220+ Mythical Names for a Merman Character (with Meanings)

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Plus cool suggestions for merman last names & mermaid names

Co-authored by Julia VanderHoeven and Glenn Carreau

Last Updated: August 1, 2025 Fact Checked

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Ocean-Inspired

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Aquatic Creature-Inspired

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Mythology-Inspired

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Names Meaning “Water”

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Unique & Magical

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Last Names

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Bonus: Mermaid Names

Are you looking for the perfect merman name ideas? Whether you’re trying to name a merman character or you want to choose a merman-like name for your little one, we’ve got you covered. In this article, we’ve put together a comprehensive collection of names fitting for a merman, from ocean-themed monikers to names inspired by ancient mythology from around the world. So, no matter what your taste in names is like, take a look below—you’re sure to find a lovely merman name!

Top Examples of Merman Names

Ocean-themed: Aalto, Beck, Cayman, Damarion. Kai, Marin, Myrddin, and Roka
Meaning “water”: Agual, Assan, Calder, Irvin, Nalu, Thuy, Tullius, and Wave
Aquatic creature-themed: Auster, Bradan, Esca, Mako, Marlin, and Schaddoc
From mythology: Aegir, Cetus, Eros, Neifion, Orion, Proteus, Shen, and Triton

Section 1 of 7:

Ocean-Themed Merman Names

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Ocean-themed names are a natural choice for a merman character—after all, myths and fairy tales paint them as ocean-dwellers. Here’s a vast and varied collection of ocean-related names from languages around the world, including those that mean “ocean” or contain a nautical reference.^{[1]
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- Aalto - Finnish origin, meaning “wave”
- Ambudhi - Indian origin, meaning “sea” or “ocean”
- Anchor - English origin, referencing the device used to hold boats in place
- Bahari - Swaihili origin, meaning “ocean” or “one who sails”
- Baltic - Stemming from the name of the Baltic Sea
- Bay - English origin, meaning “sea inlet”
- Beck - Old English and Norse origin, meaning “brook” or “stream”
- Bien - Vietnamese origin, meaning “ocean” or “sea”
- Bo - Chinese origin, meaning “wave”
- Bourne - English origin, meaning “stream” or “brook”
- Cayman - Referencing the Cayman Trench (in the Caribbean Sea) and Cayman Islands
- Ceolbeorht - Old English origin, meaning “bright ship”
- Cid - English and Spanish origin, meaning “wide island”
- Cove - English origin, meaning “small coastal inlet”
- Damarion - American origin, meaning “of the sea” or “bitter”
- Delmar - Spanish origin, meaning “of the sea” or “from the sea”
- Delmore - French and Latin origin, meaning “of the sea” or “from the sea”
- Dilan (Dillan) - Irish and Welsh origin, meaning “son of the sea”
- Ervin - Indo-European origin, meaning “green water” or “friend of the sea”
- Erwyn - English or Welsh origin, meaning “friend of the sea”
- Firth - Scottish origin, meaning “inlet of the sea” or “fjord”
- Hali - Greek origin, meaning “sea”
- Hurley (Hurlee) - Irish origin, meaning “sea tide” or “sea valor”
- Irwin - Old English origin, meaning “sea friend”
- Kai (Kye) - Hawaiian origin, meaning “sea” or “ocean”
- Kaiholo - Hawaiian origin, meaning “the moving sea”
- Kaikane - Hawaiian origin, meaning “the sea” or “man of the sea”
- Katsumi - Japanese origin, meaning “patience,” “beautiful,” or “sea”
- Lamar (Lamarr) - French and Spanish origin, meaning “of the sea”
- Mar - Spanish and Portuguese origin, meaning “sea”
- Marin (Marinel) - Latin origin, meaning “of the sea”
- Merlin - Welsh origin, meaning “sea fortress” or “hill by the sea”
- Merrik - Welsh and Scottish origin, meaning “power of the sea”
- Morgan - Welsh origin, meaning “sea-born” or “sea-circle”
- Morrissey - Irish origin, meaning “sea valor” or “choice of the sea”
- Morven - Gaelic origin, meaning “child of the sea” or “big mountain”
- Murdoch (Murdock) - Scottish and Irish origin, meaning “sea warrior” or “sea protector”
- Murron - Irish origin, meaning “white sea”
- Murrough - Celtic origin, meaning “sea battle”
- Murphy - Irish origin, meaning “sea warrior”
- Myrddin - Welsh origin, meaning “sea fort”
- Neron - Latin and Spanish origin, meaning “strong” or “stern” (also connected to the sea and maritime strength)
- Pelagios - Greek origin, meaning “of the sea” or “belonging to the sea”
- Ponce - Spanish origin, meaning “ocean”
- Roka - Japanese origin, meaning “white crest of the wave”
- Saebeorht - Old English origin, meaning “shining sea”
- Seabright - English origin, combining the words “sea” and “bright”
- Seager - Old English origin, meaning “sea spear”
- Thalassus - A portmanteau derived from the Greek name “Thalassa,” which means “sea”
- Tide - Referring to the rise and fall of the sea levels
- Tidus - Japanese origin, meaning “sun” (also reminiscent of the English word “tide”)
- Valdimar - German and Scandinavian origin, meaning “renowned leader” or “ruler of the ocean”
- Yousuke - Japanese origin, meaning “light,” “sun,” or “ocean”

Section 2 of 7:

Aquatic Creature-Themed Merman Names

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If you don’t want to name your merman after the sea itself, you could draw inspiration from the sea creatures and other water-dwelling flora and fauna that live there. Check out these names related to aquatic creatures (including some believed to be eaten by merfolk in various myths), and see if one catches your fancy:
- Auster - Latin and German origin, meaning “towards the dawn” and also related to the word “oyster”
- Bradan - Irish origin, meaning “salmon”
- Chevis - French origin, meaning “chub,” which is a type of freshwater fish
- Delphin - Spanish origin, meaning “dolphin”
- Esca - Latin and Celtic origin, meaning “bait” or “river”
- Gedda - Scandinavian origin, meaning “pike,” which is a type of fish
- Hotham - English origin, meaning “seal” or “shelter”
- Kingfisher - English origin, a type of bird that typically lives near water
- Kipper (Kipp) - A British term for a male salmon
- Lockhart - British, French, and Scottish origin with several possible meanings, including “loach” (a type of fish)
- Mako - Referring to the mako shark, the fastest known shark species
- Mandar - Indian origin, meaning “coral tree”
- Marlin - Referring to the ocean-dwelling fish, the name is also a variant of the Welsh “Myrddin,” which means “sea fort”
- Matsya - Sanskrit origin, meaning “fish”
- Narwhal - Referring to the toothed whale in the Arctic, its name originates from Old Norse, meaning “corpse whale”
- Pike - Referring to the pike fish
- Reef - Referring to the rock, coral, and sand ridges in the sea that make up underwater ecosystems
- Ronan - Irish origin, meaning “little seal”
- Schaddoc - English origin, meaning “shad fish”
- Trai - Vietnamese origin, meaning “oyster”
- Yarrow - English origin, referring to the flowering plant associated with streams and water

Section 3 of 7:

Mythology-Inspired Merman Names

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The concept of merfolk comes from mythology, stemming back to legends from ancient Mesopotamia and Babylon! Those tales then influenced Greek and Roman mythology, including stories of sirens; from there, the idea of a mystical people with fish tails continued to evolve into the modern concept of merfolk that we see today. Given all that history, there are plenty of mythology-inspired names for mermen:^{[2]
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- Adonis - A Greek mythological figure known for his exceptional beauty
- Aegir - A sea god and jotunn (giant) in Norse mythology
- Aenon - A Biblical name meaning “springs” or “natural fountain”
- Atlas - The Greek titan who held up the heavens on his shoulders
- Cetus - In Greek mythology, the constellation “Cetus” represented a sea monster
- Echo - A nymph in Greek mythology, cursed to repeat the last words of others
- Eris - The Greek goddess of strife and discord
- Eros - The Greek god of love and son of Aphrodite
- Kelpie - A shapeshifting water spirit in Scottish Gaelic mythology
- Leviathan - A mythological sea serpent; the name is of Hebrew origin, meaning “garland”
- Naga - A race of serpentine beings in South Asian mythology
- Neifion - The Welsh translation of “Neptune,” meaning “god of the seas”
- Neptune - The god of the seas in Roman mythology
- Nereus - A sea god in Greek mythology known for being the father of the sea nymphs
- Oceanus - A titan and the personification of the sea in Greek mythology
- Orion - A mighty giant hunter and the son of Poseidon in Greek mythology
- Palaemon - A child sea god and the child of Leukothea in Greek mythology
- Phorcys - An ancient Greek sea god and husband of the goddess Keto
- Poseidon - The Olympian god of the sea in Greek mythology
- Portunus - The Roman god of harbors, ports, keys, and doors
- Proteus - A shapeshifting sea god and prophet in Greek mythology known as the “Old Man of the Sea”
- Samudra - A god of the ocean in Hindu mythology
- Scylla - A monstrous sea creature in Greek mythology
- Shen - A shapeshifting sea monster in Chinese mythology
- Tangaroa - The god of the sea in Māori mythology
- Triton - A sea god and son of Poseidon (and Amphitrite) in Greek mythology
- Varun - A deity associated with oceans, rivers, and the sky in Hindu mythology
- Zephyrus - The god of the west wind in Greek mythology

Section 4 of 7:

Merman Names Meaning “Water”

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The names in this list either translate directly to “water” or include some type of water in their meaning—perfect for a water-dwelling merman. Take a look at the following “water” names for mermen:^{[3]
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- Agual - Spanish origin, derived from the word “agua,” meaning “water”
- Aqualis - Latin origin, meaning “of water” or “watery”
- Aquarius - Latin origin, meaning “water-bearer”
- Assan - Irish origin, meaning “waterfall”
- Atl - Aztec origin, meaning “water”
- Bardo - Aboriginal origin, meaning “water”
- Calder - Scottish origin, meaning “from the wild water”
- Caldwell - Old English origin, meaning “cold stream”
- Chelan - Native American origin, meaning “deep water”
- Conway - Welsh and Irish origin, meaning “holy water”
- Daileass - Scottish origin, meaning “from the waterfall”
- Dax - French origin, meaning “water,” “badger,” or “leader”
- Douglas - Scottish origin, meaning “stream” or “dark water”
- Galon - Hebrew origin, meaning “a fountain”
- Irvin (Irving) - Scottish and Irish origin, meaning “green water” or “fresh water”
- Kawai - Hawaiian origin, meaning “the water”
- Moises - Spanish and Portuguese origin, meaning “drawn out of the water”
- Nalu - Hawaiian origin, meaning “wave” or “surf”
- Namazzi - Ugandan origin, meaning “water”
- Nen - Egyptian origin, meaning “ancient waters”
- Paio - Latin origin, meaning “belonging to the sea”
- Thuy - Vietnamese origin, meaning “water”
- Tullius - Latin origin, meaning “thunderbolt,” “waterfall,” or “downpour”
- Wave - English origin, referring to waves in the water

Section 5 of 7:

Unique & Magical Merman Names

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This category includes names that just sound like they’d be perfect for a mythical merman. Some reference weather and other elemental themes, while others can capture different aspects of your merman’s personality, whether he’s wise, strong, heroic, or otherwise. Consider choosing any of these unique names:
- Abrecan - Anglo-Saxon origin, meaning “storm”
- Alankar - Hindu origin, meaning “gold,” “ornament,” or “decorated with jewels”
- Anse - French and German origin, meaning “cove”
- Apollyon - Greek origin, meaning “one who destroys”
- Arion - Sanskrit and Greek origin, meaning “illustrious,” “noble,” or “war”
- Arran - Scottish origin, meaning “island dweller”
- Aquilo - Latin and Roman origin, meaning “eagle”
- Azul - Spanish and Portuguese origin, meaning “blue”
- Azure - French, Latin, and Arabic origin, meaning “sky blue”
- Azureus - Latin origin, meaning “blue”
- Bao - Chinese origin, meaning “precious” or “treasure”
- Cadao - Vietnamese origin, meaning “folk song” or “sawfish”
- Cari - Welsh origin, meaning “beloved”
- Cas - Dutch origin, meaning “the treasure bringer”
- Casimir - Slavic origin, meaning “proclaimer of peace”
- Caspar - Aramaic origin, meaning “treasurer”
- Caspian - A name associated with the Caspian sea, the world’s largest inland body of water
- Cato - Latin origin, meaning “wise” or “good judgment”
- Cephas - Aramaic origin, meaning “rock”
- Cid - Spanish and Arabic origin, meaning “lord”
- Corsair - A name referring to corsairs—pirates or privateers—derived from the Latin “cursarius”
- Dewain (Duane) - Irish origin, meaning “little dark one”
- Dorian - Greek origin, likely derived from “doron,” meaning “gift”
- Ekaitz - Basque origin, meaning “storm”
- Ennis - Irish origin, meaning “island”
- Finley - Scottish and Irish origin, meaning “fair hero”
- Hai - English and German origin, meaning “home ruler”
- Indigo - Referring to the color indigo, a deep blue-purple
- Jasper - Persian and French origin, meaning “precious stone”
- Jesper - Scandinavian origin, meaning “treasurer”
- Kairos - Greek origin, meaning “opportune moment”
- Kellan - Irish origin, meaning “fair” or “graceful”
- Keone - Hawaiian origin, meaning “the homeland”
- Leven - Scottish origin, meaning “place of the flood”
- Noelani - Hawaiian origin, meaning “heavenly mist”
- Reif - German origin, meaning “mature” or referring to hoar frost
- Rodion - Greek and Russian origin, meaning “song of the hero”
- Ronin - Japanese and Irish origin, meaning “wave man” or “floating man”
- Sadaf - Arabic and Persian origin, meaning “seashell”
- Theo - Greek and German origin, meaning “God’s gift” or “brave people”
- Wyatt - British and German origin, meaning “battle,” “strong fighter,” or “brave”
- Zamir - Hebrew origin, meaning “songbird”
- Zander - Greek origin, meaning “defender of man”
- Zimran - Hebrew origin, meaning “celebrated” or “singer of praise”

Section 6 of 7:

Merman Last Names

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Need a fitting last name for your merman, too? Here’s a list of possible merman surnames, including sea-themed names, more mythological options, and some names referencing the alluring powers that merfolk and sirens were said to have. Take a look:
- Abijam - Hebrew origin, meaning “my father is the sea”
- Aegaeus - Latin origin, meaning “from the Aegean Sea”
- Bahari - Swahili origin, meaning “ocean” or “one who sails”
- Hancock - English and Dutch origin; in Dutch, its meaning is connected to “periwinkle”
- Jennis - American and Hebrew origin, meaning “God is gracious”; it’s also linked to the meanings “white wave” and “fair one”
- Kymothoe - Greek origin, meaning “wave-swift” (and a Greek nymph)
- Lampetia - Greek origin, meaning “shining” (and a Greek nymph)
- Leucosia - Greek origin, meaning “white-stuff” (and the name of a Greek Siren)
- Llyr - Welsh origin, meaning “the sea” (and associated with a Welsh sea god)
- Meltem - Turkish origin, meaning “summer breeze”
- Meryn - Latin origin, meaning “of the sea”
- Ocyrrhoe - Greek origin; the name of a water nymph in Greek mythology
- Plexaure - Greek origin, meaning “whipping wind”
- Premnath - Hindu origin, meaning “one who embodies love”
- Rhodes - Greek and British origin, meaning “where roses grow” or “pomegranate”
- Sewell - Old English origin, meaning “sea strong”
- Teles - Latin and Greek origin, meaning “accomplish” or “fulfill”
- Thelxiope - Greek origin, meaning “mind charming”
- Xanthus - Greek origin, meaning “golden,” “yellow,” or “fair-haired” (also a Greek river god)
- Zale - Polish origin, meaning “by a flood plain or a bay”
- Zeeman - Dutch origin, meaning “seaman” or “sailor”
- Zulimar - Spanish origin, meaning “blue ocean”

Section 7 of 7:

Mermaid Name Ideas (For Girls)

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Just as “merman” refers to male merfolk, the term “mermaid” typically refers to female merfolk. If there’s a chance you might need a mermaid name or two in addition to the merman ones, take a look at the list of suggestions below!
- Adamaris - Latin origin, meaning “noble of the sea”
- Aella - Greek origin, meaning “tempest” or “stormwind”
- Amphitrite - Greek origin, meaning “the surrounding sea” (and a Greek goddess of the sea)
- Aphrodite - Greek origin, meaning “born of the sea foam” (and the Greek goddess of love and beauty)
- Ariel - Hebrew origin, meaning “lion of God” (and the name of the little mermaid in Disney’s adaptation)
- Azura - Spanish origin, meaning “sky blue”
- Cadenza - Italian origin, meaning “a decorative solo in a piece of music”
- Calypso - Greek origin, meaning “hidden” (and the name of a nymph in Homer’s Odyssey)
- Chantara - Thai origin, meaning “to shine” or “water illuminated by the moon)
- Coralin - Greek origin, meaning “maiden”
- Coventina - Irish and Celtic origin, meaning “fading memory” (and a Celtic water goddess)
- Ebba - Old Norse and German origin, meaning “strong”
- Electra - Greek origin, meaning “amber” or “shining”
- Ephyra - Greek origin, meaning “daughter of Oceanus”
- Kendra - British or Celtic origin, meaning “knowing” or “bold power”
- Lorelei - German origin, meaning “alluring enchantress” or “murmuring rock”
- Marella - Latin origin, meaning “of the sea”
- Maressa - German, Hebrew, and Latin origin, meaning “bitterness,” “rebellious,” and “famous in battle”
- Marina - Latin origin, meaning “from the sea”
- Marion - French, Latin, Hebrew, and Greek origin, meaning “star of the sea”
- Meredydd (Meridith) - Welsh origin, meaning “guardian of the sea”
- Merrill - English origin; a variant of “Muriel,” which means “bright sea”
- Naida - Greek origin, meaning “water nymph”
- Nixie - German origin, meaning “water fairy”
- Ondina - Latin origin, meaning “little wave” or “water nymph”
- Rane - German origin, meaning “deciding warrior”
- Rita - Spanish and Greek origin, meaning “pearl”
- Sarila - Turkish origin, meaning “waterfall”
- Selene - Greek origin, meaning “the moon”
- Shasa - African origin, meaning “precious water”
- Shui - Chinese origin, meaning “water”
- Sirena - Spanish origin, meaning “mermaid” or “siren”
- Tethys - Greek origin, and the goddess of freshwater in Greek mythology
- Yareli - Native American or Arabic origin, meaning “water lady”
- Zenevieva - Slavic origin, meaning “woman of the people” or “radiant like a white wave”