Black Night And Shadowy Names
- Keiran
Origin:
Spelling variation of KieranMeaning:
"little dark one"Description:
While Kieran is the class and most-used male form of this name, some people spell it Keiran in keeping with the female Keira, the version popularized by the gorgeous Ms. Knightley.
- Laila
Origin:
Spelling variation of Layla or Sami variation of Helga, Arabic or FinnishMeaning:
"night; holy"Description:
Beguiling and lovely, Laila is one of the lilting variations of Leila and Layla. It's the name of the former-boxer daughter of Muhammad Ali and of actor Shawn Wayans. In Finland, the Sami people use this in place of the Scandinavian name Helga.
- Caliban
Origin:
RomanianMeaning:
"black"Description:
In Shakespeare's The Tempest, Caliban is the name of the deformed son of a witch: not the greatest literary reference for a child. But Caliban does have an appealing international-yet-accessible feel and a rhythmic sound. As long as nobody knows its origin, it might make a great name for a boy or even a girl.
- Nisha
Origin:
SanskritMeaning:
"night"Description:
Simple but sophisticated, Nisha is a pretty Sanskrit choice that hit the popularity charts in England in the late 1990s. The meaning "night" adds a slightly mystical element to name and it is a hugely popular choice in India, used across multiple languages.
- Eos
Origin:
Greek; WelshMeaning:
"dawn; nightingale"Description:
Eos -- that's pronounced with a short e like eros without the r -- is the Greek Titan of the dawn. Any ancient name with a sleek modern feel has definite revival possibilities. Eos could be an inventive way to honor grandma Dawn.
- Kuro
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"ninth son; black"Description:
Traditionally given to the ninth-born son, which is a rarity nowadays.
- Umbrielle
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"one in the shadow"Description:
Pretty French sound, but there might be a lot of "umbrella" cracks.
- Mercury
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"Roman messenger god"Description:
Adventurous parents are starting to look back to names of ancient gods like Mercury, Zeus, and Apollo. This one is also a planet and a metallic element, and has a friendly nickname, Merc. The Roman god Mercury, which derives from the Latin words for trade or wages, is the patron of tradesmen and travelers and the fastest-moving planet in the solar system. Mercury is the planet associated with the sign of Virgo, so this is one of the prime names for Virgo babies.
- Maurice
Origin:
English and French from LatinMeaning:
"dark-skinned"Description:
In the USA, Maurice was in the Top 200 for most of the 20th century; since 1990, however, it has been on a slow and steady decline. This name has the potential for some old-school cute nicknames such as Mo as well as the more trendy Reece.
- Skadi
Origin:
Old NorseMeaning:
"shadow, harm"Description:
Skadi is an anglicized spelling of Skaði, a Scandinavian goddess associated with winter, skiing, bowhunting and mountains. This mythological choice is enjoying the limelight of names like Odin and Thor: it first appeared in the US charts in 2017 and is given to a few more girls each year.
- Tinuviel
Origin:
Literary nameMeaning:
"Daughter of the twilight / nightingale"Description:
Lúthien Tinúviel is an elf princess in J. R. R. Tolkien’s legendarium, who falls in love with a mortal human, Beren, and chooses to become mortal herself rather than to live without him. Tinúviel is a Sindarin name given to her by Beren, meaning "daughter of twilight" and therefore "nightingale".
- Doyle
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"black stranger"Description:
An Irish surname possibility for those who like Daley, Royal, Dougal, and Dolan, though it may sound too much like doily to catch on for modern boys. Nevertheless, it was fairly well used in the 20th century, popular in the 30s, 40s, and 50s when it reached the Top 200 at one point.
- Ciar
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"dark"Description:
Now that the Irish Ciaran and Ciara -- aka Kieran and Kiera -- are becoming more popular beyond their native shores, the short and strong Ciar might find some favor. As of now, more than 160 baby girls were named Ciara in the US last year, with half that many boys named Ciaran, but so far no baby boys named Ciar, though 17 were called Keir.
- Inola
Origin:
CherokeeMeaning:
"black fox"Description:
One of three Cherokee names with the same meaning, along with Inali and Enoli, both male names.
- Krishna
Origin:
SanskritMeaning:
"dark, black"Description:
Krishna, in Hindu tradition, was the human incarnation of the god Vishnu, a heroic figure representing love, protection, tenderness and joy. Meaning "dark, black, dark blue" in from Sanskrit, Krishna is a major Hindu deity whose birthday is celebrated every year.
- Blakely
Origin:
English surnameMeaning:
"dark wood or clearing"Description:
Blakely, along with Blakeley, Blakelee and Blakeleigh, is one of the post-Ashley surname names that end with the lee sound so stylish today. Reality stars Trista and Ryan Sutter named their daughter Blakesley. These surname-names are among the most stylish English names for girls.
- Sura
Origin:
Thai, Yiddish, Romanian, Arabic "brave, princess, grey, to travel by night"Meaning:
"brave, princess, grey, to travel by night"Description:
This pretty multicultural name makes a pleasant update to Sarah.
- Arianell
Origin:
WelshMeaning:
"silver + yellow; silver + shining"Description:
This early Welsh saint's name is unusual and lovely, waiting to be discovered. Saint Arianell was a member of the Welsh royal family who was possessed by a spirit which was exorcised by Saint Dyfrig, who became Arianell's spiritual teacher.
- Dunstan
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"dark stone"Description:
A two-syllable surname feel puts this name of an important English saint in the running -- though it could sound like a confused cross between Duncan and Dustin.
- Hazen
Origin:
English, Dutch, GermanMeaning:
"gray, black; hare"Description:
Hazen is a variation of the Dutch surname Hasin, which has two separate origins. The first is as a nickname for Haso, a Germanic given name derived from haswa, meaning "gray" or "black." Hasin was also a variation of Haas, a Dutch and German surname meaning "hare."
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