Browse Names - Behind the Name

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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.

Anaya f English (Modern)
Meaning unknown, possibly from the Spanish surname Anaya (itself from the name of a Spanish town), used because of its similarity to Amaya.

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.

Aysu f Turkish, Azerbaijani
Derived from Turkish and Azerbaijani ay meaning "moon" and su meaning "water".

Cansu f Turkish
From Turkish can meaning "soul, life" and su meaning "water".

Damla f Turkish, Azerbaijani
Means "water drop" in Turkish and Azerbaijani.

Göksu m & f Turkish
From Turkish gök meaning "sky" and su meaning "water".

He f & m Chinese
From Chinese 河 (hé) meaning "river, stream", 和 (hé) meaning "harmony, peace", or 荷 (hé) meaning "lotus, water lily" (which is usually only feminine). Other characters can form this name as well. A famous bearer was the Ming dynasty explorer Zheng He (1371-1433).

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.

Iara f 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.

Karen 3 f Japanese
From Japanese 華 (ka) meaning "flower" and 蓮 (ren) meaning "lotus, water lily". Other combinations of kanji can also form this name.

Kolab f Khmer (Rare)
Means "rose" in Khmer, ultimately from Persian گلاب (golāb).

Kulap f & m Thai
Means "rose" in Thai (of Persian origin).

Lian 2 m & f Chinese
From Chinese 莲 (lián) meaning "lotus, water lily", 濂 (lián) meaning "waterfall", or other Chinese characters that are pronounced similarly.

Liên f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 蓮 (liên) meaning "lotus, water lily".

Maayan f & m Hebrew
Means "spring of water" in Hebrew.

Mai 4 f Arabic
Means "water" in Arabic, a dialectal variant of ماء (māʾ).

Maya 3 f Hebrew
Derived from Hebrew מַיִם (mayim) meaning "water".

Moana f & m Maori, Hawaiian, Tahitian, Samoan, Tongan
Means "ocean, wide expanse of water, deep sea" in Maori, Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages.

Nahla f Arabic
Means "a drink of water" in Arabic.

Neith f Egyptian Mythology (Hellenized)
Greek form of Egyptian nt, possibly from nt "water" or nrw "fear, dread". This was the name of an early Egyptian goddess of weaving, hunting and war. Her character may have some correspondences with the goddesses Tanith, Anat or Athena.

Nerida f Indigenous Australian
Possibly means "water lily" in an Australian Aboriginal language.

Niloufar f Persian
Means "water lily" in Persian.

Ren m & f Japanese
From Japanese 蓮 (ren) meaning "lotus", 恋 (ren) meaning "romantic love", or other kanji that are pronounced the same way.

Saraswati f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi
Means "possessing water" from Sanskrit सरस् (saras) meaning "fluid, water, lake" and वती (vatī) meaning "having". This is the name of a Hindu river goddess, also associated with learning and the arts, who is the wife of Brahma. She appears in the Vedas.

Shui m & f Chinese
From Chinese 水 (shuǐ) meaning "water", as well as other characters pronounced in a similar way.

Su 1 f Turkish
Means "water" in Turkish.

Talia 2 f English (Australian)
From the name of a town in South Australia, perhaps meaning "near water" in an Australian Aboriginal language.

Tirta m & f Indonesian
Means "sacred water, place of pilgrimage" in Indonesian, ultimately from Sanskrit तीर्थ (tīrtha).

Vaihere f Tahitian
From Tahitian vai "water" and here "loved, dear".

Vaimiti f Tahitian
From Tahitian vai "water" and miti "sea, salt".

Vaitiare f Tahitian
From Tahitian vai "water" and tiare "flower".

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