Okay so because surfing is a big part of mine and my partners life - both of us are instructors of the sport. we’re looking for water/ surf inspired names for a new little arrival.
please post some names for inspiration!!
At the moment we like [name_f]Bali[/name_f] for a girl, but have no ideas for a boy.
[name_m]How[/name_m] about [name_u]Bay[/name_u] for a girl? For a boy, I think of [name_u]Owen[/name_u] as a chilled back surfer dude name… It’s not technically a water name though.
I always think of [name_m]Bodhi[/name_m] when I see a question about surfing or the ocean!
Girl names:
[name_f]Aqua[/name_f] (Too straightforward? Means water)
[name_f]Ama[/name_f] (means water)
[name_f]India[/name_f] (means body of water)
[name_f]Kyla[/name_f] (means strait of water)
Avisa (ocean)
[name_f]Oceana[/name_f] (means ocean)
[name_f]Thalassa[/name_f] (means ocean or sea)
Boy names:
[name_u]Calder[/name_u] (means cold water)
[name_u]Douglas[/name_u] (means black water)
Irvy (means green water)
Kanja (means water-born)
[name_m]Layton[/name_m] (means water-course)
[name_m]Moses[/name_m] or [name_m]Moises[/name_m] (means drawn out of the water)
[name_u]Ocean[/name_u] (means… ocean! ;))
Gender neutral:
'Alepo’i or you could just use Alepo (means surf)
[name_u]Kai[/name_u] (means ocean)
Kaito (means ocean)
[name_f]Hope[/name_f] I could help!
My first thought is [name_u]Kai[/name_u], which means “ocean” I believe.
Other ideas:
[name_m]Reef[/name_m]
[name_u]Finn[/name_u]
[name_u]Dylan[/name_u] means “son of the sea”
[name_m]Oceanus[/name_m]
[name_m]Seaborn[/name_m]
[name_m]Titan[/name_m]
Drift
[name_m]Rip[/name_m]
[name_f]Love[/name_f] the [name_u]Dylan[/name_u] suggestion!
[name_m]Moses[/name_m] is such a cool suggestion.
You could consider Wave as a middle. (Not into it with [name_m]Moses[/name_m] tho.)
Kainoa, as most have agreed, means the child of the sea, the sea with no restrictions, the free-flowing ocean
Pronounced [name_u]Kai[/name_u]-[name_u]Noah[/name_u]. I have a little blond curly haired [name_u]Noah[/name_u] and he looks like a little surfer dude and one day on at Moonlight beach he played with a tan long haired surfer boy named Kainoa and the meaning was just made for you guys. Hawaiian origin. I would have used it had I heard it before having my son as I was born in beautiful [name_m]Hawaii[/name_m] I think its awesome:)
This is one if my favourite name themes to think about, as I love the imagery surfer names evoke!
Are you a fan of Hawaiian names? Things like:
Koa
[name_f]Kalani[/name_f]
Kolohe
[name_m]Keanu[/name_m]
If you like [name_f]Bali[/name_f] for a girl have you considered the interesting and rare Balaram (ie the surfer, Balaram Stack…coolest name ever!), nn [name_f]Bali[/name_f]?
[name_m]Sebastian[/name_m], nn Seabass or [name_m]Bastian[/name_m]/Bassy is one I’ve always been fond of
[name_m]Beckett[/name_m] nn [name_u]Beck[/name_u], or just [name_u]Beck[/name_u] alone, that has the water connection. I also think a previous suggestion of [name_m]Moses[/name_m] is lovely! [name_m]Just[/name_m] read the Kainoa suggestion, it’s great but also consider Kanoa, a Japanese name and the name of a really awesome little grom!
Others to consider: [name_u]Curren[/name_u] (after [name_m]Tom[/name_m] [name_u]Curren[/name_u]), [name_u]Ripley[/name_u] (oozes cool when you imagine a little ‘[name_m]Rip[/name_m]’ ripping, no?), [name_u]Dorian[/name_u], Styx, [name_m]Callan[/name_m], [name_m]Cillian[/name_m], [name_m]Merrick[/name_m], [name_m]Jonah[/name_m]/jonas, [name_m]Muir[/name_m], [name_m]Dover[/name_m], [name_m]Lochlan[/name_m] (Lochy), [name_u]Bay[/name_u] works better for a boy [name_f]IMO[/name_f], [name_u]Nile[/name_u]/[name_u]Niall[/name_u], [name_m]Ridge[/name_m]…oh so many would be good! [name_m]Will[/name_m] think if more, hope you like some of these!
[name_u]Kai[/name_u] is massive,y overused, and my problem with it has always been that my first association with it was as the Maori word, meaning food…
[name_m]Sebastian[/name_m]
[name_u]Taj[/name_u]
[name_u]Kelly[/name_u]
I second [name_m]Bodhi[/name_m], always makes me think of the sea.
I also love this name theme. For a girl, I love [name_f]Coral[/name_f], nn [name_f]Coco[/name_f]. And for a boy, I love [name_m]Makai[/name_m], meaning towards the sea. Runner ups include [name_m]Reef[/name_m], [name_u]Taj[/name_u], [name_m]Bodhi[/name_m], and plain [name_u]Kai[/name_u].
[name_u]Kai[/name_u], Nainoa or Kainoa, I also like Lir (an Irish water deity). [name_u]Dylan[/name_u], Murdoch, [name_m]Kenn[/name_m], [name_m]Trent[/name_m],
[name_u]Ryan[/name_u], Edmar, and [name_m]Irvin[/name_m] all have meanings linked to water or the sea.
[name_u]Brook[/name_u]/[name_u]Brooke[/name_u]
[name_m]Breaker[/name_m]
[name_m]Ryder[/name_m]
[name_u]Finn[/name_u]
A friend of mine recently called her girl [name_f]Bali[/name_f] and it’s not getting the best reception to be honest. Most people ask ‘[name_f]Bali[/name_f]? Like barley? Like Indonesia [name_f]Bali[/name_f]?’ And then there is the nickname thing which so far has been baa. It’s awkward.
For a boy, I love [name_m]Maverick[/name_m]! I met a little [name_m]Maverick[/name_m] once and he was the epitome of a little grom.
Some other boy names that evoke the surfer/cool little dude image are: Bane, [name_m]Wiley[/name_m], [name_u]Taj[/name_u], [name_m]Dev[/name_m], [name_u]West[/name_u], [name_m]Zeke[/name_m], and [name_u]North[/name_u]
For a middle name, [name_m]Reef[/name_m] would be awesome! And I also second Wave as a middle!
I hope this helped!
Kainoa definitely does not mean child of the sea. It is Hawaiian in origin, but the meaning is the name or the namesake. “Ka” is the in Hawaiian and “inoa” is name. I know it sounds like it has an ocean meaning because it has the “kai” sound in it, but when you break down the meaning it does not mean that. I have taken Hawaiian language courses and I am certain of the meaning. It is a really nice name though. I probably know at least 10 boys named Kainoa or Nainoa (The names/namesakes… “Na” pluralizes). They are very popular names in [name_m]Hawaii[/name_m] (where I’m from) and a great name for a little surfer 
I have to agree that [name_f]Bali[/name_f] is way too literal. It’s like naming your child [name_m]Hawaii[/name_m]. You’d get some very strange looks, I’d think.
I’d be looking at names like [name_f]Leilani[/name_f] and [name_m]Bodhi[/name_m], too.
No one’s mentioned [name_m]Maverick[/name_m] yet?!
Also, for a girl-- I’ve met a girl named Atlantia and thought that was so cool!
A few more:
[name_m]Darrien[/name_m]: http://www.thinkbabynames.com/meaning/1/Darrien << an interesting ocean connection meaning
Murdock - The sea
Murrow- Sea warrior
Seger - Sea fighter
our first three are named after the sea:
marin (of the sea)
ocean
pearl
we named our twins differently and now are pregnant again with a singleton boy whom i’d like to name accordingly to bring the twins’ names and the first three together…
a lot of great suggestions here, for sure.
did not see rosemary which means dew of the sea. super pretty.