Mermaid Names

Dione

Greek

"divine queen"

In Greek mythology the mother of Aphrodite by Zeus, and also one of Saturn's moons; this is an astral name quite distinct from the better known Dionne.

Dominique

French, feminine variation of Dominic, Latin

"belonging to a lord"

Had a surge of popularity in the Dynasty days, now has subsided in the wake of fresher French choices like Destry and Delphine, though it retains its sense of sophistication. It's one of the most…

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…

Halia

Hawaiian, Greek

"remembrance of a loved one, cherished memory; briny"

Halia is one of Hawaii's top baby names, in the Top 50 for girls in 2021. Rare yet quietly on the rise outside of Hawaii, it was given to around 64 girls in a recent year. With its appealing meaning…

Ianthe

Greek

"purple flower"

Like Violet, Lavender and Lilac, Ianthe is a purple flower name. Chosen by the poet Shelley for his daughter, Ianthe has a poetic, romantic, almost ethereal quality. In the ancient myth, she was the…

Jewel

Word name

Just like Flora is for botanicals, Jewel is the generic gemstone name, not used much since the early twentieth century, when it was seen as a symbol of how precious a daughter could be. The French…

Maira

Maira is a feminine name with multiple cultural origins. In Arabic, it relates to Mayra meaning 'exceptional woman' or 'beneficent.' In Scottish Gaelic, it derives from Màiri, a form of Mary. In…

Mishell

Mishell is a feminine name that primarily functions as a variant spelling of Michelle, which derives from the Hebrew name Michael meaning "who is like God?" This alternative spelling gives the…

Muirgen

Irish

"born of the sea"

Muirgen in Irish mythology was turned into a mermaid and then brought back to land after 300 years and transformed back into a woman -- which must have been quite a shock. Muirgen's original name was…

Nerida

Greek; Aboriginial

"sea nymph, mermaid; red waterlily"

This is one of the more unusual examples of a group of Greek names connected to the sea, which makes sense for a nation of coastline and islands. The Nereids or water nymphs were the daughters of sea…

Nerissa

Greek

"from the sea"

An offbeat possible replacement for the overused Melissa and Marisa, Nerissa was used by Shakespeare for Portia's witty confidante in The Merchant of Venice . Queen Elizabeth has a cousin named…