New on the App StoreSwipe baby names with your partner — match on names you both love.

Get the iPhone appDownload on the App Store
Nameberry Logo

Black Night And Shadowy Names

  1. Keiran
    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Kieran
    • Meaning:

      "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.
  2. Laila
    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Layla or Sami variation of Helga, Arabic or Finnish
    • Meaning:

      "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.
  3. Caliban
    • Origin:

      Romanian
    • Meaning:

      "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.
  4. Nisha
    • Origin:

      Sanskrit
    • Meaning:

      "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.
  5. Eos
    • Origin:

      Greek; Welsh
    • Meaning:

      "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.
  6. Kuro
    • Origin:

      Japanese
    • Meaning:

      "ninth son; black"
    • Description:

      Traditionally given to the ninth-born son, which is a rarity nowadays.
  7. Umbrielle
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "one in the shadow"
    • Description:

      Pretty French sound, but there might be a lot of "umbrella" cracks.
  8. Mercury
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "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.
  9. Maurice
    • Origin:

      English and French from Latin
    • Meaning:

      "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.
  10. Skadi
    • Origin:

      Old Norse
    • Meaning:

      "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.
  11. Tinuviel
    • Origin:

      Literary name
    • Meaning:

      "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".
  12. Doyle
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "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.
  13. Ciar
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "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.
  14. Inola
    • Origin:

      Cherokee
    • Meaning:

      "black fox"
    • Description:

      One of three Cherokee names with the same meaning, along with Inali and Enoli, both male names.
  15. Krishna
    • Origin:

      Sanskrit
    • Meaning:

      "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.
  16. Blakely
    • Origin:

      English surname
    • Meaning:

      "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.
  17. 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.
  18. Arianell
    • Origin:

      Welsh
    • Meaning:

      "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.
  19. Dunstan
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "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.
  20. Hazen
    • Origin:

      English, Dutch, German
    • Meaning:

      "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."

The Nameberry App Is Live

Nameberry app screenshot
Find your perfect baby name together in our iPhone app, now available on the App Store.
  • Swipe through thousands of names with your partner
  • Names you match on are saved to your shared list
  • Get personalized recommendations that learn based on your and your partner's preferences
  • Partner with friends and family to find names you all love
  • Backed by Nameberry's 20 years of data around name preferences.
Download on the App Store
Nameberry app screenshot