User-created list
Black Night And Shadowy Names
Across 11 pages
of 11
Esmeray
Turkish
"dark moon"
Lovers of Esme and Ayla might also like this beautiful Turkish name, with its mysterious, moonstruck meaning. The last syllable sounds like "rye", rather than with ray. A notable bearer was Esmeray…
Esra
Turkish
"travel at night"
This lovely Top 100 Turkish name is related to the Arabic Asra or Isra.
Hazen
English, Dutch, German
"gray, black; hare"
An androgynous alternative to Hazel, Hayes, and Hayden, Hazen is predominantly used for boys at the moment, though it has been given to a handful of girls since the 2000s. Hazen is a variation of the…
Hoku
Hawaiian
"night of the full moon"
A spirited name with major cross-cultural significance. In addition to its celestial meaning in Hawaiian, it means "rhyme" in Finnish and "congratulations" in Japanese.
Inola
Cherokee
"black fox"
One of three Cherokee names with the same meaning, along with Inali and Enoli, both male names.
Kalika
Variation of Kali, Sanskrit
"black one"
Kalika derives from the name of Kali, the Hindu goddess of destruction. It appears in the book series The Last Vampire .
Kanika
African, Mwera
"black cloth"
Energetic choice that bounces off the tongue.
Kerry
Irish
"dark, dark-haired"
Kerry is the name of one of the most beautiful and lush counties of Ireland was a seventies favorite. Related, updated versions might include Cerys and Keira.
Kiera
Irish
"little dark one"
Kiera entered the American popularity list in 1988, though it lags behind the alternate spelling Keira, largely due to the fame of actress Keira Knightley. The original Irish spelling is Ciara, the…
Kieran
Irish
"little black-haired one"
Kieran is a boys' name that could cross over, as an update of outmoded Karen or a variation on trendy Kiera (or Keira or Kyra). Keren Ann is an Israeli-born singer. The proportion of babies named…
Kiernan
Irish
"little dark one"
Kiernan Shipka, aka Sally Draper on Mad Men , brings this Irish surname into the girls' column. And, like Kieran and Tierney and Tiernan, it's one of the perfectly unisex baby names . Only 14 girls…
Koko
Japanese, Native American
"stork; night"
A funkier version of Coco that may be more appealing if you have Japanese or Native American heritage. Koko comes from the Blackfoot tribe, native to what is now Montana and Alberta, Canada.
Kolbrún
Old Norse
"black eyebrows"
Originally an epithet for someone with dark eyebrows, Kolbrún is now in the Icelandic Top 50. Kolbrún Halldórsdóttir is an Icelandic politician.
Krishna
Sanskrit
"dark, black"
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…
Lilita
Latvian
"of the night"
Latvian variant of Lilith
Maroochy
Aboriginal Australian
"black swan"
Maroochy Barambah, an Australian singer, brought this name into prominence in Australia.
Maurelle
French
"dark, elfin"
New twist to the Maur- names, a bit cosmetic sounding.
Maurice
English and French from Latin
"dark-skinned"
One of those old-mannish names that sounds a lot fresher for a girl.
Mel
Diminutive of Melanie
"black, dark"
Not one but two Spice Girls are named Mel, which led to it briefly being more popular for girls than boys in the 90s and early 00s, but it has now fallen out of favor for both sexes.
Melani
Variation of Melanie, Greek
"black, dark"
Lobbing off the final E makes Melanie more modern.