Browse Names

Adetokunbo m & f Western African, Yoruba
Means "the crown returns from over the sea" in Yoruba.

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".

Afon f & m Welsh (Rare)
Means "river" in Welsh. This is a Welsh name of recent origin.

Agam f & m Hebrew
Means "lake" in Hebrew.

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.

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.

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.

Anup m Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Malayalam
Means "watery, place near the water, lagoon" in Sanskrit.

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.

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".

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.

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-).

Brooks m English
From an English surname, a variant of Brook.

Burim m Albanian
Means "spring, well, water source" in Albanian.

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".

Clifford m English
From a surname that was originally from a place name meaning "ford by a cliff" in Old English.

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-).

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.

Dərya f & m Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani form of Darya 2.

Darya 2 f Persian
Means "sea, ocean" in Persian.

Deniz f & m Turkish
Means "sea" in Turkish.

Derya f Turkish
Means "sea, ocean" in Turkish, ultimately from Persian.

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.

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.

Ghadir f Arabic
Means "stream" in Arabic.

Giang f & m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 江 (giang) meaning "river".

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".

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.

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-).

Hà f & m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 河 (hà) meaning "river".

Hải m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 海 (hải) meaning "sea, ocean".

Hai m & f Chinese
From Chinese 海 (hǎi) meaning "sea, ocean" or other characters that are pronounced similarly.

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 15th-century explorer Zheng He.

Heremoana m Tahitian
From Tahitian here "loved, dear" and moana "ocean".

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 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.

Irmak f Turkish
Means "river" in Turkish.

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.

Itsaso f Basque
Means "ocean" in Basque.

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.

Jiang m & f Chinese
From Chinese 江 (jiāng) meaning "river, Yangtze", as well as other characters with a similar pronunciation.

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.

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 海 (kai) meaning "sea, ocean" combined with 斗 (to), which refers to a Chinese constellation, or 翔 (to) meaning "soar, fly". Other kanji combinations are also possible.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

Lanford m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "long ford" in Old English.

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.

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".

Linwood m English
From an English surname that was originally from a place name meaning "stream forest" in Old English.

Lir m Irish Mythology
Possibly from the patronymic Manannán mac Lir, in which case Lir is the genitive case of the name Ler. The medieval Irish legend the Children of Lir tells how Lir of the Tuatha Dé Danann had his children transformed into swans by his third wife Aoife. The legendary characters Lir and Ler seem to be distinct.

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.

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.

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

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

Malik 2 m Indigenous American, Greenlandic
Means "wave, sea" in Greenlandic.

Manami f Japanese
From Japanese 愛 (mana) meaning "love, affection" combined with 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" or 海 (mi) meaning "sea, ocean". Other kanji combinations are possible.

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.

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.

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".

Maristela f Portuguese, Spanish (Rare)
From the title of the Virgin Mary, Stella Maris, meaning "star of the sea" in Latin. It can also be a combination of Maria and Estela.

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).

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]

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".

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.

Meltem f Turkish
Means "sea wind" in Turkish.

Meraud f Cornish
Meaning unknown, perhaps based on Cornish mor "sea".

Meri 1 f Finnish
Means "sea" in Finnish.

Merike f Estonian
From Estonian meri "sea" with a diminutive suffix.

Merton m English
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "town on a lake" in Old English.

Milburn m English
From an English surname that was from a place name meaning "mill stream" in Old English.

Min-Su m & f Korean
From Sino-Korean 民 (min) meaning "people, citizens" or 旼 (min) meaning "gentle, affable" combined with 秀 (su) meaning "luxuriant, beautiful, elegant, outstanding" or 洙 (su), which refers to a river in China. Other hanja combinations are possible.

Mira 1 f Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada
Means "sea, ocean" in Sanskrit. This was the name of a 16th-century Indian princess who devoted her life to the god Krishna.

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

Morgan 1 m & f Welsh, English, French
From the Old Welsh masculine name Morcant, which was possibly derived from Welsh mor "sea" and cant "circle". Since the 1980s in America Morgan has been more common for girls than boys, perhaps due to stories of Morgan le Fay or the fame of actress Morgan Fairchild (1950-).

Morgen f Arthurian Romance
Earlier form of Morgan 2.

Mortimer m English
From an English surname that was derived from the name of a town in Normandy, itself meaning "dead water, still water" in Old French.

Muir m Scottish
From a Scottish surname, derived from Scots muir meaning "moor, fen". This name could also be inspired by Scottish Gaelic muir meaning "sea".

Muirenn f Old Irish, Irish Mythology
From Old Irish muir "sea" and finn "white, blessed". This is another name of Muirne, the mother of the legendary hero Fionn mac Cumhaill.

Muirgel f Old Irish
Means "bright sea", derived from Old Irish muir "sea" and gel "bright".

Muirgen f Irish Mythology
Means "born of the sea" in Irish. In Irish legend this was the name of a woman (originally named Lí Ban) who was transformed into a mermaid. After 300 years she was brought to shore, baptized, and transformed back into a woman.

Murchadh m Medieval Irish, Scottish Gaelic
Means "sea battle", derived from Old Irish muir "sea" and cath "battle". This name was borne by several medieval Irish chieftains and kings. It is Anglicized as Murdo in Scotland.

Nahal f Hebrew
Means "stream" in Hebrew.

Naia f Basque
Means "wave, sea foam" in Basque.

Nanami f Japanese
From Japanese 七 (nana) meaning "seven" and 海 (mi) meaning "sea". It can also come from 菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens" duplicated and 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other kanji combinations are also possible.

Navy f & m English (Modern)
From the English word meaning "sea force, fleet, armed forces of the sea". It is derived from Old French navie, from Latin navigia, the plural of navigium "boat, vessel". It also refers to a shade of dark blue, a colour traditionally associated with naval uniforms.

Nehir f Turkish
Means "river" in Turkish.

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.

Nereida f Spanish
Derived from Greek Νηρηΐδες (Nereides) meaning "nymphs, sea sprites", ultimately derived from the name of the Greek sea god Nereus, who supposedly fathered them.

Nereus m Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Derived from Greek νηρός (neros) meaning "water". In Greek myth this was the name of a god of the sea, the father of the Nereids. It is mentioned briefly in the New Testament, belonging to a Christian in Rome. This was also the name of a Roman saint of the 1st century, a member of the army, who was martyred with his companion Achilleus because they refused to execute Christians.

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

Nerissa f Literature
Created by Shakespeare for a character in his play The Merchant of Venice (1596). He possibly took it from Greek Νηρηΐς (Nereis) meaning "nymph, sea sprite", ultimately derived from the name of the Greek sea god Nereus, who supposedly fathered them.

Niloufar f Persian
Means "water lily" in Persian.

Niraj m Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Nepali
Means "water-born, lotus" in Sanskrit.

Nu m Egyptian Mythology
From Egyptian nnw meaning "primeval water". In Egyptian mythology this was the name of the god who personified the primeval waters from which the earth was born.

Ocean m & f English (Rare)
Simply from the English word ocean for a large body of water. It is ultimately derived from Greek Ὠκεανός (Okeanos), the name of the body of water thought to surround the Earth.

Océane f French
Derived from French océan meaning "ocean".

Okeanos m Greek Mythology
From the name of the river or body of water thought by the ancient Greeks to surround the Earth. In Greek mythology Okeanos was the Titan who personified this body of water.

Pegasus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Πήγασος (Pegasos), possibly either from πηγός (pegos) meaning "strong" or πηγαῖος (pegaios) meaning "from a water spring". In Greek mythology Pegasus was the winged horse that sprang from the blood of Medusa after she was killed by Perseus. There is a constellation in the northern sky named after the horse.

Pelagius m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Πελάγιος (Pelagios), which was derived from πέλαγος (pelagos) meaning "the sea". This was the name of several saints and two popes.

Pontius m Ancient Roman, Biblical Latin, Biblical
Roman family name. The family had Samnite roots so the name probably originated from the Oscan language, likely meaning "fifth" (a cognate of Latin Quintus). Alternatively, it could be derived from the name of the ancient province of Pontus in Asia Minor, itself probably from Greek πόντος (pontos) meaning "sea". A notable bearer of this name was Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea who appears in the New Testament.

Raeburn m English (Rare)
From a Scottish surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "stream where deer drink" (from Scots rae "roe deer" and burn "stream"). A famous bearer of the surname was Scottish portrait painter Sir Henry Raeburn (1756-1823).

Remington m & f English
From an English surname that was derived from the name of the town of Rimington in Lancashire, itself meaning "settlement on the Riming stream". It may be given in honour of the American manufacturer Eliphalet Remington (1793-1861) or his sons, founders of the firearms company that bears their name.

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

Rio 1 m & f Various
Means "river" in Spanish or Portuguese. A city in Brazil bears this name. Its full name is Rio de Janeiro, which means "river of January", so named because the first explorers came to the harbour in January and mistakenly thought it was a river mouth.

Ritika f Indian, Hindi
Means either "movement, stream" or "brass" in Sanskrit.

River m & f English (Modern)
From the English word that denotes a flowing body of water. The word is ultimately derived (via Old French) from Latin ripa "riverbank".

Rostam m Persian, Persian Mythology
Meaning unknown, possibly from Iranian roots *rautas "river" and *taxma "strong". Rostam was a warrior hero in Persian legend. The 10th-century Persian poet Ferdowsi recorded his tale in the Shahnameh.

Sæwine m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements sæ "sea" and wine "friend".

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

Seong-Su m Korean
From Sino-Korean 成 (seong) meaning "completed, finished, succeeded" or 聖 (seong) meaning "holy, sacred" combined with 洙 (su), which refers to a river in China. Many other hanja character combinations are possible.

Sganyodaiyo m Indigenous American, Seneca
Means "handsome lake" in Seneca, from sganyodeo "lake" and the suffix -iyo "good". This name was borne by an 18th-century Seneca prophet.

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

Sohrab m Persian, Persian Mythology
From Persian سهر (sohr) meaning "red" and آب (ab) meaning "water". In the 10th-century Persian epic the Shahnameh this is the name of the son of the hero Rostam. He was tragically slain in battle by his father, who was unaware he was fighting his own son.

Stanford m English
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "stone ford" in Old English.

Su 1 f Turkish
Means "water" in Turkish.

Suijin m Japanese Mythology
From Japanese 水 (sui) meaning "water" and 神 (jin) meaning "god, spirit". This is the name of the god (or gods) of water, lakes and pools in Japanese mythology.

Takumi m Japanese
From Japanese 匠 (takumi) meaning "artisan" or 巧 (takumi) meaning "skillful". It can also come from 拓 (taku) meaning "expand, open, support" combined with 海 (mi) meaning "sea, ocean" or 実 (mi) meaning "fruit, good result, truth". This name can also be formed of other kanji combinations.

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

Tasi f & m Chamorro
Means "sea, ocean" in Chamorro.

Tengiz m Georgian
Derived from Turkic tengiz meaning "sea, ocean".

Thalassa f Greek Mythology
Means "sea" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was the personification of the sea.

Tiamat f Semitic Mythology
From Akkadian tâmtu meaning "sea". In Babylonian myth Tiamat was the personification of the sea, appearing in the form of a huge dragon. By Apsu she gave birth to the first of the gods. Later, the god Marduk (her great-grandson) defeated her, cut her in half, and used the pieces of her body to make the earth and the sky.

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

Tirto m Indonesian
Javanese form of Tirta.

Triton m Greek Mythology
Meaning uncertain. It is possibly related to a root meaning "the sea" (cognate with Old Irish trethan). Alternatively it could be connected to Greek τρεῖς (treis) meaning "three" (ordinal form τρίτος). In Greek mythology Triton was the son of Poseidon and Amphitrite. He was often depicted as a merman, half-human and half-fish. The largest of Neptune's moons is named after him.

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

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

Väinämöinen m Finnish Mythology
Derived from Finnish väinä meaning "wide and slow-flowing river". In Finnish mythology Väinämöinen was a wise old magician, the son of the primal goddess Ilmatar. He is the hero of the Finnish epic the Kalevala.

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

Vale f English (Rare)
From the English word meaning "wide river valley".

Viracocha m Inca Mythology
Possibly from Quechua wira "fat, thick" and qucha "lake". This is the name of the creator god in Inca mythology.

Walton m English
From a surname that was originally taken from various Old English place names meaning "stream town", "wood town", or "wall town".

Wells m English
From an English surname that originally denoted a person who lived near a well or spring, from Middle English wille.

Xiang m & f Chinese
From Chinese 翔 (xiáng) meaning "soar, glide", 祥 (xiáng) meaning "good luck, good omen", 香 (xiāng) meaning "fragrant" (which is usually only feminine) or 湘 (xiāng), which refers to the Xiang River in southern China. This name can also be formed from other characters.

Yam m Semitic Mythology
Means "sea" in Ugaritic. Yam was the Ugaritic god of the sea, also associated with chaos, storms and destruction. He was a son of the chief god El.

Yang m & f Chinese
From Chinese 洋 (yáng) meaning "ocean" or 阳 (yáng) meaning "light, sun, male" (which is typically only masculine), as well as other Chinese characters pronounced similarly.

Yōko f Japanese
From Japanese 陽 (yō) meaning "light, sun, male" or 洋 (yō) meaning "ocean" combined with 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other combinations of kanji characters can also form this name.

Yōsuke m Japanese
From Japanese 陽 (yō) meaning "light, sun, male" or 洋 (yō) meaning "ocean" combined with 介 (suke) meaning "help, assist". This name can also be formed from other combinations of kanji characters.

Zaire m African American (Modern)
From the name of a country in Africa from 1971 to 1997, now called the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is said to be derived from Kikongo nzadi o nzere meaning "river swallowing rivers", referring to the Congo River.