As divers, we’re unashamedly obsessed with the underwater world. We buy our pets critter costumes, speak in hand signals, and even let scuba puns creep into our dating life. So, when it comes to choosing the perfect baby moniker, it’s no surprise that ocean names are top of the list for scuba parents who want to share their love for the big blue.
In this article, you won’t find all of America’s most popular baby names, such as Liam or Charlotte. Instead, you’ll find beautiful and unique ocean names, each inspired by the sea, waves, or even mermaids. The list includes:
- Ocean Names Based on Myths and Folklore
- Of the Sea Names
- Ocean Life Baby Names
- The Ocean in Different Languages
- Ocean-Themed Names from Disney Movies
- Sea Gods and Goddesses
- Sea-Related Names Based on Real Places
- Ocean Names Inspired by Waves
- Celebrity Ocean-Themed Baby Names
- The Ocean Names That Sound Like the Sea
- Baby Names Inspired by Ocean Explorers
- Other Uses for Names Inspired by the Ocean
Read on for a selection of 100+ ocean baby names and meanings, as well as tips on deciding what is the best ocean name for your scuba tot.
Ocean Names Based on Myths and Folklore
For thousands of years, our ocean has inspired countless stories of mermaids, sea spirits, and powerful deities. This list of ocean names is inspired by enchanting traditions and legends that perfectly blend mythology with the marine world:
- Selkie (girl): in Celtic and Norse lore, these “seal folk” can morph between seal and human form.
- Nerida (girl): Nereids were sea deities in Greek mythology. The name also means “mermaid”.
- Pania (girl): this mythological mermaid is a Māori symbol from Napier, New Zealand.
- Nixie (girl): in Germanic folklore, this cute ocean name means “water sprite”.
- Nerissa (girl): previously in Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice, this means “sea nymph”.
- Davy (boy): in Welsh folklore, Davy Jones was actually considered a guardian of sailors.
Of the Sea Names
The following watery names all share similar meanings that include “sea”, “from the sea”, or “of the sea”:
- Aerwyna (girl): friend of the sea – English.
- Muriel (neutral): of the bright sea – Celtic.
- Iravan (boy): king of the ocean – Sanskrit.
- Cordelia (girl): daughter of the sea – Celtic.
- Rosemary (girl): dew of the sea – Latin.
- Halimeda (girl): thinking of the sea – Greek.
- Dylan (boy): son of the sea – Welsh.
- Marnie/Maria/Mary/Marissa (girl): of the sea – Latin.
- Murphy (neutral): warrior of the sea – Gaelic.
- Doris/Dorian (girl/neutral): gift from the sea – Greek.
- Varindra (boy): lord of the ocean – Hindi.
- Morwenna (girl): waves of the sea – Celtic.
- Delmar (boy): of the sea – Spanish.
- Marina/Marino (girl/boy): of the sea – Latin.
Ocean Life Baby Names
Some of the most popular baby names inspired by the sea and ocean also evoke images of underwater habitats and creatures. For instance, the Latin names of Olive and Oliver are akin to the Olive Ridley turtle and are among the USA’s most popular baby names. Here are a few others to consider:
- Coral/Coraline (girl): this reef-inspired name has been used since the Victorian era.
- Pearl (girl): just like an oyster’s gem, this baby’s name is undoubtedly precious.
- Delphin/Delphine (boy/girl): this joyous Greek baby name means “dolphin”.
- Fin (neutral): taken from Finley/Finn, there’s certainly nothing fishy about this adorable nickname!
- Hector (boy): as well as being a rare species of dolphin, its Greek origin also means “anchor”.
- Sandy (neutral): best known from Grease, this name also matches images of beautiful beaches.
- Shelley (neutral): although meaning “clearing on a bank”, its spelling makes a fun ocean baby name.
- Sirena (girl): this pretty ocean name is a nod to both mythical sirens and real sirenians.
- Ray (boy): manta, eagle, or… a boy’s name meaning “wise protector” instead.
The Ocean in Different Languages
For one of the purest ocean names in the world, how about one that literally means ocean or sea?
| Avisa (boy): Sanskrit | Meri (girl): Finnish | Sagara (girl): Sundanese |
| Deniz (neutral): Turkish | Kai (neutral): Hawaiian | Mira (girl): Sanskrit |
| Jaladri (girl): Sundanese | Umi (neutral): Japanese | Arnav (boy): Hindi |
| Samandar (boy): Urdu | Bien (boy): Vietnamese | Zaria (girl): Kurdish |
| Darya (girl): Persian | Muir (boy): Gaelic | Tai (neutral): Māori |
Ocean-Themed Names from Disney Movies
Whether it’s The Little Mermaid or Finding Nemo, our favorite Disney cartoons can conjure up some magical old and new ocean name ideas. For example:
- Ariel (neutral): the famous red-haired mermaid princess’s name is Hebrew for “lion of God”.
- Moana (girl): this titular heroine’s name also means “ocean” in Hawaiian.
- Sebastian (boy): meaning “venerable”, this one’s perfect for charismatic cartoon crabs (and kids!)
- Dory (neutral): our favorite blue fish’s name comes from Greek and means “gift of God”.
- Bruce (boy): “Hello, my name’s Bruce” … say no more!
- Destiny (girl): the name of Dory’s whale shark pipe-pal means “fate”.
Sea Gods and Goddesses
There are some obvious choices: Neptune, Poseidon, Amphitrite, Aphrodite, or Triton, to name a few. But, for something more enigmatic, try any of these sea-inspired baby names:
- Thalassa (girl): the Greek primordial goddess of the sea.
- Aegir (boy): a Norse god of the sea, this name also means “ocean” or “sea giant”.
- Mazu (girl): also known as Matsu, this Chinese sea goddess is a deity of seafarers.
- Lir (boy): this god is considered the personification of the sea in Irish mythology.
- Ceto (girl): the Greek goddess of sharks, sea monsters, and the dangers of the ocean.
- Salacia (girl): the Roman goddess of salt water and ruler of the deep ocean.
- Thaumas (boy): another ancient Greek god who represents the wonders of the sea.
- Sedna (girl): this Inuit sea goddess is also known as the “Mother of the Sea”.
- Venus (girl): the famous Roman goddess of love and beauty first emerged from the ocean.
Sea-Related Names Based on Real Places
Many of the world’s seas and coastal regions inspire creative ocean names that are both adventurous and timeless:
- Ocean (neutral): for the ultimate ocean baby name, how about the ocean itself?
- Adrian/Adrienne (boy/girl): meaning “from Hadria”, this name also shares Latin roots with the Adriatic Sea.
- Tasman (boy): “Taz” for short, and named after the sea between Australia and New Zealand.
- Caspian (boy): between Europe and Asia, the Caspian Sea is in fact the world’s largest lake.
- Isla (girl): the Spanish word for “Island”. From the Caribbean to the Pacific, islands often mean incredible diving!
- Hama (girl): this means “seashore” or “beach” in Japanese.
Ocean Names Inspired by Waves
For a name that represents the strength and power of the ocean, try one of the following, which take their meaning or translation from waves:
| Tarni (girl): Aboriginal | Dwyn (girl): Welsh | Aalto (boy): Finnish |
| Ondine (girl): Latin | Gali (girl): Hebrew | Bo (boy): Chinese |
| Alda (girl): Icelandic | Naia (girl): Basque | Nami (girl): Japanese |
| Valdrin (boy): Albanian | Onda (girl): Italian/Spanish | Malik (boy): Greenlandic |
Celebrity Ocean-Themed Baby Names
Whether intentional or not, the names of these famous faces are rooted in ocean origins:
- Meryl (girl): Actress Meryl Streep’s name means “shining sea”.
- Ridley (neutral): filmmaker Ridley Scott shares his name with the Olive Ridley turtle.
- Nori (neutral): Japanese for “seaweed”; it’s also a nickname for Kim and Kanye’s daughter.
- Morgan (neutral): meaning “sea circle”, this Welsh name was made famous by Morgan Freeman.
- Ronan (boy): singer Ronan Keating’s name means “Little Seal” in Irish.
- Jennifer (girl): meaning “white waves”, Jennifer Aniston and Lopez share this Cornish variation of Guinevere.
- Maisie (girl): Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams’ name means “pearl” and also sounds like the sea!
The Ocean Names That Sound Like the Sea
The meanings of these names aren’t necessarily related to the ocean. However, try saying them out loud. Each one has “sea” as part of its pronunciation, making it a wonderfully aural ocean name.
Girls
Cecelia
Sierra
Seanna
Nancy
Sia
Josie
Chrissy
Cassie
Flossie
Lucy
Boys
Morrissey
Seaton
Aleksy
Rossy
Ozzy
Seamus
Cesar
Luciano
Percy
Cassius
Neutral
Chelsea
Lindsey
Jesse
Darcy
Tracy
Kelsey
Casey
Sean
Quincy
Ramsey
Baby Names Inspired by Ocean Explorers
The names of these famous oceanographers and explorers offer a subtle but meaningful connection to adventure and blue purpose:
- Sylvia (girl): “Her Deepness”, Dr. Sylvia Earle, is a pioneer in marine science and an unwavering advocate for the ocean.
- Robert (boy): Robert Ballard discovered the HMS Titanic. Enough said.
- Eugenie or Genie (girl): Perfect if you want your little one to follow Dr. Eugenie Clark’s footsteps as Shark Lady.
- Rachel (girl): Rachel Carson’s best-selling sea trilogy earned her the reputation as a “poet of the sea”.
- David (boy): A nod to the lifelong and influential work of Sir David Attenborough – from Blue Planet to Ocean.
- Ralph, John, or Drew (boy): Show your scuba pride by choosing one of these iconic leaders’ names from PADI’s past and present.
- Jacques (boy): Of course, no ocean names list would be complete without French scuba legend Jacques Cousteau.
Even More Beautiful Ocean Baby Names
Still searching? Here are even more water-inspired names from around the world that make fitting choices for families who love to spend time below the waves:
- Murray (boy): with Scottish and Irish roots, this means “settlement by the sea”.
- Hurley (boy): an Irish name meaning “sea tide”.
- Zulimar (neutral): specifically, this means “blue ocean” in Spanish.
- Oki (neutral): this adorable Japanese name means “ocean-centered”.
- Marvin (boy): sometimes spelled Mervin, this Welsh name means “sea friend”.
- Vaiana (girl): this beautiful Tahitian name means “water cave”.
- Azure (neutral): from Persian and meaning “sky blue”, this is also often used to describe the ocean’s color.
What is a Good Ocean Name?
Whether you’re inspired by Disney, destinations, or mythical ocean names, you may still be torn between a few favorites. Perhaps you’ve even shortlisted your top 5 ocean names, so here are some tips for picking the perfect one:
- Research wider meanings; you might then be drawn to one with a particular quality or translation.
- Be mindful that some names still have religious or cultural connotations.
- Consider how it might be shortened or turned into nicknames instead.
- Check it complements your surname (and don’t forget to check the initials).
- Consider how it might also fit with siblings’ names.
- Test how it sounds out loud (while making sure little ones will be able to say and spell it, too!)
- Do a quick Google search to eliminate any unfortunate trends or associations.
- Don’t be afraid to wait until you’ve met Baby before making your final choice!
If you still can’t choose, why not add one (or more) middle names instead? This is also a safer option if you love the idea of quirky or different ocean names but want to stick with something more traditional for a first name.
Other Uses for Names Inspired by the Ocean
While this article is aimed at parents-to-be, this ocean name list isn’t exclusive to scuba babies. You can draw inspiration from sea goddesses, Celtic ocean names, cartoon characters, or names meaning “wave” for plenty of other things in life, such as:
- Your new pet cat or dog
- Boats or houses
- Business names or social media channels
- Fantasy characters for D&D or books
- Character ideas for costume parties
Share Your Favorite Sea and Ocean Names
Have you already chosen one of these ocean names for your little one, or have even more ideas to share? Tell us your favorites by tagging #PADI on social media.
Of course, the best way to show your love for our ocean planet is to help preserve it for your family’s future generations. Join the global community of Ocean Torchbearers™ today!
