Baby Name Meanings
Names That Mean Death
Across 9 pages
of 9
Mourning
English word name
"grief, sorrow"
Mourning was recorded as a name among enslaved people in 19th-century America, where other names that capture the atrocities of slavehood — such as Suffer, Misery, and Hardtimes — were used as well.
Naenia
Latin
"incantation, lament"
A beautiful name but with a somber meaning — Naenia was the Roman goddess of funerals and lamentation.
Narfi
Norse Mythology
The name of two figures in Norse mythology: one the father of Nótt, the personification of the night; the other a son of Loki and Sigyn, who is transformed into a wolf (or killed by one, depending on…
Nekane
Basque form of Dolores
"sorrows"
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,…
Nyavka
Ukrainian
Ukrainian goddess known to be a temptress spirit. The Mavka is a long-haired figure said to lure men to their deaths
Nyx
Greek mythology name
"night"
In Greek mythology, Nyx was a powerful goddess and the embodiment of the night, giving this name a dark yet mystical feel. While some may associate too strongly with the word nix (meaning "nothing",…
Orcus
Latin from Greek
"oath"
Orcus is the Roman equivalent of the Greek Hades, god of the underworld. His name is ultimately derived from the Greek word hórkos , meaning "oath,"
Orpheus
Greek mythology name
"the darkness of the night"
Name of the legendary ancient Greek poet and musician — whose music was so beautiful it made trees dance and rivers stop to listen — would provide a child with a challenging but indelible identity.
Osiris
Egyptian
"with strong eyesight"
Osiris is the name of Egyptian mythology god-king who died and was reborn every year. Emerging from centuries of obscurity, Osiris has several ingredients for success in the modern world: Roots in…
Pluto
Greek
"rich"
The Roman god of the underworld, the former ninth planet, a cartoon dog...but not a baby.
Pomare
Tahitian
"night cough"
This gender-neutral royal name of Tahiti was inspired by the death of a child from a night cough, not the most positive reference especially in the age of Covid.
Proserpina
Variation of Proserpine, Latin
"bringer of destruction"
The Roman equivalent of Persephone, making her a goddess of spring, and queen of the underworld. Also spelled Proserpine.
Proserpine
Latin from Greek
"to emerge or bringer of destruction"
Proserpine is the Roman equivalent of the goddess Persephone, the Queen of the Underworld in Greek myth. The story of Persephone is one of the most famous in classical mythology. The daughter of…
Rambo
English surname name
Superhero names are fit for humans today, and there's no reason Rambo can't take his place among a generation of babies named Loki, Odin, and Atlas. In the eponymous movie, Rambo is the character's…
Raven
Word name
Make that bird name, and while it does work for both genders, it's far more popular for girls, via Raven Symone.
Ravenna
Italian place-name
Ravenna is a lovely, untouristed Italian place-name just waiting to be discovered. Renowned for its fantastic Byzantine mosaics, it's a city that has a rich historic and artistic heritage. Part of…
Sanna
Swedish, Finnish, Inuktitut
"lily"
If you're ready to move beyond Anna and Hannah, consider this traditional Scandinavian short form of Susanna, historically very popular in its native lands. Sanna is also a modern Inuktitut form of…
Sedna
Native American, Inuit
"goddess of the sea"
The name of the Inuit goddess of the sea, marine animals, and the underworld. There is also a dwarf planet in the outer solar system called 90377 Sedna, discovered in 2003 and named after the goddess…
Shiva
Hindu
"benign and auspicious"
Shiva is one of the principle deities of Hinduism. Shiva is the powerful god of both destruction and resurrection but is also associated as the patron god of yoga, meditation and arts. Shiva's wife…
Shivani
Hindi
"life and death"
Shivani sounds fresh and powerful.