200+ Inspired Ocean Names for Babies

  1. Meri
    • Origin:

      Finnish; Maori
    • Meaning:

      "sea; Mary"
    • Description:

      Upbeat name that cheers you as soon as you hear it. One famous bearer is Maori feminist Meri Te Tai Mangakāhia.
  2. Maylin
    • Origin:

      Variation of May of Mei-Lin, English, Chinese
    • Meaning:

      "drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved; beautiful jade"
    • Description:

      Maylin is following in the footsteps of Maelynn and Maelyn — two modern invented Mae and Lynn compounds that are on the rise.
  3. Umina
    • Origin:

      Japanese or Quechua
    • Meaning:

      "sea or emerald"
    • Description:

      As a Japanese name, Umina derives from umi, meaning "sea", combined with a range of other kanji characters.
  4. Mar
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "sea"
    • Description:

      The Spanish and Portuguese word for "sea" is a Top 100 name in Spain. In America, it's sometimes used as a nickname for names like Martina and Marina, but it could also plausibly stand on its own.
  5. Merrigan
    • Origin:

      Irish surname, related to the sea
    • Description:

      A merry surname cousin of Kerrigan, could make a lively choice for a happy little girl.
  6. Onda
    • Origin:

      Italian
    • Meaning:

      "wave"
    • Description:

      An Italian word name that somehow feels incomplete in itself.
  7. Marica
    • Origin:

      Croatian and Hungarian form of Maria
    • Meaning:

      "drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
    • Description:

      A striking form of international favourite Maria, the meaning of which is uncertain. Theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea"); "bitter" (from Hebrew marah "bitterness"); and "beloved" (from the Egyptian root mr).
  8. Marita
    • Origin:

      German and Spanish diminutive of Maria
    • Meaning:

      "drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
    • Description:

      Derived from Maria, the meaning of which is uncertain. Theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea"); "bitter" (from Hebrew marah "bitterness"); and "beloved" (from the Egyptian root mr).
  9. Gwenore
    • Origin:

      Variation of Guinevere
    • Meaning:

      "white shadow, white wave"
    • Description:

      An offbeat way to get to Gwen.
  10. Gali
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "wave"
    • Description:

      Sprightly name popular in Israel with beachy meaning and international flex.
  11. Tarni
    • Origin:

      Australian Aboriginal
    • Meaning:

      "wave, surf"
    • Description:

      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.
  12. Ngaio
    • Origin:

      Maori
    • Meaning:

      "reflections on the water"
    • Description:

      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.
  13. Sedna
    • Origin:

      Native American, Inuit
    • Meaning:

      "goddess of the sea"
    • Description:

      The name of the Inuit goddess of the sea, marine animals, and the underworld. There is also a dwarf planet in the outer solar system called 90377 Sedna, discovered in 2003 and named after the goddess because: "Our newly discovered object is the coldest, most distant place known in the Solar System, so we feel it is appropriate to name it in honor of Sedna, the Inuit goddess of the sea, who is thought to live at the bottom of the frigid Arctic Ocean."
  14. Merrill
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "sea-bright"
    • Description:

      Merrill, once fairly common for males, is rarely used for girls (or boys either, for that matter) with this spelling. Chef Emeril Lagasse dropped the initial E from his name and called his daughter Meril.
  15. Mervin
    • Origin:

      Welsh
    • Meaning:

      "sea hill"
    • Description:

      A blend of Mervyn and Marvin that is every bit as dated as either of the originals. That -erv sound is difficult no matter what. Mervin is still used today among Amish families.
  16. Morrisey
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "sea taboo"
    • Description:

      When British rocker Steven Patrick Morrissey decided to use his last name alone, it became a viable option for baby namers, a lot cooler than Morris or Maurice.
  17. Brimi
    • Origin:

      Icelandic, Norse
    • Meaning:

      "surf, surge"
    • Description:

      Gentle in sound and appearance but rugged and strong in meaning and feel, Brimi is likely derived from the Old Norse brim meaning "surf, surge", connecting it to the ocean. Also (and more popularly) appearing in the form Brimir, Brimi is a very quietly used name in Iceland, first approved as a given name in 2001.
  18. Mariner
    • Origin:

      Occupational name from Latin
    • Meaning:

      "sea-farer"
  19. Beach
    • Origin:

      Nature name, English word name
    • Meaning:

      "a shore of a body of water"
    • Description:

      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.
  20. Anamaria
    • Origin:

      Spanish, Portuguese and Romanian combination of Ana and Maria
    • Meaning:

      "grace + drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
    • Description:

      Variant of Annemarie