Names Inspired by the oceans
by Casey Anderson
Here at nameslist we like the beach. There are oceans and seas all around the world, some cold, some hot…but all unique and beautiful. I’ve never known anyone not to be awed the first time they see the ocean.
With it being something so many people love, we thought it might be a good idea to see what kind of wonderful baby names can be inspired by oceans and seas. Here are a few that we came up with.
Girls
Oceana This one is pretty obvious, but that makes it no less beautiful. It is also spelled Oceania. This is a unique and inspiring name, limitless and free.
Alanis This one just sounds like Atlantic, I always think of the ocean when I hear it. It’s a feminine form a Alan, which means “little rock.” There are lots of little rocks in the ocean, and the name just sounds…oceany. There is also Atlantis, after the lost city.
Pacifica It’s said to mean “peacemaker” in Latin. The ocean is serene and peaceful, and the Pacific Ocean is beautiful to see. This is a lovely name for a little girl with a heart for travel and adventure.
Coral Or Coraline. Both stem from the pink or red marine coral, an integral part of our world’s oceans. They are both unique names, Coraline being slightly more popular. This could be due to the book by Neil Gaiman of the same name. Coral is so pretty and a safe haven for marine life, this is a perfect name for a sweet little girl.
Ariel So, traditionally Ariel means “lion of God” and was originally a masculine name. However, after Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Ariel as a female name was cemented in American culture. It’s not quite as popular now as when the movie came out, but still not uncommon. So, if you were to name your daughter Ariel the world would not seem over saturated with the name, she would be original but not unheard of.
Kamoana This means “ocean, open sea” in Hawaiian. The recent Disney movie Moana, likely sources the name from this. The name Moana may become popular based of the movie. Using this name will differentiate your daughter from the others. It has a wonderful sound.
Mai This short but spunky little name means “ocean” in Chinese. You will find the name means several other things in different languages, none bad. It is said to also mean “elegance, dance, apricot blossoms” and more. All of the meanings are beautiful but “ocean” is our focus here.
Marina Another one that is no surprise. Marina means “from the shore” and is a perfect name for any little girl that loves to play on the beach. She may be called Mari, or Rina for short by her friends, which are both good nicknames.
Ula Another short but powerful name, in Celtic it means “Sea jewel.” You may find other meanings in different language, but we’re referring to the Celtic version. This is a great name for a little girl, with thoughts of the sea and of jewels, how could you go wrong?
Boys
Caspian This is for the Caspian Sea. It is also the name of a prince in a C.S. Lewis novel, Prince Caspian. It’s a very distinguished sounding name. He’s likely not to run into others with the name, but at the same time people will have heard of it. And the prince in the book is a good guy to look up to.
Pacifico This actually means “peaceful” in Spanish, which is wonderful. But it also sounds like the Pacific Ocean. Both are great things. You could have a peaceful little boy with eyes as blue as the ocean. Even if they are not blue, it’s still an awesome name.
Daman For our purposes, I got this from the Andaman Sea, near Thailand. The meaning of Daman is “ruler” in Hindi. With a name that means ruler and based off a sea full of gorgeous islands, this is a great name for your little boy. Hopefully he can grow up and visit it one day!
Mako This is typically a nickname for the Japanese name Makoto, which means “sincere, honest,” however, in this case we’re thinking of the shark! Mako sharks are beautiful and one of the fastest sharks in the ocean. So, this is an awesome name for a fast and strong little boy.
Dylan This stands for “son of the sea” and is a name that’s always been relatively popular. This is a name that’s inspired by the sea and still pretty common. This is a great choice for when you want your boy to be water named but not too uniquely.
Ray Typically known to mean “beam of light” this name makes us think of manta rays, sting rays and ray sharks! Stealthy, graceful and powerful. Ray can be just one of the guys, or he can be an amazing creature, like these animals of the sea!
