Names That Mean Fish

Names meaning “fish” appear across nearly every language and culture on earth, from ancient Hebrew and Greek to Japanese, Native American, and Celtic traditions. Fish have symbolized abundance, fertility, wisdom, transformation, and in Christianity, faith itself, making these names far more meaningful than they might first appear.

Whether you are drawn to aquatic symbolism, cultural heritage, or simply a name with a rare and striking meaning, this list covers verified names with exact meanings tied to fish across the world.

Boy Names That Mean Fish

Dag

• Origin: Norse / Scandinavian
• Meaning: Fish
• Description: Dag is an Old Norse name that directly means “fish.” It is one of the most ancient Scandinavian names with this meaning and has been used in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark for centuries. Simple, strong, and deeply rooted in Nordic seafaring culture where fish held central importance.

Dagfinnr

• Origin: Old Norse
• Meaning: Fish + Finn / Fish person
• Description: Dagfinnr combines “dagr” (fish or day) and “finnr” (person from the north / Finn), with the primary interpretation in Norwegian onomastics being “fish person” or “one associated with fish.” It is an ancient Norse compound name found in Viking Age records.

Dagfinn

• Origin: Norwegian
• Meaning: Fish person / One who fishes
• Description: The modern Norwegian form of Dagfinnr, Dagfinn is still used in Norway today. It means a person associated with fish or fishing and reflects the deep importance of fishing to Norwegian coastal culture and identity.

Dag

• Origin: Swedish / Norwegian
• Meaning: Fish
• Description: Used as a standalone given name in Scandinavia, Dag with the meaning “fish” comes from the Old Norse “dagr.” Swedish diplomat Dag Hammarskjöld made this name internationally recognized, though in his case the name is also associated with “day.”

Haimanta

• Origin: Sanskrit / Bengali
• Meaning: Born of fish / Fish
• Description: Haimanta is a Sanskrit-rooted name used in Bengali and Indian communities, associated with fish symbolism in Hindu culture. Fish are sacred in Bengali Hindu tradition, particularly as symbols of fertility and prosperity, and names rooted in fish imagery carry high auspiciousness.

Matsya

• Origin: Sanskrit
• Meaning: Fish
• Description: Matsya is the direct Sanskrit word for “fish” and is used as a given name in Hindu communities across India and Nepal. In Hindu mythology, Matsya is the first avatar of Lord Vishnu, who took the form of a fish to save the world from a great flood, making this name extraordinarily sacred.

Dagon

• Origin: Hebrew / Semitic
• Meaning: Fish / Little fish / Grain (dual meaning)
• Description: Dagon is an ancient Semitic name whose root “dag” means fish in Hebrew. In Canaanite and Philistine mythology, Dagon was a major deity whose name directly derives from the word for fish. As a given name, it is used in Hebrew-speaking communities meaning “little fish” or simply “fish.”

Dag

• Origin: Hebrew
• Meaning: Fish
• Description: In Hebrew, “dag” is the direct word for fish and is used as a given name. It is one of the simplest and most direct fish names in any language and appears in the Old Testament as a common noun. Modern Israeli families use it as a given name.

Piscis

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: Fish
• Description: Piscis is the Latin word for fish and the name of the constellation Pisces. It has been used as a given name in some Latin and Italian-speaking communities historically, and remains in use as a rare name with direct astronomical and aquatic meaning.

Roach

• Origin: English
• Meaning: A type of freshwater fish
• Description: Roach derives from the Old French “roche,” referring to the roach fish common in European rivers. It was used as a given name in medieval England, particularly in regions where fishing communities thrived along rivers and lakes.

Pesek

• Origin: Czech / Slavic
• Meaning: Fish
• Description: Pesek is a Czech and Slavic name derived from “ryba” family roots meaning fish, also interpreted through “pesek” as a diminutive fish-related name. It is used in Czech-speaking communities as both a given name and surname with direct aquatic meaning.

Iwana

• Origin: Japanese
• Meaning: Rock fish / Char fish
• Description: Iwana (岩魚) combines “iwa” (rock) and “na” (fish), meaning the char fish — a prized freshwater fish of Japanese mountain streams. As a given name, it is used in Japan to evoke purity, mountain water, and natural abundance.

Ayame

• Origin: Japanese
• Meaning: Iris / Sweetfish
• Description: While Ayame is most commonly associated with iris flowers, in some Japanese regional traditions it connects to the ayu (sweetfish), one of Japan’s most beloved river fish. As a given name, it carries the meaning of flowing water and the prized sweetfish of Japanese rivers.

Pyke

• Origin: English
• Meaning: Pike fish
• Description: Pyke derives from the pike, a large and powerful freshwater predator fish. It was used as a given name and surname in medieval England, where the pike was considered the king of freshwater fish and a symbol of strength and cunning.

Lucius

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: Light / Pike fish (dual meaning)
• Description: In addition to meaning “light,” Lucius is connected in Roman tradition to the “lucius” — the Latin name for the pike fish. Roman writers used “lucius” specifically for the pike, and some families used it as a given name with this aquatic association.

Icthys

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: Fish
• Description: Ichthys (or Icthys) is the Greek word for fish and one of the earliest symbols of Christianity. In early Christian communities, parents occasionally named children Ichthys as a declaration of faith. It is the root of the ichthys fish symbol still used by Christians worldwide today.

Salmon

• Origin: English / Hebrew
• Meaning: Salmon fish / Little shoe (dual etymology)
• Description: Used as a given name in medieval and early modern England, Salmon directly refers to the prized Atlantic salmon. In English fishing communities along salmon rivers, the name was given to boys as a symbol of strength and abundance. It also appears in Old Testament lineage lists.

Koi

• Origin: Japanese
• Meaning: Carp / Love (dual meaning)
• Description: Koi (鯉) is the Japanese word for carp, one of the most symbolically important fish in East Asian culture. Koi fish represent perseverance, good fortune, and transformation. As a given name, Koi is used in Japan, Hawaii, and among Japanese diaspora communities.

Brill

• Origin: English
• Meaning: A type of flatfish
• Description: Brill is an English name derived from the brill fish, a flatfish related to the turbot found in European waters. It was historically used as a given name in English coastal communities and later became a surname, carrying the direct meaning of the prized flatfish.

Tench

• Origin: English
• Meaning: Tench fish
• Description: Tench refers to the tench, a hardy freshwater fish native to Europe known for its golden-green color and resilience. Used as a given name in medieval English fishing communities, it symbolized endurance and adaptability.

---

Girl Names That Mean Fish

Matsya

• Origin: Sanskrit / Hindi
• Meaning: Fish
• Description: While Matsya is used for both genders, in many Indian communities it is given specifically to girls as a name of the sacred fish avatar. It symbolizes divine protection, fertility, and the life-giving power of water in Hindu tradition.

Dagny

• Origin: Old Norse
• Meaning: Fish + new day / Fish woman
• Description: Dagny combines the Old Norse “dag” (fish) and “ny” (new), meaning “new fish” or metaphorically a woman of the water. It is a popular name in Norway, Sweden, and Iceland, famously used by author Ayn Rand for her protagonist Dagny Taggart.

Piscina

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: Fish pond / Place of fish
• Description: Piscina derives from the Latin “piscis” (fish) and literally means a fish pond or fish enclosure. It was used as a feminine given name in early medieval Christian communities, where it also referred to the ritual washing basin in a church, blending aquatic and sacred meaning.

Hana (魚名)

• Origin: Japanese
• Meaning: Fish name / Flower (dual meaning)
• Description: When written with fish-related kanji in Japanese, Hana can carry the meaning of a fish name or a name associated with aquatic life. Japanese naming allows for kanji selection that gives the name of a specific fish, making Hana a flexible name with aquatic meaning depending on the characters chosen.

Aya (鮎)

• Origin: Japanese
• Meaning: Sweetfish / Ayu fish
• Description: When written with the kanji 鮎 (ayu), Aya directly means the sweetfish or ayu — one of Japan’s most prized and beloved river fish, known for its clean taste and association with pure mountain streams. It is a popular Japanese girl name with this beautiful aquatic meaning.

Mana

• Origin: Japanese / Hawaiian
• Meaning: Fish / Spiritual power
• Description: In Japanese, Mana can be written with kanji including fish-related characters, and in Hawaiian culture mana refers to divine power often associated with ocean creatures. It is used as a girl’s name across Japan and Pacific Island communities with aquatic significance.

Koi

• Origin: Japanese
• Meaning: Carp / Love
• Description: Used as a girl’s name in Japan and Hawaii, Koi means carp — the magnificent fish of Japanese gardens and streams. The koi fish is a symbol of love, perseverance, and good fortune, making it a meaningful and beautiful name for girls.

Pisces

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: Fish
• Description: Pisces is the Latin plural of “piscis” meaning fish and the name of the twelfth zodiac sign. It is occasionally used as a feminine given name, particularly in families who value astrology or wish to give their daughter a name connected to the water element and fish symbolism.

Roachelle

• Origin: English / French
• Meaning: Little fish / Fish woman
• Description: A feminine elaboration of Roach, Roachelle means “little fish” or a woman associated with the roach fish. It has been used in English-speaking communities as a rare feminine name with direct aquatic meaning, blending the fish name with feminine suffixes.

Pesca

• Origin: Italian / Latin
• Meaning: Fish / Fishing
• Description: Pesca is the Italian word for fishing and fish, derived from Latin “piscis.” Used as a feminine given name in some Italian communities, it carries the meaning of one who is connected to fish and the sea, reflecting Italy’s deep maritime culture.

Piranha

• Origin: Portuguese / Tupi
• Meaning: Fish with teeth / Tooth fish
• Description: From the Tupi language of Brazil, piranha means “tooth fish” or “fish with teeth.” It has been used as a given name in some Brazilian communities, particularly in Amazonian regions where the piranha is a powerful symbol of the river’s wild energy and strength.

Nishiki (錦魚)

• Origin: Japanese
• Meaning: Brocade fish / Ornamental fish
• Description: Nishiki (錦) combined with fish kanji refers to ornamental or brocaded fish — a poetic reference to koi and goldfish whose colorful patterns resemble fine woven fabric. As a girl’s name, it evokes beauty, color, and the elegance of ornamental fish in Japanese gardens.

---

Unisex Names That Mean Fish

Dag

• Origin: Hebrew / Norse
• Meaning: Fish
• Description: Used across genders in both Hebrew and Norse traditions, Dag is perhaps the most universally recognized unisex name meaning fish. In Hebrew it is a neutral noun used as a name, and in Norse tradition it has been applied to both boys and girls in some communities.

Koi

• Origin: Japanese / Hawaiian
• Meaning: Carp
• Description: Koi is fully gender-neutral in Japanese and Hawaiian usage. The koi fish represents perseverance, love, and transformation across East Asian and Pacific cultures, making this a meaningful unisex name for families who value aquatic or Asian cultural symbolism.

Matsya

• Origin: Sanskrit
• Meaning: Fish
• Description: In Indian naming traditions, Matsya is used for both boys and girls. As the name of Vishnu’s fish avatar, it is considered sacred and auspicious for children of either gender in Hindu families, particularly in Bengal and Odisha where fish hold deep cultural importance.

Ayu

• Origin: Japanese
• Meaning: Sweetfish
• Description: Ayu (鮎) is the Japanese name for the sweetfish and is used as a unisex given name, though more common for girls. It refers to a delicate and prized river fish associated with clean water and natural purity, symbolizing a child of clarity and grace.

Pisci

• Origin: Italian / Latin
• Meaning: Fish
• Description: An informal Italian form derived from “pesce” (fish), Pisci is used as a neutral given name in some southern Italian and Sicilian communities. It carries the direct meaning of fish and reflects the central role of fish in Mediterranean coastal culture and cuisine.

---

Japanese Names That Mean Fish

Aya / 鮎

• Origin: Japanese
• Meaning: Sweetfish (ayu)
• Description: Written with the kanji 鮎, Aya directly means the ayu or sweetfish — a slender, delicious freshwater fish found in Japan’s clear rivers. Ayu is considered a symbol of summer and purity in Japanese culture, making this a poetic and meaningful name.

Iwana / 岩魚

• Origin: Japanese
• Meaning: Rock fish / Mountain char
• Description: Iwana combines “iwa” (rock) and “na” (fish), referring specifically to the Japanese char — a cold-water fish of mountain streams. As a name, it evokes the purity of mountain water and the resilience of a fish that thrives in the harshest, clearest streams.

Koi / 鯉

• Origin: Japanese
• Meaning: Carp
• Description: One of the most culturally significant fish in Japan, the koi carp is a symbol of strength, perseverance, and good fortune. As a given name, Koi is simple and powerful, evoking the image of the magnificent fish swimming upstream against the current.

Medaka / 目高

• Origin: Japanese
• Meaning: Killifish / Rice fish
• Description: Medaka means “high eyes” and refers to the rice fish or Japanese killifish — a tiny but resilient fish native to Japan’s rice paddies and streams. As a name, Medaka evokes smallness, resilience, and the beauty found in simple, everyday life close to nature.

Funa / 鮒

• Origin: Japanese
• Meaning: Crucian carp
• Description: Funa is the Japanese name for the crucian carp, a freshwater fish important in Japanese cuisine and culture. As a given name, it is rare but carries the meaning of one who is gentle, adaptable, and deeply connected to the freshwater environments of Japan.

Tara / 鱈

• Origin: Japanese
• Meaning: Cod fish
• Description: Written with the kanji 鱈 (which combines “snow” and “fish”), Tara is the Japanese name for cod — a fish whose season coincides with winter snowfall. As a given name, it carries the poetic meaning of a winter fish, evoking the beauty of snow and cold, clear water.

Buri / 鰤

• Origin: Japanese
• Meaning: Yellowtail fish
• Description: Buri is the Japanese name for the yellowtail amberjack, one of Japan’s most prized and celebratory fish. It is traditionally given as a gift at New Year and symbolizes success and abundance. As a given name, Buri evokes prosperity and achievement.

Unagi / 鰻

• Origin: Japanese
• Meaning: Eel / River eel
• Description: Unagi is the Japanese word for freshwater eel, one of the most beloved foods and symbols in Japanese culture. As a given name, it is rare but evocative, associated with the ancient rivers of Japan and the serpentine grace of the eel moving through water.

Hirame / 鮃

• Origin: Japanese
• Meaning: Flounder / Flatfish
• Description: Hirame means flatfish or flounder and refers to the olive flounder, a prized fish in Japanese cuisine. As a given name, it is uncommon but carries associations with the ocean floor and the patient, hidden strength of a fish that adapts perfectly to its environment.

Sake / 鮭

• Origin: Japanese
• Meaning: Salmon
• Description: Sake (written 鮭 to distinguish it from the drink) is the Japanese word for salmon. The salmon is a powerful symbol in Japanese culture, representing the cycle of life, the journey home, and perseverance. As a given name, it evokes the salmon’s legendary strength and faithfulness.

Last Names That Mean Fish

Fischer

• Origin: German
• Meaning: Fisher / One who fishes
• Description: Fischer is one of the most common German surnames and means “fisherman” — one whose life and identity are tied to fish. It is related to the English Fisher and is found across Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and among Ashkenazi Jewish families worldwide.

Fisher

• Origin: English
• Meaning: Fisherman / One who catches fish
• Description: Fisher is a common English occupational surname meaning a person who fishes. It is among the top surnames in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia, and traces back to medieval English communities where fishing was a primary livelihood.

Pescatore

• Origin: Italian
• Meaning: Fisherman / Fish
• Description: Pescatore is an Italian surname meaning “fisherman,” derived from “pesce” (fish). It is a common surname in coastal Italian regions and directly identifies a family whose ancestors were fish traders or fishermen.

Fischman / Fishman

• Origin: German / Yiddish
• Meaning: Fish man / Fisherman
• Description: Fischman and Fishman are Ashkenazi Jewish surnames meaning “fish man” or fisherman. They derive from the German “Fisch” (fish) and were commonly adopted in the 18th and 19th centuries by Jewish families in Central and Eastern Europe.

Karper

• Origin: Dutch / German
• Meaning: Carp fish
• Description: Karper is the Dutch and Low German word for carp, one of Europe’s most important freshwater fish. Used as a surname in the Netherlands and northern Germany, it directly means carp and identifies families from fishing or fish-trading communities.

Pesci

• Origin: Italian
• Meaning: Fish
• Description: Pesci is the Italian plural of “pesce” (fish) and is used as a surname in Italy. Actor Joe Pesci made this surname widely recognized internationally. It directly means fish and was typically given to families living near water or involved in the fish trade.

Laks

• Origin: Norwegian / Yiddish
• Meaning: Salmon
• Description: Laks is the Norwegian and Yiddish word for salmon and is used as a surname in Scandinavian and Ashkenazi Jewish families. It directly means salmon — the prized fish of northern rivers — and identifies families from salmon-fishing regions of Norway and Eastern Europe.

Hecht

• Origin: German / Yiddish
• Meaning: Pike fish
• Description: Hecht is the German and Yiddish word for pike, the large predatory freshwater fish. It is a common Ashkenazi Jewish surname and also found among German families. It directly means pike fish and was often adopted by families living near pike-inhabited rivers and lakes.

Forelle

• Origin: German
• Meaning: Trout
• Description: Forelle is the German word for trout and is used as a surname in German-speaking countries. Franz Schubert’s famous piano quintet “Die Forelle” (The Trout) made this word internationally known. As a surname, it directly means trout and identifies families from trout-fishing regions.

Lachs

• Origin: German / Yiddish
• Meaning: Salmon
• Description: Lachs is the German and Yiddish word for salmon and is found as a surname among German and Ashkenazi Jewish families. It directly means salmon and was typically given to families involved in salmon fishing or trading in Central European river communities.

German Names That Mean Fish

Fisch

• Origin: Old German
• Meaning: Fish
• Description: Fisch is the direct German word for fish and has been used as both a given name and surname in German-speaking communities. As a given name, it is rare but historically attested in medieval records of German fishing communities along the Rhine, Danube, and Baltic coast.

Hecht

• Origin: German
• Meaning: Pike fish
• Description: Hecht means pike — the powerful, predatory freshwater fish — and has been used as a given name in some medieval German communities. The pike was considered the king of freshwater fish in German culture, symbolizing cunning, speed, and dominance.

Forelle

• Origin: German
• Meaning: Trout
• Description: Forelle means trout in German and was used as a given name in some German fishing communities, particularly in Bavaria and the Alpine regions where trout fishing was a central part of daily life and local identity.

Karpfen

• Origin: German
• Meaning: Carp
• Description: Karpfen is the German word for carp, the most important freshwater fish in German cuisine and culture. Carp is the traditional Christmas Eve dish in Germany, Austria, and Czech Republic, giving this name deep cultural and seasonal significance.

Lachs

• Origin: German
• Meaning: Salmon
• Description: Lachs means salmon in German and was used as a given name in communities along the Rhine and other salmon rivers of Germany. The salmon’s legendary journey upstream made it a symbol of determination and homecoming in German folk tradition.

Aal

• Origin: German
• Meaning: Eel
• Description: Aal is the German word for eel and was used as a given name in some medieval German communities, particularly in the northern coastal and river regions where eel fishing was economically vital. The eel’s sinuous form and mysterious life cycle gave it a mythological quality in German folklore.

Barsch

• Origin: German
• Meaning: Perch fish
• Description: Barsch is the German word for perch, a common and prized freshwater fish. Used as a given name in some German fishing communities, it carries the meaning of the perch — a fish known for its distinctive striped markings and aggressive, bold nature.

Wels

• Origin: German
• Meaning: Catfish / Wels catfish
• Description: Wels is the German name for the European wels catfish — the largest freshwater fish in Europe, capable of growing to enormous size. Used as a rare given name in some German riverside communities, it symbolizes great size, strength, and mystery of the deep river.

Zander

• Origin: German
• Meaning: Pike-perch fish
• Description: Zander is both a given name and the German word for the zander fish (pike-perch), one of Germany’s most prized freshwater fish. As a given name, Zander is now popular across Germany, Austria, and English-speaking countries, combining the meaning of the fish with a strong, modern sound.

Döbel

• Origin: German
• Meaning: Chub fish
• Description: Döbel is the German word for the chub — a common European river fish. Used as a given name in some older German communities, it identifies a person from a chub-fishing area. The chub is known for its adaptability and hardiness in various water conditions.