Browse Names - Behind the Name

Fishel m Yiddish
Means "little fish" in Yiddish, a diminutive of פֿיש (fish) meaning "fish".

Fisher m English
From an English surname meaning "fisherman".

Godzilla m Popular Culture
From Japanese ゴジラ (Gojira), a blend of ゴリラ (gorira) meaning "gorilla" and 鯨 (kujira) meaning "whale". This is the name of a massive reptilian monster from a series of Japanese movies, starting 1954.

Iqaluk m & f Inuit
Means "fish" in Inuktitut.

Mina 2 f Hindi, Marathi, Tamil
From Sanskrit मीन (mīna) meaning "fish", which in Hindu astrology is the name of a sign of the zodiac.

Minakshi f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali
From Sanskrit मीन (mīna) meaning "fish" and अक्षि (akṣi) meaning "eye". This is the name of a Hindu goddess associated with the Tamil city of Madurai. She is considered an incarnation of Parvati.

Minali f Hindi
Means "fish catcher" in Sanskrit.

Minik m & f Greenlandic
Means "seal oil" in Greenlandic. A notable bearer was the Inughuit boy Minik (1890-1918), who was among a group brought by the explorer Robert Peary from Greenland to New York in 1897.

Phocas m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Φωκᾶς (Phokas), which meant "seal (animal)" from Greek φώκη (phoke). This was the name of an early saint and martyr from Asia Minor. Sentenced to death for being a Christian, he is said to have given his killers lodging and then dug his own grave before he was executed.

Qillaq m Greenlandic
Means "seal hide" in Greenlandic.

Rónán m Irish, Old Irish
Means "little seal", derived from Old Irish rón "seal" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of several early Irish saints, including a pilgrim to Brittany who founded the hermitage at Locronan in the 6th century.

Trafford m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "fish-trap ford" in Old English.

Yemọja f Yoruba Mythology
Means "mother of fish" in Yoruba, derived from iye "mother", ọmọ "child" and ẹja "fish". In traditional Yoruba religion she is the goddess of the Ogun River, pregnancy and motherhood.

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