106 Names That Mean Death for Boys & Girls

Death has been woven into names for centuries, from Norse and Greek myth to Latin roots and Gothic folklore. These are the names of shadow, dusk, and endings, and there is a strange beauty in wearing that meaning openly.

This list gathers 106 names that mean death, darkness, or decay, sorted into 38 girl names, 59 boy names, and 9 unisex picks. Each entry comes with its meaning, origin, and a little cultural context so you can tell a myth-heavy choice from a quietly somber one.

A gentle heads-up before you scroll: a few of these names carry serious religious or cultural weight, and some are even restricted in certain countries. Read up on local naming laws before one lands on a birth certificate.

38 Girl Names That Mean Death

Bless your daring little girl with one of these grim, gothic, and beautiful options.

1. Acantha – This Greek mythological name carries the sharp, prickly meaning of “thorn.”
2. Achlys – This Greek figure represents the “death mist” or the clouding of eyes that occurs before passing.
3. Ammit – This is a demon in Egyptian mythology with a terrifying meaning: “devourer of the dead.”
4. Bacia – This unusual girl name from Uganda implies that “family deaths ruined the home.”
5. Chiwa – While it sounds upbeat, this African girl name translates to “death.”
6. Cuca – Folklore describes the Cuca as a supernatural hag in Brazil; the name connects to the word “cruel.”
7. Deirdre – This Irish feminine name means “broken-hearted” or “sorrowful” and belongs to a tragic legend.
8. Desdemona – Shakespeare made this Greek name famous; it translates to “ill-fated” or “misery.”
9. Dolores – This Spanish classic means “sorrows” and offers a vintage feel despite the sad meaning.
10. Enyo – In mythology, Enyo serves as a Greek goddess of war and destruction.
11. Freyja – This Norse goddess oversaw love and beauty, but she also ruled over war and death.
12. Hel – This moniker belongs to the Norse goddess of death who ruled the underworld; it means “hidden.”
13. Izanami – Japanese mythology names her as the creator of both life and death; it means “she who invites.”
14. Juliet – This Latin girl name means “youthful,” but the character is the ultimate tragic heroine.
15. Kali – Meaning “the black one,” Kali acts as the fierce Hindu goddess of death, time, and doomsday.
16. Kalma – This Finnish name literally translates to “stench of corpses,” representing the goddess of decay.
17. Kauket – She serves as the female counterpart to Kek, the Egyptian god of “darkness.”
18. Ker – This name refers to a deadly spirit in Greek mythology and means “doom.”
19. Keres – These sisters were the Greek goddesses of violent death and doom.
20. Lefu – This short, sweet-sounding African name translates directly to “death.”
21. Libitina – She was the Roman goddess of funerals and corpses.
22. Lilith – Meaning “night monster,” Lilith traces to the Mesopotamian demoness lilitu and appears in Jewish folklore as a night demon and, in the Alphabet of Ben Sira, Adam’s defiant first wife.
23. Lorelei – German legend tells of Lorelei, a Rhine siren who lured boatmen onto the rocks; her name means “murmuring rock.”
24. Louhi – This figure from Finnish mythology is a powerful witch and the mistress of the underworld.
25. Mallory – This French surname-turned-first-name means “unfortunate” or “ill-omened.”
26. Mania – This Etruscan figure served as the goddess of the dead, spirits, and chaos.
27. Mara – In Buddhist tradition, Mara is the demon of death and temptation; the name also means “bitter” in Hebrew, the title grieving Naomi took in the Bible.
28. Marama – This Polynesian goddess of death also means “moon” in Maori.
29. Marzanna – This Polish girl name belongs to a Slavic goddess of winter and death.
30. Morana – She is a Slavic goddess of death and winter, sharing roots with the word “mortality.”
31. Morrigan – This Irish goddess of war and fate often appeared as a crow; the name means “great queen.”
32. Morticia – Pop culture links this name to The Addams Family matriarch; it derives from “mortician.”
33. Naenia – This unique moniker refers to the Roman goddess of funerals and means “dirge” or “incantation.”
34. Nephthys – This Egyptian goddess of mourning and the night has a name meaning “lady of the house.”
35. Omisha – This Hindi girl name translates to “goddess of birth and death.”
36. Pele – While known as the creator of lands, this Hawaiian goddess of volcanoes also brings fiery destruction.
37. Persephone – This Greek name means “bringer of destruction” and belongs to the queen of the underworld.
38. Proserpina – She served as the Roman queen of the underworld, though her name ironically means “to emerge.”

59 Boy Names That Mean Death

Your future son will sound mysterious and cool with one of these fascinating names associated with death.

1. Abaddon – This powerful Hebrew boy name means “destruction” or “ruin.”
2. Abchanchu – Legends describe this Bolivian vampire as a shapeshifter who lures victims to their death.
3. Aita – This Etruscan god of the underworld wears a wolf-skin cap and leads the dead.
4. Akuji – This African boy name carries the contradictory meaning of “dead and awake.”
5. Anpu – This is the original Egyptian name for Anubis, the god of death.
6. Anubis – Famous in pop culture, this ancient Egyptian god of the dead oversaw mummification.
7. Apollo – Though tied to the sun, the Greeks linked Apollo’s name to the verb apollymi, “to destroy,” fitting the god who sent plagues with his arrows.
8. Ares – The Greek god of war brings “ruin” and destruction wherever he goes.
9. Azrael – He is the Angel of Death in Islamic and Jewish tradition who separates souls from bodies.
10. Azvameth – This unique biblical name carries the strong meaning of “strength of death.”
11. Belial – This Hebrew term appears in the Bible to describe wickedness; it means “worthless.”
12. Cain – Biblical stories name him the first murderer; the name itself means “acquired” in Hebrew.
13. Cerberus – This famous three-headed dog from Greek mythology guarded the gates of the underworld.
14. Chernobog – This Slavic deity is the “black god” associated with darkness, cold, and misfortune.
15. Clay – While an English occupational name, it reminds us of the earth we return to; mortals are “clay.”
16. Dáinn – This distinct name from Norse mythology literally translates to “dead.”
17. Damien – While it means “to tame,” pop culture links this name to the antichrist in The Omen.
18. Dante – This Italian boy name means “enduring,” but the poet Dante famously described the circles of Hell.
19. Dev – This short name doubles as a root tied to “devil” or “demon” in some traditions.
20. Diablo – This is the direct Spanish word for “devil” and makes a bold statement.
21. Djall – In Albanian folklore, Djall is the personification of evil and the devil.
22. Dracula – Bram Stoker made this name famous; it means “son of the dragon.”
23. Duncan – This Gaelic masculine name means “dark warrior” and carries a shadowy aura.
24. Enma – This is the Japanese name for Yama, the Buddhist judge of the dead.
25. Ernesh – This Indian name refers to the Lord of Death.
26. Flanagan – This Irish surname-turned-first-name holds the grim meaning of “blood red.”
27. Gunnar – This strong Norse name means “war warrior” and implies battle and death.
28. Hadeon – This rare name echoes Hades, the Greek lord of the underworld.
29. Hades – He is the Greek god of the underworld; the name means “unseen.”
30. Hannibal – While it means “grace of Baal,” fiction links it forever to the serial killer Hannibal Lecter.
31. Iblis – In Islamic tradition, Iblis is the primary devil and leader of wicked spirits.
32. Jabez – This biblical boy’s name means “sorrow” or “he makes sorrow.”
33. Kek – This short name belongs to the ancient Egyptian god of the darkness before creation.
34. Loki – The Norse trickster god often caused death and chaos; his name means “knot” or “lock.”
35. Lucifer – This Latin name means “light-bringer,” but it is synonymous with Satan in Christianity.
36. Mabuz – Arthurian legends name Mabuz as the lord of the “castle of the dead.”
37. Medjed – This minor Egyptian deity is known as “The Smiter” and looks like a sheet ghost.
38. Mors – This is the literal Latin word for “death” and the personification of it.
39. Mortimer – This distinguished English name translates to “dead sea” or “still water.”
40. Mot – In ancient Canaanite religion, Mot was the god of death and infertility.
41. Necro – The Greek prefix “necro-” relates directly to death and corpses.
42. Odin – The supreme Norse god is associated with war, death, and the “frenzy” of battle.
43. Orcus – This Roman god of the underworld punished broken oaths.
44. Osiris – He served as the beloved Egyptian god of the afterlife, death, and resurrection.
45. Pluto – The Roman god of the underworld bore this name, which means “wealth” or “rich.”
46. Ravana – This demon king from Hindu mythology has a name meaning “roaring.”
47. Romeo – Shakespeare’s tragedy makes this name synonymous with dying for love.
48. Samael – This archangel in Talmudic lore serves as an accuser and destroyer; it means “venom of God.”
49. Sephtis – This Persian male name carries the heavy meaning of “eternal death.”
50. Shinigami – These are Japanese death spirits or gods that invite humans toward death.
51. Tavarious – This modern American creation carries meanings linked to “misfortune.”
52. Teivel – This evil-sounding name means “devil” in Yiddish.
53. Thanatos – Thanatos is the winged personification of death in Greek mythology, son of Nyx (Night) and twin brother of Hypnos, god of sleep.
54. Tuoni – This name belongs to the god of the underworld in Finnish mythology.
55. Tuwile – This Kenyan name carries the ominous meaning that “death is invincible.”
56. Ubel – This German word translates directly to “evil.”
57. Vlad – History links this Slavic name, meaning “to rule,” to Vlad the Impaler (Dracula).
58. Voldemort – J.K. Rowling invented this name for her villain; it loosely translates to “flight of death.”
59. Yama – He reigns as the Hindu god of death and justice; the name means “twin.”

9 Unisex Names That Mean Death

These gender-neutral death names suit any little goth-in-training.

1. Daeva – In Zoroastrianism, a daeva is a demon or evil spirit that causes chaos.
2. Ghost – This bold English word name calls up a lingering spirit, a rare and eerie pick that needs no translation.
3. Hemlock – This poisonous plant famously killed Socrates; it makes a sharp nature name.
4. Kennedy – While popular, the name means “misshapen head,” and the family history is tragic.
5. Kritanta – This Sanskrit name works for both genders and means “god of death.”
6. Mort – This old-school nickname comes from the Latin word for death.
7. Onyx – Onyx comes from the Greek word for “claw” or “fingernail”; the banded black gemstone has long been tied to mourning and protection.
8. Raven – Folklore often depicts this bird as a messenger of death or bad omens.
9. Reaper – This unisex name refers directly to the Grim Reaper who harvests souls.

Death Names FAQs

What Names Directly Mean Death?

Several names directly name or personify death. Thanatos is the Greek personification of death, Mors is the Latin word and Roman deity for death, and Anubis is the Egyptian god of death and the afterlife. Kali, the Hindu goddess, is also linked to death and destruction.

What Are Some Evil Names in Different Languages?

Several names mean “evil” or “devil” across languages. Übel is German for “evil,” Teivel means “devil” in Yiddish, Diablo is Spanish for “devil,” and Malvolio is a literary name meaning “ill will.”

What Names Mean Darkness?

A few strong names mean darkness. Duncan is a classic choice meaning “dark warrior,” Ciara is Irish for “dark,” Kek is the Egyptian god of darkness, and Erebus is the Greek primordial deity of darkness.

What Are Some Japanese Names Associated With Death?

Several Japanese names connect to death. Shinigami means “god of death” or death spirit, Enma is the judge of the underworld, and Izanami is the goddess of both creation and death.

Which Names Mean Destroyer?

A handful of names mean “destroyer.” Apollyon is Greek for “destroyer,” Persephone means “bringer of destruction,” and Gideon translates to “feller” or “destroyer” in Hebrew.

Are There Names That Mean Blood?

Yes, several names relate to blood. Flanagan means “blood red” in Irish, Muhajah is Arabic for “heart’s blood” or “soul,” and Ha is a Vietnamese name tied to vitality and blood flow.

What Names Are Associated With Vampires?

Several names carry vampire lore. Beyond Dracula, there is Vlad (the Impaler), Ambrose (meaning “immortal”), and Lazar (from Lazarus, raised from the dead). Female options include Carmilla and Selene.

What Is a Name That Means Ghost?

A few names translate directly to “ghost” or “spirit.” Spiridon means “spirit,” Alma means “soul” or “spirit,” and Phantom works as a word name. Caspian is often linked to the friendly ghost, though it actually refers to the sea.

Is It Bad Luck to Give a Baby a Death Name?

It depends entirely on your beliefs. Some cultures view naming a child after death as inviting misfortune, while others believe “scary” names ward off evil spirits and protect the child. Luck here is subjective.