Ocean
The ocean is the body of salt water that covers approximately 70.8% of Earth. The ocean is conventionally divided into large bodies of water, which are also referred to as oceans, and are themselves mostly divided into seas, gulfs and subsequent bodies of water.
Meaning & Origin of Ocean
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
The ocean is the body of salt water that covers approximately 70.8% of Earth. The ocean is conventionally divided into large bodies of water, which are also referred to as oceans, and are themselves mostly divided into seas, gulfs and subsequent bodies of water.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Etymology
The Story of Ocean
As a girl name
Ocean first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1971, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2022, when 382 Oceans were born — ranking #754 that year. As of 2026, Ocean ranks #756 for girls with 373 births, rising sharply (+94% over the past five years). In total, more than 4K Oceans have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Ocean first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1974, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2026, when 543 Oceans were born — ranking #545 that year. As of 2026, Ocean ranks #545 for boys with 543 births, rising sharply (+121% over the past five years). In total, more than 5K Oceans have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Ocean
Phonetically similar names — useful when Ocean is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Ocean
What does the name Ocean mean?
How popular is Ocean in 2026?
When was Ocean most popular?
In which U.S. states is Ocean most popular?
Is Ocean a unisex name?
What names go well with Ocean?
About the name Ocean
Ocean is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1974 and has accumulated 5K births in the dataset. Ocean's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #545. Use the chart and map above to compare Ocean's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2026 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "O" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.