Ocean Names
The ocean covers about 71% of our planet, and its names reach just as far — from the five official oceans and dozens of named seas to baby names like Marina, Kai and Morgan that mean “sea”. This page brings together more than 100 ocean names: geography first, then names for babies, figures from sea mythology and fun ideas for pets and boats.
For more water-themed lists, see names that mean ocean, water names and river names. Writing a story set under the waves? Our mermaid names will help.
The five oceans of the world
The International Hydrographic Organization recognizes five oceans, which are all connected into one global ocean.
| Ocean | Size / depth | Name origin |
|---|---|---|
| Pacific | Largest and deepest; Mariana Trench about 36,000 ft | Named “Mar Pacífico” (peaceful sea) by Magellan in 1520 |
| Atlantic | Second largest | From Atlas, the Titan; “Sea of Atlas” |
| Indian | Third largest, warmest | Named for India |
| Southern | Encircles Antarctica | Its northern limit is often set at 60° S |
| Arctic | Smallest and shallowest | Greek arktikos, “near the Bear” (the constellation) |
Seas of the world
Seas are smaller parts of the ocean, usually partly enclosed by land. Some “seas”, like the Caspian, are actually landlocked lakes.
| Sea | Location | Name note |
|---|---|---|
| Mediterranean | Between Europe, Africa and Asia | Latin, “in the middle of the land” |
| Caribbean | Central America and the Antilles | Named for the Carib people |
| Sargasso | North Atlantic | The only sea with no land border; named for sargassum seaweed |
| Coral | Off northeast Australia | Home of the Great Barrier Reef |
| Caspian | Between Europe and Asia | World’s largest lake; named for the ancient Caspi people |
| Aegean | Between Greece and Turkey | Possibly from King Aegeus of Athens |
| Adriatic | Between Italy and the Balkans | From the ancient port of Adria |
| Ionian | West of Greece | Possibly from the Ionians or the myth of Io |
| Tyrrhenian | West of Italy | From the Greek name for the Etruscans |
| Baltic | Northern Europe | Possibly from a Baltic word for “white” |
| Black Sea | Between Europe and Asia | Dark waters; possibly a color-for-direction system (north) |
| Red Sea | Between Africa and Arabia | Possibly from seasonal red algae blooms |
| North Sea | Between Britain and Scandinavia | North of the Frisian coast |
| Bering | Between Alaska and Russia | After explorer Vitus Bering |
| Tasman | Between Australia and New Zealand | After explorer Abel Tasman |
| Arabian | Northwest Indian Ocean | Borders the Arabian Peninsula |
| Weddell | Off Antarctica | After sealer James Weddell |
| Ross | Off Antarctica | After explorer James Clark Ross |
| Celebes | Between Indonesia and the Philippines | Old name of Sulawesi |
| Andaman | Eastern Indian Ocean | From the Andaman Islands |
| Yellow Sea | Between China and Korea | Yellow silt from the Yellow River |
| Sea of Japan | Between Japan and mainland Asia | Called the East Sea in Korea |
| Dead Sea | Israel, Jordan, West Bank | Salt lake; lowest land point on Earth |
| Sea of Galilee | Israel | Freshwater lake of Gospel stories |
| Beaufort | North of Alaska and Canada | After Admiral Francis Beaufort |
Girl names that mean ocean or sea
Flowing, lyrical names with a watery meaning. See nature names for girls for more.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Marina | Of the sea | Latin |
| Oceane | Ocean | French |
| Nerissa | Sea nymph (from the Nereids) | Greek |
| Maren | Of the sea | Scandinavian (from Marina) |
| Moana | Ocean, wide expanse of water | Hawaiian / Māori |
| Maris | Of the sea (as in Stella Maris, “star of the sea”) | Latin |
| Pelagia | Of the open sea | Greek |
| Muirgen | Born of the sea | Irish |
| Nami | Wave | Japanese |
| Umi | Sea | Japanese |
| Kaimana | Power of the sea / diamond | Hawaiian |
| Doris | Sea nymph; mother of the Nereids | Greek |
| Thalassa | The sea; primordial sea goddess | Greek |
| Coralie | Coral | French |
| Marisol | Sea and sun (from María de la Soledad, reinterpreted) | Spanish |
| Kailani | Sea and sky | Hawaiian |
| Oceana | Ocean | Greek / Latin |
| Ondine | Wave; water spirit (from Latin unda) | French |
| Derya | Sea, ocean | Turkish |
| Nerina | Sea nymph (from Nereus) | Italian |
Boy names that mean ocean or sea
Strong, salty names for boys. Also browse nature boy names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Kai | Sea | Hawaiian |
| Morgan | Sea-born; sea circle | Welsh |
| Dylan | Great tide; son of the sea (Dylan ail Don) | Welsh |
| Murphy | Sea warrior | Irish |
| Delmar | Of the sea | Spanish |
| Marino | Of the sea | Italian / Spanish |
| Neptune | Roman god of the sea | Latin |
| Murdoch | Sea warrior | Scottish Gaelic |
| Mervyn | Sea hill (Welsh Merfyn) | Welsh |
| Kaito | Sea / ocean + flying (海斗; varies by kanji) | Japanese |
| Deniz | Sea | Turkish |
| Seaton | Town by the sea | English |
| Marlin | The fish; also “sea fortress” (form of Merlin) | English / Welsh |
| Samudra | Ocean | Sanskrit |
| Sagar | Ocean | Sanskrit / Hindi |
Ocean gods and sea creatures from mythology
Deities, spirits and monsters of the deep from world myth. For more, see Greek god names and Norse god names.
| Name | Who or what | Mythology |
|---|---|---|
| Poseidon | God of the sea, earthquakes and horses | Greek |
| Triton | Messenger of the sea, son of Poseidon | Greek |
| Amphitrite | Queen of the sea, wife of Poseidon | Greek |
| Oceanus | Titan of the world-ocean river | Greek |
| Tethys | Titaness, mother of rivers | Greek |
| Proteus | Shape-shifting old man of the sea | Greek |
| Njord | God of the sea, wind and wealth | Norse |
| Ran | Sea goddess who nets drowned sailors | Norse |
| Aegir | Personification of the sea; famous brewer | Norse |
| Manannán | Sea god, ruler of the Otherworld | Irish |
| Lir | Sea god, father of Manannán | Irish |
| Yemaya | Orisha of the ocean and motherhood | Yoruba |
| Sedna | Sea goddess of the Arctic | Inuit |
| Kanaloa | God of the ocean | Hawaiian |
| Tangaroa | God of the sea | Māori |
| Ryūjin | Dragon god of the sea | Japanese |
| Varuna | Lord of waters and cosmic order | Hindu |
| Kraken | Giant sea monster | Norse folklore |
| Leviathan | Great sea serpent (Job 41) | Hebrew |
| Scylla | Six-headed sea monster | Greek |
| Charybdis | Deadly whirlpool monster | Greek |
Ocean names for pets and boats
Beachy, playful names for fish, dogs and sailboats. More ideas: fish names and pirate ship names.
| Name | Inspired by | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Riptide | Strong current | Fast dogs, speedboats |
| Barnacle | Clingy shellfish | Velcro dogs |
| Nautilus | Spiral shell; Captain Nemo’s sub | Boats, snails |
| Tidal | Tides | Surfers’ pups |
| Starfish | Sea star | Fish tanks |
| Anchor | Ship’s anchor | Calm, steady dogs |
| Squid | Squid | Wiggly kittens |
| Sea Breeze | Coastal wind | Sailboats |
| Pearl | The gem from oysters | White cats |
| Skipper | Captain | Boats, bossy pets |
| Seaglass | Tumbled glass | Soft-colored cats |
| Shelly | Seashells | Turtles |
| Salty | Sea salt | Old sea dogs |
| Wave Runner | Waves | Jet skis |
| Bubbles | Sea foam | Goldfish |
Tips for choosing an ocean name
- Learn the sea roots. Latin mare (Marina, Maris, Delmar), Welsh môr (Morgan), Hawaiian kai and Japanese umi all point to the sea.
- Balance a big name. Names like Poseidon or Amphitrite are dramatic for a child; try them as middle names or pick softer choices like Nerissa or Kai.
- Mind the geography. A sea or ocean name you’ve sailed or swum in (Aegean, Coral, Tasman) makes a personal story.
- For boats, check your harbor. Short, clear names are easier on the radio; avoid names already painted on the next boat over.
- Color can help. Our blue color names list has shades like cerulean and aquamarine that pair well with ocean themes.
Frequently asked questions
What are the five oceans?
The Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Southern (Antarctic) and Arctic oceans. The Pacific is the largest and deepest; the Arctic is the smallest.
What names mean ocean?
Oceane (French), Moana (Hawaiian/Māori), Kai (Hawaiian), Marina and Maris (Latin), Deniz (Turkish) and Umi (Japanese) all mean sea or ocean.
What is a good boy name that means sea?
Kai, Morgan, Dylan, Murphy, Delmar and Marino are popular boy names with sea meanings.
Who is the god of the ocean?
Poseidon in Greek mythology and Neptune in Roman mythology. Other sea gods include Njord (Norse), Manannán (Irish), Kanaloa (Hawaiian) and Tangaroa (Māori).
Is the Caspian Sea really a sea?
It’s the largest inland body of water on Earth and is usually classed as a lake, though its water is salty and it is called a sea.