160+ Baby Names That Mean Water: The Ultimate Water-Inspired Names

Names that mean water can help to form your child’s identity. Strong unique names like Kano, Bay, Brosnan, and Maya are not easily forgotten, whereas common everyday names can fade into obscurity!

Water is one of the most important elements on earth. Covering around 71% of the earth’s surface, water can be tranquil and calm yet it can also be powerful.

Isn’t that what we all wish for, for our children? To be grounded and calm yet powerful and strong when they need to be.

If water has a special place in your life, you might want to think about giving your new baby a name
In Egypt, water is a symbol of birth, growth, and renewal.

Other great water names include the names of famous rivers or oceans or even gods and goddesses of the sea.

If your son or daughter is born under any of the three water signs, Pisces, Cancer, and Scorpio, a water name would reflect their sign perfectly.

Girl Names That Mean Water

When selecting girl names for their baby, parents often consider a multitude of factors. They want their little girl’s name to be perfect – that’s understandable!

From the name’s meaning and its origin to the particular personality traits and characteristics it may represent, there are many different aspects involved in choosing a name.

Water names check all of the boxes above, making them not just a popular choice but also a perfect one for most people. I mean, can you think of something that is as essential to human existence as water?

While at first sight water is plain and simple, the meaning it holds for all of us is not. We all can relate to it in one way or another. Most of us grow up around a body of water and have memories attached to it, whether it is the ocean, a river, or a lake.

All of this makes the presence of water in our lives all too powerful and meaningful. To want to honor this incredible element and naming your child after it seems only right.

Take a look at the list of water names below for girls accompanied by their beautiful meanings so that you choose the one that you relate with best.

1. Adria – a Latin word that means “sea, water.”
2. Adriana – a name with Latin origins that means “sea, water.”
3. Alda – an Icelandic word with a meaning of “wave.”
4. Alma – this name means “river in Crimea”
5. Amaya – a name belonging to the Basque language that means “night rain.”
6. Anahita – a Persian name that means “water, river goddess.”
7. Asita – a Sanskrit name meaning “River Yamuna.”
8. Avonlea – created by the Canadian author L.M. Montgomery, this name translates to “river by the field.”
9. Baia – a name with Portuguese origins that means “bay.”
10. Bay – a Spanish name that stands for “berry.”
11. Beverley/Beverly – an English name, Beverly means “dweller of the beaver stream.”
12. Brooke – a name with English heritage, it means “small stream.”
13. Brooklynn – a name originating from England, Brooklynn means “water.”
14. Cordelia – a Latin name meaning “daughter of the sea.”
15. Darya – a Turkish word that means “sea.”
16. Eyre – this name stands for “gravel riverbank” in English.
17. Firth – this name means “arm of the sea.”
18. Guinevere – an Italian name that means “white wave.”
19. Hali – Greek name that means “sea.”
20. India – means “great river.”
21. Indra – a Hindu name, meaning “possessing raindrops.”
22. Jennifer – this name means “white shadow, white wave.”
23. Kaimana – coming from the Hawaiian heritage, this name means “power of the ocean.”
24. Kallan – a Scandinavian name that stands for “river, stream.”
25. Kendall – an English name with the meaning of “valley of River Kent.”
26. Laguna – a name with Italian roots meaning “pond, lake.”
27. Leith – the name of a river in New Zealand.
28. Locklyn – a Scottish origin name, meaning “lake land.”
29. Loire – this is the name of a Frenh region and river.
30. Lynn – a Welsh name that means “lake.”
31. Marina – a Latin word meaning “from the sea.”
32. Maya – having Hebrew, Spanish, and Greek backgrounds, this name means “water.”
33. Mayim – a Hebrew name that stands for “water.”
34. Mira – it translates to “ocean, admirable, peace” in Latin.
35. Moana – a Polynesian name, meaning “sea.”
36. Nahla – an Arabic name that means “drink of water.”
37. Narelle – having Aboriginal and Australian roots, this name means “little river.”
38. Ondine – a name with Latin origins, this name means “little wave.”
39. Rain – derived from the English language, this name simply means “rain.”
40. Sabrina – stemming from the Celtic heritage, the name means “River Severn” in Latin.
41. Talia – a Hebrew name, it means “dew from heaven.”
42. Tallulah – originating from Native American, this name means “leaping water.”
43. Tarni – an Australian origin name, it means “wave, surf.”
44. Winslet – an English name, meaning “Wynn’s stream.”
45. Zarya – a name stemming from Slavic mythology, it belons to an exotic water priestess.

Boy Names That Mean Water

Expecting a baby is one of the most exciting things in anyone’s life. As such, it is only natural to wonder what to name your baby.

Now, some people may find this task easy and fun. They probably would have a name prepared for their little one even before they are born. But for some of us, naming our baby is such a big deal that it becomes a challenge.

We know that it is something that they will have to live with for the rest of their lives so finding a name for your baby boy can be a bit intimidating at first.

To overcome this, doing your research while looking for a name that holds a special meaning is a fantastic idea.

While each parent finds naming inspiration in different places, a good trick is to start with a specific category in mind.

There are many categories to consider – the water-inspired one can help you tremendously and make the whole endeavor of choosing a name a lot less stressful for you and your partner.

When it comes to naming a baby boy, water names are perfect. Nautical names for boys are held in high esteem in many countries as water symbolizes deep spirituality in many cultures.

With that said, here is your comprehensive list of boy names that mean water.

46. Aalto – a name with Finnish origins meaning “wave.”
47. Adrian – this name means “sea, water” in Latin.
48. Aenon – this name stands for “water spring.”
49. Afron – a Welsh name with that means “river.”
50. Alun – inspired by a river in Wales called the Afon Alun river.
51. Arledge – meaning “dweller at the rabbit lake.”
52. Bach – a German name that equates to “the dweller near the brook.”
53. Barbeau – means “fisherman” in both German and French.
54. Bardo – used in several cultures, this name means “water.”
55. Beck – a name with English origins that stands for “one living beside a small stream.”
56. Beckett – an English name with the meaning “beehive, bee cottage, little brook.”
57. Beckham – an English name that means “homestead by the stream.”
58. Birney – this name equates to “island with the brook.”
59. Bradford – an English word that describes a wide river with shallow water.
60. Calder – an English name that means “rocky water.” Also the name of a county in Ireland.
61. Carlow – coming from the Irish heritage, this name means “four-part lake.”
62. Cary – means “pleasant stream” in the Latin language.
63. Caspian – name of the sea located between Asia and Europe, this means “from Qazvin, Iran.”
64. Clyde – a Scottish name inspired after the river Clyde that runs through Glasgow in Scotland.
65. Dalas – an Irish name that means “valley of water.”
66. Deniz – a Turkish name that means “waves, sea.”
67. Douglas – meaning “black water.”
68. Eaton – a name that means “riverside.”
69. Fenton – this name means “marsh town.”
70. Ford – coming from England, this name means “dweller at the ford.”
71. Gafar – an Arabic name that means “stream.”
72. Holmes – a boy’s name from the English culture, Holmes means “islet in the river.”
73. ­Hudson – an English name that means “Hugh’s son.”
74. Irving – originating from Scotland, Irving means “green river, sea friend.”
75. Kai – this name means “sea” in the Hawaiian culture and “forgiveness” in Japanese.
76. Kelby – an English name with the meaning of “dweller at the farm by the stream.”
77. Kelvin – a Gaelic name that means “from the narrow river.”
78. Loch – of Gaelic origin, this name means “lake.”
79. Malik – a name popular in the Middle East and Northern Africa, Malik is used to describe the king of a village. It can, however, also stand to mean “wave” in Greenland.
80. Maren – this name means “sea” in Latin.
81. Maxwell – a Scottish name defining “stream.”
82. Monroe – a Scottish name that holds the meaning of “mouth of the Roe River.”
83. Moses – originating from Egypt, this name means “delivered from the water.”
84. Nen – having Egyptian roots, this name means “ancient waters.”
85. Orwell – believed to be of English origin, this name means “river branch.”
86. Rayan – an Arabic name with the meaning “land rich in water, lush land.”
87. Redford – meaning “red river crossing.”
88. Rio – a popular Spanish name meaning “river.”
89. Struan – a name popular in Scotland, Struan means “stream.”
90. Wade – this name means “by the river crossing.”

Japanese Names Meaning Water

The Japanese language is spoken by more than 126 million people all over the globe.

As popular as the language is, even more famous are Japan’s traditional names. Japanese names have a musical ring to them. Plus, they are jam-packed with meaning and often serve as a tribute to their wonderful culture.

With so much popularity, it is no wonder that people want to find Japanese names to give to their newborns or perhaps even their video game characters.

For the Japanese folk, water symbolizes purity, truthfulness, cleanliness, and life. Many times, it is seen associated with birth and fertility. In Japanese philosophy (Godai), water also represents things that are fluid and flowing, with no particular shape or form.

Keeping that in mind, we have a list of water-inspired Japanese names for girls and boys that you can use for your needs.

20 Japanese Water Names for Girls

91. Akua – taken after the Latin word aqua for water.
92. Anna – stands for “water.”
93. Doremi – the name means “waterway, channel.”
94. Eimi – this word means “ocean, water, sea.”
95. Erena – this popular Japanese name means “water route.”
96. Etsumi – stands to mean “cold water.”
97. Hasumi – meaning “water, the wave, sea, ocean.”
98. Hinami – it means “water, ocean.”
99. Hiroka – this name means “ocean, sea.”
100. Kairi – this name holds the meaning of “sea.”
101. Kazemi – a name that means “water, wind.”
102. Kimi – a name that means “water” in Japan.
103. Kiyomizu – meaning “water.”
104. Maho – this name means “stream, water.”
105. Manahimeko – a name meaning “body of water, lake.”
106. Mizuki – a Japanese girl name, it symbolizes “water moon, lovely moon.”
107. Nami – a name that means “wave.” It can also mean “beautiful, red, apple.”
108. Ran – this name has the meaning “orchid, water lily.”
109. Ryūjin – it means “God of the Sea.”
110. Sui – this name means “water.” It is usually used to define all things flowy, formless, and fluid, such as plants, lakes, and rivers.

20 Japense Water Names for Boys

111. Adair – coming from the Japanese culture, this name means “mother city, the end, night rain.”
112. Afuru – this name has the meaning “water, to flood, overflow.”
113. Aomi – loved by many people in Japan, this name means “sea, ocean, water.”
114. Dansui – used to define “ocean water.”
115. Hama – this name holds the meaning of “seashore.”
116. Haru – meaning “spring water.”
117. Hayase – a name meaning “waterfall.”
118. Isui – this Japanese name for boys means “water.”
119. Junto – this name defines “pure like water.”
120. Kano – meaning “the god of the water.”
121. Kano – meaning “water.”
122. Kawa – a name that holds the meaning of “river, stream.”
123. Kimi – a name that stands for “water.”
124. Mihiro – this name means “water, stream.”
125. Minamoto – a name that stands for “fountainhead, river source.”
126. Mizu – a common name amongst boys, Mizu means “flowing, fluid.”
127. Mizuko – this name means “water child.”
128. Mizuto – meaning “water, truth.”
129. Nori – this name means “seaweed, doctrine.”
130. Saki – this name has the meaning of “cape, peninsula.”

Last Names That Mean Water

A name can represent so much about a person. It is one of the most important parts of our identity, if not the most important.

It used to be that people focused on choosing the first name for their baby and the last name was simply given after the family. But that is simply not the case anymore.

Many people now add an element of choice to their child’s last name as well and want it to be as meaningful as their first.

This is why water names are perfect because they are not limited in their usability. Many countries, such as Italy, Japan, and Spain, frequently choose surnames that have water as part of their meaning. Water-related last names are also famous in many animes and video game characters.

These names could mean anything from ocean, sea, wave, stream, and river. So, even if you want to be more subtle with your water-inspired naming choices, you can always go for a water surname for your little one.

The names mentioned below have been inspired by different cultures. These wonderful last monikers draw inspiration from varying bodies of water such as oceans, lakes, and rivers.

131. Abano – named after the town Abano, derived from old Celtic meaning “water.”
132. Acquafredda – an Italian name that means “cold water.”
133. Acquarone – a last name meaning “water” that originates from Italy.
134. Acquati – from the name of a village in Lombardy, meaning “water.”
135. Agua – indicates a person who lived around water in the Spanish language.
136. Aguado – another word for “water” in Spanish.
137. Alagona – a Spanish name meaning “water.”
138. Aquino – a name with Italian and Spanish roots, this last name means “water.”
139. Arnav – an Indian last name that means “the ocean.”
140. Asturias – this surname means “water” in Spanish.
141. Atwater – a surname coming from England that means “dweller at the water.”
142. Ayers – named after a town called Ayr in Scotland.
143. Bayou – a Native American name, meaning “small stream.”
144. Blackwell – an English name for a stream or black well.
145. Brodny – a Slavic surname that means “person who lives near a stream.”
146. Farnham – a name from Old English meaning “water enclosure.”
147. Fisher – a name that (expectedly) means “fisherman.”
148. Hampton – inspired by several towns in England, this name stands for “water meadow.”
149. Hurley – this name means “sea tide.”
150. Kersey – from the English language, meaning “watercress, island.”
151. Lagunov – derived from the Russian word lagun that stands for “water barrel.”
152. Mizushima – a name that means “water island.”
153. Mizutani – hailing from Japana, this name means “water valley.”
154. Mortimer – an English name with the meaning of “still or dead water.”
155. Pan – originating from the Chinese language, this name means “water in which rice has been washed or rinsed.”
156. Poole – a name with English origins, it means “pool of water.”
157. Poplawski – a Polish name meaning “flood, flowing water.”
158. Shimizu – from Japan where shi means “clear, pure” and mizu means “water.”
159. Sulzbach – inspired by a German place with the same name, this moniker means “salty stream.”
160. Urbina – originating from Basque with ur meaning “water” and bi meaning “two,” forming to mean “a place where waterways meet.”
161. Van Amstel – a Dutch river name, also meaning “water area.”
162. Waller – a word from Old English, it means “spring, well.”
163. Walton – derived from well or weall meaning “well, spring” and tun meaning “enclosure.”
164. Waterman – used to describe a person living near the water in English culture.
165. Waters – a name with English origins, this was originally given to a person living near the water. It can also be used for someone named Walter.
166. Wells – originating from the Middle English word welle, this surname means “well, water hole, spring.”

Summary

The choice of your baby’s name will be with them throughout their entire life, as a gentle yet pervasive influence on who they are as a person.

Maybe you feel drawn to water, love being out in the ocean or swimming in the lake and you plan on giving birth to your baby in the water, what could be more perfect than a name that reflects this?

If not of these names that mean water take your fancy, why not think about naming your child after something that lives in the water? Perhaps a mermaid name, or something else from the realms of fantasy?

Whichever name you decide on in the end, each of these water-inspired names will be sure to make a splash!