Noah Boy
NOH-uh
“rest, comfort” · Hebrew
#2
Ocean
UnisexEnglish, Greek· “ocean, the sea”
- Meaning
- ocean, the sea
- Origin
- English, Greek
- Pronunciation
- OH-shuhn
- Syllables
- 2
- US rank 2025
- #720
- US babies 2025
- 375
- Best rank
- #592 (2024)
- Peak year
- 2024
Meaning and origin of Ocean
Ocean is an English and Greek name that means “ocean, the sea”.
Ocean is the English word for the vast body of salt water covering most of the Earth. It comes through Latin from the Greek Okeanos, the great river that the ancient Greeks imagined encircling the world, personified as a Titan who, with his sister Tethys, fathered the river gods and the ocean nymphs. As a given name Ocean is a modern choice for both girls and boys, one of the nature names, like River and Sky, that spread from the late twentieth century. The singer Frank Ocean, who took it as a stage surname, and the writer Ocean Vuong have made it more familiar.
Popularity over time
Ocean first appears in US Social Security records in 1974. It has ranked in the top 1,000 in 6 different years, starting in 2020. Its best national rank was #592 in 2024, the same year it reached its highest count of 485 babies. In 2025, 375 babies were named Ocean, and it ranked #720 nationally. That is 357% more than ten years earlier, so it is clearly on the rise.
Its national rank moved from #3,131 in 2000, #1,826 in 2010, and #720 in 2025. Of the 4,411 US boys named Ocean since records began, 56% were born in the 2020s, its biggest decade. The 2010s come next, with 1,032 babies.
Other babies' names that peaked around the same time include Campbell, Tru, Azariah, Aries, and Akari.
Where it is most popular (2025)
In 2025, Ocean ranked highest in Rhode Island, Hawaii, and Alabama.
| State | Rank there | Babies |
|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | #196 | 6 |
| Hawaii | #204 | 6 |
| Alabama | #442 | 12 |
| Florida | #473 | 39 |
| New York | #497 | 33 |
Gender, sound and spelling
Ocean is used for both boys and girls: over the last 20 years about 44% of US babies named Ocean were girls and 56% were boys.
Ocean is usually pronounced OH-shuhn, with two syllables. It has five letters, starts with O and ends in “-an”.
Middle names for Ocean
A few middle names that flow with Ocean: each avoids a matching first letter, a rhyme and a vowel clash where the names meet.
Sibling names for Ocean
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Lists that include Ocean
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Ocean mean?
Ocean is an English and Greek name that means “ocean, the sea”.
What is the origin of the name Ocean?
Ocean has English and Greek roots. Ocean is the English word for the vast body of salt water covering most of the Earth.
Is Ocean a popular name?
Yes. Ocean ranked #720 in the US in 2025, which makes it in the top 1,000.
Is Ocean a boy or girl name?
Ocean is used for both boys and girls: over the last 20 years about 44% of US babies named Ocean were girls and 56% were boys.
How do you pronounce Ocean?
Ocean is usually pronounced OH-shuhn. Stressed syllables are in capital letters.
Popularity figures come from US Social Security card applications (names given to at least five babies in a year, 1880 to 2025). How we source names and meanings