Meaning: river

45. Sachiel

Origin: Greek

Meaning: angel of water

46. Sagara

Origin: Hindi

Meaning: Ocean

47. Sailor/Saylor

Origin: French

Meaning: boatman

48. Salil

Origin: Indian

Meaning: water

49. Severin

Origin: English

Meaning: river in England

50. Siva

Origin: Indian

Meaning: Lord, water

51. Strom

Origin: German

Meaning: stream

52. Tahoe

Origin: Indigenous American

Meaning: edge of the lake

53. Troy

Origin: French

Meaning: water or foot soldier

54. Wade

Origin: English

Meaning: river crossing

Gender-Neutral Names That Mean Water

Here is a selection of gender-neutral names that mean “water,” or something water-related:

1. Abital

Origin: Hebrew

Meaning: my father is the night dew

2. Adva

Origin: Hebrew

Meaning: small wave, ripple

3. Aeron

Origin: Welsh

Meaning: a small river in Wales

4. Aqua

Origin: Latin

Meaning: from the color aqua

5. Ara

Origin: Arabic

Meaning: brings rain

6. Arna

Origin: Indian

Meaning: wave; stream

7. Baia

Origin: Portuguese

Meaning: bay

8. Bay

Origin: English

Meaning: broad inlet

9. Bayou

Origin: French

Meaning: a small stream

10. Beckett

Origin: English

Meaning: stream

11. Brennan

Origin: Irish

Meaning: drop of moisture

12. Brooklyn

Origin: Irish

Meaning: small stream

13. Cascade

Origin: French

Meaning: falling water

14. Clyde

Origin: Scottish

Meaning: one who washes

15. Coral

Origin: Latin

Meaning: underwater semi-precious sea growth

16. Dallas

Origin: Irish

Meaning: valley of water

17. Dylan

Origin: Welsh

Meaning: tide flow

18. Eira

Origin: Welsh

Meaning: snow

19. Euri

Origin: Basque

Meaning: rain

20. Eyre

Origin: English, Norse

Meaning: a lake in Australia

21. Fisher

Origin: English

Meaning: fisherman

22. Fjord

Origin: Norwegian

Meaning: pass over water

23. Harbor

Origin: German

Meaning: protection; shelter

24. India

Origin: Sanskrit

Meaning: river

25. Isa

Origin: German

Meaning: ice

26. Isla

Origin: Scottish

Meaning: island

27. Itzel

Origin: Indigenous American

Meaning: dew, nectar, fluid

28. Jamaica

Origin: Indigenous American

Meaning: land of food and water

29. Jordan

Origin: Hebrew

Meaning: descend or flow

30. Jubal

Origin: Hebrew

Meaning: stream

31. Kai

Origin: Hawaiian

Meaning: water

32. Kelby

Origin: English

Meaning: dweller at the farm by the spring

33. Kenga

Origin: Indian

Meaning: river

34. Kline

Origin: Scottish

Meaning: river

35. Laguna

Origin: Italian

Meaning: pond or lake

36. Lake

Origin: English

Meaning: lake

37. Leith

Origin: Celtic

Meaning: wet or damp

38. Locklyn

Origin: Scottish

Meaning: lake land

39. Lynn

Origin: Welsh

Meaning: lake

40. Mar

Origin: Portuguese, Spanish

Meaning: sea

41. Maris

Origin: Latin

Meaning: of the sea

42. Marlowe

Origin: English

Meaning: driftwood

43. Monroe

Origin: Irish

Meaning: dweller at the red marsh

44. Morgan

Origin: Welsh

Meaning: seaborn

45. Nebula

Origin: Latin

Meaning: misty

46. Nira

Origin: Indian

Meaning: pure water

47. Nirvelli

Origin: Indigenous American

Meaning: water child

48. Nixie

Origin: German

Meaning: water sprite or nymph

49. Oceane

Origin: French

Meaning: ocean

50. Rain

Origin: English

Meaning: rain

51. Raine

Origin: English

Meaning: rain

52. Rainey

Origin: English

Meaning: rain

53. Rayan

Origin: Arabic

Meaning: land lush and rich in water

54. River

Origin: Latin

Meaning: river

55. Shandy

Origin: English

Meaning: wise river

56. Shannon

Origin: Irish

Meaning: name of a river in Ireland

57. Shore

Origin: English

Meaning: seashore

58. Whitney

Origin: English

Meaning: from clear water

59. Winslet

Origin: English

Meaning: Wynn’s stream

Names Inspired By Greek Sea Goddesses

Greek names have a knack for sounding so pretty and are always a safe way to go. So if you’re thinking about naming your child after one of these supernatural beings of the sea, see below for some aquatic options.

  1. Aphrodite: We all know Aphrodite as the goddess of love, but did you know she was born from seafoam?
  2. Argyra: This sea nymph doesn’t have a direct tie to water, but she fell in love with a man named Selemnus, who turned into a river.
  3. Benthesicyme: This sea nymph is a daughter of Poseidon, so there’s that. But also, the name means “deep wave.”

No matter which name you choose for your child, one with a connection to water may help them go with the flow in life.

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