Nature, Place and Word Names
Beach Baby Names
Across 6 pages
of 6
Cove
English
"small bay"
Cove is an up-and-coming nature name whose cool sound and peaceful image saw it rising for both sexes... until COVID-19 hit. It remained steady in use for boys in 2021, but actually increased for…
Danu
Celtic, goddess of fruitfulness
This sprightly Irish mythology name would make an attention-grabbing choice.
Darya
Russian or Persian, variation of Daria or feminine form of Darius
"kingly; possessing goodness; the sea"
The beguiling Darya is the name of a character in Tolstoy's Anna Karenina. As a Russian name, it's a spelling variation of Daria, while in Iran, it's a girl's name that means "the sea".
Delmore
French
"of the sea"
An undiscovered gem with clunky, buttoned-up appeal and a literary feel thanks to poet Delmore Schwartz.
Deniz
Turkish
"sea"
A super popular nature name in its native Turkey, currently Top 50 for both boys and girls there.
Derya
Turkish
"sea"
Derya is a unisex name in its native Turkey, though even there it is far more popular for women than for men. It is related to the Persian name Daria, which also means sea.
Doris
Greek
"gift of the ocean"
Doris had long been on our so-far-out-it-will-always-be-out-for-babies list, and seemed to be written there in indelible ink. But there are signs of a sea change, that Doris could profit from the…
Dune
English word name
"sand hill"
Dune is a name of several layers. It's a modern nature name, like Ocean, Bay and Reef, although rarer, conjuring up images of breezy sand dunes on summer beach days. It's also assocated with Frank…
Eddy
Diminutive of Edward
"wealthy guardian"
Eddy, recently used by Celine Dion for one of her twin boys, was chosen to honor Eddy Marnay, who produced her first five records. Though less common a nickname for Edward than Eddie, Eddy is used…
Firth
Scottish nature name
"estuary or arm of the sea"
Highly unusual water name -- and actor Colin surname -- with a Scottish burr. Firth derives from the Old Norse word fjord.
Gali
Hebrew
"wave"
Sprightly name popular in Israel with beachy meaning and international flex.
Gull
Celtic
"long-winged swimming birds"
Suggests the salty, windswept air of the seashore.
Halcyon
Greek
"kingfisher bird"
This highly unusual name -- the Halycyone was a mythic bird who could calm the seas -- conjures up images of utter peace and tranquility because of the phrase "Halycon days"...and the sleeping pill.
Hali
Greek
"the sea"
Another culture's take on the Hailey/Halle phenomenon.
Havelock
Scandinavian
"sea competition"
A name from medieval romance with an endearingly clunky sound, à la Sherlock. The most famous modern wearer was twentieth-century psychologist/sexologist Havelock (born Henry) Ellis.
Hurley
Irish
"sea tide"
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"…
Iluka
Australian Aboriginal
"by the sea"
This Yaygir Aboriginal name is the name of two towns in Australia and is also occasionally spotted as a name. Meaning "by the sea" the name is perfect for beach-going families.
Irving
Scottish
"green river, sea friend"
It might be surprising to know that this name originated as a Scottish place and surname name, as in Washington Irving. It became a popular choice for first-generation Jewish-American boys, such as…
Jamaica
Native American place name
"rich in springs"
Among the least gimmicky, most appealing and colorful of all the names found in the atlas, Jamaica almost sings out the rhythms of the West Indies. Part of the Greater Antilles in the Caribbean,…
Kaimana
Hawaiian
"the power of the ocean"
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.