Names That Mean Water

Olympic skier Picabo Street was allowed to choose her name at the age of three, and picked it possibly (a) after a nearby Idaho town or (b) because she loved to play peekaboo. No longer a single-person name, it is now worn by a number of satisfied bearers.

One of many stuffy British W surnames that would subject an American boy to years of teasing before growing into it at age fifty.

St Dwynwen is the Welsh patron saint of lovers, and her feast day on January 25 is the equivalent of Valentine's day in Wales. The short form Dwyn may be more manageable for the non-Welsh.

A sweet and clear Hopi name with a lovely natural meaning to match.

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.

Irish name with an intriguing lilt.

Wharton is a rather stiff banker name that becomes creative as a middle name choice for lovers of the novels of writer Edith.

Has a pleasant Scottish burr.

This Hawaiian name gracefully celebrates the force of nature, paying tribute to the ocean. If you're looking for unique names that mean ocean, this should be on your short list.

A slow and sultry southern choice that's definitely cool for babies of either gender. While the word feels French and has its roots in 18th century French Louisiana, it derives from the Choctaw word bayuk, which means "small stream."

Revolutionary choice.

Sounds like a displaced Dr. Seuss character.

Name with genuine roots that nevertheless feels synthetic.

Traditional Cherokee choice that could work for a daughter born on a rainy day.

One-of-a-kind water-related choice.

Bernie, with airs.

A rhythmic and attractive Cherokee girl name. Immokalee is also the name of a community in Florida.

This name is one of the hot new spiritual names for both sexes. In Hawaiian it means "chieftain of the sky" or "spirit of the sky,"and is extremely popular for boys.

With the fashion for all names Rom, this strong surname with ties to Old Master painter George has new possibilities. Obviously, it now has more political associations than artistic.