Names That Mean Water

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

Name with genuine roots that nevertheless feels synthetic.

Doolish (known as Douglas in English) is the largest town in the Isle of Man. The name is though to derive from a Celtic word "Duboglassio" which means "black river".

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

Prideaux is a Cornish place name and surname that is occasionally attested as a girls' first name. It likely stems from the French phrase "pré de eaux", meaning meadow of waters. For fans of Margaux, Prideaux might be a less-common and very pretty alternative.

How to spruce up Fisher or Beau? This French surname-name might be an option for a parent unafraid of the unusual. The name derives from Barbel, a type of fish, which is how it became a surname for some fishermen.

Sweet, spirited, and unexpected as a given name, reality TV star Lala Kent brought Sosa into the spotlight when she chose it for her daughter in 2024. A Spanish name deriving from the Portuguese surname Sousa, Sosa is a unique choice that still fits in with the likes of Luna, Rosa, Nova, and Luz.

Beautiful downtown Burbank -- about as glamorous a place-name as Akron...or Detroit.

The Old Norse and modern Norwegian word name Fjord, which refers to a passage in the sea, could work for children of both genders.

Merial is a feminine name with complex historical roots. It may derive from the medieval name Muriel (meaning 'bright sea' from Celtic elements 'muir' meaning sea and 'el' meaning bright) with an altered spelling. Alternatively, it could connect to the Latin 'mereo' meaning 'to earn' or 'deserve.'

Bernie, with airs.

Actor Pierce made both his first and last name appealing.

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

One of the new color names that is catching on, invoking a calm, blue-green-sea feeling.

Off-putting cousin of Bradley and Rodney.

For die-hard Fleetwood Mac fans, though Fleet is definitely a cool short form.

Epithet of the goddess Lakshmi with a watery meaning.

A family name that wouldn't appeal to many parents.