Names That Mean Death

Unusual and rhythmic, Macaria is the feminine form of the ancient Greek Makarios or the Latinized Macarius. It could be an unexpected way to get to cool nickname Mac, without using Mackenzie, Mackinley, and similar.

The Lithuanian form of Martha.

Also associated with Morta, the Roman goddess of death.

Derived from Cornish brano, meaning "crow; raven".

Anput is the ancient Egyptian goddess of the dead; the female counterpart to the god Anubis.

In Greek mythology, the Keres were female death spirits; goddesses who personified violent deaths and were drawn to bloody deaths on battlefields.

The eponymous character in an Edgar Allan Poe ghost story, gothic Morella was likely based on Latin mors ("death") or Greek mauros ("black"). It’s also a subtle nature name, being an alternative name for the poisonous black nightshade plant.

Yes, Yew is a tree name, but it's similarity to "you" makes it a potentially problematic choice as a first name.

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 single year. York has only ever charted as a girl name twice: in 2018, when it was given to five baby girls, and in 2020 to six girls.

Hela, another name for Hel, is the Norse goddess of death and the underworld. The Hela form has been appropriated by Marvel for its goddess of death.

Lachesis is one of the three Fates of Greek Mythology. She and her sisters determined life from birth to death—Lachesis controlled the length of one's life. We think her Roman name, Decima, is more baby name worthy.

Morty is a masculine name primarily used as a familiar diminutive of Morton or Mortimer, both of which have Old English and French origins meaning 'dead water' or 'still water.' With its friendly, approachable sound, Morty projects a warm, unpretentious character. The name gained some recognition through various pop culture references, including characters in television shows and films. Though rarely used as a formal given name on birth certificates, Morty has maintained modest recognition as a nickname throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. It carries a somewhat vintage quality that evokes mid-20th century Americana, often associated with a friendly, avuncular personality. The name has experienced occasional small surges in interest connected to popular media characters.

The mythological story of Minthe goes that she attempted to seduce Hades, god of the underworld. In an act of revenge, his wife Persephone transformed Minthe into the mint plant. In Ancient Greece, mint was commonly associated with funerals and the afterlife, both for its scent-masking properties and Minthe's connection to Hades.

A name from Irish history and legend, deriving from the Gaelic word for the raven. Uncommon in contemporary Ireland, although the related name Fiachra is a Top 250 choice there.

Form of Ivar most common in Estonia.

A pretty Roman name, but unfortunately also the English vocabulary word mania. Spelling it Manya would avoid the issue.

The name of the ferrymen of dead souls to the Greek underworld and the name of Pluto's desolate moon, Charon makes an interesting, if somewhat macabre, choice for a baby. There are two pronunciations of this name, depending on whether you're referring to the ferryman or the moon. While the Greek version is pronounced with a hard "k" sound, the astronomer who named the moon did not know about the Greek myth - he named the moon after his wife Charlene, so many astronomers pronounce it with a "sh" sound.

With word names, almost anything goes. But maybe not Ghost, unless you're naming a white dog.

Nekane is the decidedly modern, upbeat-sounding Basque form of the sorrowful and dated Spanish Dolores. Basque names, largely unknown in English-speaking countries, offer a fresh lexicon of names, and Nekane is one of the more appealing. An interesting update for Nicole.

Morena is the goddess of seasonal rites and rebirth worshipped in Central Europe.