200+ Weather Baby Names for Your Little Force of Nature

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Weather has been naming things long before anyone thought to name a baby after it — storms, winds, and seasons already sound half like mythology, half like a forecast. This list leans into that overlap, pulling from ancient gods, meteorological terms, and words people have shouted across fields and decks for centuries. Whether you’re drawn to something that sounds like distant thunder or something as soft as a clear morning sky, weather names give you more range than most naming trends admit.

🔍 Curious how popular a name is?

Check any name's popularity trend since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.

Popularity below is calculated from Social Security Administration data through 2024, the most recent year on record.

Here’s what’s in store –

Storm & Thunder Names

Rain, Mist & Fog Names

Wind & Breeze Names

Sun, Light & Warmth Names

Snow, Ice & Winter Names

Sky, Cloud & Celestial Weather Names

Global & Mythological Weather Names

Soft & Subtle Weather Names

How to Choose a Name From This List

Name Art for Your Favorite

FAQs

The range here is wider than most people expect. Yes, Storm and Rain are on this list. So are Indra, the Sanskrit thunder deity whose name is climbing U.S. birth charts. So is Zephyr — a Greek wind god that somehow sounds like a sleek French boy strolling a cobblestone street. Weather names stretch from ancient mythology to modern meteorology, from one-syllable punches like Gust to melodic three-syllable names like Serena (from the Latin for clear, calm sky). Whatever register you’re drawn to — fierce, soft, earthy, celestial — the atmosphere delivers.

A note on accuracy: every name here is documented with verifiable origins. Meanings are pulled from etymology, not vibes. Some names in this space get passed around the internet with wildly wrong meanings attached (looking at you, “Misty means foggy morning” — it actually comes from Old English mist, meaning fine rain or vapor, and only entered the name lexicon in mid-20th century America). Where a name has layered or debated origins, that’s noted.

If you find a name you love, check the Baby Name Checker to see how popular it is right now — useful if you’re hoping to land somewhere between “everyone has this name” and “my kid will spend their whole life spelling it out.”

One name in the “Rain & Mist” section has been quietly climbing for five years — and most parents still haven’t discovered it.

Storm & Thunder Names

These are the names that make people pause mid-conversation and say oh, that’s interesting. Not surprising — there’s a reason storm imagery shows up in everything from Norse mythology to contemporary fiction. These names carry weight without being heavy-handed, and they tend to age surprisingly well.

Storm

Origin: English
Pronunciation: STORM · ˈstɔːrm
Meaning: taken directly from the English word ‘storm’ (tempest, violent weather)
Popularity: #1,621 and falling (#1,508 → #1,621, 2024)

Unisex but slightly more common for girls in recent years; the X-Men character helped cement it as a real name option.

Origin: Old Norse
Meaning: Tempest, violent weather disturbance
Popularity: Climbing — ranked ~#600s for girls in 2024

Tempest

Origin: English
Pronunciation: TEM-pest · ˈtɛmpɪst
Meaning: storm; historically a nickname for someone with a stormy or blustery temperament
Popularity: #8,876 and falling (#6,895 → #8,876, 2024)

Shakespeare used it as a title; it’s been a rare but continuous presence on birth records since the 1800s.

Origin: Latin via Old French
Meaning: Violent storm
Popularity: Rare but rising; mostly given to girls

Thunder

Origin: English (from Old English þunor)
Pronunciation: THUN-der · ˈθʌn.dər
Meaning: thunder, the rumbling sound following lightning
Popularity: #7,185 and falling (#5,224 → #7,185, 2024)

More common as a middle name; pairs well with a grounded first name like James or Mae.

Origin: Old English
Meaning: The crack and rumble of a storm
Popularity: Very rare as a first name

Bolt

Origin: English
Pronunciation: BOLT · boʊlt
Meaning: a flash of lightning
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Short, sharp, and currently riding the wave of athletic one-syllable names for boys.

Origin: Old English
Meaning: Lightning bolt
Popularity: Rare; Usain Bolt association is a plus for many families

Gale

Origin: English (word for a strong windstorm)
Pronunciation: GAYL · ˈgeɪl
Meaning: a strong windstorm
Popularity: #6,562 and falling (#6,026 → #6,562, 2024)

Origin: Old Norse-derived Middle English
Meaning: A strong, sustained wind
Popularity: Peaked mid-century; currently rare and ripe for revival

Zara

Origin: English/Hebrew (variant of Sarah) or Arabic
Pronunciation: ZAR-ah · ˈzɑːrə
Meaning: uncertain — either from Sarah (‘princess’) or Arabic zahra (‘flower’)
Popularity: #234 and rising (#236 → #234, 2024)

This combines two separate, competing etymologies (Sarah = ‘princess’; Arabic zahra = ‘flower’) as if both applied at once, when sources treat them as alternative explanations, not a compound meaning.

Origin: Arabic/Swahili
Meaning: Blooming; radiance after a storm
Popularity: Solidly popular, top-200 in the UK

Bora

Origin: Various (multiple unrelated origins)
Pronunciation: BOH-rah · ˈboʊrɑː
Meaning: A fierce, cold northeastern wind of the Adriatic, from Greek *Boreas*, the north wind
Popularity: #6,869 and rising (#6,945 → #6,869, 2024)

Understated in English-speaking countries but common in the Balkans and Turkey.

Origin: Greek via Croatian
Meaning: North wind; biting cold wind
Popularity: Rare in the U.S.; familiar in southeastern Europe

Levin

Origin: Old High German
Pronunciation: LEV-in · ˈlɛvɪn
Meaning: Dear friend
Popularity: #3,017 and falling (#2,866 → #3,017, 2024)

A distinctly European weather name that reads as a straightforward surname name in American contexts, which makes it easy to wear.

Origin: Old High German
Meaning: Lightning
Popularity: Uncommon in the U.S.; more familiar in Germany and Scandinavia

Thor

Origin: Scandinavian
Pronunciation: THOR · ˈθɔːr
Meaning: thunder
Popularity: #2,820 and falling (#2,094 → #2,820, 2024)

The Marvel films made this more accessible; it’s been used as a real name in Scandinavia for centuries.

Origin: Old Norse
Meaning: Thunder
Popularity: Rising in the U.S. after Marvel surge; traditional in Scandinavia

Thora

Origin: Old Norse
Meaning: short form of names built on Thor, the thunder god
Popularity: #4,995 and falling (#4,351 → #4,995, 2024)

Actress Thora Birch brought this quietly fierce name to wider attention in the 1990s.

Origin: Old Norse
Meaning: Thunder
Popularity: Rare in the U.S.; traditional in Scandinavia

Hadad

Origin: Semitic
Pronunciation: HAY-dad · ˈheɪdæd
Meaning: storm god
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

An archaeological find of a name — rare but fully documented.

Origin: Semitic/Aramaic
Meaning: Thunderer; storm deity
Popularity: Very rare; historically significant in Near Eastern cultures

Raiden

Origin: Japanese word; English given-name use may be an independent coinage
Pronunciation: RY-den · ˈraɪdən
Meaning: thunder and lightning
Popularity: #449 and falling (#423 → #449, 2024)

Best known in the West from the Mortal Kombat character, but it’s a real Japanese deity name.

Origin: Japanese
Meaning: Thunder and lightning god
Popularity: Climbing in the U.S., especially for boys

Brontë

Origin: Irish (surname, Anglicized from Ó Proinntigh)
Pronunciation: BRON-tay (Brontë sisters: BRON-tee is also common; Greek-derived ‘thunder’ fits BRON-tee) · ˈbrɒnti
Meaning: descendant of Proinnteach (associated with generosity/hospitality)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

This is a popular misconception — the name’s true root is the Irish surname Ó Proinntigh (‘descendant of Proinnteach’); the Greek ‘thunder’ association was a deliberate 19th-century respelling by Patrick Brontë, not the actual etymology.

Origin: Greek
Meaning: Thunder
Popularity: Rare but culturally rich; gaining traction as a first name

Sterling

Origin: English (surname)
Pronunciation: STUR-ling · ˈstɜːrlɪŋ
Meaning: originally a surname referring to the starling bird, or a variant of the Scottish surname/place name Stirling
Popularity: #372 and rising (#403 → #372, 2024)

A soft-weather connection, but the silver-grey storm-light association makes it worth including here.

Origin: Old English
Meaning: High quality; possibly “little star” or silver glint
Popularity: Steady and recognizable; works for any gender

Ekaitza

Origin: Basque
Pronunciation: eh-KYT-sah · eɪˈkaɪtsa
Meaning: storm
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

One of those rare names that is entirely its meaning — no metaphor, no mythology, just the word for storm in one of the oldest languages in Europe.

Origin: Basque
Meaning: Storm
Popularity: Rare outside the Basque Country

Surge

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: SERJ · sɜːrd͡ʒ
Meaning: a powerful swell or sudden rise of water, from a Latin verb meaning ‘to rise’
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Ultra-rare as a name but not without precedent in American records.

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Sudden rise; storm surge
Popularity: Very rare

Torsten

Origin: Old Norse (Swedish/Danish)
Pronunciation: TOR-sten · ˈtɔːrstən
Meaning: Thor’s stone
Popularity: #5,408 and falling (#4,870 → #5,408, 2024)

Origin: Old Norse
Meaning: Thor’s stone; thunder stone
Popularity: Traditional in Sweden and Norway; rare in the U.S.

Hadley

Origin: English (surname/place name, Old English)
Pronunciation: HAD-lee · ˈhædli
Meaning: heather clearing/meadow
Popularity: #114 and rising (#119 → #114, 2024)

The dual scientific/nature meaning makes it a sleeper weather name.

Origin: Old English
Meaning: Heather field; also a major atmospheric weather cell
Popularity: Trending upward for girls, top-200 in the U.S.

Fuji

Origin: Japanese
Pronunciation: FOO-jee · ˈfuːdʒi
Meaning: While primarily tied to the mountain, *fuji* in Japanese also relates to wisteria and the atmospheric mist that wraps Japan’s sacred peak
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The weather connection is poetic rather than literal.

Origin: Japanese
Meaning: Mountain + associated mist and atmospheric symbolism
Popularity: Very rare as a given name outside Japan

Cyclone

Origin: Greek (via English)
Pronunciation: SY-klone · ˈsaɪkloʊn
Meaning: moving in a circle; whirling storm
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Startlingly, this does appear in historical American birth records — it tends to be a middle name.

Origin: Greek
Meaning: Rotating storm system; circle of wind
Popularity: Extremely rare; mainly a bold middle name choice

Alaric

Origin: Gothic (Germanic)
Pronunciation: AL-ar-ik · ˈælərɪk
Meaning: ruler of all
Popularity: #1,109 and falling (#1,073 → #1,109, 2024)

The Visigoth king who sacked Rome carried this name; it has authority without being heavy.

Origin: Germanic
Meaning: All-powerful ruler; sky power
Popularity: Rising in the U.S. among parents who love fantasy literature

Taliesin

Origin: Welsh
Pronunciation: TAL-ee-ES-in · ˌtæliˈɛsɪn
Meaning: shining/radiant brow (tal ‘brow’ + iesin ‘radiant, shining’)
Popularity: #10,750 and falling (#9,629 → #10,750, 2024)

The legendary 6th-century poet; Frank Lloyd Wright named his Wisconsin home after it.

Origin: Welsh
Meaning: Shining brow; radiant storm sky
Popularity: Very rare outside Wales

Haruki

Origin: Japanese
Pronunciation: hah-ROO-kee · hɑːˈruːki
Meaning: spring tree (meaning depends heavily on which kanji are chosen)
Popularity: #9,280 and falling (#8,481 → #9,280, 2024)

Author Haruki Murakami is the most famous bearer; the spring-weather meaning is intrinsic.

Origin: Japanese
Meaning: Spring radiance; spring weather energy
Popularity: Common in Japan; rare but growing in international use

Colt

Origin: English
Pronunciation: KOHLT · ˈkoʊlt
Meaning: young horse
Popularity: #276 and falling (#264 → #276, 2024)

Origin: Old English
Meaning: Young horse; young storm system
Popularity: Steady for boys; ranked around #350 in the U.S.

Stormie

Origin: English (from Storm)
Pronunciation: STOR-mee · ˈstɔːrmi
Meaning: storm
Popularity: #1,991 and falling (#1,959 → #1,991, 2024)

Singer Stormie Omartian popularized this spelling; it reads as warmer and more playful than the base name.

Origin: English
Meaning: Of or like a storm
Popularity: Uncommon; more common for girls

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Enjoying these names? Check out our full collection of nature baby names and mythology baby names for more inspiration.

Rain, Mist & Fog Names

Rain names have a gentleness that storm names don’t — they’re the soft-power option in this list. And the one name that’s been quietly climbing for five years? It’s Raina, which sounds like a classic Eastern European royal name (because it is — it comes from Bulgarian and means “queen”) but has been adopted by families who love the rain connection. No one will know unless you tell them.

Rain

Origin: English
Pronunciation: RAYN · ˈreɪn
Meaning: rain, rainfall
Popularity: #1,394 and falling (#1,219 → #1,394, 2024)

Stripped-down and direct; Rain Phoenix (sister of River Phoenix) made this feel like a real name option decades before the nature-name wave hit.

Origin: Old English
Meaning: Water falling from clouds
Popularity: Rare but steady; unisex

Raine

Origin: English (surname, from a Raymond-type given name)
Pronunciation: RAYN · ˈreɪn
Meaning: Variant spelling of Rain, also a French name meaning “queen”
Popularity: #1,447 and rising (#1,491 → #1,447, 2024)

Spencer’s stepmother Raine kept this spelling in the public eye; it reads as more formal than Rain.

Origin: French/English
Meaning: Queen; also rain (via homophone)
Popularity: Rare; slightly more common than the plain Rain spelling

Raina

Origin: Slavic (from Regina); a distinct Kashmiri surname is also spelled Raina
Pronunciation: RAY-nah · ˈreɪnə
Meaning: queen (as a short form of Regina)
Popularity: #1,000 and falling (#919 → #1,000, 2024)

Origin: Slavic/Bulgarian
Meaning: Queen; rain by sound association
Popularity: Rising — ranked around #500 for girls in the U.S.

Misty

Origin: English
Pronunciation: MIS-tee · ˈmɪsti
Meaning: misty, clouded with fog; sometimes a nickname for Melissa
Popularity: #4,084 and rising (#5,212 → #4,084, 2024)

A distinctly mid-century American name that’s starting to feel vintage-cool again; Misty May-Treanor gave it athletic credibility.

Origin: Old English
Meaning: Covered in fine mist or vapor
Popularity: Peaked in the 1970s; currently rare and ripe for retro revival

Mist

Origin: Old Norse / Old English
Pronunciation: MIST · mɪst
Meaning: mist/fog; also a Valkyrie name meaning ‘cloud’ in Norse myth
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Origin: Old English/Old Norse
Meaning: Fine vapor; also a Norse Valkyrie name
Popularity: Very rare as a given name in English; known in Norse contexts

Misti

Origin: English (variant of Misty)
Pronunciation: MISS-tee · ˈmɪsti
Meaning: misty
Popularity: #18,013 as of 2016 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The El Misti volcano in Peru lends this an earthy, geographical weight beyond the weather meaning.

Origin: English
Meaning: Misty; covered in fine rain
Popularity: Rare; variant spelling of Misty

Drizzle

Origin: English
Pronunciation: DRIZ-əl · ˈdrɪzəl
Meaning: fine, gentle rain
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Almost entirely unused as a given name — which is part of its charm for a certain kind of parent who wants something genuinely rare.

Origin: Old English
Meaning: Light continuous fine rain
Popularity: Extremely rare; almost entirely a middle-name option

Brea

Origin: Irish Gaelic
Pronunciation: BRAY-uh · ˈbreɪə
Meaning: In Irish, *brea* means fine or good, and by extension relates to clear, fine weather after rain
Popularity: #3,120 and falling (#3,017 → #3,120, 2024)

A name that carries the relief of a storm breaking.

Origin: Irish Gaelic
Meaning: Fine, good; fine weather
Popularity: Uncommon; variant of Bria or Bree

Nimbus

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: NIM-bus · ˈnɪmbəs
Meaning: a rain cloud; also a luminous halo of light
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Rain-bearing cumulus clouds are classified as cumulonimbus; the halo meaning adds a sacred dimension.

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Rain cloud; luminous halo
Popularity: Extremely rare as a given name; gaining traction in the Harry Potter generation

Dewey

Origin: Welsh
Pronunciation: DOO-ee · ˈduːi
Meaning: Dewy, relating to dew — tiny droplets of condensed water on surfaces
Popularity: #3,613 and rising (#4,489 → #3,613, 2024)

Admiral Dewey made this a recognizable American name; the morning-dew meaning ties it to quiet, atmospheric moments.

Origin: Welsh via English
Meaning: Dewy; relating to morning dew
Popularity: Old-fashioned but picking up with vintage name trends

Dew

Origin: English
Pronunciation: DOO · djuː
Meaning: moisture that condenses on surfaces at dawn
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Almost purely a poetic name at this point — delicate and very rare.

Origin: Old English
Meaning: Morning moisture; atmospheric condensation
Popularity: Extremely rare

Indrani

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: in-DRAH-nee · ɪnˈdrɑːni
Meaning: queen of Indra
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Less commonly used than Indra itself, which makes it a more unexpected choice with equal mythological weight.

Origin: Sanskrit
Meaning: Related to Indra, lord of rain and storms
Popularity: Used in India and Indian diaspora communities

Elan

Origin: Hebrew (variant of Elon)
Pronunciation: ay-LAHN · eɪˈlɑːn
Meaning: oak tree
Popularity: #2,636 and falling (#2,251 → #2,636, 2024)

A culturally layered choice that rewards research.

Origin: Hebrew/Navajo
Meaning: Tree; friendly; rain-related power in some contexts
Popularity: Uncommon but growing, especially in multicultural families

Talitha

Origin: Aramaic (biblical)
Pronunciation: TAL-ih-thuh · ˈtælɪθə
Meaning: young girl, little girl
Popularity: #3,257 and falling (#2,843 → #3,257, 2024)

The New Testament connection gives it depth.

Origin: Aramaic
Meaning: Little girl; spring rain star
Popularity: Very rare; quietly known in Christian-heritage families

Seren

Origin: Welsh
Pronunciation: SEH-ren · ˈsɛrɛn
Meaning: star
Popularity: #4,631 and rising (#4,638 → #4,631, 2024)

One of the most popular girls’ names in Wales; completely distinctive in the United States.

Origin: Welsh
Meaning: Star; clarity after a storm
Popularity: Top-10 in Wales; rare but growing in the U.S.

Llovizna

Origin: Spanish
Pronunciation: yoh-VEEZ-nah · joʊˈviːznə
Meaning: drizzle, a fine light rain
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A striking name for Spanish-speaking families who want something both atmospheric and linguistically rooted.

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Fine drizzle; light rain
Popularity: Rare; poetic and distinctive

Ame

Origin: Japanese
Pronunciation: AH-may · ˈɑːmeɪ
Meaning: rain
Popularity: #13,577 as of 2021 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Origin: Japanese
Meaning: Rain
Popularity: Used in Japan; rare as a first name in Western countries

Meltem

Origin: Turkish
Pronunciation: mel-TEM · mɛlˈtɛm
Meaning: a cool, steady summer wind of the Aegean Sea
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A name with Mediterranean soul; common in Turkey and Greece-adjacent cultures.

Origin: Turkish
Meaning: Seasonal wind bringing relief; Etesian winds
Popularity: Common in Turkey; rare in the West

Varsha

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: VAR-shuh · ˈvɑːrʃə
Meaning: rain
Popularity: #7,218 as of 2023 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A classic South Asian name that translates perfectly for English-speaking contexts.

Origin: Sanskrit
Meaning: Rain; monsoon season
Popularity: Common in India; used in Indian diaspora communities internationally

Mira

Origin: Multi-origin: Slavic / Latin / Sanskrit / Hindi
Pronunciation: MEER-ah · ˈmɪrə
Meaning: peace (Slavic); wonderful/admired (Latin); sea or boundary (Sanskrit); or from Meera/Mirabai, a 16th-century Hindi poet-saint
Popularity: #380 and rising (#412 → #380, 2024)

The rain connection is cultural rather than direct, but Mira works on many levels.

Origin: Latin/Slavic
Meaning: Admirable; peace; associated with rain symbolism in some cultures
Popularity: Climbing in the U.S., top-200 for girls

Pluvia

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: PLOO-vee-uh · ˈpluːviə
Meaning: rain
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Rarely used as a given name but documented in Latin American naming traditions; deeply romantic.

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Rain
Popularity: Very rare; mostly found in Latin American naming records

Aqua

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: AK-wuh · ˈækwə
Meaning: water
Popularity: #9,675 as of 2023 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Short, colorful, and unexpectedly wearable as a middle name.

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Water
Popularity: Rare as a first name; somewhat more common as a middle name

Reva

Origin: uncertain (possibly Sanskrit, cf. the river name Reva/Narmada)
Pronunciation: REE-vuh · ˈriːvə
Meaning: In Sanskrit, *reva* means “one that moves” — it’s the name of a river and associated with rainy, flowing energy
Popularity: #2,731 and rising (#2,775 → #2,731, 2024)

Also a Hebrew name meaning “fourth” — multilayered.

Origin: Sanskrit/Hebrew
Meaning: Moving water; flowing like a rain-fed river
Popularity: Uncommon in the U.S.; vintage feel

Plover

Origin: Old French
Pronunciation: PLUV-ur · ˈplʌvər
Meaning: the shorebird, possibly linked to an old word for rain
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A name for ornithologically inclined families with a weather side order.

Origin: Latin via Old French
Meaning: Rain bird
Popularity: Extremely rare as a given name

Niobe

Origin: Ancient Greek (mythological name, root obscure)
Pronunciation: NY-oh-bee · ˈnaɪ.əbi
Meaning: In Greek mythology, Niobe was a queen whose tears of grief became the endless rains of a spring
Popularity: #13,083 as of 2023 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Origin: Greek mythology
Meaning: Fern; associated with weeping rains
Popularity: Very rare; rich mythological backstory

Wind & Breeze Names

Wind names have two modes: fierce (Tempest, Gale) and gentle (Zephyr, Aura, Brisa). The gentle ones are having a serious moment right now — there’s a real appetite for names that feel airy and light without landing in the obvious floral or celestial categories.

Zephyr

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: ZEF-er · ˈzɛfər
Meaning: the west wind
Popularity: #1,133 and falling (#1,121 → #1,133, 2024)

Unisex and increasingly popular; it sits in that sweet spot between unusual and genuinely wearable.

Origin: Greek
Meaning: West wind; gentle breeze
Popularity: Rising steadily; ranked around #600 for boys in the U.S.

Zephyrine

Origin: Greek (via Latin/French)
Pronunciation: ZEF-uh-reen · ˈzɛfəriːn
Meaning: west wind (French-style feminine elaboration of Zephyrus)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

St. Zéphyrin was a 3rd-century pope; the French feminine version has a lovely flow and is almost never used in English.

Origin: Greek via French
Meaning: West wind; gentle breeze
Popularity: Very rare in English-speaking countries; elegant and distinctive

Aura

Origin: Greek (via Latin)
Pronunciation: OR-ah · ˈɔːrə
Meaning: breeze
Popularity: #872 and rising (#954 → #872, 2024)

That’s a later, extended sense of the word; the name’s more direct root is the Greek word for ‘breeze,’ personified as a minor wind goddess.

Origin: Greek
Meaning: Gentle breeze; luminous glow
Popularity: Climbing for girls; top-400 in the U.S.

Brisa

Origin: Spanish
Pronunciation: BREE-suh · ˈbɹiːsə
Meaning: breeze
Popularity: #1,920 and rising (#2,092 → #1,920, 2024)

A name that feels like a warm coastal wind — clean, happy, and not at all fussy.

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Breeze
Popularity: Used in Spanish-speaking communities; increasingly seen in multicultural American families

Briza

Origin: Spanish
Pronunciation: BREE-zuh · ˈbɹiːzə
Meaning: breeze
Popularity: #11,257 and falling (#8,128 → #11,257, 2024)

The botanical connection deepens the wind meaning.

Origin: Spanish/botanical Latin
Meaning: Breeze; wind-moved grass
Popularity: Very rare; variant of Brisa

Gust

Origin: Old Norse (short form of Gustav)
Pronunciation: GUST · ɡʌst
Meaning: short form of Gustav
Popularity: #5,848 as of 1984 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Also a Scandinavian short form of Gustav, meaning “staff of the Goths” — dual citizenship in weather and heritage names.

Origin: Old Norse
Meaning: Sudden burst of wind; also short form of Gustav
Popularity: Rare in the U.S.; a traditional Swedish short form

Wren

Origin: English (Middle English)
Pronunciation: REN · ˈrɛn
Meaning: the small songbird
Popularity: #213 and falling (#195 → #213, 2024)

A name that carries wind on its wings without stating it outright.

Origin: Old English
Meaning: A small, fierce bird of windswept places
Popularity: Trending strongly — top-100 for girls in the U.S.

Boreas

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: BOR-ee-as · ˈbɔːriəs
Meaning: the north wind, personified as a Greek god
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Origin: Greek mythology
Meaning: North wind
Popularity: Very rare as a given name; academically known

Eurus

Origin: Ancient Greek
Pronunciation: YOO-rus · ˈjʊərəs
Meaning: east wind
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Less commonly used than Zephyr or Boreas but part of the same classical wind-god set.

Origin: Greek mythology
Meaning: East wind
Popularity: Extremely rare as a given name

Notus

Origin: Ancient Greek
Pronunciation: NOH-təs · ˈnoʊtəs
Meaning: god of the south or southwest wind
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The warm, wet south wind — a name with a Mediterranean summer feeling.

Origin: Greek mythology
Meaning: South wind
Popularity: Extremely rare as a given name

Anemone

Origin: Ancient Greek
Pronunciation: uh-NEM-uh-nee · əˈnɛməni
Meaning: wind
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The flower that blooms when it’s windy — the name is botanical, mythological, and meteorological all at once.

Origin: Greek
Meaning: Daughter of the wind; wind flower
Popularity: Rare; distinctive; Finding Nemo’s association helps recognition

Anemos

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: AH-neh-moss · ˈanemos
Meaning: wind
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The root behind Anemone and a name in its own right — stark and elemental.

Origin: Greek
Meaning: Wind
Popularity: Extremely rare as a given name

Ventus

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: VEN-tus · ˈvɛntəs
Meaning: wind
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The root of “ventilation” and “vent” — a clean, strong name with an ancient pedigree.

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Wind
Popularity: Extremely rare; known in Kingdom Hearts fandom, which has broadened awareness

Whirlwind

Origin: English, from Old Norse
Pronunciation: HWURL-wind · ˈwɜːrlwɪnd
Meaning: A fast, spinning wind
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Appears in a small number of American birth records as a middle name; it’s rare but real.

Origin: Old English
Meaning: Rapidly rotating wind column
Popularity: Extremely rare

Kaze

Origin: Japanese
Pronunciation: KAH-zeh · ˈkɑːzɛ
Meaning: wind
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A clean two-syllable name with a strong sound; used in given names in Japan, often as a component.

Origin: Japanese
Meaning: Wind
Popularity: Used in Japan; rare in Western contexts

Viento

Origin: Spanish
Pronunciation: VYEN-toh
Meaning: wind
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Bold and direct — a name for Spanish-speaking families who want to name a child after the wind itself.

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Wind
Popularity: Rare as a given name

Sirocco

Origin: Italian, from Arabic
Pronunciation: sih-ROK-oh · sɪˈrɒkoʊ
Meaning: a hot, dry wind that blows north from the Sahara across the Mediterranean
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Origin: Arabic via Italian
Meaning: Hot Saharan wind
Popularity: Very rare as a given name; dramatically evocative

Mistral

Origin: Occitan/Provençal (via French)
Pronunciation: miss-TRAHL · mɪˈstrɑːl
Meaning: the powerful, cold north/northwest wind of southern France (literally ‘masterful’ wind)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Origin: Provençal French
Meaning: Master wind; powerful northwest wind
Popularity: Rare but known; strong literary association

Aria

Origin: Italian (modern English coinage from the musical term)
Pronunciation: AR-ee-ah · ˈɑːriə
Meaning: song, melody
Popularity: #26 and falling (#25 → #26, 2024)

Aria is also the Persian word for noble or Aryan; it’s one of the most beautiful multipurpose names in any language.

Origin: Italian/Latin
Meaning: Air; musical solo
Popularity: Hugely popular — top-20 for girls in the U.S.

Vayu

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: VAH-yoo · ˈvɑːjuː
Meaning: wind
Popularity: #2,663 and falling (#2,126 → #2,663, 2024)

Origin: Sanskrit
Meaning: Wind; divine wind god
Popularity: Used in India and Hindu diaspora communities

Chinook

Origin: Native American (Chinook people); also a warm wind
Pronunciation: shih-NOOK · ʃɪˈnʊk
Meaning: a warm, dry wind on the eastern slopes of the Rockies
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A name with Indigenous American origins that deserves cultural respect and context.

Origin: Chinookan
Meaning: Warm descending mountain wind; also a Pacific Northwest people
Popularity: Very rare; use with awareness of Indigenous origins

Haboob

Origin: Arabic
Pronunciation: huh-BOOB · həˈbuːb
Meaning: violent wind, dust storm
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Meteorologically specific; a vivid middle-name possibility for families with Arabic-language heritage.

Origin: Arabic
Meaning: Strong wind; dust storm
Popularity: Extremely rare as a given name

Fohn

Origin: German (from Latin Favonius)
Pronunciation: FURN · fɜːrn
Meaning: a warm, dry wind that blows down mountainsides
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Also spelled Föhn; the name is rarely used outside of Alpine communities.

Origin: Latin *favonius* via German
Meaning: Warm descending Alpine wind
Popularity: Extremely rare as a given name

Levante

Origin: Italian
Pronunciation: leh-VAHN-tay · leˈvante
Meaning: east; literally ‘rising’ (of the sun)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A name with seafaring soul and Mediterranean grandeur.

Origin: Spanish/Italian
Meaning: Rising east wind
Popularity: Rare as a given name; familiar as a place name

Tramontane

Origin: Latin, via Italian/French
Pronunciation: truh-MON-tayn · trəˈmɒnteɪn
Meaning: literally ‘beyond the mountains’; a cold north wind that blows down from the Alps toward the Mediterranean coast
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A name for parents who collect beautiful words — it’s a mouthful but a gorgeous one.

Origin: Italian
Meaning: Beyond the mountains; cold north wind
Popularity: Extremely rare; mainly a nature-word choice

Sun, Light & Warmth Names

The counterpart to storms and rain — names that carry warmth, brightness, and the quality of light after weather passes. These trend softer and are broadly popular, which means you’re more likely to share one with another child. The hidden gems in this section tend to be the translation names: the word for “sun” in Basque, Japanese, or Welsh.

Sunny

Origin: English
Pronunciation: SUN-ee · ˈsʌni
Meaning: cheerful, full of sunshine
Popularity: #372 and rising (#406 → #372, 2024)

Cheerful and direct; works across genders but has historically leaned feminine.

Origin: Old English
Meaning: Bright as the sun; cheerful
Popularity: Uncommon but recognizable; trending slightly upward

Soleil

Origin: French
Pronunciation: soh-LAY · soʊˈleɪ
Meaning: sun
Popularity: #824 and rising (#975 → #824, 2024)

Origin: French
Meaning: Sun
Popularity: Rare but known; associated with French elegance

Sol

Origin: Spanish/Latin (‘sun’), or a short form of Solomon (Hebrew)
Pronunciation: SOHL · ˈsoʊl
Meaning: sun; also used as a short form of Solomon
Popularity: #819 and rising (#892 → #819, 2024)

Origin: Spanish/Latin
Meaning: Sun
Popularity: Climbing steadily; works across genders

Solange

Origin: French (from Latin sollemnis, ‘solemn’); name of a 9th-century French saint
Pronunciation: soh-LAHNZH · soʊˈlɑːnʒ
Meaning: solemn
Popularity: #7,192 and falling (#5,926 → #7,192, 2024)

Solange doesn’t mean ‘sun angel’ — that’s a folk etymology; the confirmed root is Latin sollemnis (‘solemn’), via a 9th-century French saint’s name.

Origin: Latin via French
Meaning: Sacred; associated with sunlight
Popularity: Rare but culturally prominent

Aurora

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: uh-ROR-uh · əˈrɔːrə
Meaning: dawn (name of the Roman goddess of the dawn)
Popularity: #16 and rising (#22 → #16, 2024)

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Dawn; aurora light display
Popularity: Top-50 for girls in the U.S. — widely popular

Dawn

Origin: English
Pronunciation: DAWN · ˈdɔːn
Meaning: first light of day, from the common noun “dawn”
Popularity: #1,850 and rising (#2,338 → #1,850, 2024)

Origin: Old English
Meaning: First light of day; daybreak
Popularity: Rare for new babies; vintage appeal increasing

Elio

Origin: Italian (from Greek)
Pronunciation: EL-ee-oh · ˈɛlioʊ
Meaning: the sun (from Helios)
Popularity: #507 and rising (#646 → #507, 2024)

Italian and Spanish; the film *Call Me By Your Name* introduced this to a wider American audience and it’s been rising ever since.

Origin: Greek/Italian
Meaning: Sun
Popularity: Rising fast — top-300 for boys in the U.S.

Helios

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: HEE-lee-os · ˈhiːlioʊs
Meaning: the sun
Popularity: #2,881 and rising (#3,138 → #2,881, 2024)

Full mythological weight; a grander version of Elio.

Origin: Greek mythology
Meaning: Sun
Popularity: Very rare; gaining traction with mythology-name trend

Nizhoni

Origin: Navajo (Diné)
Pronunciation: nih-ZHOH-nee · nɪˈʒoʊni
Meaning: beautiful
Popularity: #5,900 and falling (#5,338 → #5,900, 2024)

A name that requires cultural respect; used in Navajo families.

Origin: Navajo
Meaning: Beautiful; beautiful clear sky
Popularity: Used in Navajo communities; rare elsewhere

Luce

Origin: Italian
Pronunciation: LOO-cheh · ˈluːtʃe
Meaning: light
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Clean, modern, and completely international — it works in Italian, French, and English with equal grace.

Origin: Latin via Italian/French
Meaning: Light
Popularity: Uncommon in the U.S.; known in Europe

Lucian

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: LOO-shan · ˈluːʃən
Meaning: light
Popularity: #485 and rising (#488 → #485, 2024)

A classical name with beautiful brightness baked in; the ancient satirist Lucian of Samosata is the most famous historical bearer.

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Of the light
Popularity: Climbing steadily; top-300 for boys in the U.S.

Helia

Origin: Greek (modern coinage, apparently from Helios)
Pronunciation: HEE-lee-uh · ˈhiːliə
Meaning: Feminine form of Helios, meaning sun
Popularity: #6,461 and rising (#10,614 → #6,461, 2024)

Less common than Helena but shares the solar root; a genuinely rare choice with a clear mythological pedigree.

Origin: Greek
Meaning: Of the sun; solar
Popularity: Very rare; distinctive and beautiful

Eguzkine

Origin: Basque
Pronunciation: eh-goos-KEE-neh · eɣus̻ˈkine
Meaning: sun
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

One of those names that is purely its meaning — there’s no mythology, no metaphor, just the sun in one of Europe’s oldest languages.

Origin: Basque
Meaning: Sun
Popularity: Rare outside the Basque Country

Cyra

Origin: Persian (feminine form of Cyrus)
Pronunciation: SY-ruh
Meaning: Sun, or “like the sun,” from Persian *khur*
Popularity: #3,511 and rising (#3,853 → #3,511, 2024)

A feminine variant of Cyrus — more delicate in sound but carrying the same solar Persian heritage.

Origin: Persian
Meaning: Sun; throne; like the sun
Popularity: Rare; an elegant Persian-heritage choice

Oriana

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: oh-ree-AH-nah · oʊriˈɑːnə
Meaning: rising, of the dawn (from Latin oriens/oriri, ‘to rise’)
Popularity: #1,842 and falling (#1,594 → #1,842, 2024)

Medieval literary name — it appeared in Arthurian legend and Italian romance poetry.

Origin: Latin/Italian
Meaning: Golden dawn; rising
Popularity: Rare; deeply literary

Solis

Origin: Latin; also a Spanish surname
Pronunciation: soh-LEES · soʊˈliːs
Meaning: of the sun
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Used as a surname in Latin America; increasingly appearing as a given name.

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Of the sun
Popularity: Rare as a first name; more common as a surname

Amaterasu

Origin: Japanese
Pronunciation: ah-mah-teh-RAH-soo · ˌɑːmətəˈrɑːsuː
Meaning: heaven-shining
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Origin: Japanese
Meaning: Heaven-shining sun goddess
Popularity: Very rare as a given name outside Japan; culturally significant

Aten

Origin: Egyptian
Pronunciation: AH-ten · ˈɑːtən
Meaning: the sun disk
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A minimalist name with one of the oldest solar mythologies behind it.

Origin: Ancient Egyptian
Meaning: The sun disk; solar deity
Popularity: Extremely rare as a given name

Surya

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: SOOR-yuh · ˈsʊərjə
Meaning: the sun, as the Hindu solar deity
Popularity: #2,696 and rising (#2,837 → #2,696, 2024)

Origin: Sanskrit
Meaning: Sun; solar deity
Popularity: Common in India and South Asian diaspora communities

Origin: Ancient Egyptian
Pronunciation: RAH · rɑː
Meaning: sun
Popularity: #7,591 and falling (#3,857 → #7,591, 2024)

Origin: Ancient Egyptian
Meaning: Sun; sun god
Popularity: Very rare as a given name; used in some Egyptian heritage families

Celestine

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: SEL-es-teen · ˈsɛləstiːn
Meaning: heavenly, of the sky
Popularity: #3,968 and rising (#4,896 → #3,968, 2024)

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Heavenly; of the sky
Popularity: Rare in the U.S.; known in France and French-speaking communities

Snow, Ice & Winter Names

Winter weather names have a specific kind of quiet drama that summer names don’t — they feel like they belong in literature. Several of these have deep literary and mythological roots; others are purely meteorological in the best possible way.

Winter

Origin: English
Pronunciation: WIN-ter · ˈwɪntər
Meaning: the winter season — a time of cold — used as a given name in direct reference to the season
Popularity: #385 and falling (#369 → #385, 2024)

Firmly established as a unisex given name; it picked up steam in the early 2010s and hasn’t slowed.

Origin: Old English
Meaning: The cold season
Popularity: Top-200 for girls in the U.S.; rising for boys too

Frost

Origin: English (surname/word name, cognate surnames also German, Swedish, Danish)
Pronunciation: FRAWST · ˈfrɔːst
Meaning: frost (icy weather phenomenon)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Poet Robert Frost gave this surname a lyrical halo; it reads as a cool, spare first name.

Origin: Old English
Meaning: Ice crystals; freezing conditions
Popularity: Rare but growing; literary association is an asset

Crystal

Origin: English (ultimately Greek krystallos, “ice”)
Pronunciation: KRIS-tul · ˈkrɪstəl
Meaning: clear as ice; a clear, transparent mineral
Popularity: #1,176 and rising (#1,196 → #1,176, 2024)

A 1980s American name that’s returned to “rare but not weird” territory; the ice etymology makes it a genuine weather name.

Origin: Greek
Meaning: Clear ice; ice crystal
Popularity: Peaked in the 1980s; now uncommon and vintage-flavored

Neve

Origin: surname (multiple origins: English ‘nephew’, French place name, or Italian/Portuguese ‘snow’)
Pronunciation: NEV · ˈnɛv
Meaning: bright, radiant (as an anglicized form of the Irish name Niamh)
Popularity: #3,357 and falling (#2,667 → #3,357, 2024)

Actress Neve Campbell kept this name in public view throughout the 1990s; it’s now one of the more fashionable snow names.

Origin: Latin/Italian/Irish
Meaning: Snow
Popularity: Top-300 for girls in the UK; rising in the U.S.

Neva

Origin: place name (Neva River, Russia)
Pronunciation: NEE-vuh · ˈniːvə
Meaning: Snow, from Spanish *nieve*
Popularity: #3,726 and falling (#2,692 → #3,726, 2024)

The snow meaning and the Russian river connection give it dual atmospheric weight.

Origin: Spanish/Russian
Meaning: Snow; snowy river
Popularity: Uncommon; distinctive and wearable

Nevada

Origin: Spanish (place name)
Pronunciation: neh-VAD-ah · nəˈvædə
Meaning: snow-covered
Popularity: #4,005 and falling (#3,565 → #4,005, 2024)

The state name carries the snow meaning; it’s been used as a given name since at least the 19th century.

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Snow-covered; snowy
Popularity: Rare as a given name; the state association is familiar

Blanche

Origin: French
Pronunciation: BLANCH · ˈblæntʃ
Meaning: white or pale — likely originally a descriptive nickname for someone fair-skinned or fair-haired
Popularity: #11,242 and falling (#10,439 → #11,242, 2024)

A name that’s cycling back through the vintage trend; it feels more grandmotherly than it did five years ago.

Origin: Old French/Germanic
Meaning: White; snow-white
Popularity: Rare; vintage revival in progress

Eira

Origin: Welsh
Pronunciation: EYE-ruh · ˈaɪrə
Meaning: snow
Popularity: #2,385 and rising (#2,593 → #2,385, 2024)

Origin: Welsh
Meaning: Snow
Popularity: Common in Wales; rare in the U.S.

Yuki

Origin: Japanese
Pronunciation: YOO-kee · ˈjuːki
Meaning: snow (from the common kanji 雪); some spellings instead give ‘happiness’ (幸)
Popularity: #4,539 and rising (#5,374 → #4,539, 2024)

One of the most versatile Japanese names for Western use; the ambiguity of meaning is a feature, not a bug.

Origin: Japanese
Meaning: Snow; happiness
Popularity: Common in Japan; growing in international use

Snowy

Origin: English
Pronunciation: SNOH-ee · ˈsnoʊi
Meaning: Covered with snow, or white as snow
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The Tintin connection (Milou/Snowy the dog) gives this a literary character-name option; it’s more nickname than formal name.

Origin: Old English
Meaning: Covered in snow
Popularity: Rare; mainly a nickname or middle name

Glacia

Origin: Latin (modern coinage from glacies/glacia ‘ice’)
Pronunciation: GLAY-shuh · ˈɡleɪʃə
Meaning: ice, glacier
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Modern but etymologically honest.

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Ice
Popularity: Extremely rare; modern invention on a Latin base

Icy

Origin: English (word name)
Pronunciation: EYE-see · ˈaɪsi
Meaning: cold or frozen, from the word “ice” plus -y
Popularity: #11,504 as of 2021 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Appears in African American naming traditions as a bold, single-adjective name choice.

Origin: Old English
Meaning: Like ice; covered in ice
Popularity: Rare; more common in African American naming traditions

Glacier

Origin: English (word name, from Old French glace / Latin glacies)
Pronunciation: GLAY-sher · ˈɡleɪʃər
Meaning: a large, slow-moving mass of ice
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A landscape name rather than a weather word, but glaciers are formed by weather — it sits at the boundary.

Origin: French via Latin
Meaning: Slow-moving ice mass; glacial
Popularity: Very rare as a given name

Ingrid

Origin: Old Norse
Pronunciation: ING-grid · ˈɪŋɡrɪd
Meaning: compound of the Norse god-element ‘Ing’ and a word for ‘beautiful, beloved’
Popularity: #1,092 and rising (#1,148 → #1,092, 2024)

The winter and cold of Scandinavia is embedded in this name’s geography even if not its meaning.

Origin: Old Norse
Meaning: Ing’s beauty; beloved
Popularity: Steady and recognizable; Ingrid Bergman’s legacy holds

Sigrid

Origin: Old Norse
Pronunciation: SIG-rid · ˈsɪgrɪd
Meaning: Old Norse compound of ‘victory’ and ‘fair/beautiful’ – ‘beautiful victory’
Popularity: #3,866 and falling (#3,575 → #3,866, 2024)

A Scandinavian name that carries the same wintry geographic weight as Ingrid with a slightly edgier sound.

Origin: Old Norse
Meaning: Beautiful victory
Popularity: Rare in the U.S.; common in Scandinavia

Skadi

Origin: Old Norse (mythological)
Pronunciation: SKAH-dee · ˈskɑːdi
Meaning: possibly ‘harm/damage’ (cognate with ‘scathe’); etymology debated
Popularity: #4,635 and rising (#5,925 → #4,635, 2024)

A fierce, wintry mythological name.

Origin: Old Norse mythology
Meaning: Shadowy; winter goddess
Popularity: Very rare; known to Norse mythology enthusiasts

Khione

Origin: Greek (mythology)
Pronunciation: kye-OH-nee · kaɪˈoʊni
Meaning: snow (Greek mythological snow goddess)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Direct, mythological, and completely distinctive in an English-speaking context.

Origin: Greek mythology
Meaning: Snow goddess
Popularity: Rare; known from Greek mythology

Yukiko

Origin: Japanese
Pronunciation: yoo-KEE-koh · juːˈkiː.koʊ
Meaning: ‘snow child’ — from 雪 (‘snow’) plus 子 (‘child’), a common feminine name-forming suffix
Popularity: #13,531 as of 2022 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Origin: Japanese
Meaning: Snow child
Popularity: Common in Japan; rare in Western contexts

Bianca

Origin: Italian
Pronunciation: bee-AHN-kuh · biˈɑːŋkə
Meaning: white, pure
Popularity: #460 and rising (#467 → #460, 2024)

Shakespeare used it in Othello and The Taming of the Shrew; it’s consistently popular in Italian-heritage communities.

Origin: Italian
Meaning: White; snow-white
Popularity: Steady; top-300 for girls in the U.S.

White

Origin: English (surname)
Pronunciation: HWYT · waɪt
Meaning: from a nickname for someone with white hair or a pale complexion
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Mostly a surname but documented as a given name; the minimalist aesthetic has a few families using this as a middle name.

Origin: Old English
Meaning: White; the color of snow
Popularity: Rare as a given name; more common as a surname

Sky, Cloud & Celestial Weather Names

Names rooted in the sky itself — not the weather happening in it, but the vast space where weather lives. These tend toward the poetic and the mythological.

Sky

Origin: English
Pronunciation: SKY · ˈskaɪ
Meaning: sky, the heavens
Popularity: #828 and falling (#785 → #828, 2024)

Simple, clean, completely gender-neutral — and the Old Norse meaning is actually “cloud,” which is a nice layer.

Origin: Old Norse
Meaning: Cloud; the sky
Popularity: Ranking around #400 for girls; rising for boys

Skye

Origin: Scottish (from the Isle of Skye, a place name of disputed/unresolved origin) or English (playful respelling of ‘sky’)
Pronunciation: SKY · ˈskaɪ
Meaning: Variant spelling of Sky; also the Isle of Skye off the coast of Scotland
Popularity: #480 and falling (#447 → #480, 2024)

The Scottish island connection gives this variant a geographical grounding.

Origin: Old Norse/Scottish
Meaning: Cloud; sky; Isle of Skye
Popularity: Top-300 for girls in the U.S.

Skylar

Origin: Dutch (surname Schuyler)
Pronunciation: SKY-lar · ˈskaɪlər
Meaning: scholar
Popularity: #134 and falling (#107 → #134, 2024)

One of those names that has been completely reinterpreted through sound; the weather association is now the primary one.

Origin: Dutch
Meaning: Scholar; sky (by sound association)
Popularity: Top-100 for girls; common for boys too

Cloud

Origin: English (modern vocabulary/nature name); as a surname, several distinct origins
Pronunciation: KLOWD · ˈklaʊd
Meaning: cloud (sky formation), as used in modern nature-name naming
Popularity: #2,875 and falling (#2,701 → #2,875, 2024)

Origin: Old English
Meaning: Water vapor mass; sky rock
Popularity: Rare as a given name; Final Fantasy VII’s Cloud is the most famous bearer

Cirrus

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: SEER-us · ˈsɪrəs
Meaning: curl, tuft of hair
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The Latin meaning — curl of hair — is beautiful in its own right; the meteorological meaning adds another dimension.

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Curl of hair; high ice-crystal clouds
Popularity: Very rare; known to weather enthusiasts and Harry Potter fans (Sirius connection)

Nimue

Origin: Arthurian legend (disputed, possibly Celtic)
Pronunciation: NIM-way · ˈnɪmweɪ
Meaning: In Arthurian legend, the Lady of the Lake — from *nimbus*
Popularity: #16,954 and falling (#13,082 → #16,954, 2024)

The cloud meaning is not widely known but etymologically supported; the Arthurian connection is primary.

Origin: Old French/Arthurian mythology
Meaning: Lady of the Lake; associated with nimbus clouds
Popularity: Very rare; known in Arthurian-enthusiast circles

Celeste

Origin: Latin (via French)
Pronunciation: suh-LEST · səˈlɛst
Meaning: heavenly
Popularity: #198 and rising (#275 → #198, 2024)

One of the most versatile sky names — it’s classical, it sounds modern, and it works in Italian, French, Spanish, and English.

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Heavenly; of the sky
Popularity: Rising — top-200 for girls in the U.S.

Caelum

Origin: Latin (constellation name)
Pronunciation: SEE-lum · ˈsiːləm
Meaning: named for a southern constellation representing an engraver’s chisel, from a Latin word ‘caelum’ meaning ‘chisel’ — a different word from the more common caelum meaning ‘sky/heaven’
Popularity: #2,026 and rising (#2,275 → #2,026, 2024)

As the constellation name, Caelum actually derives from a different Latin word meaning ‘chisel’ (an engraving tool), not the common word for ‘sky/heaven’ — a coincidental look-alike.

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Sky; also a minor constellation
Popularity: Very rare as a given name

Caelestia

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: suh-LES-tee-uh · səˈlɛstiə
Meaning: heavenly
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A more elaborate version of Celeste for families who love the full Latin form.

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Heavenly; of the sky
Popularity: Very rare; an elegant if elaborate choice

Azure

Origin: Old French/Arabic (ultimately Persian)
Pronunciation: AZH-er · ˈæʒər
Meaning: sky blue, deep blue
Popularity: #3,603 and rising (#3,721 → #3,603, 2024)

The color of a cloudless sky — a name that carries that specific visual quality.

Origin: Arabic via Old French
Meaning: Sky blue; the color of a clear sky
Popularity: Rare but growing; gender-neutral

Stratus

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: STRAY-tus · ˈstreɪtəs
Meaning: spread out, layered
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Less dramatic than Cirrus or Nimbus but interesting for weather-inclined parents who want something unusual.

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Layered cloud; spread out
Popularity: Extremely rare as a given name

Cumulus

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: KYOO-myuh-lus · ˈkjuːmjʊləs
Meaning: a heap or pile
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The classic “cotton ball” cloud; a friendly name with a strong Latin sound.

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Heap; puffy cloud
Popularity: Extremely rare as a given name

Ether

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: EE-ther · ˈiːθər
Meaning: the bright upper sky; pure, clear air
Popularity: #12,744 as of 2018 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Ancient philosophers believed the ether was a fifth element filling the upper sky.

Origin: Greek
Meaning: Upper air; pure atmosphere
Popularity: Very rare as a given name

Zenith

Origin: English word name (ultimately Arabic, via Old Spanish/Medieval Latin)
Pronunciation: ZEE-nith · ˈziː.nɪθ
Meaning: the highest point; peak
Popularity: #2,906 and rising (#3,289 → #2,906, 2024)

Origin: Arabic via Medieval Latin
Meaning: Highest point of the sky; overhead apex
Popularity: Rare but growing for boys

Horizon

Origin: English (from Greek horizōn)
Pronunciation: huh-RY-zun · həˈraɪzən
Meaning: The boundary where earth meets sky
Popularity: #8,103 and falling (#7,050 → #8,103, 2024)

Where weather systems appear from and disappear to — a name about boundaries and possibility.

Origin: Greek
Meaning: Boundary of sky and earth
Popularity: Rare; mainly a middle-name choice

Alto

Origin: Spanish/Italian (from Latin altus)
Pronunciation: AL-toh · ˈæltoʊ
Meaning: high, tall
Popularity: #8,270 as of 1991 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Also a musical register — a name that works on multiple levels.

Origin: Latin/Italian
Meaning: High; mid-level atmospheric clouds
Popularity: Rare as a given name; musical association is familiar

Cyan

Origin: Greek (via Latin), modern color-word coinage
Pronunciation: SY-an · ˈsaɪ.æn
Meaning: blue-green (the color)
Popularity: #2,996 and falling (#2,849 → #2,996, 2024)

A name that captures a meteorological color precisely.

Origin: Greek
Meaning: Blue-green; the color of a certain sky
Popularity: Rare; gender-neutral; Among Us characters helped awareness

Arc

Origin: Latin (via Old French “arc”)
Pronunciation: AHRK · ɑːrk
Meaning: a bow or curved arch
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Short and geometric; the rainbow connection makes it atmospheric.

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Curved line; arc of the sky
Popularity: Very rare as a given name

Global & Mythological Weather Names

The sky speaks in every language, and every culture has assigned names, deities, and words to the weather that shaped their lives. These are names pulled from weather mythology across cultures — all documented, all real.

Indra

Origin: Sanskrit; also Latvian (independent usage)
Pronunciation: IN-drah · ˈɪndrə
Meaning: name of the Vedic/Hindu god of rain, thunder, and war; used independently as a feminine given name in Latvia
Popularity: #5,736 and rising (#7,059 → #5,736, 2024)

The name refers to Indra, the Vedic god of rain, thunder, and war — not literally to the word ‘rain’; the exact root meaning of ‘Indra’ itself is uncertain.

Origin: Sanskrit
Meaning: Possessing drops of rain; lord of heaven and storms
Popularity: Rising in the U.S.; common in South Asian communities

Tlaloc

Origin: Nahuatl (Aztec)
Pronunciation: TLAH-lok · ˈtlɑː.lɒk
Meaning: Aztec god of rain and fertility; the name is linked to tlalli, ‘earth’
Popularity: #6,127 and falling (#5,640 → #6,127, 2024)

One of the most important deities in the Aztec pantheon; a culturally significant name for families with Mexican heritage.

Origin: Nahuatl
Meaning: He who makes things sprout; rain god
Popularity: Rare outside Mexican heritage communities

Kiona

Origin: claimed Native American (Shoshone)
Pronunciation: kee-OH-nə · kiːˈoʊnə
Meaning: Brown hills
Popularity: #12,783 and falling (#6,800 → #12,783, 2024)

The landscape after rain; a name tied to the visual aftermath of weather.

Origin: Chinook/Pacific Northwest Indigenous
Meaning: Brown hills; post-rain earth
Popularity: Rare; used in Pacific Northwest communities

Origin: Greek
Meaning: Thunder in Greek — and the name carried by three extraordinary literary sisters who wrote from Yorkshire moors in constant weather
Popularity: Rare

Already listed in the Storm section, but deserves its place here as a literary-mythological name.

Origin: Greek
Meaning: Thunder
Popularity: Rare; deeply literary

Fujin

Origin: Japanese
Pronunciation: FOO-jin · ˈfuːdʒɪn
Meaning: wind god
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Origin: Japanese
Meaning: Wind god
Popularity: Very rare as a given name outside Japan

Raijin

Origin: Japanese (Sino-Japanese)
Pronunciation: RYE-jeen · ɾaɪdʑiɴ
Meaning: thunder god (rai ‘thunder’ + jin ‘god/spirit’)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The companion to Fujin; represented as a fierce deity surrounded by drums.

Origin: Japanese
Meaning: Thunder god
Popularity: Rare outside Japan; known through gaming

Taranis

Origin: Gaulish (Celtic)
Pronunciation: TAR-uh-niss · ˈtærənɪs
Meaning: thunder god
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Origin: Gaulish/Celtic
Meaning: Thunder; thunder god
Popularity: Very rare; known to Celtic history enthusiasts

Perun

Origin: Proto-Slavic
Pronunciation: peh-ROON · pɛˈrun
Meaning: name of the Slavic thunder god, likely rooted in a word for ‘to strike’
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The Slavic equivalent of Thor; an ancient and powerful name.

Origin: Slavic mythology
Meaning: Thunder god; striker
Popularity: Rare outside Slavic heritage communities

Oya

Origin: Yoruba
Pronunciation: aw-YAH · ɔːˈjɑː
Meaning: Literally ‘she tore’ in Yoruba; the name of the orisha associated with storms, wind, and transformative change — ‘storm goddess’ describes her role, not a literal translation.
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

One of the most powerful orishas in the Yoruba tradition; her name is carried in the diaspora through Candomblé and Santería.

Origin: Yoruba
Meaning: She tore; storm and wind goddess
Popularity: Used in Yoruba and African diaspora communities

Tefnut

Origin: Egyptian
Pronunciation: TEF-noot · ˈtɛfnuːt
Meaning: goddess personifying moisture and rain, one of the first divine pair in the Heliopolitan creation myth
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Depicted as a lion-headed deity; one of the earliest documented weather deities in human history.

Origin: Ancient Egyptian
Meaning: Moisture; mist and rain goddess
Popularity: Extremely rare as a given name

Hurakan

Origin: Kʼicheʼ Maya
Pronunciation: hoo-rah-KAHN · huːɾaˈkan
Meaning: god of wind, storm, and fire; ‘one-legged’
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The etymology behind “hurricane” is this deity’s name.

Origin: K’iche’ Maya
Meaning: Heart of the sky; storm deity
Popularity: Extremely rare as a given name; linguistically significant

Baal

Origin: Proto-Semitic
Pronunciation: BAY-uhl · ˈbeɪ.əl
Meaning: lord, master, owner, husband
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Theologically complex due to Biblical context, but as a weather deity the name has ancient power.

Origin: Semitic/Canaanite
Meaning: Lord; storm and rain deity
Popularity: Extremely rare; significant theological baggage in Abrahamic traditions

Zeus

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: ZOOS · zuːs
Meaning: likely from a Proto-Indo-European root for ‘sky’ or ‘to shine’ (as in ‘sky father’)
Popularity: #1,073 and rising (#1,158 → #1,073, 2024)

The supreme Greek deity; the name is growing as mythology names become more mainstream.

Origin: Greek mythology
Meaning: Sky; thunder god
Popularity: Rising in the U.S.; top-500 for boys

Jupiter

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: JOO-pih-ter · ˈdʒuːpɪtər
Meaning: sky father
Popularity: #2,085 and falling (#1,715 → #2,085, 2024)

The planet named for him is the largest in the solar system; the name carries celestial and meteorological weight.

Origin: Latin/Roman mythology
Meaning: Sky father; thunder god
Popularity: Rare but growing; gender-neutral in modern use

Juno

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: JOO-noh · ˈdʒuːnoʊ
Meaning: queen of the Roman gods (the name’s own root is linguistically uncertain)
Popularity: #1,382 and falling (#1,333 → #1,382, 2024)

The film *Juno* made this one of the most recognizable mythological names for a new generation.

Origin: Latin/Roman mythology
Meaning: Queen of heaven; sky goddess
Popularity: Rising — top-300 for girls in the U.S.

Aiolos

Origin: Ancient Greek
Pronunciation: eye-OH-los · aɪˈoʊlɒs
Meaning: moving, swift
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

In the Odyssey, Aiolos gave Odysseus a bag containing all the winds; the name has heroic and atmospheric mythology.

Origin: Greek mythology
Meaning: Quick-moving; keeper of the winds
Popularity: Rare; sometimes anglicized as Aeolus

Aeolus

Origin: Greek (mythological)
Pronunciation: ee-OH-lus · iːˈoʊləs
Meaning: swift, quick-moving
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The variant spelling used most commonly in English texts and astronomical naming.

Origin: Greek mythology
Meaning: Keeper of the winds
Popularity: Very rare as a given name

Stribog

Origin: Slavic
Pronunciation: STREE-bog · ˈstriːbɒɡ
Meaning: Slavic god of the winds, air, and sky
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Mentioned in the medieval Russian *Tale of Igor’s Campaign*; a name with epic literary and mythological context.

Origin: Slavic mythology
Meaning: Wind god; dispersion of air
Popularity: Extremely rare as a given name

Iris

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: EYE-ris · ˈaɪrɪs
Meaning: rainbow; also the name of the Greek goddess/messenger of the rainbow, and the flower named after her
Popularity: #71 and rising (#78 → #71, 2024)

Origin: Greek mythology
Meaning: Rainbow
Popularity: Top-100 for girls in the U.S. and UK — widely popular

Rainbow

Origin: English
Pronunciation: RAYN-boh · ˈreɪnboʊ
Meaning: rainbow
Popularity: #9,392 and falling (#6,105 → #9,392, 2024)

Origin: Old English
Meaning: Meteorological light-arc
Popularity: Rare; more common as a nickname

Soft & Subtle Weather Names

Not all weather is dramatic. Some of the best weather names are the quiet ones — names that carry an atmospheric quality without announcing it loudly. These are names where the weather meaning is layered in, not shouted.

Serena

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: suh-REE-nah · səˈriːnə
Meaning: clear, tranquil, serene
Popularity: #332 and rising (#375 → #332, 2024)

The Latin meaning specifically refers to clear, tranquil weather conditions; it’s a meteorological term wearing a beautiful name.

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Clear, calm weather; serene
Popularity: Steady — top-300 for girls; Serena Williams keeps it visible

Bonnie

Origin: Scottish
Pronunciation: BAH-nee · ˈbɑːni
Meaning: pretty, beautiful
Popularity: #441 and rising (#502 → #441, 2024)

A weather connection embedded in idiom rather than etymology.

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: Good, pretty; fair weather
Popularity: Classic and steady; particularly beloved in Scotland

Tempera

Origin: Italian (from Latin temperare)
Pronunciation: TEM-puh-ruh · ˈtɛmpərə
Meaning: From Latin *temperare*
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A name at the intersection of weather science and art.

Origin: Latin
Meaning: To moderate; temperature; weather balance
Popularity: Very rare as a given name

Clement

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: KLEM-ent · ˈklɛmənt
Meaning: merciful
Popularity: #2,260 and rising (#2,394 → #2,260, 2024)

“Clement weather” is a specific meteorological term for mild, pleasant conditions; 14 popes have borne this name.

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Mild weather; merciful
Popularity: Uncommon in the U.S.; traditional in France

Clementine

Origin: French (from Latin Clemens)
Pronunciation: KLEM-en-teen · ˈklɛmənˌtiːn
Meaning: merciful, mild
Popularity: #477 and rising (#542 → #477, 2024)

Winston Churchill’s wife was Clementine; the name is among the most fashionable vintage names currently trending.

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Mild; gentle as clement weather
Popularity: Trending fast — top-300 and climbing for girls

Fair

Origin: English
Pronunciation: FAIR · fɛər
Meaning: clear, bright and pleasant, like fair weather; also lovely
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

“Fair weather” is a meteorological term; as a name it’s ultra-rare but documented.

Origin: Old English
Meaning: Clear, pleasant weather; beautiful
Popularity: Extremely rare as a given name

Halcyon

Origin: Greek (via Latin)
Pronunciation: HAL-see-uhn · ˈhælsiən
Meaning: the mythical kingfisher of Greek legend, whose story gave rise to the figurative sense ‘calm and peaceful’
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Origin: Greek
Meaning: Peaceful; calm weather days; kingfisher
Popularity: Rare; deeply poetic and literary

Lull

Origin: English
Pronunciation: LUL · lʌl
Meaning: a brief calm or quiet spell, as between storms or gusts of wind
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Rarely used as a given name; it’s more of a nature-word name for families who love minimalism.

Origin: Middle English
Meaning: A calm interval; pause in the storm
Popularity: Extremely rare

Calm

Origin: Middle English (from Old French/Latin, ultimately Greek)
Pronunciation: KAHM · kɑːm
Meaning: stillness, tranquility
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The Beaufort Scale zero — complete absence of wind — given a name.

Origin: Greek via Old French
Meaning: Absence of wind; stillness
Popularity: Rare; more of a word-name for dedicated nature-name parents

Lucida

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: LOO-sid-uh · ˈluːsɪdə
Meaning: bright, shining
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

An astronomical term with deep weather-sky connection.

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Bright; the brightest point of clear sky
Popularity: Rare but documented; beautiful feminine form

Elara

Origin: Greek (mythological name)
Pronunciation: eh-LAR-ah · ɛˈlɑːrə
Meaning: Uncertain origin — possibly from Greek *ēlara*
Popularity: #1,156 and rising (#1,381 → #1,156, 2024)

One of Jupiter’s moons; the atmospheric brightness meaning is supported by etymology.

Origin: Greek
Meaning: Bright air; atmospheric clarity
Popularity: Rare but growing — a modern favorite

Weather

Origin: Old English
Pronunciation: WETH-ər · ˈwɛðər
Meaning: Wind, storm and sky; the weather
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Very rare as a given name, but it appears in historical American records; it’s the kind of name that works as a bold middle.

Origin: Old English
Meaning: The state of the atmosphere
Popularity: Extremely rare; historically documented

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Already listed in Rain & Mist, but the dual meaning — rain cloud *and* luminous halo — makes it worth noting here as a light name too
Popularity: Rare

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Rain cloud; divine halo of light
Popularity: Rare; Harry Potter association

Lumen

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: LOO-men · ˈluːmən
Meaning: light
Popularity: #6,669 and rising (#7,555 → #6,669, 2024)

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Light; unit of luminous flux
Popularity: Rare but growing; particularly for boys

Solstice

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: SOL-stiss · ˈsɒlstɪs
Meaning: the sun standing still (astronomical solstice)
Popularity: #6,870 and rising (#7,199 → #6,870, 2024)

A name that captures a specific seasonal weather turning point; rare but evocative.

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Sun standstill; seasonal turning point
Popularity: Very rare as a given name

Equinox

Origin: English (from Latin aequinoctium)
Pronunciation: EE-kwih-noks · ˈiːkwɪnɒks
Meaning: equal night
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A bold, unusual name with strong seasonal weather significance.

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Equal day and night; seasonal transition
Popularity: Extremely rare as a given name

Haze

Origin: Old English (uncertain)
Pronunciation: HAYZ · heɪz
Meaning: A light mist or atmospheric blur; the deeper root is uncertain, sometimes linked to Old English ‘hasu’ (grey).
Popularity: #1,653 and falling (#1,379 → #1,653, 2024)

A delicate weather name sitting between fog and clarity; rare as a given name.

Origin: Middle English
Meaning: Atmospheric obscurity; fine suspended particles
Popularity: Rare; gender-neutral

Mistig

Origin: Afrikaans
Pronunciation: MISS-tikh · ˈməstəx
Meaning: Misty in Afrikaans
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

For families with South African heritage who want the misty meaning in their home language.

Origin: Afrikaans
Meaning: Misty
Popularity: Rare outside South Africa

Stillwater

Origin: English compound (place name)
Pronunciation: STIL-waw-ter · ˈstɪlˌwɔːtər
Meaning: calm, still body of water
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

More commonly a place name (Stillwater, Minnesota; Stillwater, Oklahoma), but documented as a given name.

Origin: Old English
Meaning: Calm, still water; post-storm stillness
Popularity: Extremely rare as a given name

Lucero

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: morning star / bright star
Popularity: #1,664 and falling (#1,468 → #1,664, 2024)