Names That Mean Island

Offbeat and romantic place-name.

Possible middle name for devotees of detective Sherlock...or the actress Katie.

An old-lady name in Scandinavia today, but Eivor may get a fresh start in the US, where it is associated with Assassain's Creed character Eivor Varinsdottir. Interestingly, the video game inspired several sets of parents to use the name for their sons in 2021 — the first year Eivor was ever recorded — but it has never made the charts for girls.

An established place name, associated with a sunny island in the English Channel, the Garden State in the US, knitted pullovers, reality TV, and a Broadway musical. It peaked in the late 2000s and though it is now in decline, 130 girls and nearly 50 boys received the name in 2023.

-ey meaning "island". Alternative theories suggest it comes from jarl ,meaning "earl" or hjǫr meaning "sword".

Spelling variation of Erin invented for a character on the science fiction TV show Farscape.

An anglicised or dutchified spelling of the Icelandic name Eyþóra, brought to fame by the Dutch Olympic gymnast Eythora Elisabet Thorsdottir, whose parents are Icelandic.

The energetic Brody is a name that claims different meanings and origins depending on whether you're looking at its Irish, Scottish, or English history -- and Eastern Europeans claim a version too. This spelling is much more popular for boys, but has seen some use for girls in recent years, including volleyball player Gabrielle Reese's daughter. An alternate spelling is Brodie.

Although this was the surname of a rugged World War II admiral, these days it has a feminine feel.

Isle is a super rare nature name that sounds like an appealing unisex form of Isla.

Variant of Evelyn

Derived from the Old Norse elements holmr "island" and geirr "spear". This is a widespread name in Scandinavia, and belonged to a legendary Danish hero, Holger Danske (Ogier the Dane). According to legend, Holger Danske was a fearsome warrior under Charlemagne, who never died but sleeps in the cellar of Kronborg Castle at Elsinore, ready to rise again if Denmark is ever in danger.

Actress Seychelle Gabriel is named after the Seychelles, an archipelagic island nation in the Indian Ocean. The islands were named after Jean Moreau de Séchelles, Louis XV's Minister of Finance.

Delta is an unusual vintage name for girls or an futuristic modern option for boys. Delta is the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet and also the geographical name given to an island formed at the mouth of a river.

The New Jersey cities of Camden and Trenton are in, but the name of the state has not caught on to anywhere near the same extent, possibly due to its association with knitted pullovers and reality TV. Nevertheless, Jersey peaked as a masculine name in 2022, when it was given to around 60 boys.

The name of one of the Nereids – daughters of the sea god Nereus – in Greek mythology. A moon of Neptune is named in her honor. In modern times, works just as well (or perhaps even better) for a son.

In the Old Testament, Itamar (or Ithamar) was the youngest son of Aaron.

Lively and engaging Scottish surname, particularly appropriate for a boy born on Monday.

Variant of Evelyn

Irish town names are now fair game -- as are most other places with connections to Ireland -- but are much better suited to boys.

It's a bear, it's an island, it's (almost) a camera. It's starting to catch some parents' eyes as a wild, adventurous name.