Classic Mermaid Names
Choose an iconic mermaid name, like Marina or Pearl. Some female names just scream mermaid—maybe because they’ve been associated with mermaids throughout history (like Sirena), or maybe because they just encapsulate the alluring and graceful vibes of these nymph-like creatures. Here are some of the most classic and quintessential names for any mermaid: Sirena – Spanish name meaning “mermaid” or “siren.” Sereia – Portuguese name meaning “mermaid.” Lorelei – German siren name meaning “alluring enchantress.” Ondine – Latin name meaning “little wave.” Calypso – Greek sea nymph name meaning “to conceal.” Marina – Latin name meaning “of the sea.” Pearl – English name meaning “pearl.” Sabrina – British nymph name meaning “patience.” Nerida – Greek name meaning “mermaid.” Thalassa – Greek name meaning “sea.” Coralia – Greek name meaning “like coral.” Melusine – French name of a mythical water spirit, meaning “sea-fog.”
Mermaid Names Related to Water
Pick a mermaid name that means water or sea—like Lana or Odette. You can’t go wrong with choosing a mermaid name that literally means water, lake, ocean, sea, etc. From names like Oceanne that literally have the word “ocean” in them to ones like Meredith (which means “sea lord”), here are our favorite water-inspired mermaid names: Brooke – English name meaning “small stream.” Lakelyn – American name meaning “beautiful lake.” Oceanne – French name meaning “ocean.” Raina – Latin name meaning “queen.” Cordelia – Latin and Celtic name meaning “heart” or “daughter of the sea.” Daria – Russian name meaning “kingly” or “the sea.” Delphine – French name meaning “dolphin.” Fontaine – French name meaning “fountain” or “natural spring.” Jordana – Name of a Middle Eastern river that means “flowing down.” Lana – Hawaiian name meaning “calm as still waters.” Maree – Latin and Irish name meaning “ocean tides” or “star of the sea.” Meredith – Welsh name meaning “sea lord.” Tallulah – Native American and Irish name meaning “jumping water.” Odette – Albanian name meaning “sea.” Muriel – Irish name meaning “of the bright sea.” Isla – Spanish name meaning “island.”
Mythological Mermaid Names
Borrow a mythic mermaid name like Ava, Marea, or Salacia. World mythologies, folklores, and legends have featured countless mermaid creatures and characters. Some of these mermaids, ocean deities, nymphs, sorceresses, and goddesses have specific names, which you can use for your own mermaid character: Fay – Old French name meaning “magic” or “fairies.” Aditi – Hindu goddess name meaning “freedom” and “boundless.” Ava – Finno-Ugric mermaid goddess name meaning “life.” Cleodora – Greek river goddess name meaning “gift of glory.” Dana – Celtic river goddess name meaning “arbiter” or “generosity.” Diana – Roman goddess name meaning “beneficence” and “wellness.” Freyja – Norse goddess name meaning “lady.” Maera – Greek river goddess name meaning “sea,” “beautiful,” or “woman.” Yemaya – Afro-Caribbean sea goddess name meaning “mother of fishes.” Salacia – Roman saltwater goddess name meaning “salt.” Thalia – Greek sea nymph name meaning “blossom” or “flourish.” Viviane – French name for the Arthurian Lady of the Lake, meaning “life.”
Pretty Mermaid Names
Choose pretty names like Aria and Belle that are as graceful as a mermaid herself. Mermaids are known for their effortless beauty, elegance, and poise. Fittingly, you may choose a mermaid name that simply embodies those same qualities—even if the name itself doesn’t relate directly to mermaids! Here are some options for mermaid names that we think are pretty pretty: Cecelia – Latin name meaning “blind to their own beauty.” Gemma – Latin name meaning “gemstone.” Luna – Italian name meaning “moon.” Sirenity – French and English name meaning “peaceful.” Celeste – French name meaning “heavenly.” Aria – Italian name meaning “melody” or “air.” Aurora – Roman name meaning “dawn.” Belle – French name meaning “beautiful.” Charlotte – French name meaning “free.” Desiree – French name meaning “desired.” Ella – German name meaning “beautiful.” Esmeralda – Spanish name meaning “emerald.” Gloria – Latin name meaning “glory.” Greta – German name meaning “pearl.” Soleil – French name meaning “sun.”
Unique & Exotic Mermaid Names
Go for an original or unique mermaid name, like Ginevra or Ila. Part of the mystique of mermaids is that they often have archaic or exotic-sounding names. Whether these names come from different languages or are just plain uncommon, they can make good names for original mermaid characters who march to the beat of their own drum. Here are some ideas to get you started: Phoenix – Mythological Greek bird name meaning “dark red.” Anaella – Breton name meaning “favour” or “grace.” Corinna – German name meaning “maiden.” Elaina – Greek name meaning “shining.” Elwynn – High Old German name meaning “noble friend” or “friend of the elves.” Ginevra – British or Italian name meaning “white shadow” or “fair and yielding.” Ila – French name meaning “island.” Imogen – Celtic name meaning “maiden” or “daughter.” Nerissa – Greek name meaning “of the sea.” Sapphire – Hebrew name meaning “blue.” Ula – Celtic name meaning “gem of the sea.” Undine – Latin name meaning “little wave.” Briella – Italian name meaning “God is my strength.” Lenore – French name meaning “light.”
Evil Mermaid Names
Christen a villainous mermaid with a name like Scylla or Ursula. Not all mermaids are good—in fact, many mermaid-esque creatures throughout history have been known to be very sneaky and sinister! The names below could all work for evil mermaids, since they’re mostly inspired by female villains or monsters in folklore (“Morgana”) or pop culture (“Ursula”): Morgana – French name meaning “sea-circle.” Livia – Spanish name meaning “envious.” Malvina – Gaelic name meaning “smooth brow.” Scylla – Greek name meaning “sea monster.” Aysu – Turkish name meaning “moon water.” Medusa – Greek name meaning “ruler.” Ravenna – Italian name meaning “raven.” Ursula – Latin name meaning “little she-bear.” Amaya – Basque name meaning “night rain.” Lilith – Assyrian name meaning “night monster.” Adriane – Latin name meaning “dark one.” Enakai – Hawaiian name meaning “raging sea.” Corentine – French and Irish name meaning “hurricane.”
Mermaid Names from Pop Culture
Consider the names of famous mermaids, like Ariel, Cleo, and Aquamarine. If you’re a fan of mermaid lore, you’ve probably watched a few movies or TV shows that feature sea-maiden protagonists. From the iconic Little Mermaid to contemporary references like H20: Just Add Water, here are some amazing pop culture mermaids to pay homage to: Madison – The mermaid from the movie Splash (1984). Means “son of Mathew.” Nixie – The protagonist in season 1 of Mako Mermaids (2013). Means “water sprite.” Mimmie – A loyal character in Mako Mermaids (2013). Means “bitter.” Lyla – A Mako Mermaids (2013) character known for her spunk. Means “night.” Ariel – The iconic Disney princess from The Little Mermaid (1989). Means “lion of god.” Ariel also has six mermaid sisters, who are named: Attina – The most responsible of the bunch, her name means “powerful.” Alana – The sister most focused on appearance, her name means “beauty.” Adella – The most romantic of the sisters, her name means “noble.” Aquata – The most rebellious sister, her name means “water.” Arista – The fun-loving and musical sister whose name means “harvest.” Andrina – The jokester sister whose name means “strong.” Melody – The daughter of Ariel in The Little Mermaid 2: Return to the Sea (2000). Athena – The mother of Ariel in The Little Mermaid (1989). Means “strong.” Aquamarine – The titular mermaid in Aquamarine (2001). Means “water of the sea.” Cleo – A mermaid in the TV series H2O: Just Add Water (2006). Means “acclaim.” Rikki – A mermaid in the TV series H2O: Just Add Water (2006). Means “brave ruler.” Emma – A mermaid in the TV series H2O: Just Add Water (2006). Means “universal.”
Merman Names
Name your merman with a masculine name, like Dorian or Finn. Mermen (or male mermaids) are less common in stories than mermaids are. However, they do appear in the folklore of various cultures, but they usually exist as counterparts to the more important or prominent mermaids. Here are some excellent mermen names that are inspired by natural and mythical elements: Asher – Germanic name meaning “one who lives in an ash tree.” Caspian – English name borrowed from Eurasia’s Caspian Sea. Cyrus – Persian name meaning “sun.” Dorian – French name meaning “gift of the sea.” Douglas – Gaelic name meaning “dark waters.” Drake – Greek name meaning “dragon.” Erick – Old Norse name meaning “forever ruler.” Finn – Irish name meaning “fair.” Halcyon – Mythological Greek seabird name meaning “calm.” Hurley – English and Irish name meaning “sea tide.” Irving – English, Welsh, and Irish name meaning “friend from the sea.” Marley – English name meaning “pleasant seaside meadow.” Morgan – Welsh name meaning “sea protector.” River – English name meaning “stream of water flowing to the ocean.” Tiberius – Latin name meaning “near or from the Tiber river.”
Advice for Creating Your Own Mermaid Name
Follow common mermaid naming conventions, if you wish. Truthfully, you can use any name you want for your mermaid character or alter ego—but if you want the name to really give off mermaid vibes, there are certain rules and conventions that you should stick to. Choose a mononym (a one-word name with no surname) that’s made of brief syllables with long vowels and soft consonants. “Ariel,” for instance, is a short name with soft consonants—i.e.”r” and “l” instead of harder sounds like “k” or “d.” It’s also good to opt for ancient- or folkloric-sounding names. Unless your mermaid is fairly modern, you generally want to make her sound like she’s been around for centuries (or millenia!). Poetic names that don’t sound modern (or even like English) often work well.
Get inspiration from mermaid-related mythology and folklore. The easiest place to find a mermaid name (or inspiration for your original mermaid name) is in mythology or folklore. Almost every religion or mythological creed has some sort of mermaid story—from Greek sirens to Celtic selkies. Check out our list of mythological mermaid names, or do some googling (e.g., “mermaid names in mythology”) to find some ideas. Be sure to also look into other water-related beings like nymphs, sprites, and nereids!
Look into names that reference bodies of water, marine life, or gemstones. Some names are naturally fitting for mermaids because they have to do with objects or entities that we associate with these mystical sea creatures—e.g., oceans, rivers, sea animals, gems, natural elements, etc. For example, names like Atlantica, Volga, Shelly, Delphina, Aquamarine, or Bay would all be great for a mermaid character!
Consider the geographical history of where your mermaid lives. If your mermaid lives in a certain area of the world, you can make her name more accurate by looking for inspiration in that region. Consider borrowing the name of a nearby island, land mass, or local folkloric deity. For example, if your mermaid is known to inhabit the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Jamaica, possible names include Savanna (from the Jamaican town “Savanna la Mar”) and Yemaya (the Queen of the Sea in the Santería and Candomblé religions).
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