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Between actual names for bodies of water and water meanings, there are plenty of beautiful names to choose from. Whether you're a swimmer, love fishing, or long to be at the beach no matter the season, here are some baby names for girls inspired by water:
- Aqua — It's Latin for "water" but is used colloquially as the name for the green-blue color. If you want to stick with the color idea but want a different name, go with Azul (Spanish for "blue") or Blue (hi, Bey!).
- Ara — The short name means "brings rain" in Arabic, but it's anything but somber. And short vowel-beginning-and-ending names are popular now (think Ava or Ada).
- Brooke — Popular for years (ranked number 113 most popular on the Social Security Administration's 2013 annual list), brook means "small stream." Chynna Phillips added an "e" when she named her daughter, and that's the most popular spelling (think Brooke Shields and Brooke Burke of Dancing With the Stars).
- Cascadia — Cascading waterfalls, anyone? Or try Cascada, like the "Everytime We Touch" music group.
- Darya — In Persian, Darya means "of the sea." The perfect name for Little Mermaid fans who want something more original than Ariel.
- Hali — It's Greek for "sea," and parents can use this as an alternate to Halle (a la Halle Berry) — the pronunciation is identical.
- Isla — It's the name of a Scottish river, but you probably know it best as the name of Sacha Baron Cohen's wife, Isla Fisher.
- Kendall — Technically, it is the "valley of the river Kent" in Old English, but we know it best as the name of the eldest daughter of Kris and Bruce Jenner. Plus, we can definitely say that the Kardashian konnection made this name the SSA's 130th most popular last year.
- Laguna — For any 2000s reality show lover, this was the first place we met Lauren Conrad in Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County. The name itself is used to describe a body of water that is separated by reef or coral, so it's no wonder LC and her crew spent so much time on the beach.
- Marilla — The name is Latin for "shining sea," and though it may be beautiful, it has yet to fully catch on in America. So for all the trend-setting moms, hop on this one.
- Marina — Literally, it's a dock, but it also means "from the sea" in Latin. The name has picked up in recent years but has yet to break the SSA's top 100 names list.
- Maya — It's been gaining popularity since 2010 (along with Mia) and also means "water" in Hebrew. Last year, it was number 72 on the SSA list, so don't be surprised to find other Mayas around.
- Mira — It means "ocean" in Sanskrit but don't confuse it with Myra though — that has a totally different meaning.
- Misty — Think Misty Copeland or Misty May-Treanor (both amazing athletes). It's an obvious take on "mist" but with a more feminine and delicate touch.
- Monroe — Thanks go out to Mariah Carey, who named her twin daughter Monroe and is most likely responsible for the name's jump in popularity. You may immediately associate it with Miss Marilyn, but it actually literally means "mouth of the Roe River."
- Morgan — Though it's originally an old traditional Welsh male name, Morgan is now perfect for your little lady. It means "circling sea" and has officially made it to the SSA's top 100 list of names in 2013.
- Nixie — Similar to Dixie and Trixie, it's the name of a water nymph in old mythology.
- Raina — Another literal rain-related name, but feel free to take on any of the variations. Rayna, Reina, or Rayne also work!
- Talise — The name is of Native American origin and means "lovely water," while Tali means "dew." It's also a version of Tallis, so you have plenty of options and choices directly from the root word.
- Tallulah — Take a cue from Demi Moore and Bruce Willis, who named their daughter Tallulah Belle. It's the Anglicized version of the Irish Tuilelaith, which means "leaping water," but the name is as delicate as it is hipster — it hasn't been on any top name lists, but plenty of celebs love it.
For more baby name ideas and to find your perfect baby name, visit Baby Name Wizard.
Would you use a water-inspired name for your baby?
Images via Stevie Lee/Flickr; ©iStock.com/Dmitry-Fisher
