Four Elements Baby Names Are Grounded in Nature
Four elements names connect to the building blocks of life — earth, air, fire, and water. The four elements, or classical elements, were common to ancient cultures and informed studies of science, cosmology, and mythology.
Modern science has moved on from considering the classical elements as the foundation of the physical world, but the four elements still appear today in pop culture and, notably, astrology.
Each sign of the zodiac is classified under one of the four elements, meaning an elemental baby name can serve as subtle astrology names and a connection to your child's sun sign.
Elemental names are a subtle brand of nature names, as they tend to have less obvious connections to the natural world. Here, we've compiled the best names related to the classical elements.
Earth Names
If you're looking for a name to ground your child to nature — one with traditional roots — names that mean Earth can do the trick. Options include bona fide classics such as Adam, along with ancient international names including Lanzo and Sena.
Earth names evoke steadiness and strength. A number of Earth names are those of deities, such as Gaia, the Greek embodiment of Mother Earth, and Seb, the Egyptian god of the Earth.
Earthy names also include those connected to natural features such as stones and trees, but these are our favorite baby names that literally mean "earth":
- Adam
- Afra
- Avani
- Bart
- Daichi
- Damek
- Dhara
- Dion
- Gaia
- Juro
- Kyle
- Lachlan
- Lanzo
- Rayan
- Savannah
- Seb
- Sena
- Terra
- Thelonious
- Yale
Air Names
The classical element air, sometimes represented as wind, symbolizes movement. Names that mean air could be right for the child of a family always on the go, or perhaps an especially active baby in utero.
Just like the wind itself, airy names can be light and delicate — like Brisa and Fei — or strong and powerful, like Guthrie and Scirocco.
They may represent airiness in a general sense — think Sky or Nephele, meaning "cloud" — or refer to specific winds, such as Zephyr, meaning "west wind."
Below, the best baby names with airy meanings:
- Alizeh
- Anemone
- Aura
- Bayu
- Brisa
- Corentin
- Coro
- Fei
- Gale
- Guthrie
- Makani
- Nasim
- Nephele
- Rabi
- Sabiya
- Scirocco
- Sky
- Tuuli
- Zephyr
- Zeru
Fire Names
Fire names command attention. These bold, spirited names have an element of excitement to them. The more dramatic names that mean fire — Fiammetta, Blaze, Seraphina — conjure heat, passion, and flame.
But the most common fiery name is Aiden, the epidemically fashionable boy name that launched a thousand spinoffs. Aiden was ultimately derived from the name Aodh, that of the Celtic god of the Sun.
Here, our top fiery baby names:
- Aiden
- Anala
- Azar
- Blaze
- Conley
- Enya
- Fiammetta
- Fintan
- Haco
- Hestia
- Iggy
- Inigo
- Keahi
- Liekki
- Mccoy
- Miyabi
- Nuri
- Seraphina
- Tanwen
- Tyson
Water Names
Water is a serene and tranquil element, best represented by names with liquid sounds like Noelani and Tallulah.
Names that mean water are the most popular of the elemental categories, featuring Top 200 choices such as Kai, Brooks, Maya, River, and Maxwell. Many rarer watery names are on the rise as well, including Ocean — one of the fastest-rising names for boys in recent years — Guinevere, and Beck.
Names inspired by particular bodies of water, such as Indre and Pacific, may also be considered water names. But featured below are the best names with watery meanings: