Mermaid - Underwater Names

Margaret

Greek

"pearl"

Margaret is derived from the French Marguerite, which in turn came from Margarita, the Latin form of the Greek Margarites. Margarites was based on the Old Persian word margārīta , meaning "pearl."…

Mary

Hebrew or Egyptian

"drop of the sea; bitter; beloved; love"

Mary is the English form of Maria, which ultimately was derived from the Hebrew name Maryam/Mariam. The original meaning of Maryam is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew…

Talia

Hebrew; Australian Aboriginal

"gentle dew from heaven; by the water"

Talia is derived from the Hebrew elements tal , meaning "dew," and yah , in reference to God. In the mythology of one ancient sect, Talia was one of ten angels who attended the sun on its daily…

Brooke

English

"small stream"

Brooke has long projected an aura of sleek sophistication, and can also be seen as a stylish water name. It was Brooke Shields (born Christa) who took it from quietly fashionable to ultra trendy when…

Navy

English, word name

"fleet of ships; sea-based branch of the armed forces; dark blue"

When R & B singer Nivea made this highly original choice for her daughter's name back in 2005, she claimed to have thought of it in terms of the color and not the seagoing armed service. As a word…

Ariel

Hebrew

"lion of God"

Ariel is a male Biblical name, seen there as the messenger of Ezra, and also used as a symbolic name for the city of Jerusalem, while Shakespeare used it for a (male) sprite in The Tempest . For…

Pearl

Latin gem name

"pearl"

Pearl, like Ruby, has begun to be polished up for a new generation of fashionable children after a century of jewelry box storage. The birthstone for the month of June, Pearl could also make a…

Ocean

English, nature name

Ocean is a nature name that comes right out and states its meaning and association. Full of power and depth, Ocean is one of the fastest-rising baby names for both girls and boys, making the US Top…

Cordelia

Latin; Celtic

"heart; daughter of the sea"

Cordelia is exactly the kind of old-fashioned, grown-up name for girls that many parents are seeking for their daughters today. The name of King Lear's one sympathetic daughter, Cordelia has both…

Marin

Latin

"of the sea"

Marin is a lovely county north of San Francisco, and a lovely baby name on the rise, one which sounds more refreshing than the more familiar Marina. As a place-name, Marin is pronounced with the…

Maris

Latin

"of the sea"

Maris is an unusual and appealing name that has never appeared in the U.S. Top 1000, overshadowed by its twentieth century elaboration, Marisa/Marissa. It derives from the phrase "Stella Maris," star…

Tora

Norse

"thunder"

Tora is the female version of Tor or Thor, the name of the Norse god of thunder. Actress Jeanne Tripplehorn chose it for her daughter.

Nile

River name and color name

"dark blue, indigo"

Cool, serene name of the Egyptian river can make a fresh choice for a girl. The origin of river name Nile relates to the Arabic and ancient Hebrew word for dark blue or indigo; in ancient Egyptian,…

Bay

English word, Old English

"an inlet of the sea where the land curves inward; berry"

One of the most usable of the pleasant, newly adopted nature/water names (like Lake and Ocean), especially in middle position. It's gentle, slightly whimsical, but grounded by its similarity to May…

Naida

Greek

"water nymph,"

Possibility for a girl born under one of the water signs -- Cancer, Pisces, or Scorpio.

Talise

Talise is a feminine name with multiple possible origins. Some sources suggest it comes from Native American languages, particularly attributed to meanings like 'beautiful waters' or 'lovely water'…

Ula

Celtic

"gem of the sea"

Ula is among the unusual U names that may have a range of origins and meanings, from the Celtic one given here to its possibilities as a short form of Eulalia or Ursula. Ulla is a Scandinavian name…

Alcyone

Greek mythology name

"kingfisher"

Alcyone was the wife of Ceyx, but the happy pair angered the gods by calling each other Zeus and Hera. Ceyx's ship was sunk, Alcyone hurled herself into the sea, but then in sympathy for their grief…

Bayou

Native American nature name

A slow and sultry southern choice that's definitely cool for babies of either gender. While the word feels French and has its roots in 18th century French Louisiana, it derives from the Choctaw word…