A unisex name of Swahili origin, this spirited and sunny sounding choice means "sea, ocean". In this case, it is ultimately derived from the Arabic baḥriyy meaning "maritime" or "of the sea", which may explain some of its international usage.

A beautiful elaboration on the Polynesian name Moana "sea", made famous by the 2016 Disney film of the same name. It is also a New Zealand place name.

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.'

Diminutive of Welsh Maredudd, the original (masculine) form of Meredith.

Reef is a rare gender-neutral word name in the stylish ocean category. There were a handful of baby girls named Reef last years, and 60 baby boys — a not inconsiderable number.

A rising choice in Turkey, Mercan is derived from the Arabic marjān meaning "coral", in turn connecting the name to nature, to the ocean, and to a reddish-pinkish-orangey hue. Appearing in the Turkish Top 100 for the first time in 2024, Mercan is a cognate of the Persian and Kazakh names Marjan, Marzahn, and Marjane.

Is there anything more Australian than the beach and surfing? Tarni is the Kaurna word for wave/surf, and is sometimes used as a girls name in Australia. Other spellings that are sometimes seen include Tahnee and Tarney, but we prefer the more usual spelling.

Short, but still kind of a mouthful.

A medieval Cornish name which despite sounding similar to the French name Emeraude, is actually connected to the Welsh name Morfydd. Pronunciation rhymes with Herod -- and yes, the final d is pronounced.

A fairly common name in Turkey, referring to the north wind blowing off the Aegean Sea.

New Zealand writer Ngaio (born Edith Ngaio) Marsh is the best-known bearer of this Maori nature name, properly pronounced ng (like the end of sing) -EYE-oh. It is the name of a tree indigenous to New Zealand, also called the Mousehole Tree.

Gigi Hadid and Zayn Malik notably chose this name for their daughter in 2020, as a variation of Gigi's grandmother's name, Khairiah. In 2021, the name caught on for boys — Khai was a new debut on the Top 1000 and one of the fastest-rising names that year.

With the tide coming in on a new wave of word names, this one just might catch on, especially for parents who relish sun, sand, and surf. Forest lovers can spell it Beech, like the tree.

A way to feminize Seabrook, if you want a name that is gender-neutral in sound but not appearance.

A unique and vintage-feeling combo name, borne by silent child film star Ethelmary Oakland.

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 stylish sounding choice of Maori origin, Kaiora can be considered a name in its own right, meaning "healthy, impressive" and a blend of the elements kai and ora, giving it the combined meaning of "ocean life". It is currently used only quietly in the US, however, with the rise of Kaior, Kaia, Kora, and Kalani, it may just gain more attention in coming years.

In Finnish mythology, Ahti (also known as Ahto) was a heroic character and god of the sea, rivers and fishing, also referred to as Saarelainen ("Islander").