Names That Mean Stream
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- Maxwell
Origin:
ScottishMeaning:
"great stream"Description:
A happy medium between the weighty Maximilian and the laid-back Max, Maxwell is one of the most classic and attractive Scottish names. Early influences on the name's revival include Maxwell Smart of the television show, and then movie, Get Smart, and the Beatles song about Maxwell's Silver Hammer.
- Rhea
Origin:
Greek mythology nameMeaning:
"a flowing stream"Description:
Rhea is an old-style creative name of the Greek mythological earth mother of all the gods. A lot better than the Roman equivalent: Ops.
- Brooke
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"small stream"Description:
Brooke has long projected an aura of sleek sophistication, and can also be seen as a stylish water name.
- Beckham
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"homestead by the stream"Description:
Who knew there were so many soccer fans in the U.S.? Beckham -- as in British sensation David -- has exploded onto the baby name scene in the past decade.
- Beverly
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"dweller near the beaver stream"Description:
The remarkable success of the girls' name Everly makes a revival of the name Beverly seem possible. More commonly a masculine name in the 19th century, it began to be used for girls in the early 1900s, reaching #14 ion the popular names list in 1937. Inspirations: Beverly Johnson was the first African-American model to appear on the cover of Vogue, Beverly Sills was a major American soprano, Beverly Cleary authored the beloved 'Ramona' books, and Beverly Goldberg is the beloved TV matriarch of 'The Goldbergs'.
- Beck
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"small stream"Description:
The popular single-named alternative singer (born Bek) has given this cool nature-meets-surname name a new lease of life. Another notable bearer is Beck Weathers, a Texan pathologist who survived the 1996 Mount Everest disaster, which was covered in the book and film Into Thin Air.
- Cary
Origin:
English, IrishMeaning:
"black, dark"Description:
Cary Grant's debonair image has stood the test of time: he is still rated as one of the most handsome and admired men in Hollywood. Charming, succinct, and witty, Cary (also spelled Carey) was a familiar choice throughout most of the 20th-century, peaking in the 50s and 60s when it made the Top 300. Out of favor since the 90s, could Cary be ready for reconsideration, now that Kerry and Carrie aren't as popular for girls?
- Struan
Origin:
GaelicMeaning:
"stream"Description:
A strong, eminently usable which is currently highly fashionable in its native Scotland, but little known elsewhere. With its cool two-syllable, n-ending shape and attractive nature meaning, Struan is a fresh Scottish name that feels ripe for import.
- Winslet
Origin:
English surname and place-nameMeaning:
"Wynn's channel or stream"Description:
Winslet is one of a legion of surnames newly considered fair game as first names. The inspiration may be British star Kate, but she's not the only reason parents are attracted to Winslet, one of those British girl names that sounds at once classy and winning. Yet be warned that if you choose this, people will forever assume you are major fans of the actress. Other Win- beginning names up for new consideration: Winslow, Winston, Wynton, Winifred and Winnie, along with just plain Win or Wyn or Wynn.
- Yarrow
Origin:
Botanical name, EnglishMeaning:
"rough stream"Description:
Highly unusual as a baby name for either gender, Yarrow is an herb that grows wild and has long been used for its medicinal property. It's named for the mythical Achilles, who was said to carry yarrow into battle.
- Dacre
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"trickling stream"Description:
A locational surname with its origins in the North of England, occasionally also used as a first name. Notable bearers include actor Dacre Montgomery (Stranger Things) and author and filmmaker Dacre Stoker, the great-grandnephew of Dracula author Bram Stoker.
- Maxwell
Origin:
ScottishMeaning:
"great stream"Description:
Maxwell may be thought of as one of the classic Scottish names for boys, but two celebrities have recently used Maxwell for their daughters - Jessica Simpson bestowed it upon her daughter, Maxwell Drew, in 2012, followed by Lindsay Sloane's daughter, also born in 2012, named Maxwell Lue. Sixty-six parents chose Maxwell for their little girls in 2017, but that's compared with over 3000 baby boys named Maxwell, so while this name is used for babies of both genders, it's not truly a unisex name.
- Brook
Origin:
English nature nameMeaning:
"small stream"Description:
Now that the popularity of Brooke is waning, and surname style variant Brooks is on the rise, Brook seems live a newly fresh nature-inspired option.
- Rheya
Origin:
Greek mythology nameMeaning:
"flowing stream"Description:
It's a futuristic name in Solaris, but it is also related to Rhea, the name of Zeus's mother and wife of Cronus.
- Brook
Origin:
English nature nameMeaning:
"small stream"Description:
Brooke variation – or is the other way around? – that makes it more a nature name, less an eighties-style androgynous name.
- Raeburn
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"stream where does drink"Description:
Smoking jacket-wearing British surname, with artistic ties to Sir Henry Raeburn, Scottish romantic painter.
- Rhya
Origin:
Variation of Rhea, GreekMeaning:
"a flowing stream"Description:
Rhya is the Fertility Goddess of several ancient religions, associated with mothers and pregnant women. In some legends she is the mother of Manann and Verena and wife of Taal. Pronounced rye-ah, similar names from other cultures include Rya, Riya, and Raya.
- Strom
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"stream"Description:
Irrevocably tied to long-lived, controversial South Carolina senator Strom (born James) Thurman; Strom, which sounds like an anagram of Storm, was his mother's maiden name. With a stretch, you might consider this one of the German names for boysthat's also a nature name.
- Caldwell
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"cold stream"Description:
English place name turned handsome surname name.
- Kelby
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"dweller at the farm by the stream"Description:
This British last-name-first-name could make a more masculine alternative to Shelby.
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