If you’ve ever looked at a birth certificate and thought, “Hmm, why not name the baby after a demon, poisonous plant, or ancient deity of the underworld?”—then you, my friend, may be in the market for a gothic baby name.
The following list is both eerie and elegant, a compilation of names pulled from mythology, literature, theology, toxicology, and general gloom. While many are more suitable for the English-speaking world, the ideas behind them transcend language—after all, sadness, death, and mystery are universal.
Here’s a curated look into some of the most intriguing, tragic, or outright terrifying names you could bestow on your little bundle of brooding darkness:
🖤 Names Inspired by Death, Darkness & the Occult
Azrael – The Angel of Death in Islamic tradition.
Mortis / Mortualia / Mort(e) – Latin variants meaning “death” or “corpse.”
Reaper – A nod to the Grim Reaper himself.
Thanatos – Greek personification of death (not on original list, but fits perfectly).
Tenebrae – Latin for “darkness.”
Umbra – Latin again, meaning “shadow.”
Lilith – The notorious first wife of Adam, later demonized.
Gehenna – The New Testament name for hell.
Tartarus – The deepest abyss of Greek mythology.
Samael – The Angel of Death in the Talmud.
🌑 Demonic & Mythical Names
Ahriman – Destructive spirit in Zoroastrianism.
Asmodeus / Astaroth / Azazel / Beelzebub / Belial – A demon roll call straight from Christian lore.
Grigori – Fallen angels from the Book of Enoch.
Mara – Nightmare demon in Nordic tradition.
Mephistopheles – The devil from the Faust legend.
Yama / Yamaraja – Lord of death in Hinduism.
Diti – Mother of demons in Hindu mythology.
Morrigan – Celtic goddess of war and fate.
🌒 Hauntingly Beautiful & Tragic
Annabel Lee / Lenore – Heroines of Edgar Allan Poe’s gothic poetry.
Eurydice – Orpheus’ beloved, lost to the underworld.
Isolde – Tragic lover from Arthurian romance.
Perdita – Shakespeare’s “lost one.”
Melancholia / Tristesse / Dolores – All evoke deep sadness, in Greek, French, and Spanish.
Amarantha / Amaranthus – Mythological everlasting flower.
Esmeree – A bewitched Welsh princess turned into a serpent.
🌕 Nature with a Deadly or Mystical Twist
Belladonna / Hemlock / Digitalis / Oleander / Tansy – Beautiful, but all poisonous plants.
Cinder / Ash / Ember – Evoking remains and fire.
Moon / Moonlight / Moonless / Luna – The eternal gothic orb.
Orchid / Chrysanthemum – Flowers tied to funerals and exotic melancholy.
Wolf(e) / Raven (Bran / Branwen / Corvus) – Gothic animal motifs.
🧪 Names from Magic, Fantasy, or Alchemy
Grimoire – A book of spells.
Chalice – A sacred cup, often associated with blood rites.
Obsidian – Volcanic glass used in rituals and blades.
Inclementia / Minax / Malice / Pestilentia – Latin words for cruelty, menace, ill will, and plague.
Mortifer / Mortifera – “Bringer of death” in Latin.
🔥 Wildcards & Wickedly Creative
Felony – Sounds like “Melanie,” but means serious crime.
Malady – Not “Melody.” This one means “illness.”
Avarice / Aveira / Avon – Different words for sin or lust.
Chaos / Dystopia – Order is overrated.
Darkling / Demon / Daemon / Demona – Choose your spelling.
Evilyn – Sounds sweet, hides a sinister root.
Salem – Witch trials, anyone?
Lethe – River of forgetfulness in the Greek underworld.
Mitternacht – “Midnight” in German.
Nocturne – A musical ode to the night.
Samhain – The pagan festival of the dead (aka Halloween).
🌌 And a Few More to Love
Absinthe – Green, intoxicating, and mysterious.
Avalon – Arthurian resting place of kings.
Serpent – Symbol of knowledge and evil.
Shadow – Simple, sleek, ominous.
Xenobia – “Stranger” in Greek.
Sanctuary – A holy hiding place—or just a very poetic name.
Vesper / Vespers – Evening stars or prayers.
Final Thought
Whether you’re naming a baby, a character in your gothic novel, a black cat, or just love soaking in beautiful gloom, this list of gothic names offers a treasure trove of inspiration. Some are poetic, some are fearsome, some are elegant—and all of them prove that there’s beauty even in the dark.
Choose wisely, and may your name echo forever in the shadows. 🖤
