The ocean has long captivated humanity, inspiring countless myths, legends, and amazing tales. Its ever-evolving nature–sometimes serene but often wild and turbulent–makes it an impressive symbol of life, depth, and mystery. If you are searching for Names That Mean Ocean, perhaps its strength and beauty have drawn your interest.
Ocean-inspired names add a special charm when selecting baby, character, or pet names. Many cultures have long honored the sea by giving names that reflect its majesty – from its rolling tides to the vastness of blue waters – while they often symbolize resilience, adaptability, and free-spiritedness – qualities found throughout its vast depths.
Water is an integral force, essential to life yet endlessly fascinating. Naming oneself after an ocean can convey deep emotions, endless energy, and an intimate link with nature. Different cultures have given special significance to different aspects of the sea’s ecosystem – creating names inspired by deities, elements of water, and aquatic creatures who live beneath its waves.
Strength and Power: The ocean is one of the world’s most potent forces, often representing unyielding strength through its powerful waves crashing against shorelines. Names associated with the ocean often symbolize this forceful influence.
Serenity and Peace: Though the sea can be unforgiving, its serenity can also be tremendously soothing. Many ocean-related names reflect this trait of tranquillity as they reference its calm presence and its soothing qualities.
Mystery and Depth: The depths of the ocean remain mysterious and deep, holding many secrets that captivate scientists and storytellers alike. Ocean-themed names can reflect an air of mysticism and wisdom.
Why Pick an Ocean-Inspired Name? Ocean names can be very poetic. They connect us to something greater than ourselves and remind us to live life fully in tune with its rhythms. Such names are particularly fitting for sailors, surfers, and anyone who finds solace in listening to waves rolling across a shore.
Many cultures attribute ocean names to myths and legends, with ancient gods and goddesses like Poseidon and Yemaya giving rise to names that carry both historical and spiritual meanings. Others relate directly to its elements – tides, waves, or even the color of water itself. Still more may reflect marine life, such as dolphins, coral, or any of the creatures inhabiting its depths.
Discovering Names That Mean Ocean from Different Cultures
Ocean names hailing from various languages and traditions can offer unique perspectives on what the sea represents – some having roots in mythology. In contrast, others derived from words for water, waves, or the endless horizon.
Influences from Ancient Greece and Rome: With gods such as Poseidon and Neptune reigning over the seas, ancient Greek and Latin names often bear strong maritime connotations.
Hawaiian and Polynesian Beauty: Hawaiian and Polynesian cultures place great value on oceanic ecosystems, which play an essential role in navigation, daily life, and healing. Their names often reflect this reverence, with references to waves, deep sea water, or its soothing presence being common names used.
Japanese and Asian Traditions: Water has an important meaning in Asian cultures, representing purity, life, and renewal; therefore, ocean-related names carry significant weight for these communities. Nordic and Viking Legends – Norse seafarers had strong names inspired by oceanography that often symbolized strength, courage, or exploration.
Find the Ideal Name That Means Ocean
When selecting from names that mean ocean, consider which emotion you wish the name to conjure up. Do you wish for something that encapsulates its power and unpredictability or something more meditative, such as gentle waves? Regardless of whether the ocean-inspired name is for a child, character in a story, or pet, it brings with it special magic that makes for memorable names that evoke its spirit.
Names that capture the spirit and beauty of the sea can range from poetic and elegant to bold and adventurous, so here is our curated selection of names that signify the ocean. Each has its special significance and charm.
| Name | Gender | Meaning |
| Aalto | Male | Wave, ocean (Finnish) |
| Aban | Male | Water, ocean (Persian) |
| Adira | Female | Strong like the sea (Hebrew) |
| Adrielle | Female | From the sea (Hebrew) |
| Aegina | Female | Daughter of a sea god (Greek mythology) |
| Aegir | Male | God of the sea (Norse) |
| Ahti | Male | God of the sea (Finnish mythology) |
| Aigue | Female | Water, ocean (French) |
| Aika | Female | Love song, sea (Japanese) |
| Akau | Male | Coral reef (Hawaiian) |
| Alara | Female | Water spirit (Turkish) |
| Alizeh | Female | Trade wind, ocean breeze (Persian) |
| Alon | Male | Waves (Tagalog) |
| Amalthea | Female | Nourishing ocean (Greek mythology) |
| Amarine | Female | Of the sea (French) |
| Amihan | Female | Northeast wind, ocean breeze (Tagalog) |
| Amrita | Female | Immortal ocean nectar (Sanskrit) |
| Anahita | Female | Goddess of water and the ocean (Persian) |
| Anani | Female | Cloud over the sea (Hawaiian) |
| Anemone | Female | Sea flower (Greek) |
| Aoi | Unisex | Blue, ocean (Japanese) |
| Aqua | Female | Water, ocean (Latin) |
| Ariel | Unisex | Lion of God, associated with the sea (Hebrew) |
| Arvid | Male | Eagle of the sea (Old Norse) |
| Asherah | Female | Goddess of the sea (Semitic) |
| Atlantis | Unisex | Legendary ocean city (Greek mythology) |
| Atoll | Unisex | Coral reef island (English) |
| Azure | Unisex | Blue, like the ocean (French) |
| Azurea | Female | Blue like the ocean (French) |
| Azurine | Female | Sky blue ocean (French) |
| Bahari | Male | Ocean, sea (Swahili) |
| Baleen | Unisex | Type of whale, ocean dweller (English) |
| Banyu | Male | Ocean water (Javanese) |
| Barun | Male | God of water (Hindu) |
| Bay | Unisex | Inlet of the sea (English) |
| Bayani | Male | Ocean warrior (Filipino) |
| Beck | Male | Stream, small river (Old Norse) |
| Bellona | Female | Goddess of war and ocean tides (Roman mythology) |
| Benthos | Unisex | Deep ocean life (Greek) |
| Berilo | Male | Sea-colored gemstone (Spanish) |
| Beryl | Female | Sea-green gemstone (Greek) |
| Blue | Unisex | Color of the ocean (English) |
| Bodhi | Male | Enlightenment, like the vast ocean (Sanskrit) |
| Bohol | Male | Island surrounded by ocean (Filipino) |
| Bora | Unisex | Strong ocean wind (Turkish) |
| Borja | Male | Strong waves (Basque) |
| Brizo | Female | Goddess of sailors and the sea (Greek) |
| Bronte | Female | Thunder of the sea (Greek) |
| Brooke | Female | Small stream, water body (English) |
| Cadenza | Female | Flowing like ocean waves (Italian) |
| Callan | Male | Ocean battle (Scottish) |
| Calypso | Female | Sea nymph (Greek mythology) |
| Carchar | Male | Derived from shark, ocean predator (Greek) |
| Cari | Female | Flows like water (Welsh) |
| Caspian | Male | From the Caspian Sea (Persian) |
| Ceto | Female | Sea monster goddess (Greek mythology) |
| Ceto | Female | Sea goddess, deep waters (Greek mythology) |
| Chaitanya | Male | Ocean of knowledge (Sanskrit) |
| Chandra | Female | Moonlight over the sea (Sanskrit) |
| Chantara | Female | Moonlit ocean (Thai) |
| Charon | Male | Ferryman of the underworld sea (Greek mythology) |
| Coralie | Female | Coral, sea jewel (French) |
| Cordelia | Female | Daughter of the sea (Celtic) |
| Cove | Unisex | Small coastal inlet (English) |
| Cyra | Female | Goddess of the ocean sun (Persian) |
| Darya | Female | Sea, ocean (Persian) |
| Deianira | Female | Destroyer of ocean monsters (Greek mythology) |
| Delmar | Male | Of the sea (Spanish) |
| Delphine | Female | Dolphin, of the sea (Greek) |
| Delphinus | Male | Dolphin, sea creature (Latin) |
| Deniz | Unisex | Sea (Turkish) |
| Dewi | Female | Goddess of the sea (Indonesian) |
| Doris | Female | Sea goddess (Greek mythology) |
| Dren | Male | Waves of the ocean (Albanian) |
| Dwynwen | Female | Waves, water (Welsh) |
| Ebba | Female | Strength of the sea (Germanic) |
| Echo | Unisex | Sound of the sea (Greek mythology) |
| Eder | Male | Beautiful like the sea (Basque) |
| Eirene | Female | Peace of the ocean (Greek mythology) |
| Eirlys | Female | Snowdrop of the sea (Welsh) |
| Ekin | Unisex | Rising tide, wave (Turkish) |
| Elia | Unisex | Sun over the ocean (Hebrew) |
| Elidi | Female | Gift of the ocean (Greek) |
| Elouan | Male | Light of the sea (Breton) |
| Emarin | Male | Ocean dweller (Filipino) |
| Enkai | Male | God of the sea and rain (Maasai mythology) |
| Enyo | Female | Goddess of war and ocean storms (Greek mythology) |
| Eridan | Male | Mythological river flowing into the sea (Greek mythology) |
| Erytheia | Female | Red sea (Greek mythology) |
| Estrella | Female | Star over the ocean (Spanish) |
| Eurybia | Female | Goddess of sea mastery (Greek mythology) |
| Eyre | Unisex | Ocean’s edge, shoreline (Old English) |
| Fintan | Male | White wave (Irish) |
| Firth | Male | Inlet of the sea (Scottish) |
| Fjord | Unisex | Sea inlet between cliffs (Norwegian) |
| Gal | Unisex | Wave, sea (Hebrew) |
| Galadriel | Female | Maiden crowned with sea light (Tolkien) |
| Gali | Female | My wave (Hebrew) |
| Genkai | Male | Mysterious ocean (Japanese) |
| Gwythyr | Male | Sea warrior (Welsh) |
| Halcyon | Unisex | Peaceful sea (Greek mythology) |
| Harbor | Unisex | Safe port by the ocean (English) |
| Haulani | Female | Heavenly ocean dew (Hawaiian) |
| Havelock | Male | Sea battle (Old Norse) |
| Hikaru | Unisex | Shining over the ocean (Japanese) |
| Holokai | Male | Seafarer (Hawaiian) |
| Huron | Male | Great lake, vast ocean (Indigenous American) |
| Hydra | Female | Water serpent, ocean (Greek mythology) |
| Iara | Female | Water spirit, mermaid (Tupi-Guarani) |
| Idalia | Female | Behold the sun over the sea (Greek) |
| Ilma | Female | Air, ocean breeze (Finnish) |
| Iluka | Male | Near the sea (Australian Aboriginal) |
| Indra | Unisex | Possessing drops of rain (Sanskrit) |
| Ione | Female | Violet sea (Greek) |
| Irad | Male | Ocean wanderer (Hebrew) |
| Irvetta | Female | Friend of the sea (English) |
| Ismene | Female | Knowing the depths of the sea (Greek) |
| Isolde | Female | Ice ruler, associated with the sea (Germanic) |
| Issey | Male | Firstborn sea child (Japanese) |
| Itzel | Female | Rainbow over the ocean (Mayan) |
| Jaladri | Female | Goddess of the southern ocean (Indonesian) |
| Jorah | Unisex | Autumn rain, sea (Hebrew) |
| Jorah | Unisex | Flowing water, sea (Hebrew) |
| Kai | Unisex | Sea (Hawaiian) |
| Kaia | Female | Sea, earth (Hawaiian) |
| Kaila | Female | Sea laurel, ocean crown (Hebrew) |
| Kailani | Female | Sea and sky (Hawaiian) |
| Kaimana | Unisex | Power of the ocean (Hawaiian) |
| Kairi | Female | Ocean village (Japanese) |
| Kalama | Female | Torch of the sea (Hawaiian) |
| Kallik | Female | Lightning over the sea (Inuit) |
| Kamari | Male | Moonlight over the ocean (Swahili) |
| Keanu | Male | Cool ocean breeze (Hawaiian) |
| Kelby | Unisex | Dweller by the sea (Old Norse) |
| Kenai | Male | Flat lands by the ocean (Alaska Native) |
| Kiran | Male | Ray of light over the ocean (Sanskrit) |
| Kisame | Male | Shark, ocean creature (Japanese) |
| Laguna | Female | Lagoon, sea inlet (Spanish) |
| Laguna | Female | Lagoon, calm sea (Spanish) |
| Laniakea | Unisex | Immense heaven, vast ocean (Hawaiian) |
| Leomaris | Male | Lion of the sea (Latin) |
| Lir | Male | God of the sea (Irish mythology) |
| Liriel | Female | Daughter of the sea (Fantasy) |
| Livan | Male | Clear water (Persian) |
| Lotan | Male | Serpent of the ocean depths (Canaanite mythology) |
| Lucine | Female | Moonlight on the sea (Armenian) |
| Lykke | Female | Ocean fortune, happiness (Danish) |
| Madhu | Female | Sweet like the ocean breeze (Sanskrit) |
| Madian | Male | Deep sea (Hebrew) |
| Mahina | Female | Moon reflecting on the ocean (Hawaiian) |
| Makara | Unisex | Sea dragon, mythical ocean being (Sanskrit) |
| Marcelline | Female | Of the sea (French) |
| Marina | Female | Of the sea (Latin) |
| Marinelle | Female | Star of the sea (French) |
| Marinus | Male | Man of the sea (Latin) |
| Maris | Female | Of the sea (Latin) |
| Marisol | Female | Sea and sun (Spanish) |
| Mariza | Female | Ocean-like (Portuguese) |
| Marnie | Female | Rejoice in the sea (Scottish) |
| Mazu | Female | Goddess of the sea (Chinese) |
| Mizuko | Female | Child of water (Japanese) |
| Moana | Female | Ocean, deep sea (Polynesian) |
| Moirai | Female | Fates of the sea (Greek mythology) |
| Morgan | Unisex | Born of the sea (Welsh) |
| Muriel | Female | Shining sea (Irish) |
| Naia | Female | Sea foam, dolphin (Basque) |
| Naiara | Female | Reference to a sea pilgrimage (Basque) |
| Nami | Female | Wave, ocean (Japanese) |
| Neptune | Male | God of the sea (Roman mythology) |
| Nereus | Male | Old man of the sea (Greek mythology) |
| Nerida | Female | Sea nymph (Greek) |
| Nerissa | Female | Daughter of the sea (Greek) |
| Nyneve | Female | Lady of the lake, ocean maiden (Arthurian legend) |
| Ocean | Unisex | Vast sea (English) |
| Oceane | Female | Ocean (French) |
| Oceanis | Male | The vast ocean (Greek) |
| Ondine | Female | Water spirit (French) |
| Pacifica | Female | Peaceful ocean (Spanish) |
| Pelagia | Female | Of the sea (Greek) |
| Pelagius | Male | Of the open sea (Greek) |
| Phorcys | Male | Sea god of hidden depths (Greek mythology) |
| Poseidon | Male | God of the sea (Greek mythology) |
| Raeven | Female | Sea raven (English) |
| River | Unisex | Flowing water (English) |
| Sagar | Male | Ocean, sea (Sanskrit) |
| Samira | Female | Breeze over the ocean (Arabic) |
| Samudra | Male | Ocean (Sanskrit) |
| Sapphire | Female | Deep blue like the sea (Greek) |
| Searlait | Female | Little sea (Irish) |
| Selkie | Unisex | Ocean shapeshifter (Scottish folklore) |
| Sevan | Unisex | Name of a vast blue lake (Armenian) |
| Talise | Female | Lovely water (Native American) |
| Tasia | Female | Rebirth from the ocean (Greek) |
| Thalassa | Female | Sea (Greek mythology) |
| Thalassia | Female | Goddess of the sea (Greek) |
| Tidal | Unisex | Waves, tide of the ocean (English) |
| Tori | Female | Bird by the sea (Japanese) |
| Ula | Female | Gem of the sea (Celtic) |
| Umiko | Female | Child of the sea (Japanese) |
| Vanora | Female | White wave (Welsh) |
| Varuna | Male | God of the cosmic ocean (Hindu) |
| Xanthe | Female | Golden ocean waves (Greek) |
| Zale | Male | Strength of the sea (Greek) |
| Zephyros | Male | West wind over the ocean (Greek) |
