Baby Name Meanings
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 9 pages
of 9
Persian
"sea"
Tiamat is a goddess of the sea worshipped in ancient Mesopotamia, also seen as the creator goddess in some texts.
English
"yew-tree valley"
A secret nature name for boys.
Variation of Valhalla, English from Norse
"the slain hall"
A rare spelling variation of the Norse mythological name Valhalla — the great hall which housed slain heroes who were to fight the battles of Ragnarök.
English from Norse
In Norse mythology, Valhalla was the great hall that welcomes heroes who died in battle. The residents of Valhalla were hand-picked by Odin, for they were to help him during Ragnarök. Valhalla…
Old Norse
"chooser of the slain"
Valkyrja is the Old Norse word from which "valkyrie" is derived. In Norse mythology, a valkyrja (or valkyrie) would choose the men who would die in combat. The valkyries (who were always female)…
Lithuanian deity
God of the underworld in Lithuanian mythology, known as "the phantom of the dead". He is a one-eyed, prophetic trickster capable of raising whirlwinds and leading the host of the dead through the…
Proto-Slavic deity
God of cattle, earth, and the underworld worshipped in Slavic areas. He is considered the opponent of the thunder god Perun, and is imagined as a dragon-like figure — resembling a cross between a…
Nature name
Yes, Yew is a tree name, but it's similarity to "you" makes it a potentially problematic choice as a first name.
Yoruba
"virgin, pure"
In Yoruba mythology from Nigeria, Yewa is a goddess of virginity and death, said to reside in a graveyard.
Dutch diminutive of Yvonne, French
"yew wood"
Think of Yfke as a cooler Yvonne, or a more unusual Eva. The Frisian name is rarely heard beyond the Netherlands.
Norse
"Odin's horse"
The sacred giant tree Yggdrasil or Yggdrasill in Norse mythology is a world tree which supports all else in the universe, including the many different realms. It is said that Odin once hanged himself…
"from the yew estate"
York is one of those names that's always been around but has never gone anywhere. There are records of baby Yorks born in 1880, yet since then it has never been given to more than 20 children in a…
Brisk, preppy York is an underused classic with the potential to really shine in the 21st century. It's most familiar as a place name — York is a city in England — and surname. New York City and…
Japanese
"grief; gentle"
Yuta Okkotsu is a major character in the anime series Jujutsu Kaisen . The kanji used in the Japanese manga give his name the meaning "grief," in reference to the loss of his dear childhood friend,…
Hebrew
"ruin, destruction"
An uncommon biblical name, Abaddon is the name of an angel of abyss in the New Testament. A totally cool name for a fictional character perhaps, though on a child it might be too reminiscent of the…
Invented name
Zeldris is a demon character — also known as the Prince of Darkness — on the anime series Nanatsu no Taizai (or The Seven Deadly Sins ). His name debuted on the American charts in 2021, when it was…
Greek
"river name"
A real Greek river, believe in ancient times to lead to the Underworld. It has been in (rare) use as a boy name from 2010 onwards, coinciding with the rising interest in mythological names.
"dark mists"
The personified spirit of death mists, the clouding of the eyes preceding death —Achlys also may have been a goddess of deadly poisons.
Estonian variation of Ivar, Norse
"yew wood, archer"
Form of Ivar most common in Estonia.
"dead and awake; bad deeds"
A name from the 1999 video game, Akuji the Heartless , this invented choice is borne by a playable voodoo priest and warrior, who is cursed to wander the Underworld after his heart was ripped out on…
