Fish Names

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.

Oceane (oh-see-EN) has been one of the chicest names in France for several years, ranking in the French Top 50. This is a sophisticated name that could easily cross the ocean, and is much more stylish than the English Ocean or Oceana.

Sunshine was seen as a quintessential hippie name of the 70s, reaching as high as Number 536 in 1975. Now such names are making a bit of a retro comeback, seen, for example, as a character on Glee.

Heaven, Peace, Serenity: parents seem especially attracted to word names that signal paradise, but Halcyon sounds quite feminine, and might conjure up the sleeping pill Halcion.

Popular name in Japan in its own right, but also as a nickname for Miyako or Makiko. It appears in the visual novel Danganrompa, borne by the character Maki Harukawa.

The jazziest nickname for Charles.

Ama is a day name used by the Akan people of Ghana for girls born on Saturday. Names that reference a baby's birth by day of the week, time of day, or season of the year are common in many African cultures. Ama is one that can be used happily by parents who live in English-speaking countries.

Highly unusual water name -- and actor Colin surname -- with a Scottish burr. Firth derives from the Old Norse word fjord.

Flo is an antiquated nickname not often used these days, possibly because "Aunt Flo" is a euphemism for a period.

A name with the kind of pan-cultural feel that's in vogue now... and forever, it is both a Swahili name meaning "coral", ultimately from the Arabic marjan, and a Hindi name, meaning "purification".

With Finn, Finley, Finnegan, and Flynn in the charts, Finan offers another way to get to that popular sound. A spelling variant of Fionnan, Finan is an Irish name that means "little, white and blessed".

Oceanus was the Titan in ancient Greek mythology who rules what they thought was the body of water that surrounded the Earth. Oceanus was, appropriately enough, the name of the baby born on the Mayflower. Modern variations include Ocean, Oceana, and Oceane, a popular French name for girls.

Hurley is a possibility as a unisex surname-name ending with the "lee" sound. It is perhaps most associated with British actress Elizabeth Hurley, and is much rarer than Harley, because the "ur" sound is currently out of fashion (and the word "hurl" may put some off).

Sweet and soft but outdoorsy too, Pasha could make an interesting alternative to Sasha. Typically used as a diminutive for Russian male names like Pavel, it has also been used for the feminine name Praskovya.

Laguna Beach is a famous California spot -- though there's "goonie" teasing potential.

Nessie is a feminine name with Scottish origins, most famously associated with the legendary Loch Ness Monster of Scottish folklore. It originated as an affectionate diminutive of Agnes (meaning 'pure' or 'holy') or Vanessa. The name has a playful, whimsical quality that evokes images of Scotland's misty lochs and rich storytelling traditions. Despite its connection to a mythical creature, Nessie has been used as a given name and nickname throughout the years, particularly in Scotland and among those with Scottish heritage. The name carries a cheerful, friendly character with its soft sounds and '-ie' ending. Its distinctive cultural associations make it an uncommon but recognizable choice for parents seeking a name with both personality and a connection to Scottish heritage.

In the US, the multicultural surname Roe is primarily associated with the landmark Supreme Court case Roe vs. Wade, which granted the federal right to abortion, though elsewhere it might be associated with fish eggs or a small breed of reddish deer.

While we don't see many parents adopting Otter as a name for their own babies, Zooey Deschanel put this one in the lexicon when she used it as a middle name for her adorably-named daughter Elsie Otter. Even in the celebrisphere, Otter is one of the most unique baby names we've heard.

There's only one. Okay, two.

An informal nickname for names such as Julia, Juliette, and June.