Names That Mean Water
Updated Sat Apr 19 2025
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Names that mean water include names that mean ocean and sea, waves and tide, and rain and mist. Notable river names, such as Hudson and Jordan, along with ocean names, sea names, and lake names that are also baby names are listed here.
The mythological names of gods and goddesses of the sea can be counted as water names, as can the names of mythical mermaids and other water creatures.
Girl names that mean water include India, Maren, Cordelia, Brooke, Lake, and Talia.
Along with Hudson, boy names that mean water that are popular in the US include Kai, Beckett, Brooks, Fisher, and Ford.
Along with Jordan, many gender neutral names suitable for boys and girls have water meanings, such as Bay, Lake, River, Nile, Brooklyn, and Pacific.
Names with water-related meanings might be perfect astrology names for babies born under one of the water signs of the zodiac: Pisces, Cancer, and Scorpio. Or you may simply love the image of water reflected in your baby's name. Names with water meanings can be found in cultures all around the world for both baby girls and baby boys.
Find all the names that mean water here, organized by their current popularity on Nameberry.
RELATED:
- Caspian
Origin:
Place nameMeaning:
"white"Description:
One of the most romantic of appellations, Caspian is a geographical name referring to the large salty sea between Asia and Europe. It's also the name of the hero of C.S. Lewis's beloved Chronicles of Narnia, Prince Caspian.
- Mira
Origin:
Latin, Slavic, Arabic, Sanskrit, JapaneseMeaning:
"admirable; peace; female ruler; ocean; mirror"Description:
A truly international choice, the sweet and simple Mira has its origins in Sanskrit, Latin, Slavic, and Arabic, just to name a view. With its arty aura and succinct look, it makes a versatile option, much like the similar Nina and Mina.
- Cordelia
Origin:
Latin; CelticMeaning:
"heart; daughter of the sea"Description:
Cordelia is exactly the kind of old-fashioned, grown-up name for girls that many parents are seeking for their daughters today. The name of King Lear's one sympathetic daughter, Cordelia has both style and substance along with its Shakespearean pedigree.
- Kai
Origin:
Hawaiian, Frisian, ChineseMeaning:
"sea; warrior; triumph"Description:
Kai is an internationally flexible name with many possible origins and meanings, growing in popularity in the US and a diverse range of European countries.
- Brooks
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"of the brook"Description:
A nature name, a word name, and a surname name, Brooks has plenty of cool factor. It gives off cowboy vibes and a sporty feel, while also maintaining a smart, collected image.
- Tallulah
Origin:
Choctaw, IrishMeaning:
"leaping water, lady of abundance"Description:
This hauntingly euphonious Choctaw name has re-entered the public domain, as memories of the outrageous actress Tallulah Bankhead have faded. For years, Tallulah was a name associated only with Bankhead, named for her paternal grandmother who was named after the Georgia town of Tallulah Falls.
- Talia
Origin:
Hebrew; Australian AboriginalMeaning:
"gentle dew from heaven; by the water"Description:
Talia is derived from the Hebrew elements tal, meaning "dew," and yah, in reference to God. In the mythology of one ancient sect, Talia was one of ten angels who attended the sun on its daily course. The occasionally homophonous name Thalia has unrelated Greek origins.
- Maren
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"sea"Description:
Maren is one of the many twenty-first-century takes on Mary--but we find the more classic Marin spelling preferable. When spelled Maren, the pronunciation seems more clearly to resemble Mary, with the emphasis on the first syllable. Marin, the spelling also used for the beautiful coastal county north of San Francisco, is often pronounced with the emphasis on the second syllable, as in Marie.
- Hudson
Origin:
English place-name and surnameMeaning:
"Hugh's son"Description:
Hudson has risen quickly up the charts over the past 30 years, getting a lot of its style value from New York's Hudson River. That makes it a nature name and a place name that's also got the fashion gloss of New York City.
- Sabrina
Origin:
Celtic, Latin name for the River SevernDescription:
Sabrina, the bewitchingly radiant name of a legendary Celtic goddess, is best known as the heroine of the eponymous film, originally played by Audrey Hepburn, and later as a teenage TV witch; it would make a distinctive alternative to the ultrapopular Samantha. Similar names you might also want to consider include Sabina and Serena.
- 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.
- Beckett
Origin:
English and IrishMeaning:
"bee hive, little brook or bee cottage"Description:
Beckett is one of the big baby name hits of the decade.
- Ren
Origin:
Japanese, LatinMeaning:
"water lily, lotus, romantic love, move forward; reborn"Description:
A very popular unisex name in Japan, Ren is a concise and versatile choice that could work across multiple languages. A rising star in England and Wales where it ranks in the Top 1000, it is also on the rise in the US where it was give to nearly 90 girls and 200 boys in a recent year.
- Maya
Origin:
Sanskrit, English, Hebrew, EstonianMeaning:
"illusion, magic; mother; water; beloved, bitter, drop of the sea"Description:
Maya, which has an almost mystical image, has been steadily climbing in popularity in the US and the English-speaking world, along with a range of other countries, including France, Germany, Israel, and Brazil. It's ranked in the US Top 100 since the turn of this century, but has never risen to the top of the list, which you may consider a good thing.
- Rafferty
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"floodtide, abundance, prosperity"Description:
Jaunty and dapper, Rafferty is one of the most engaging of the Irish surnames, used by Jude Law and Sadie Frost for their son in 1996. Derived from the Irish, O'Raighbheartaigh, it means "(spring) flood tide", though some sources relate it to the Old Irish rath meaning "abundance" and "prosperity."
- Rio
Origin:
Spanish, Portuguese, JapaneseMeaning:
"river; place of the cherry blossoms"Description:
Rio is a reductive ranchero place-name with an attractive Tex-Mex lilt. No Doubt's Tom Dumont has a son named Rio Atticus.
- Guinevere
Origin:
WelshMeaning:
"white shadow, white wave"Description:
Guinevere was the name of the beautiful but ill-fated queen of Camelot, for so many years eclipsed by its modern Cornish form Jennifer. Today, Guinevere could be a cool possibility for adventurous parents intrigued by this richly evocative and romantic choice.
- Jennifer
Origin:
Cornish variation of Guinevere, WelshMeaning:
"white shadow, white wave"Description:
Jennifer is the Cornish variation of Guinevere, which ultimately derived from the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar. As such, it is connected to the queen of Arthurian legend, and sharees the same meaning of "white shadow", "white wave", or "white phantom".
- 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.
- Douglas
Origin:
ScottishMeaning:
"black water"Description:
Douglas, and more particularly its nickname, Doug, had a real romantic swagger in the 1950s and 1960s dating back to swashbuckling Douglas Fairbanks, but today is more likely to conjure up your mom's prom date. Originally a Celtic river name, it became attached to a powerful Scottish clan, renowned for their strength and courage. In its earliest incarnation, Douglas was used equally for girls and boys.
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