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Halloween Names

  1. Sukie

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Susan

    • Description:

      This centuries-old nickname feels fresher and more modern today than Susie or Sue. A good short form if you're tempted by Susan, Susanna, or Susannah; another spelling is Sukey.
  2. Hannibal

    • Origin:

      Punic and Assyrian

    • Meaning:

      "grace of Baal, god of fertility and fortune"

    • Description:

      These days, it's thought of less as the name of the great general and more as the first name of Lecter the fictional cannibal. Either association is too heavy for a child to bear.
  3. Faun

    • Description:

      Faun is a delicate feminine name derived from Roman mythology, where fauns were woodland deities or nature spirits, often depicted as half-human, half-goat creatures similar to the Greek satyrs. The name evokes images of enchanted forests, mystical creatures, and a connection to the natural world. In literature, fauns have been portrayed as playful, musical beings, adding to the name's artistic associations. As a personal name, Faun has remained quite rare, appealing to parents drawn to uncommon mythological names with a whimsical quality. The name's brevity and soft sound give it an ethereal, graceful quality. Faun may also appeal to nature-loving parents seeking a subtle botanical or woodland-inspired name that references the magic and mystery of the natural world.

  4. Hitch

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Hitchcock

    • Description:

      The charming Hitch played by Will Smith in the eponymous movie put this into the lexicon. Also known as the nickname of director Alfred Hitchcock and writer Christopher Hitchens, who titled his autobiography "Hitch."
  5. Magic

    • Origin:

      Word name

    • Description:

      A name that's appeared out of thin air, in the same vein as such mystical favorites as Destiny and Nevaeh.
  6. Elly

    • Description:

      Elly is a charming feminine name that functions both as a standalone name and as a diminutive for several longer names including Eleanor, Elizabeth, Ellen, Eloise, and Eliana. With English and Greek origins, its root meaning connects to 'light' or 'shining one' through its connection to these longer forms. Elly has a friendly, approachable quality with its cheerful sound and simple spelling. While not typically ranking among the most popular names, it has maintained steady usage throughout the decades. The name strikes a perfect balance between feeling familiar and yet not overly common. Its brevity makes it practical and unpretentious, while still carrying the elegant heritage of its longer counterparts.

  7. Eglantine

    • Origin:

      French and English botanical name

    • Meaning:

      "sweetbriar"

    • Description:

      This name for the sweetbriar shrub is a bit too reminiscent of eggplant, but it does have literary creds, having appeared in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. The French form Églantine appeared in the charts in the first half of the 20th century and again in the 2000s.
  8. Laurie

    • Origin:

      English, diminutive of Laura

    • Meaning:

      "from Laurentum or bay laurel"

    • Description:

      Laurie morphed into the more streamlined Lori in the sixties but now feels dated for a girl in either spelling. Update Lauren has been renovated as Laurel or Laura itself.
  9. Mandy

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Amanda

    • Description:

      Nickname left over from the last generation.
  10. Magic

    • Origin:

      Word name

    • Description:

      For basketball fans, in honor of Magic Johnson. Or anyone who believes in magic.
  11. Roc

    • Origin:

      Arabic mythical name; Catalan form of Rocco

    • Meaning:

      "rest"

    • Description:

      An earthy rock'n'roll name with multiple origins. The Roc was a giant bird in Middle Eastern legend.
  12. Hamlet

    • Origin:

      Anglicized form of Danish, Amleth

    • Description:

      The "To Be or Not to Be" jokes, via Shakespeare's tortured prince, will get old by Month Two.
  13. Luxifer

    • Origin:

      Variation of Lucifer, Latin

    • Meaning:

      "light bearer"

    • Description:

      Lucifer not cool enough for you? Then you might want to pivot to this arguably badder-boy alternative with the X in the middle. Bonus advantage: Nickname Lux.
  14. Treat

    • Origin:

      English word and nickname

    • Description:

      One of the magical words of childhood (and beyond), and associated with actor Treat (born Richard) Williams, whose nickname came from ancestor Robert Treat Williams, a signer of the Declaration of Independence.
  15. Malkin

    • Origin:

      English diminutive of Maud or Matilda, German

    • Meaning:

      "battle mighty"

    • Description:

      Malkin is medieval short form of Maud or Matilda, popular in the Middle Ages. The name later developed folkloric associations, sometimes referring to a female cat (particularly a green-eyed one) or a witch's familiar in English folklore. In Shakespeare's time, 'grimalkin' referred to an old female cat or a fiery woman.
  16. Alcathoe

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "strong, swift, and nimble"

    • Description:

      In Greek mythology, Alcathoe is one of the Minyades, three sisters who appear in a story about the dangers of not worshipping Dionysius. When the sisters refused to join in with the revelry and celebrations of the god, Dionysius appeared to them as a bull, a lion, and a panther, eventually driving the sisters to madness. They roamed the mountains in a destructive frenzy until Hermes took pity on them and turned them into bats.
  17. Lon

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Alonzo

    • Meaning:

      "noble, ready"

    • Description:

      For older generations this still summons silent horror star Chaney; for others it's a pleasant if slight nickname name.
  18. Nemain

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "venomous, poison"

    • Description:

      Also spelled Nemaine, Neman or Nemhain, Nemain derives from Irish mythology, given to the fairy spirit of havoc of war. She is possibly an aspect of the trio of goddesses known as the Morrígan.
  19. Virva

    • Origin:

      Finnish

    • Meaning:

      "will o' the wisp"

    • Description:

      Mystical and mysterious, but with grounded sounds, Virva is a name of Finnish origin, derived from the word virvatuli meaning "will o' the wisp". In folklore, will o' the wisps are floating orbs of bluish light, appearing above water and marshes in the dark, then disappearing when travellers approach them. Sometimes said to lure the unwary into danger, in Finnish folklore specifically, they are they are claimed to mark the places where faerie gold is buried.