The Atlas · Sea

Sea

Coastal and island cultures name daughters for the water.

186 names · 44 traditions

The same root, across a whole language family

These are attested shared morphemes — not coincidences of spelling. Where we are not confident a root is shared, we say nothing and simply list the names.

mar- / marina
sea (Latin)
Latin, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Marbella, Maren, Marena, Mariela, Mariella, Marina, Marinella, Maris
sagara / samudra
ocean (Sanskrit)
Sanskrit, Hindi
Sagara, Sagarika, Samudra, Sindhuja, Sindhuvasini

Every tradition, side by side

Sanskrit 33
Aarna Arnavi Arnika Ghrishma Hemanti Hemantika Lahari Mahamudra Meera Mira Mirabai Ritu Rituja Ritujita Ritvi Rutuja Sagara Sagarika Samudra Sindhuja Sindhuvasini Taralika Taranga Tarangika Tarangini Urmi Urmija Urmika Urmimala Varsha Varuni Vasanta Yashodhi
Greek 18
Amphitrite Clymene Cymothoe Doris Eurynome Galatea Galene Halie Nafsika Nesaea Pelagia Pleione Salmacis Telesto Tethys Thalassa Thalassia Thetis
Icelandic 15
Alda Bylgja Drofn Hafbjorg Hafdis Hronn Marin Ran Saebjorg Saebjort Saeunn Unnarbjorg Unnbjorg Unndis Unnur
Latin 14
Adriana Autumne Coralee Coralia Coralie Maren Marena Marina Maris Marissa Merissa Rosemarie Rosemary Salacia
English 11
Autumn Hallie Mariel Marilynne Sailer Sailor Sommer Summer Waverly Winter Wynter
Other 8
Adetokunbo Kaimana Marica Meri Moushumi Muireall Muireann Tsomo
Hebrew 7
Adva Gal Galia Galit Kineret Kinneret Yamit
Italian 7
Ginevra Mariella Marinella Marisa Marisella Nerina Ondina
Hawaiian 6
Halia Kailani Kailanie Kehlani Nalu Namaka
Spanish 5
Marbella Mariela Marisela Marisol Maritza
Scandinavian 4
Caia Kaia Kaiya Karina
Welsh 4
Dylan Mari Meredith Morgan
Japanese 4
Nami Nanami Setsuko Yoko
Turkish 3
Bahriye Deniz Derya
Armenian 3
Dzovinar Marine Tsovinar
Finnish 3
Kaija Meeri Vellamo
German 3
Maritta Marleen Marlena
Irish 3
Muriel Murphy Ronan
Luhya 3
Nasike Nasimiyu Nelima
French 3
Oceane Oceanne Ondine
Celtic 2
Cordelia Muirenn
Russian 2
Darya Pelageya
Korean 2
Haerin Haewon
Yoruba 2
Janaina Yemoja
Arabic 2
Maryam Rabea
Luo 1
Adoyo
Filipino 1
Alon
Bengali 1
Anwesha
Faroese 1
Bára
Basque 1
Itsaso
Lithuanian 1
Jūratė
Tahitian 1
Mareva
Chinese 1
Mazu
Maori 1
Moana
Cornish 1
Morvoren
Kamba 1
Mumbua
Bukusu 1
Naliaka
Sumerian 1
Nammu
Inuit 1
Sedna
Indigenous Australian 1
Tarni
Amharic 1
Tsedey
Old Norse 1
Unn
Vietnamese 1
Xuan
Kurdish 1
Zerya
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