While it’s true that there’s no shortage of popular baby names to choose from, making a decision on what you’re going to name your child is still a daunting task. “What name can we call him forever?” “Which name can we imagine saying to her 143 times a day?” There are lists of trendy names, quirky names, and Old-World baby names, and that’s just to start. But there are also beautiful baby names to be found by parents willing to go a little more niche for their inspiration, like baby names meaning "water." Japanese water names like Nami (meaning wave) and Ran (meaning water lily) both have a gorgeous ring to them.
Classic names are at the top of the list of most popular baby names this year, but great baby names can also be found by letting the world around us be a guide. These uncommon names are not only distinctive but they can also be counted as bohemian and culturally relevant names which invoke feelings of peacefulness.
So let’s take a look at baby names meaning "water" that might conjure thoughts of calming waves or ocean vibes. There are some that are familiar and others that could be totally new.
We compiled a list of baby names meaning "water" that are just perfect for the tiny water sign on their way into the world.
ARA
Most popular in the 1880s, Ara is a weather-inspired name of Arabic descent meaning “brings rain" — a fitting ode to watter. Though it is considered to be a gender neutral name, Ara is most often given to girls. A short and sweet name, parents may use it as a fresh take on the three-letter name trend which includes Ava, Eva, Mia, and Mya.
CORAL
This water-related name may be more familiar as it’s commonly known in nature as the colorful sea creatures that form reefs. The orange-red skeletons of the sea creatures were also used in jewelry making. But Coral is also a sweet name for a girl who can be called CoCo or Cori as a nickname. If you’re already a parent, you might recognize Coral as the name of Nemo’s mother in the ever-popular animated hit Finding Nemo.
KAI
Kai is a gender neutral name used in many parts of the world, including Australia, England, Canada, and Denmark. In China, Kai means victory. But in Hawaiian, this baby name means water, and has been riding a wave of popularity in recent years. The Hawaiian word specifically means “ocean.” In entertainment, Kai is the beloved friend of the little girl Gerda, who rescues him from the Snow Queen in Hans Christian Anderson’s fairy tale, The Snow Queen.
CASPIAN
Caspian manages to be a quirky and trendy name all at once. It’s a geographical and nature name of the large sea between Europe and Asia that likely inspired author C.S. Lewis who used it as the name of the hero, Prince Caspian, in his children's novel The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Caspian means “of the sea” and he can be called Casp, Ian, or Chas for short.
MISTY
Giving your baby girl the ethereal name Misty would keep her in the fine company of two well-known athletes: beach volleyball champion Misty May Treanor and ballerina Misty Copeland. The modern name became popular in the 1960s and 1970s when the song “Misty” by Johnny Mathis and the movie Play Misty for Me were popular releases. Misty is often mentioned along with other weather-inspired baby names like Stormy and Sunny.
DYLAN
Most known as a name for boys, Dylan had its peak around 2005, but has been rising in popularity as a name for girls. Meaning “of the sea” in Welsh, this gender neutral name may make parents may think of the Beverly Hills 90210 character Dylan McKay played by the late Luke Perry. Nicknames for those named Dylan include Dilly/Dylly and Dyl.
NAHLA
Nahla is a girls' name of multiple cultural origins. Nahla is of Arabic and African origin meaning "first drink of water" or "water in the desert." In 2008, actress Halle Berry named her daughter Nahla, and most people are familiar with the name being featured as Simba’s dear friend Nala (note the different spelling) in the movie The Lion King.
FISHER
Meaning “fisherman,” Fisher is a strong name for a boy that peaked in popularity in 2012. It fits under the animal and occupational name categories, would make a great name for a Pisces boy, and is also a fairly common surname. This baby name would make a nice tribute to a fisherman grandfather or other seafaring family member.
KAITO
Kaito is a sweet-sounding and fairly common Japanese name. It may be written with different characters in Japanese which changes the inherent meaning but “Kai” most often means “ocean” and “to” (pronounced “toe”) means soar or fly, so the Japanese water name Kaito beautifully means “to span the ocean.”
MOANA
The hit Disney movie Moana has definitely inspired many parents to give their daughters this Maori, Polynesian origin name. But did you know that Moana was also an old, popular Polynesian name for boys? Meaning “sea,” you’ll also find this name used in New Zealand. Moana may also be a color name for a deep ocean blue ("lanu moana").
