Summer is almost here, and if you’re expecting a little one, the timing couldn’t be sweeter for finding a name that carries that warm, salty, barefoot-in-the-sand feeling all year long. Beachy baby names are having a real moment right now, and honestly, it makes perfect sense. These aren’t just names that sound cute. They carry a whole mood: unhurried afternoons, screen doors, sandcastles, the smell of sunscreen on a kid’s shoulder.

Think about the names you hear hollered across a beach or a pier snack stand. They tend to be bright, open, easy to say. They don’t feel fussy. And if your family loves summer road trips to the shore, or if you just dream of that slower coastal pace even from your perfectly lovely suburban cul-de-sac, these names are worth a serious look.

Let’s start with the girls.

Piper is a lively English name meaning “flute player,” and it has exactly that quick, musical energy that makes you think of a kid who never stops moving. Seren, a Welsh name meaning “star,” has a quieter glow to it. It’s the kind of name that sounds hushed and luminous, like standing on a beach at dusk when the light goes soft.

Kiara, with Irish and Italian roots meaning “bright” or “light,” has been getting a real boost from the hit series Outer Banks, where the character Kiara is, by most accounts, one of the coolest people on screen. Cali practically radiates golden-hour energy. It can be short for Calista, meaning “most beautiful,” but most people will think of California the second they hear it, which isn’t a bad association to give a kid. Isla, the Scottish name meaning “island,” is practically coastal by definition, though it’s been climbing in popularity, so factor that in if you want something less common.

Noa, the Hebrew name meaning “motion” or “movement,” pairs those associations nicely with the feel of ocean waves.

Then there’s Summer. Sometimes the right name is the obvious one. Warm, inviting, no translation needed. The character Summer Roberts from The O.C. gave this name a cultural push in the early 2000s that it still hasn’t fully shaken, which is a compliment.

Pearl and Pearla deserve a mention too. Pearl is an Old English nature name with direct oceanic roots, since pearls come from oysters, and there’s something both classic and genuinely fresh about it right now.

For something rarer, Adamaris shares the Latin root mare, meaning “of the sea,” similar to Marina or Maren, but it’s a lyrical Spanish blend that most parents haven’t heard at a dozen birthday parties yet. And Lennon, an Irish surname meaning “lover,” has a free-spirited, wind-in-your-hair quality that’s hard to pin down but easy to feel.

Now for the boys, and a few names that work well for any kid.

Classic beach names for boys tend to lean into brightness and motion. Names like these show up in any good roundup of coastal-inspired picks: River, Finn, and Kai all fit the category naturally. Kai in particular has Hawaiian and Scandinavian roots both pointing toward the sea, which gives it a nice double meaning for parents who want something short and strong. Finn has Irish origins and the obvious association with fins and water without being on the nose about it. River is exactly what it sounds like: free-moving, open, a little wild in the best way.

If you want something that sits between classic and unexpected, there’s real value in talking through your options with your partner well before your due date. Baby name trends move fast, and a name that feels distinctive today can feel crowded by the time your kid hits kindergarten. Checking the Social Security Administration’s baby name database can show you exactly where a name ranks nationally, which helps you gauge how likely your child is to share a name with three classmates.

The U.S. Census Bureau’s given names data is another useful tool if you want a longer historical view of how names have moved in and out of fashion across decades.

Whatever name you land on, the beachy ones share a common thread. They feel easy to live in. They don’t weigh a kid down. They sound like they belong to someone who knows how to enjoy a good afternoon, and in the suburbs or anywhere else, that’s not a bad quality to carry through life.