If you’re a new parent-to-be who loves the ocean, longs for a riverside campsite (remember when we could do that? camping??), or feels like you were probably a dolphin in a previous life, you’re in luck when it comes to baby-name picks. While you could certainly name your kid after your favorite part of the California coast, or give them a nature name that’s not entirely, um, water-based, you know you’ll probably be happiest with a beachy name that calls to mind the world’s waters and the fine folks (fish and sexy lifeguards alike) who love them, just like you do.
Related story These ‘Rare’ Boy Names Are Probably Not as Rare as You ThinkWe’ve rounded up a bevy of beachy names for boys that surfer kids and river rats (of any species) will be proud to call theirs.
Related story These ‘Rare’ Boy Names Are Probably Not as Rare as You Think
Names that mean “water”
Wishful water-dwellers will love the baby names below, which all mean “water,” “ocean,” “stream,” “river” or something else that evokes aquatic adventures.
Beachy names we love
- Cannon (Cannon Beach, Oregon)
- Dillon (Dillon Beach, California)
- Huntington (Huntington Beach, California)
- Monty (Monterey Bay)
- Vashon (Vashon Island, Washington)
- Zuma (Zuma Beach, California)
Surfer baby names
If you’re hoping to score a name that sounds like someone who scales the waves all day, guess what: We’ve gathered some of the coolest real-life surfer names for you.
- Andy Irons: Hawaiian surfer
- Barton Lynch: Aussie surfer
- Butch Van Artsdalen: U.S. surfer
- Clay Marzo: Hawaiian surfer
- Damien Hobgood: U.S. surfer
- Duke Paoa Kahanamoku: Hawaiian surfer
- Mick Fanning: Aussie surfer
- Mickey Munoz: U.S. surfer and surfboard shaper
- Shane Beschen: U.S. surfer
- Simon Anderson: Aussie surfer
- Sunny Garcia: Hawaiian surfer
- Taj Burrow: Aussie surfer
Fictional aquatic names
Real life doesn’t always have the answers, so we turned to literature and film to hunt down fictional lifeguard, surfer, ship-folks and fish names for your baby.
- Bodhi: From Point Break
- Brady: From Teen Beach Movie
- Brody: Chief Martin Brody from Jaws
- Cody: From Baywatch
- Frankie: From Beach Party
- Hobie: From Baywatch
- Jack: From Big Wednesday
- Jesse: From Free Willy
- Lockie: From Lockie Leonard, Human Torpedo
- Logan: From Baywatch
- Luke: From The Reef
- Murph: From The Perfect Storm
- Nathaniel: From Point Break
- Sebastian: From The Little Mermaid
Another fun option is to name your baby after a favorite beach, surfing spot or body of water. If you’re worried the watery name is a little too weird, consider using it as a middle name so your child can choose what he wants to be called as he gets older. Jack Atlantic, anyone?
A version of this article was originally published in April 2011.
For more baby name inspo, look no further than this year’s Oscars.
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