Baby Names That Mean River
Looking for baby names that mean River? Our library lists 98 names whose meaning carries the sense of “river.” They break down as 65 boy names and 33 girl names. The most common cultural roots are English, Scottish, Greek, and Irish. Names on this list include Aberfa, Abhainn, Abhainn, Aibne, Achelous, and Acheron.
Every entry below shows the name’s meaning, gender, and cultural origin, and links to a full profile with pronunciation, popularity, and variants. Tap the heart to save a favorite.
Rivers carry life, movement, and the sense of a journey, and names drawn from them feel fresh yet grounded. The English nature-name River is the most direct; the name Jordan, from the Hebrew river meaning “to flow down,” has long crossed genders; and the Italian and Spanish Rio means “river” plainly. Each suggests something flowing and alive.
River names sit at the easygoing, nature-loving end of the spectrum — modern, unisex, and unfussy. They suit parents who want a name with calm energy and a built-in sense of place. Browse the list below by origin to weigh a contemporary favorite like River against an older water-name with a quieter current.
| Name | Meaning | Gender | Origin | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aberfa | From The Mouth Of The River ABERTHA | Female | Welsh | |
| Abhainn | River | Male | Scottish | |
| Abhainn, Aibne | River ACAIR, AKIR, ACAISEID | Male | Scottish | |
| Achelous | Myth Name (A River God) | Male | Greek | |
| Acheron | Myth Name (River Of Woe) | Male | Greek | |
| Afram | Akan Of Ghana Name Referring To The Afram River In Ghana's Ashanti Region. | Male | African | |
| Aibne | River | Male | Scottish | |
| Alpheus | Myth Name (River God) | Male | Greek | |
| Amhuinn | Lives At The Alder-Tree River | Female | Gaelic | |
| Avonmora | From The Great River | Female | Irish | |
| Avonmore | From The Great River | Male | Irish | |
| Ballinamore | From The Great River | Male | Irish | |
| Biford | Lives At The River Crossing | Male | English | |
| Boynton | From Tbe White River | Male | Celtic | |
| Byford | Lives At The River Crossing | Male | English | |
| Caindale | From The Clear River Valley | Male | English | |
| Calder | From The Stony River | Male | Celtic | |
| Caolabhuinn | From The Narrow River | Male | Gaelic | |
| Charon | Myth Name (Ferryman Across The River Styx) | Male | Greek | |
| Cleonie | From The Greek Cleone Daughter Of A River God | Female | Irish | |
| Clyde | Refers To The Scottish Clyde River. | Male | Scottish | |
| Cocytus | Myth Name (River Of Lamenting) | Male | Greek | |
| Colwyn | A River In Wales. | Male | Welsh | |
| Delaney | From The River Slaney | Male | Irish | |
| Derwent | Surname Referring To Derwent River In England. | Male | English | |
| Doug | From The Dark River. The Scottish Douglas Clan Had Two Historical Branches: (Black Douglases And Red Douglases.) The Lords Of These Clans Figure In Sir Walter Scott's Novels. | Male | Scottish | |
| Douglass | From The Dark River. The Scottish Douglas Clan Had Two Historical Branches: (Black Douglases And Red Douglases.) The Lords Of These Clans Figure In Sir Walter Scott's Novels. | Male | Scottish | |
| Eaton | From The Riverside Village | Male | English | |
| Eatun | From The Riverside Village | Male | English | |
| Ford | River Crossing | Male | English | |
| Forde | A Shallow Place Used To Cross A River Or Stream. Surname. | Male | English | |
| Fynn | Europeanized Version Of Ghanaian Name Offin, After The Offin River. | Male | African | |
| Gliona | From The Greek Cleone Daughter Of A River God | Female | Irish | |
| Ha | River | Female | Vietnamese | |
| Holmes | From The River Island | Male | English | |
| Inachus | Myth Name (A River God) | Male | Greek | |
| India | Unisexual Name Meaning "River." | Female | Indian | |
| Iniss | From The River Island | Male | Irish | |
| Inys | From The River Island | Male | Irish | |
| Jiang Li | River Beautiful | Female | Chinese | |
| John | Jehovah Has Been Gracious: Has Shown Favor. In The Bible John The Baptist Baptized Christ In The Jordan River. Variants Have Been Created In Almost Every Language. | Male | Hebrew | |
| Joki | Surname Meaning "River" | Male | Finnish | |
| Jordana | Down Flowing. The River In Palestine Where Jesus Was Baptized Has Been Used As A Given Name Since The Crusades. | Female | Spanish | |
| Jordane | Down Flowing. The River In Palestine Where Jesus Was Baptized Has Been Used As A Given Name Since The Crusades. | Female | French | |
| Jordanna | Variant Of The Hebrew Jordan. Down Flowing. The River In Palestine Where Jesus Was Baptized Has Been Used As A Given Name Since The Crusades. | Male | English | |
| Jordanne | Variant Of The Hebrew Jordan. Down Flowing. The River In Palestine Where Jesus Was Baptized Has Been Used As A Given Name Since The Crusades. | Female | English | |
| Kawthar | River In Paradise | Female | Arabic | |
| Kelvan | River Man. | Male | Celtic | |
| Kelven | River Man. | Male | English | |
| Kelvin | From The Narrow River | Male | Celtic |