Names Categorized "water"

This is a list of names in which the categories include water.
gender
usage
Abhishek m Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Bengali, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil
Means "anointing" in Sanskrit.
Abital f Biblical
Means "my father is dew" in Hebrew. She is the fifth wife of David in the Old Testament.
Achelous m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From Greek Ἀχελώιος (Acheloios), which is of unknown meaning, possibly of Semitic origin. This was the name of a Greek god of water and rivers, in particular the Achelous River in western Greece. He fought with (and was defeated by) Herakles for the hand of Deianeira.
Adawosgi m Indigenous American, Cherokee
Means "he is swimming" in Cherokee, from ᎠᏓᏬᏍᎬ (adawosgun) meaning "swimming".
Adva f Hebrew
Means "small wave, ripple" in Hebrew.
Ægir m Norse Mythology
Means "sea, ocean" in Old Norse. According to Norse mythology Ægir was a god or giant (jǫtunn) who lived under the ocean. His wife was Rán.
Aeron m & f Welsh
From the name of the Welsh river Aeron, itself probably derived from the hypothetical Celtic goddess Agrona. Alternatively, the name could be taken from Welsh aeron meaning "berries".
Aeronwy f Welsh (Rare)
Extended form of Aeron.
Afon f & m Welsh (Rare)
Means "river" in Welsh. This is a Welsh name of recent origin.
Afroditi f Greek
Modern Greek form of Aphrodite.
Agam f & m Hebrew
Means "lake" in Hebrew.
Ahti m Finnish, Estonian, Finnish Mythology
Meaning unknown. This is the name of the Finnish god of the ocean, rivers and fishing.
Aino f Finnish, Estonian, Finnish Mythology
Means "the only one" in Finnish. In the Finnish epic the Kalevala this is the name of a girl who drowns herself when she finds out she must marry the old man Väinämöinen.
Alcyone f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Ἀλκυόνη (Alkyone), derived from the word ἀλκυών (alkyon) meaning "kingfisher". In Greek myth this name belonged to a daughter of Aeolus and the wife of Ceyx. After her husband was killed in a shipwreck she threw herself into the water, but the gods saved her and turned them both into kingfishers. This is also the name of the brightest of the Pleiades, a group of stars in the constellation Taurus, supposedly the daughters of Atlas and Pleione.
Alda 2 f Icelandic
Means "wave" in Icelandic.
Aled m Welsh
From the name of a Welsh river, of uncertain meaning.
Alma 1 f English, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Latvian, Lithuanian, Albanian, Slovene, Croatian
This name became popular after the Battle of Alma (1854), which took place near the River Alma in Crimea and ended in a victory for Britain and France. However, the name was in rare use before the battle; it was probably inspired by Latin almus "nourishing". It also coincides with the Spanish word meaning "the soul".
Alon 2 m Filipino, Tagalog
Means "wave" in Tagalog.
Alton m English
From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "town at the source of the river" in Old English.
Alwyn m Welsh
From the name of the River Alwen in northern Wales (a tributary of the River Dee).
Ameyalli f Indigenous American, Nahuatl
Means "spring, fountain" in Nahuatl.
Amphitrite f Greek Mythology
Possibly means "the surrounding sea" or "the surrounding third", from Greek ἀμφίς (amphis) meaning "surrounding, around, between" and the same root found in the name of Triton. In Greek mythology she was a goddess of the sea and salt water, the wife of Poseidon and the mother of Triton.
Anahita f Persian, Persian Mythology
Means "immaculate, undefiled" in Old Persian, from the Old Iranian prefix *an- "not" combined with *āhita "unclean, dirty". This was the name of an Iranian goddess of fertility and water. In the Zoroastrian religious texts the Avesta she is called 𐬀𐬭𐬆𐬛𐬎𐬎𐬍 (Arəduuī) in Avestan, with 𐬀𐬥𐬁𐬵𐬌𐬙𐬀 (anāhita) appearing only as a descriptive epithet. In origin she is possibly identical to the Indian goddess Saraswati. She has historically been identified with the Semitic goddess Ishtar and the Greek goddess Artemis.
Anan 2 m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew, Hebrew
Means "cloud" in Hebrew. This name is mentioned very briefly in the Old Testament.
Anat 1 f Semitic Mythology
Possibly derived from a Semitic root meaning "water spring". Anat was a goddess of fertility, hunting and war worshipped by the Semitic peoples of the Levant. She was the sister and consort of the god Hadad.
Anup m Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Malayalam
Means "watery, place near the water, lagoon" in Sanskrit.
Aphrodisios m Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek personal name that was derived from the name of the Greek goddess Aphrodite.
Aphrodite f Greek Mythology
Meaning unknown, possibly of Phoenician origin. Aphrodite was the Greek goddess of love and beauty, identified with the Roman goddess Venus. She was the wife of Hephaestus and the mother of Eros, and she was often associated with the myrtle tree and doves. The Greeks connected her name with ἀφρός (aphros) meaning "foam", resulting in the story that she was born from the foam of the sea. Many of her characteristics are based on the goddess known as Ashtoreth to the Phoenicians and Ishtar to the Mesopotamian Semitic peoples, and on the Sumerian goddess Inanna.
Appius m Ancient Roman
This was a Roman praenomen, or given name, used predominantly by the Claudia family. Its etymology is unknown. A famous bearer of this name was Appius Claudius Caecus, a Roman statesman of the 3rd century BC. He was responsible for the Aqua Appia (the first Roman aqueduct) and the Appian Way (a road between Rome and Capua), both of which were named for him.
Arabinda m Bengali, Indian, Odia
Bengali and Odia variant of Aravind.
Aravind m Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Tamil
Means "lotus" in Sanskrit.
Aravinda m Indian, Kannada
Alternate transcription of Kannada ಅರವಿಂದ (see Aravind).
Ardalion m Late Greek, Georgian (Rare), Russian (Rare)
Probably derived from Greek ἀρδάλιον (ardalion) meaning "water pot". This was the name of a 4th-century saint and martyr from Asia Minor.
Arethusa f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From Greek Ἀρέθουσα (Arethousa) meaning "quick water", which is possibly derived from ἄρδω (ardo) meaning "water" and θοός (thoos) meaning "quick, nimble". This was the name of a nymph in Greek mythology who was transformed into a fountain.
Asherah f Semitic Mythology
Perhaps derived from Semitic roots meaning "she who walks in the sea". This was the name of a Semitic mother goddess. She was worshipped by the Israelites before the advent of monotheism.
Aurobindo m Bengali, Indian, Odia
Bengali and Odia variant of Aravind.
Avital f & m Biblical Hebrew, Hebrew
Hebrew form of Abital, sometimes used as a masculine name in modern times.
Aysel f Turkish, Azerbaijani
Means "moon flood" in Turkish and Azerbaijani, from Turkic ay "moon" and sel "flood, stream".
Aysu f Turkish, Azerbaijani
Derived from Turkish and Azerbaijani ay meaning "moon" and su meaning "water".
Bahargül f Turkmen
Derived from Turkmen bahar meaning "spring" and gül meaning "flower, rose" (both roots ultimately of Persian origin).
Baptiste m French
Means "baptist" in French, originally deriving from Greek βάπτω (bapto) meaning "to dip". This name is usually given in honour of Saint John the Baptist, and as such it is often paired with the name Jean.
Baran f & m Persian, Turkish, Kurdish
Means "rain" in Persian. It is typically feminine in Persian and masculine in Turkish and Kurdish.
Beck m & f English (Rare)
From a surname of English, German or Scandinavian origins, all derived from related words meaning "stream". As a feminine name, in some cases it is a short form of Rebecca. A noted bearer is the American rock musician Beck Hansen (1970-), born Bek David Campbell, who goes by the stage name Beck.
Beckett m English (Modern)
From an English surname that could be derived from various sources, including from Middle English bec meaning "beak" or bekke meaning "stream, brook".
Belinay f Turkish (Modern)
Means "reflection of the moon on a lake" in Turkish.
Beverley f English
Variant of Beverly.
Beverly f & m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from the name of a Yorkshire city, itself from Old English beofor "beaver" and (possibly) licc "stream". It came into use as a masculine given name in the 19th century, then became common as an American feminine name after the publication of George Barr McCutcheon's 1904 novel Beverly of Graustark. It was most popular in the 1930s, and has since greatly declined in use.
Bilal m Arabic, Turkish, Urdu
Means "wetting, moistening" in Arabic. This was the name of a companion of the Prophet Muhammad.
Bo 2 m & f Chinese
From Chinese () meaning "wave", as well as other characters with a similar pronunciation.
Botum f & m Khmer
From Pali paduma meaning "lotus", from Sanskrit पद्म (padma).
Bradán m Medieval Irish
Means "salmon" in Irish. It could also be formed from Irish brad "thief" and a diminutive suffix.
Brenna f English
Possibly a variant of Brenda or a feminine form of Brennan.
Brennan m English
From an Irish surname (Anglicized from Irish Gaelic Ó Braonáin) that was derived from the byname Braonán, itself from Irish braon meaning "rain, moisture, drop" combined with a diminutive suffix. As a given name, it has been used since the 1960s as an alternative to Brendan or Brandon, though it has not been as popular as them.
Bridget f Irish, English
Anglicized form of the Irish name Brighid, Old Irish Brigit, from old Celtic *Brigantī meaning "the exalted one". In Irish mythology this was the name of the goddess of fire, poetry and wisdom, the daughter of the god Dagda. In the 5th century it was borne by Saint Brigid, the founder of a monastery at Kildare and a patron saint of Ireland. Because of the saint, the name was considered sacred in Ireland, and it did not come into general use there until the 17th century. In the form Birgitta this name has been common in Scandinavia, made popular by the 14th-century Saint Birgitta of Sweden, patron saint of Europe.
Brigid f Irish, Irish Mythology
Irish variant of Brighid (see Bridget).
Brody m English
From a Scottish surname that was originally derived from a place in Moray, Scotland. It probably means "ditch, mire" in Gaelic.
Brook m & f English
From an English surname that denoted one who lived near a brook.
Brooke f English
Variant of Brook. The name came into use in the 1950s, probably influenced by American socialite Brooke Astor (1902-2007). It was further popularized by actress Brooke Shields (1965-).
Burim m Albanian
Means "spring, well, water source" in Albanian.
Cale m English
Short form of Caleb.
Callirrhoe f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek name Καλλιρρόη (Kallirrhoe), derived from the word καλλίρρους (kallirrhous) meaning "beautiful flowing". This was the name of several characters in Greek mythology, including a daughter of Achelous. A small moon of Jupiter is named after her.
Cansu f Turkish
From Turkish can meaning "soul, life" and su meaning "water".
Caspian m Literature
Used by author C. S. Lewis for a character in his Chronicles of Narnia series, first appearing in 1950. Prince Caspian first appears in the fourth book, where he is the rightful king of Narnia driven into exile by his evil uncle Miraz. Lewis probably based the name on the Caspian Sea, which was named for the city of Qazvin, which was itself named for the ancient Cas tribe.
Cemre f Turkish
From a term used in Turkish folklore referring to the warming of temperature at the end of winter, thought to occur in three stages affecting air, water, then earth.
Chalchiuhtlicue f Aztec and Toltec Mythology
Means "jade skirt" in Nahuatl, from chālchiuhtli "jade, precious stone" and cuēitl "skirt". This was the name of the Aztec goddess of water and rivers, the wife of Tlaloc.
Chao m & f Chinese
From Chinese (chāo) meaning "surpass, leap over" (which is usually only masculine), (cháo) meaning "tide, flow, damp", or other characters that are pronounced similarly.
Clare f English
Medieval English form of Clara. The preferred spelling in the English-speaking world is now the French form Claire, though Clare has been fairly popular in the United Kingdom and Australia.... [more]
Clinton m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from towns named Glinton, of uncertain meaning, or Glympton, meaning "settlement on the River Glyme". A famous bearer of the surname is former American president Bill Clinton (1946-).
Clodagh f Irish
From the Clodiagh, a small river in County Waterford, Ireland. It was first used as a given name by Clodagh Beresford (1879-1957), daughter of the Marquess of Waterford.
Cloelia f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Cloelius. In Roman legend Cloelia was a maiden who was given to an Etruscan invader as a hostage. She managed to escape by swimming across the Tiber, at the same time helping some of the other captives to safety.
Colwyn m Welsh
From the name of a bay and seaside town in Conwy, Wales.
Conway m English
From a Welsh surname that was derived from the name of the River Conwy, which possibly means "holy water" in Welsh.
Corentin m Breton, French
French form of the Breton name Kaourintin, possibly from korventenn meaning "hurricane, storm". Alternatively, it could be connected to the Brythonic root *karid meaning "love" (modern Breton karout). This was the name of a 5th-century bishop of Quimper in Brittany.
Covadonga f Spanish
From the name of a village in Asturias, Spain. Called Cuadonga in Asturian, it probably means "cave of the spring", though it has long been associated with Vulgar Latin Cova Dominica "Cave of Our Lady". This is the site of an important shrine to the Virgin Mary, and its use as a given name stems from the Marian title Nuestra Señora de Covadonga "Our Lady of Covadonga".
Crawford m English
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "crow ford" in Old English.
Creiddylad f Welsh Mythology
From Middle Welsh Creidylat, of uncertain meaning, possibly from craidd "heart, center" or crau "blood" combined with dylad "flood". In the Welsh tale Culhwch and Olwen this is the name of the beautiful daughter of Lludd Llaw Ereint, loved by both Gwyn and Gwythyr. Her name is allegedly the basis for Cordelia.
Crystal f English
From the English word crystal for the clear, colourless glass, sometimes cut into the shape of a gemstone. The English word derives ultimately from Greek κρύσταλλος (krystallos) meaning "ice". It has been in use as a given name since the 19th century.
Dacre m English (Rare)
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name in Cumbria, of Brythonic origin meaning "trickling stream".
Damla f Turkish, Azerbaijani
Means "water drop" in Turkish and Azerbaijani.
Dəniz f & m Azerbaijani
Means "sea" in Azerbaijani.
Darya 2 f Persian
Means "sea, ocean" in Persian.
Dathan m Biblical
Possibly means "fountain" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of one of the conspirators against Moses.
Dee f & m English
Short form of names beginning with D. It may also be given in reference to the Dee River in Scotland.
Delano m English
From a surname, recorded as de la Noye in French, indicating that the bearer was from a place called La Noue (ultimately Gaulish meaning "wetland, swamp"). It has been used in honour of American president Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882-1945), whose middle name came from his mother's maiden name.
Delmar m English
From an English surname that was derived from Norman French de la mare meaning "from the pond".
Delta f English
From the name of the fourth letter in the Greek alphabet, Δ. It is also the name for an island formed at the mouth of a river.
Deniz f & m Turkish
Means "sea" in Turkish.
Denver m English
From an English surname that was from a place name meaning "Dane ford" in Old English. This is the name of the capital city of Colorado, which was named for the politician James W. Denver (1817-1892).
Derya f Turkish
Means "sea, ocean" in Turkish, ultimately from Persian.
Dikeledi f Southern African, Tswana
Means "tears" in Tswana.
Dima 1 f Arabic
Means "downpour" in Arabic.
Doris f English, German, Swedish, Danish, Croatian, Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
From the Greek name Δωρίς (Doris), which meant "Dorian woman". The Dorians were a Greek tribe who occupied the Peloponnese starting in the 12th century BC. In Greek mythology Doris was a sea nymph, one of the many children of Oceanus and Tethys. It began to be used as an English name in the 19th century. A famous bearer is the American actress Doris Day (1924-2019).
Douglas m Scottish, English
From a Scottish surname that was from the name of a town in Lanarkshire, itself named after a tributary of the River Clyde called the Douglas Water. It means "dark river", derived from Gaelic dubh "dark" and glais "water, river" (an archaic word related to glas "grey, green"). This was a Scottish Lowland clan, the leaders of which were powerful earls in the medieval period. The Gaelic form is Dùghlas or Dùbhghlas. It has been used as a given name since the 16th century.
Dubhshláine m Old Irish
Derived from Old Irish dub "dark, black" and either slán "challenge, defiance" or Sláine, the Irish name of the River Slaney.
Dylan m Welsh, English, Welsh Mythology
From the Welsh prefix dy meaning "to, toward" and llanw meaning "tide, flow". According to the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi, Dylan was a son of Arianrhod and the twin brother of Lleu Llaw Gyffes. Immediately after he was baptized he took to the sea, where he could swim as well as a fish. He was slain accidentally by his uncle Gofannon. According to some theories the character might be rooted in an earlier and otherwise unattested Celtic god of the sea.... [more]
Ea 1 m Semitic Mythology
Meaning unknown, perhaps from Sumerian meaning "house of water", or perhaps of Akkadian or Hurrian origin. This was the Akkadian, Assyrian, Hurrian and Babylonian name of the Sumerian water god Enki.
Eddy m English, French, Dutch
Diminutive of Edward, Edmund and other names beginning with Ed.
Eira 1 f Welsh
Means "snow" in Welsh. This is a recently created name.
Ema 2 f Japanese
From Japanese (e) meaning "favour, benefit" or (e) meaning "bay, inlet" combined with (ma) meaning "flax". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Endla f Estonian
From the name of an Estonian lake, which often appears in folk poetry. The lake's name is ultimately derived from the medieval personal name Ent or Endo.
Endymion m Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ἐνδύω (endyo) meaning "to dive into, to enter". In Greek mythology he was an Aeolian mortal loved by the moon goddess Selene, who asked Zeus to grant him eternal life. Zeus complied by putting him into an eternal sleep in a cave on Mount Latmos.
Enki m Sumerian Mythology
From Sumerian 𒂗 (en) meaning "lord" and 𒆠 (ki) meaning "earth, ground" (though maybe originally from 𒆳 (kur) meaning "underworld, mountain"). Enki, called Ea by the Akkadians, Assyrians and Babylonians, was the Sumerian god of water and wisdom and the keeper of the Me, the divine laws.
Epaphras m Biblical, Biblical Greek, Biblical Latin, Ancient Greek
Shortened form of Epaphroditos. In the New Testament this is the name of one of Paul's co-workers.
Erasmus m Late Greek (Latinized)
Derived from Greek ἐράσμιος (erasmios) meaning "beloved". Saint Erasmus, also known as Saint Elmo, was a 4th-century martyr who is the patron saint of sailors. Erasmus was also the name of a Dutch scholar of the Renaissance period.
Ersilia f Italian
Italian form of Hersilia.
Eudora f Greek Mythology
Means "good gift" in Greek, from the elements εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". This was the name of a nymph, one of the Hyades, in Greek mythology.
Euri f Basque (Rare)
Means "rain" in Basque.
Fenrir m Norse Mythology
From Old Norse fen meaning "marsh, fen". In Norse mythology Fenrir was a ferocious wolf, one of the offspring of Loki and the giantess Angrboða. Because it was foretold he would bring about disaster, the gods bound him with a magical fetter, though in the process Tyr's hand was bitten off. At the time of Ragnarök, the end of the world, it is told that he will break free and kill Odin.
Fenton m English
From a surname that was originally taken from a place name meaning "marsh town" in Old English.
Ford m English
From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "ford" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was the American industrialist Henry Ford (1863-1947).
Fu m & f Chinese
From Chinese () meaning "abundant, rich, wealthy", () meaning "hibiscus, lotus" or () meaning "begin, man, father", in addition to other characters with a similar pronunciation. A famous bearer was the 8th-century Tang dynasty poet Du Fu, whose given name was .
Gal 1 f & m Hebrew
Means "wave" in Hebrew.
Gali f Hebrew
Means "my wave" in Hebrew.
Galia f Hebrew
Elaboration of Gal 1. It could also be considered a compound meaning "wave from God", using the element יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God.
Ghadir f Arabic
Means "stream" in Arabic.
Ghayth m Arabic
Means "rain" in Arabic.
Giang f & m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (giang) meaning "river".
Glendower m Welsh
Anglicized form of Glyndwr.
Glyndwr m Welsh
Given in honour of Owain Glyndwr (or Glyn Dŵr, Anglicized as Glendower), a 14th-century Welsh patriot who led a revolt against England. His byname means "valley water", and was probably inspired by the name of his estate at Glyndyfrdwy (meaning "valley of the River Dee").
Göksu m & f Turkish
From Turkish gök meaning "sky" and su meaning "water".
Golbahar f Persian
Means "spring flower", from Persian گل (gol) meaning "flower, rose" and بهار (bahar) meaning "spring".
Gonggong m Chinese Mythology
Meaning unknown, though usually spelled using the Chinese characters (gòng) meaning "together" and (gōng) meaning "work". This is the name of a Chinese water god, depicted as a serpent with a human head. He damaged the heavenly pillar Mount Buzhou, making the sky tilt to the northwest and the earth tilt to the southeast. A dwarf planet in the outer solar system was named for him in 2019.
Guadalupe f & m Spanish
From a Spanish title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, meaning "Our Lady of Guadalupe". Guadalupe is a Spanish place name, the site of a famous convent, derived from Arabic وادي (wadi) meaning "valley, river" possibly combined with Latin lupus meaning "wolf". In the 16th century Our Lady of Guadalupe supposedly appeared in a vision to a native Mexican man, and she is now regarded as a patron saint of the Americas.
Gülbahar f Turkish
Turkish form of Golbahar.
Gulbahar f & m Urdu
Urdu form of Golbahar.
Gürsel m Turkish
Means "flowing water" in Turkish.
Gwenfrewi f Welsh (Rare)
Derived from Welsh gwen meaning "white, blessed" combined with another element of uncertain meaning. It could possibly be Welsh ffreu meaning "stream, flow" or the obscure word ffrewi meaning "pacify, quell, reconcile". This may be the original form of Winifred. In any case, it is the Welsh name for the saint.
Gwenllian f Welsh
Derived from the Welsh elements gwen meaning "white, blessed" and possibly lliain meaning "flaxen, made of linen" or lliant meaning "flow, flood". This name was used by medieval Welsh royalty, notably by a 12th-century princess of Deheubarth who died in battle with the Normans. It was also borne by the 13th-century daughter of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, the last prince of Gwynedd.
Gyatso m Tibetan
From Tibetan རྒྱ་མཚོ (rgya-mtsho) meaning "ocean". This is one of the given names of the current Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso (1935-).
f & m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese () meaning "river".
Hadrian m History
From the Roman cognomen Hadrianus, which meant "from Hadria" in Latin. Hadria was the name of two Roman settlements. The first (modern Adria) is in northern Italy and was an important Etruscan port town. The second (modern Atri) is in central Italy and was named after the northern town. The Adriatic Sea is also named after the northern town.... [more]
Hải m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (hải) meaning "sea, ocean".
Hai m & f Chinese
From Chinese (hǎi) meaning "sea, ocean" or other characters that are pronounced similarly.
Haurvatat f Persian Mythology
Means "health, perfection, wholeness" in Avestan. This was the name of a Zoroastrian goddess (one of the Amesha Spenta) associated with health and water. She was often mentioned with Ameretat.
He f & m Chinese
From Chinese () meaning "river, stream", () meaning "harmony, peace", or () meaning "lotus, water lily" (which is usually only feminine). Other characters can form this name as well. A famous bearer was the 15th-century explorer Zheng He.
Helle 2 f Greek Mythology
Meaning unknown. In Greek mythology Helle was the daughter of Athamus and Nephele. She and her brother Phrixus escaped sacrifice by fleeing on the back of a golden ram, but during their flight she fell off and drowned in the strait that connects the Aegean Sea with the Sea of Marmara, which was thereafter called the Hellespont ("the sea of Helle").
Heremoana m Tahitian
From Tahitian here "loved, dear" and moana "ocean".
Hersilia f Roman Mythology
Meaning uncertain, perhaps related to Greek ἕρση (herse) meaning "dew". In Roman legend this was the name of a Sabine woman who became the wife of Romulus.
Hodei m Basque
Means "cloud" in Basque.
Houa f Hmong
Means "clouds" in Hmong.
Hreiðunn f Old Norse
Old Norse form of Reidun.
Hrönn f Icelandic
Icelandic form of Hrǫnn.
Hrǫnn f Norse Mythology
Means "wave" in Old Norse. In Norse mythology she was one of the nine daughters of Ægir and Rán.
Hudson m English
From an English surname meaning "son of Hudde". A famous bearer of the surname was the English explorer Henry Hudson (1570-1611).
Hydra f Astronomy, Greek Mythology
Means "water serpent" in Greek, related to ὕδωρ (hydor) meaning "water". In Greek myth this was the name of a many-headed Lernaean serpent slain by Herakles. It is also the name of a northern constellation, as well as a moon of Pluto.
Hyeon-U m Korean
From Sino-Korean (hyeon) meaning "virtuous, worthy, able" or (hyeon) meaning "manifest, clear" combined with (u) meaning "divine intervention, protection" or (u) meaning "rain". This name can be formed by other hanja character combinations as well.
Hyun-Woo m Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 현우 (see Hyeon-U).
Iara f Indigenous American, Tupi
Means "lady of the water" in Tupi, from y "water" and îara "lady, mistress". In Brazilian folklore this is the name of a beautiful river nymph who would lure men into the water. She may have been based upon earlier Tupi legends.
Ibai m Basque
Means "river" in Basque.
Idoia f Basque
From the name of a sanctuary in Isaba, Navarre, possibly meaning "pond" in Basque, an important place of worship of the Virgin Mary.
Ihintza f Basque
From Basque ihintz meaning "dew". It is a Basque equivalent of Rocío.
IJsbrand m Dutch (Rare)
Derived from the Old German elements is "ice" and brant "fire, torch, sword".
İlayda f Turkish
Possibly derived from the name of a Turkish water sprite.
Inderjeet m & f Indian (Sikh)
Alternate transcription of Gurmukhi ਇੰਦਰਜੀਤ (see Inderjit).
Indra m Hinduism, Indian, Hindi, Nepali
Means "possessing drops of rain" from Sanskrit इन्दु (indu) meaning "a drop" and (ra) meaning "acquiring, possessing". Indra is the name of the ancient Hindu warrior god of the sky and rain. He is the chief god in the Rigveda.
Ione f Greek Mythology, English
From Ancient Greek ἴον (ion) meaning "violet flower". This was the name of a sea nymph in Greek mythology. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century, though perhaps based on the Greek place name Ionia, a region on the west coast of Asia Minor.
Irmak f Turkish
Means "river" in Turkish.
Irvin m English
From a surname that was a variant of either Irving or Irwin.
Irvine m English, Scottish
From a surname that was a variant of Irving.
Irving m English, Jewish
From a Scottish surname that was derived from the town of Irvine in North Ayrshire, itself named for the River Irvine, which is derived from Brythonic elements meaning "green water". Historically this name has been relatively common among Jews, who have used it as an American-sounding form of Hebrew names beginning with I such as Isaac, Israel and Isaiah. A famous bearer was the Russian-American songwriter and lyricist Irving Berlin (1888-1989), whose birth name was Israel Beilin.
Isa 3 m Germanic
Short form of Germanic names beginning with the element is meaning "ice" (Proto-Germanic *īsą).
Isbrand m Germanic
Old German form of IJsbrand.
Iseul f & m Korean
Means "dew" in Korean.
Isolde f German, Arthurian Romance
German form of Iseult, appearing in the 13th-century German poem Tristan by Gottfried von Strassburg. In 1865 the German composer Richard Wagner debuted his popular opera Tristan und Isolde and also used the name for his first daughter.
Itsasne f Basque
Variant of Itsaso.
Itsaso f Basque
Means "ocean" in Basque.
Itxaso f Basque
Diminutive of Itsaso.
Itzel f Indigenous American, Mayan
Meaning uncertain, possibly from Classic Maya itz meaning "resin, nectar, dew, liquid, enchanted". Otherwise, it might be a variant of Ixchel.
Izotz m Basque
Means "ice" in Basque.
Izumi f Japanese
From Japanese (izumi) meaning "fountain, spring". This name can also be constructed from other combinations of kanji.
Jafar m Arabic, Persian
Means "stream" in Arabic. Jafar ibn Abi Talib was a cousin of the Prophet Muhammad who was killed fighting against Byzantium in the 7th century. Another notable bearer was Jafar al-Sadiq, the sixth Shia imam.
Jalə f Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani form of Zhaleh.
Jale f Turkish
Turkish form of Zhaleh.
Jaleh f Persian
Alternate transcription of Persian ژاله (see Zhaleh).
Jiang m & f Chinese
From Chinese (jiāng) meaning "river, Yangtze", as well as other characters with a similar pronunciation.
Ji-U f & m Korean
From Sino-Korean (ji) meaning "sesame" or (ji) meaning "will, purpose, ambition" combined with (u) meaning "rain" or (u) meaning "house, eaves, universe". Other combinations of hanja characters can form this name as well.
Ji-Woo f & m Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 지우 (see Ji-U).
Jorah m Biblical, Literature
From the Hebrew name יוֹרָה (Yorah) meaning either "he teaches" or "rain". This name is mentioned briefly in the Book of Ezra in the Old Testament. It was used by George R. R. Martin for a character in his fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire (first published 1996) and the television adaptation Game of Thrones (2011-2019). It is not known if Martin took the name from the Bible.
Jordan m & f English, French, Macedonian, Serbian
From the name of the river that flows between the countries of Jordan and Israel. The river's name in Hebrew is יַרְדֵן (Yarden), and it is derived from יָרַד (yarad) meaning "descend" or "flow down". In the New Testament John the Baptist baptizes Jesus Christ in its waters, and it was adopted as a personal name in Europe after crusaders brought water back from the river to baptize their children. There may have been some influence from the Latin name Jordanes, notably borne by a 6th-century Gothic historian.... [more]
Jubal m Biblical
Means "stream" in Hebrew. This name is mentioned in Genesis in the Old Testament as belonging to the first person to be a musician.
Jūratė f Lithuanian
From Lithuanian jūra meaning "sea". This is the name of a sea goddess who falls in love with a fisherman in the Lithuanian folk tale Jūratė and Kastytis.
Juturna f Roman Mythology
Meaning unknown. Juturna was the Roman goddess of fountains and springs. According to Virgil she was the sister of Turnus.
Kai 3 m & f Hawaiian
Means "sea" in Hawaiian.
Kailani f Hawaiian
From Hawaiian kai "ocean, sea" and lani "sky, heaven".
Kaimana m & f Hawaiian
From Hawaiian kai "ocean, sea" and mana "power". It is also Hawaiian meaning "diamond", derived from the English word diamond.
Kaito m Japanese
From Japanese (kai) meaning "sea, ocean" combined with (to), which refers to a Chinese constellation, or (to) meaning "soar, fly". Other kanji combinations are also possible.
Kallirroi f Greek
Modern Greek transcription of Καλλιρρόη (see Callirrhoe).
Kamala f & m Hinduism, Tamil, Indian, Kannada, Telugu, Hindi, Nepali
Means "lotus" or "pale red" in Sanskrit. In Sanskrit this is a transcription of both the feminine form कमला and the masculine form कमल, though in modern languages it is only a feminine form. This is the name of one of the Krittikas, or Pleiades, in the Hindu epic the Mahabharata. It is also another name of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi.
Kaniehtiio f Indigenous American, Mohawk
Means "she is good snow" in Mohawk, from ka- "she", óniehte "snow" and the suffix -iio "good".
Kapka f Bulgarian
Means "droplet" in Bulgarian.
Karen 3 f Japanese
From Japanese (ka) meaning "flower" and (ren) meaning "lotus, water lily". Other combinations of kanji can also form this name.
Kasumi f Japanese
From Japanese (kasumi) meaning "mist". It can also come from (ka) meaning "flower, blossom" combined with (sumi) meaning "clear, pure". Other kanji combinations are also possible.
Kawisenhawe f Indigenous American, Mohawk
Means "she holds the ice" in Mohawk, from ka- "she", ówise "ice" and -hawe "hold, have".
Keir m Scottish
From a surname that was a variant of Kerr.
Kelda f English (Rare)
Possibly derived from Old Norse kildr meaning "a spring".
Kellen m English (Modern)
Possibly from a German surname, itself derived from Middle Low German kel "swampy area". This name began to be used in the United States in the early 1980s after the American football player Kellen Winslow (1957-) began his professional career.
Kelvin m English
From the name of a Scottish river, perhaps meaning "narrow water". As a title it was borne by the Irish-Scottish physicist William Thomson, Lord Kelvin (1824-1907), who acquired his title from the river.
Kendall m & f English
From an English surname that comes from the name of the city of Kendale in northwest England meaning "valley on the river Kent". Originally mostly masculine, the name received a boost in popularity for girls in 1993 when the devious character Kendall Hart began appearing on the American soap opera All My Children.
Kent m English
From a surname that was originally derived from Kent, the name of a county in England, which may be derived from a Brythonic word meaning "coastal district".
Kerr m Scottish
From a Scots surname that was derived from a word meaning "thicket, marsh", ultimately from Old Norse kjarr.
Khnum m Egyptian Mythology
From Egyptian ẖnmw (reconstructed as Khenmu or Khnemu), derived from ẖnm meaning "to unite". This was the name of an early Egyptian god associated with fertility, water and the Nile. He was often depicted as a man with the head of a ram, sometimes with a potter's wheel.
Klytië f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek κλυτός (klytos) meaning "famous, noble". In Greek myth Klytië was an ocean nymph who loved the sun god Helios. Her love was not returned, and she pined away staring at him until she was transformed into a heliotrope flower, whose head moves to follow the sun.
Kunala m Sanskrit
Means "lotus" in Sanskrit. This was the name of a son of the 3rd-century BC Indian emperor Ashoka.
Kyle m English
From a Scottish surname that was derived from various place names, themselves from Gaelic caol meaning "narrows, channel, strait". As a given name it was rare in the first half of the 20th century. It rose steadily in popularity throughout the English-speaking world, entering the top 50 in most places by the 1990s. It has since declined in all regions.
Lachlan m Scottish, English
Anglicized form of Lachlann, the Scottish Gaelic form of Lochlainn. In the English-speaking world, this name was especially popular in Australia towards the end of the 20th century.
Lachlann m Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Lochlainn.
Lăcrămioara f Romanian
Means "lily of the valley" in Romanian (species Convallaria majalis). It is derived from a diminutive form of lacrămă "tear".
Laine f Estonian
Means "wave" in Estonian.
Lake m & f English (Rare)
From the English word lake, for the inland body of water. It is ultimately derived from Latin lacus.
Lamar m English, African American
From a French and English surname, originally from a place name in Normandy, which was derived from Old French la mare meaning "the pool". In the second half of the 20th century this name has been well-used in the African-American community, probably because of its popular phonetic components la and mar.
Lan 1 f & m Chinese, Vietnamese
From Chinese (lán) meaning "orchid, elegant" (which is usually only feminine) or (lán) meaning "mountain mist". Other Chinese characters can form this name as well. As a Vietnamese name, it is derived from Sino-Vietnamese meaning "orchid".
Lanford m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "long ford" in Old English.
Leili f Estonian
Probably from Laila 2, but also associated with Estonian leil meaning "vapour, steam". It became popular due to Andres Saal's novel Leili (1892).
Lelia f Italian
Italian form of Laelia.
Ler m Irish Mythology
Means "the sea" in Old Irish. Ler was probably an Irish god or personification of the sea, best known as the father of Manannán mac Lir.
Les m English
Short form of Leslie or Lester.
Lester m English
From an English surname that was derived from the name of the city of Leicester, originally denoting a person who was from that place. The city's name is derived from the river name Ligore combined with Latin castra "camp".
Liên f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (liên) meaning "lotus, water lily".
Lincoln m English
From an English surname that was originally from the name of an English city, called Lindum Colonia by the Romans, derived from Brythonic lindo "lake, pool" and Latin colonia "colony". This name is usually given in honour of Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), president of the United States during the American Civil War.
Linford m English (Rare)
From a surname that was originally taken from place names meaning either "flax ford" or "linden tree ford" in Old English.
Linton m English
From a surname that was originally from place names meaning either "flax town" or "linden tree town" in Old English.
Linwood m English
From an English surname that was originally from a place name meaning "stream forest" in Old English.
Lital f Hebrew
Means "my dew" in Hebrew.
Lluvia f Spanish (Modern)
Means "rain" in Spanish.
Llŷr m Welsh Mythology
Means "the sea" in Welsh. According to the Mabinogi he was the father of Brân, Branwen and Manawydan. His name is cognate with Irish Ler, and it is typically assumed that Llŷr may have originally been regarded as a god of the sea. He might also be the basis for the legendary King Leir of the Britons.
Llyr m Welsh Mythology
Unaccented variant of Llŷr.
Lochlainn m Irish, Old Irish
Means "Viking, Scandinavian" from Old Irish Lochlann, a name for Scandinavia. It means "land of the lakes", derived from loch "lake".
Lochlann m Irish
Variant of Lochlainn.
Longwang m Chinese Mythology
From Chinese (lóng) meaning "dragon" and (wáng) meaning "king". This is the Chinese name of the Dragon King, a god associated with water and rain.
Lorelei f Literature, English
From German Loreley, the name of a rock headland on the Rhine River. It is of uncertain meaning, though the second element is probably old German ley meaning "rock" (of Celtic origin). German romantic poets and songwriters, beginning with Clemens Brentano in 1801, tell that a maiden named the Lorelei lives on the rock and lures boaters to their death with her song.... [more]
Lotus f English (Rare)
From the name of the lotus flower (species Nelumbo nucifera) or the mythological lotus tree. They are ultimately derived from Greek λωτός (lotos). In Greek and Roman mythology the lotus tree was said to produce a fruit causing sleepiness and forgetfulness.
Luknė f Lithuanian
Possibly from the name of a Lithuanian river.
Lynn f & m English
From an English surname that was derived from Welsh llyn meaning "lake". Before the start of the 20th century it was primarily used for boys, but it has since come to be more common for girls. In some cases it may be thought of as a short form of Linda or names that end in lyn or line.
Lynwood m English
Variant of Linwood.
Maayan f & m Hebrew
Means "spring of water" in Hebrew.
Mahendra m Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Sanskrit
From Sanskrit महा (maha) meaning "great" combined with the name of the Hindu god Indra. This was the name of a son of the 3rd-century BC Indian emperor Ashoka. He is credited with introducing Buddhism to Sri Lanka.
Mai 4 f Arabic
Means "water" in Arabic, a dialectal variant of ماء (ma).
Mair f Welsh
Welsh form of Maria (see Mary).
Mairwen f Welsh
Combination of Mair and Welsh gwen meaning "white, blessed".
Malik 2 m Indigenous American, Greenlandic
Means "wave, sea" in Greenlandic.
Manami f Japanese
From Japanese (mana) meaning "love, affection" combined with (mi) meaning "beautiful" or (mi) meaning "sea, ocean". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Maninder m & f Indian (Sikh)
From Sanskrit मनस् (manas) meaning "mind, intellect, spirit" combined with the name of the Hindu god Indra.
Mar f Spanish, Catalan
Means "sea" in Spanish and Catalan. It is from a devotional title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora del Mar "Our Lady of the Sea", the patron saint of the Spanish province of Almería.
Maraĵa f Esperanto
Means "made of the sea" in Esperanto, a derivative of maro "sea", ultimately from Latin mare.
María del Mar f Spanish
Means "Mary of the sea" in Spanish, a devotional title of the Virgin Mary.
Maria del Mar f Catalan
Means "Mary of the sea" in Catalan, a devotional title of the Virgin Mary.
Marina f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, English, Greek, Finnish, Estonian, Russian, Romanian, Czech, Bulgarian, Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Macedonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Georgian, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Marinus. This name was borne by a few early saints. This is also the name by which Saint Margaret of Antioch is known in the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Marine f French, Armenian, Georgian
French, Armenian and Georgian form of Marina.
Marinela f Romanian, Croatian
Romanian and Croatian form of Marinella.
Marinella f Italian
Diminutive of Marina.
Marinette f French
French diminutive of Marine.
Marinus m Ancient Roman, Dutch
From the Roman family name Marinus, which derives either from the name Marius or from the Latin word marinus "of the sea". Saint Marinus was a 4th-century stonemason who built a chapel on Monte Titano, in the country that is today known as San Marino.
Mariona f Catalan
Catalan diminutive of Maria.
Maris 2 f English (Rare)
Means "of the sea", taken from the Latin title of the Virgin Mary, Stella Maris, meaning "star of the sea".
Marisol f Spanish
Short form of María Soledad. It is sometimes considered a combination of María and Sol 1, or from Spanish mar y sol "sea and sun".
Marlowe f & m English (Modern)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "remnants of a lake" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was the English playwright Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593).
Marva f English
Feminine form of Marvin.
Marvin m English, German
From an English surname that was derived from the Welsh given name Merfyn or the Old English name Mærwine. As an American given name, it steadily rose in popularity through the beginnings of the 20th century and peaked in the early 1930s (closely mirroring the similar-sounding but unrelated name Melvin). A famous bearer was the American musician Marvin Gaye (1939-1984).
Mary f English, Biblical
Usual English form of Maria, the Latin form of the New Testament Greek names Μαριάμ (Mariam) and Μαρία (Maria) — the spellings are interchangeable — which were from Hebrew מִרְיָם (Miryam), a name borne by the sister of Moses in the Old Testament. The meaning is not known for certain, but there are several theories including "sea of bitterness", "rebelliousness", and "wished for child". However it was most likely originally an Egyptian name, perhaps derived in part from mry "beloved" or mr "love".... [more]
Maryam f Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Bashkir, Tatar
Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Bashkir and Tatar form of Miryam (see Mary). In Iran it is also the name of a flower, the tuberose, which is named after the Virgin Mary.
Masozi m & f Southern African, Tumbuka
Means "tears" in Tumbuka.
Maxwell m English
From a Scottish surname meaning "Mack's stream", from the name Mack, a short form of the Scandinavian name Magnus, combined with Old English wille "well, stream". A famous bearer of the surname was James Maxwell (1831-1879), a Scottish physicist who studied gases and electromagnetism.... [more]
Maya 3 f Hebrew
Derived from Hebrew מַיִם (mayim) meaning "water".
Maytal f Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew מֵיטַל (see Meital).
Mazin m Arabic
Means "rain clouds" in Arabic.
Meera f Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi मीरा, Malayalam മീര, Tamil மீரா or Kannada ಮೀರಾ (see Mira 1).
Mehrab m Persian, Persian Mythology
From Persian مهر (mehr) meaning "sun" or "friendship" and آب (ab) meaning "water". This is the name of the king of Kabul in the 10th-century Persian epic the Shahnameh.
Meital f Hebrew
Means "dew drop" in Hebrew.
Melchol f Biblical Greek
Biblical Greek form of Michal 2.
Meltem f Turkish
Means "sea wind" in Turkish.
Melusine f Mythology
Meaning unknown. In European folklore Melusine was a water fairy who turned into a serpent from the waist down every Saturday. She made her husband, Raymond of Poitou, promise that he would never see her on that day, and when he broke his word she left him forever.
Meraud f Cornish
Meaning unknown, perhaps based on Cornish mor "sea".
Merfyn m Welsh
From an Old Welsh name (recorded variously as Mermin, Merhin or Merwin), of uncertain meaning. It is possibly from mer "bone marrow" or mor "sea" with the second element possibly mynawg "eminent, noble", mynnu "wish, desire" or myn "young goat, kid". This was the name of a 9th-century king of Gwynedd, Merfyn Frych.
Meri 1 f Finnish
Means "sea" in Finnish.
Merike f Estonian
From Estonian meri "sea" with a diminutive suffix.
Merlin m Arthurian Romance, English
Form of the Welsh name Myrddin used by Geoffrey of Monmouth in his 12th-century chronicle. Writing in Latin, he likely chose the form Merlinus over Merdinus in order to prevent associations with French merde "excrement".... [more]
Mermin m Old Welsh
Old Welsh form of Merfyn.
Merrill m English
From an English surname that was derived either from the given name Muriel or from place names meaning "pleasant hill".
Merton m English
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "town on a lake" in Old English.
Mervin m English
Variant of Mervyn or Marvin.
Mervyn m Welsh, English
Welsh variant of Merfyn, as well as the usual Anglicized form.
Meryl f English
Variant of Muriel. A famous bearer is American actress Meryl Streep (1949-), whose real name is Mary Louise Streep.
Michal 2 f Biblical, Hebrew
Possibly means "brook" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a daughter of Saul. She was married to David, but after David fled from Saul he remarried her to someone else. Later, when David became king, he ordered her returned to him.
Michol f Biblical Latin
Biblical Latin form of Michal 2.
Micol f Italian
Italian variant form of Michal 2 (the Italian biblical form being Mikal). This is the name of the heroine in Giorgio Bassani's novel The Garden of the Finzi-Continis (1962).