Discover 100 beautiful baby names meaning dark. Explore names that embody Dark and mysterious from diverse cultures and traditions.
This name derives from the Old English surname from the byname “Cola and Charcoal,” from the Old English “col,” from the Proto-Germanic “*kulą,” meaning “coal.” Charcoal is a light, black residue consisting of carbon and any remaining ash, obtained by removing water and other volatile constituents from animal and vegetation substances. In turn, the name means “a person with dark features.”
Origin: old english (anglo-saxon)
This name derives from the Old English surname from the byname “Cola and Charcoal,” from the Old English “col,” from the Proto-Germanic “*kulą,” meaning “coal.” Charcoal is a light, black residue consisting of carbon and any remaining ash, obtained by removing water and other volatile constituents from animal and vegetation substances. In turn, the name means “a person with dark features.”
Origin: old english (anglo-saxon)
This name derives from the Old High German “raban,” from the Proto-Germanic “*hrabnaz” (Old Norse: hrafn; Old Saxon: hravan; Old English: hræfn), meaning “raven.” In turn, the name means “a thieving person or a dark-haired person.” Raven, by the way, is a unisex given name in the English language. In the United States of America, the name is more commonly used as a feminine name and has ranked amongst the top 1,000 female names given to baby girls since 1977.
Origin: germanic
This name derives from the Old English (Anglo-Saxon) “fox glōfa,” composed of two elements: “fox” (red fox) plus “glōfa” (glove, flat of the hand, palm). In turn, the name means “foxglove.” Foxglove is also a genus of about 20 species of herbaceous biennials from the Old World (Europe) sure to be appreciated for their dark pink flashy flowers.
Origin: old english (anglo-saxon)
This name means “battle of dark results.” It derives from the Ancient Germanic (Latinized) name “Griseldis,” composed of two elements: “*grēwaz,” meaning “grey, aged, very old man, sand” plus “*hildiz,” meaning “battle, fight.” This was the name of a patient wife in medieval tales by Boccaccio and Chaucer. Griselda is a “dramma per musica” in three acts that were composed by Antonio Vivaldi. The opera uses a revised version of the 1701 Italian libretto by Apostolo Zeno based on Giovanni Boccaccio’s The Decameron (X, 10, ‘The Patient Griselda’).
Origin: germanic
This name means “moor, dark-skinned.” It is a name of ethnic origin, derived from the Latin “Maurus,” meaning “belonging to the people of the Moors,” who lived in the region of Africa called “Mauretania,” which extended from Algeria and came to Morocco and northern Mauritania. Probably the Romans gave them this name because of the dark color of the skin, in fact, amaurós (ἀμαυρός) in Greek means “moor, dark,” also the meaning of amáurosi (αμαύρωση), browning, burnishing (burned or tanned). Saint Maurus was the first disciple of St. Benedict of Nursia (512–584). The Life recounts the long journey of St. Maurus and his companions from Italy to France, accompanied by many adventures and miracles as St. Maurus is transformed from the youthful disciple of Benedict into a powerful, miracle-working holy man in his own right.
Origin: greek
The origin of this name is still today quite uncertain. The theories include: 1) From the Latin “moneō,” which in turn derives from the Proto-Italic “*moneō,” meaning “warn, advise, remind.” 2) From the Ancient Greek “mónos (μόνος),” meaning “unique, alone, nun, solitary, hermit.” 3) An ancient name of North African origin whose etymology is unknown. The first reference to the name is found in the ancient numerical inscriptions. Numidia (202–46 BC) was an ancient Berber kingdom in modern-day Algeria and a smaller part of western Tunisia in North Africa. The name might include a reference to the ancient Libyan god “mon,” from Egyptian mythology “Amon” king of the gods. Saint Monica (AD 331–387) was the mother of Augustine of Hippo; she is venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church, which commemorates her on 27 August. Of Berber ethnicity, she was born into a profoundly Christian family with the right economic conditions. She was allowed to study and took advantage of it to read the “Bible” and meditate on it. Famous Christian legends recall Saint Monica weeping every night for her son Augustine.
Origin: latin
The origin of this name is still today quite uncertain. The theories include: 1) From the Latin “moneō,” which in turn derives from the Proto-Italic “*moneō,” meaning “warn, advise, remind.” 2) From the Ancient Greek “mónos (μόνος),” meaning “unique, alone, nun, solitary, hermit.” 3) An ancient name of North African origin whose etymology is unknown. The first reference to the name is found in the ancient numerical inscriptions. Numidia (202–46 BC) was an ancient Berber kingdom in modern-day Algeria and a smaller part of western Tunisia in North Africa. The name might include a reference to the ancient Libyan god “mon,” from Egyptian mythology “Amon” king of the gods. Saint Monica (AD 331–387) was the mother of Augustine of Hippo; she is venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church, which commemorates her on 27 August. Of Berber ethnicity, she was born into a profoundly Christian family with the right economic conditions. She was allowed to study and took advantage of it to read the “Bible” and meditate on it. Famous Christian legends recall Saint Monica weeping every night for her son Augustine.
Origin: latin
This name derives from the Ancient Greek “Spártē (Σπᾰ́ρτη) Spártakos (Σπάρτακος),” meaning “rope, cord made from Spartos, a type of broom, from the city of Sparta.” Spartacus was a Thracian gladiator, who, along with the Gauls Crixus, Oenomaus, Castus, and Gannicus, was one of the slave leaders in the Third Servile War, a major slave uprising against the Roman Republic. The name Spartacus is otherwise attested in the Black Sea region: kings of the Thracian dynasty of the Cimmerian Bosporus and Pontus are known to have borne it, and a Thracian “Sparta, Spardacus or Sparadokos,” father of Seuthes I of the Odrysae, is also known.
Origin: attic greek
This name derives from the Latin “Laurentum” (wreathed/crowned with laurel), which in turn derives from “laurus,” meaning “laurel, from the place of laurel trees, laurel branch, laurel wreath.” Laurentum was an ancient Roman city of Latium situated between Ostia and Lavinium, on the west coast of the Italian Peninsula southwest of Rome. Laurence (Laurentius) was the second Archbishop of Canterbury from about 604 to 619. He was a member of the Gregorian mission sent from Italy to England to Christianize the Anglo-Saxons from their native Anglo-Saxon paganism, although the date of his arrival is disputed. San Lorenzo “St. Lawrence” is also linked to the night of the falling stars.
Origin: latin
This name derives from the Hebrew “Ḥām”, meaning “hot” or “burnt.” According to the Hebrew Bible, Ham was one of the sons of Noah and the father of Cush, Mizraim, Phut, and Canaan, who is interpreted as having populated Africa and adjoining parts of Asia. Since the 17th-century, a number of suggestions have been made that relate the name Ham to a Hebrew word for burnt, black, or hot, to an Egyptian word for servant, or the Egyptian word “Kmt” for Egypt.
Origin: hebrew
This name derives from the Ancient Greek “órthros (ὄρθρος),” meaning “morning light, early dawn, early morning, day-break.” In Greek mythology, Orthrus was, according to the mythographer Apollodorus, a two-headed dog who guarded Geryon’s cattle and was killed by Heracles. According to Hesiod, Orthrus was the Sphinx father and the Nemean Lion, though who Hesiod meant as the mother, whether Echidna, the Chimera, or Ceto, is unclear. In the Byzantine Rite of the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Eastern Catholic Churches, Orthros is the last of the four-night offices, including vespers, compline, and midnight office.
Origin: greek
This name derives from the Ancient Greek “Nýx (Νύξ),” which in turn derives from “núx (νῠ́ξ)“ meaning “night.” In Greek mythology, Nýx is the Greek goddess (or personification) of the night. A shadowy figure, Nyx stood at or near the beginning of creation and mothered other personified deities such as Hypnos (Sleep) and Thanatos (Death), with Erebus (Darkness). In 1997, the International Astronomical Union approved Nyx's name for a mountain/peak on the planet Venus.
Origin: greek
This name derives from the Ancient Greek “Nýx (Νύξ),” which in turn derives from “núx (νῠ́ξ)“ meaning “night.” In Greek mythology, Nýx is the Greek goddess (or personification) of the night. A shadowy figure, Nyx stood at or near the beginning of creation and mothered other personified deities such as Hypnos (Sleep) and Thanatos (Death), with Erebus (Darkness). In 1997, the International Astronomical Union approved Nyx's name for a mountain/peak on the planet Venus.
Origin: greek
This name derives from the Latin “Laurentum” (wreathed/crowned with laurel), which in turn derives from “laurus,” meaning “laurel, from the place of laurel trees, laurel branch, laurel wreath.” Laurentum was an ancient Roman city of Latium situated between Ostia and Lavinium, on the west coast of the Italian Peninsula southwest of Rome. Laurence (Laurentius) was the second Archbishop of Canterbury from about 604 to 619. He was a member of the Gregorian mission sent from Italy to England to Christianize the Anglo-Saxons from their native Anglo-Saxon paganism, although the date of his arrival is disputed. San Lorenzo “St. Lawrence” is also linked to the night of the falling stars.
Origin: latin
This name derives from the Ancient Greek “Nýx (Νύξ),” which in turn derives from “núx (νῠ́ξ)“ meaning “night.” In Greek mythology, Nýx is the Greek goddess (or personification) of the night. A shadowy figure, Nyx stood at or near the beginning of creation and mothered other personified deities such as Hypnos (Sleep) and Thanatos (Death), with Erebus (Darkness). In 1997, the International Astronomical Union approved Nyx's name for a mountain/peak on the planet Venus.
Origin: greek
This name derives from the Latin “Laurentum” (wreathed/crowned with laurel), which in turn derives from “laurus,” meaning “laurel, from the place of laurel trees, laurel branch, laurel wreath.” Laurentum was an ancient Roman city of Latium situated between Ostia and Lavinium, on the west coast of the Italian Peninsula southwest of Rome. Laurence (Laurentius) was the second Archbishop of Canterbury from about 604 to 619. He was a member of the Gregorian mission sent from Italy to England to Christianize the Anglo-Saxons from their native Anglo-Saxon paganism, although the date of his arrival is disputed. San Lorenzo “St. Lawrence” is also linked to the night of the falling stars.
Origin: latin
The origin of this name is still today quite uncertain. The theories include: 1) From the Latin “moneō,” which in turn derives from the Proto-Italic “*moneō,” meaning “warn, advise, remind.” 2) From the Ancient Greek “mónos (μόνος),” meaning “unique, alone, nun, solitary, hermit.” 3) An ancient name of North African origin whose etymology is unknown. The first reference to the name is found in the ancient numerical inscriptions. Numidia (202–46 BC) was an ancient Berber kingdom in modern-day Algeria and a smaller part of western Tunisia in North Africa. The name might include a reference to the ancient Libyan god “mon,” from Egyptian mythology “Amon” king of the gods. Saint Monica (AD 331–387) was the mother of Augustine of Hippo; she is venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church, which commemorates her on 27 August. Of Berber ethnicity, she was born into a profoundly Christian family with the right economic conditions. She was allowed to study and took advantage of it to read the “Bible” and meditate on it. Famous Christian legends recall Saint Monica weeping every night for her son Augustine.
Origin: latin
This name derives from the Ancient Greek “órthros (ὄρθρος),” meaning “morning light, early dawn, early morning, day-break.” In Greek mythology, Orthrus was, according to the mythographer Apollodorus, a two-headed dog who guarded Geryon’s cattle and was killed by Heracles. According to Hesiod, Orthrus was the Sphinx father and the Nemean Lion, though who Hesiod meant as the mother, whether Echidna, the Chimera, or Ceto, is unclear. In the Byzantine Rite of the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Eastern Catholic Churches, Orthros is the last of the four-night offices, including vespers, compline, and midnight office.
Origin: greek
This name derives from the Ancient Greek “Nýx (Νύξ),” which in turn derives from “núx (νῠ́ξ)“ meaning “night.” In Greek mythology, Nýx is the Greek goddess (or personification) of the night. A shadowy figure, Nyx stood at or near the beginning of creation and mothered other personified deities such as Hypnos (Sleep) and Thanatos (Death), with Erebus (Darkness). In 1997, the International Astronomical Union approved Nyx's name for a mountain/peak on the planet Venus.
Origin: greek
This name derives from the Ancient Greek “Rhêsos (Ῥῆσος),” probably from the Proto-Indo-European “*reg-,” meaning “to rule.” Rhesus is a fictional Thracian king in the Iliad who fought on the side of Trojans. Diomedes and Odysseus stole his team of fine horses during a night raid on the Trojan camp.
Origin: greek
This name derives from the Latin “Laurentum” (wreathed/crowned with laurel), which in turn derives from “laurus,” meaning “laurel, from the place of laurel trees, laurel branch, laurel wreath.” Laurentum was an ancient Roman city of Latium situated between Ostia and Lavinium, on the west coast of the Italian Peninsula southwest of Rome. Laurence (Laurentius) was the second Archbishop of Canterbury from about 604 to 619. He was a member of the Gregorian mission sent from Italy to England to Christianize the Anglo-Saxons from their native Anglo-Saxon paganism, although the date of his arrival is disputed. San Lorenzo “St. Lawrence” is also linked to the night of the falling stars.
Origin: latin
This name derives from the Latin “Laurentum” (wreathed/crowned with laurel), which in turn derives from “laurus,” meaning “laurel, from the place of laurel trees, laurel branch, laurel wreath.” Laurentum was an ancient Roman city of Latium situated between Ostia and Lavinium, on the west coast of the Italian Peninsula southwest of Rome. Laurence (Laurentius) was the second Archbishop of Canterbury from about 604 to 619. He was a member of the Gregorian mission sent from Italy to England to Christianize the Anglo-Saxons from their native Anglo-Saxon paganism, although the date of his arrival is disputed. San Lorenzo “St. Lawrence” is also linked to the night of the falling stars.
Origin: latin
Vega, also designated (Alpha Lyrae), is the brightest star in the constellation of Lyra, the fifth brightest star in the night sky, and the second brightest star in the northern celestial hemisphere, after Arcturus. It is relatively close at only 25 light-years from the Sun and, together with Arcturus and Sirius, one of the most luminous stars in the Sun’s neighborhood. The original name of the star, Wega (later corrupted in Vega), derives from the transliteration of the Arabic word “wāqi” (planant), deriving from the phrase “an-nasr al-wāqi ‘” (planing vulture), which was the name by which they designated the star the 11th-century Arab astronomers, who saw in the Lira, the shape of an eagle.
Origin: arabic
This name derives from the Latin cognomen “Aquìlius,” from the Imperial Latin “aquìla,” meaning “brown, dark,” clearly refers to the name of the bird of prey “eagle” as a symbol of power and, in a Christian context, of immortality. 1) Saint Aquilina was a 3rd-century Christian child born in Byblos in 281. 2) Aquilino di Colonia was a canon and preacher, is venerated as a saint and martyr by the Catholic Church.
Origin: latin
This name derives from the Latin “fuscus,” meaning “gloomy, dark, black, (voice) hoarse, hollow, cavernous, (of thoughts) dark, secret, occult.” The feminine form “Foscarina” has spread throughout the 20th-century thanks to the character’s name used in “de il fuoco” by Gabriele D’Annunzio. Some scholars argue that the name may be of German origin.
Origin: latin
This name derives from the Ancient Greek “órthros (ὄρθρος),” meaning “morning light, early dawn, early morning, day-break.” In Greek mythology, Orthrus was, according to the mythographer Apollodorus, a two-headed dog who guarded Geryon’s cattle and was killed by Heracles. According to Hesiod, Orthrus was the Sphinx father and the Nemean Lion, though who Hesiod meant as the mother, whether Echidna, the Chimera, or Ceto, is unclear. In the Byzantine Rite of the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Eastern Catholic Churches, Orthros is the last of the four-night offices, including vespers, compline, and midnight office.
Origin: greek
This name derives from the Ancient Greek “órthros (ὄρθρος),” meaning “morning light, early dawn, early morning, day-break.” In Greek mythology, Orthrus was, according to the mythographer Apollodorus, a two-headed dog who guarded Geryon’s cattle and was killed by Heracles. According to Hesiod, Orthrus was the Sphinx father and the Nemean Lion, though who Hesiod meant as the mother, whether Echidna, the Chimera, or Ceto, is unclear. In the Byzantine Rite of the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Eastern Catholic Churches, Orthros is the last of the four-night offices, including vespers, compline, and midnight office.
Origin: greek
This name derives from the Ancient Greek “órthros (ὄρθρος),” meaning “morning light, early dawn, early morning, day-break.” In Greek mythology, Orthrus was, according to the mythographer Apollodorus, a two-headed dog who guarded Geryon’s cattle and was killed by Heracles. According to Hesiod, Orthrus was the Sphinx father and the Nemean Lion, though who Hesiod meant as the mother, whether Echidna, the Chimera, or Ceto, is unclear. In the Byzantine Rite of the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Eastern Catholic Churches, Orthros is the last of the four-night offices, including vespers, compline, and midnight office.
Origin: greek
This name derives from the Old High German “raban,” from the Proto-Germanic “*hrabnaz” (Old Norse: hrafn; Old Saxon: hravan; Old English: hræfn), meaning “raven.” In turn, the name means “a thieving person or a dark-haired person.” Raven, by the way, is a unisex given name in the English language. In the United States of America, the name is more commonly used as a feminine name and has ranked amongst the top 1,000 female names given to baby girls since 1977.
Origin: germanic
The origin of this name is still today quite uncertain. The theories include: 1) From the Latin “moneō,” which in turn derives from the Proto-Italic “*moneō,” meaning “warn, advise, remind.” 2) From the Ancient Greek “mónos (μόνος),” meaning “unique, alone, nun, solitary, hermit.” 3) An ancient name of North African origin whose etymology is unknown. The first reference to the name is found in the ancient numerical inscriptions. Numidia (202–46 BC) was an ancient Berber kingdom in modern-day Algeria and a smaller part of western Tunisia in North Africa. The name might include a reference to the ancient Libyan god “mon,” from Egyptian mythology “Amon” king of the gods. Saint Monica (AD 331–387) was the mother of Augustine of Hippo; she is venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church, which commemorates her on 27 August. Of Berber ethnicity, she was born into a profoundly Christian family with the right economic conditions. She was allowed to study and took advantage of it to read the “Bible” and meditate on it. Famous Christian legends recall Saint Monica weeping every night for her son Augustine.
Origin: latin
This name means “moor, dark-skinned.” It is a name of ethnic origin, derived from the Latin “Maurus,” meaning “belonging to the people of the Moors,” who lived in the region of Africa called “Mauretania,” which extended from Algeria and came to Morocco and northern Mauritania. Probably the Romans gave them this name because of the dark color of the skin, in fact, amaurós (ἀμαυρός) in Greek means “moor, dark,” also the meaning of amáurosi (αμαύρωση), browning, burnishing (burned or tanned). Saint Maurus was the first disciple of St. Benedict of Nursia (512–584). The Life recounts the long journey of St. Maurus and his companions from Italy to France, accompanied by many adventures and miracles as St. Maurus is transformed from the youthful disciple of Benedict into a powerful, miracle-working holy man in his own right.
Origin: greek
This name means “moor, dark-skinned.” It is a name of ethnic origin, derived from the Latin “Maurus,” meaning “belonging to the people of the Moors,” who lived in the region of Africa called “Mauretania,” which extended from Algeria and came to Morocco and northern Mauritania. Probably the Romans gave them this name because of the dark color of the skin, in fact, amaurós (ἀμαυρός) in Greek means “moor, dark,” also the meaning of amáurosi (αμαύρωση), browning, burnishing (burned or tanned). Saint Maurus was the first disciple of St. Benedict of Nursia (512–584). The Life recounts the long journey of St. Maurus and his companions from Italy to France, accompanied by many adventures and miracles as St. Maurus is transformed from the youthful disciple of Benedict into a powerful, miracle-working holy man in his own right.
Origin: greek
This name derives from the Ancient Greek “íon (ίον) Iólē (Ῐ̓όλη),” meaning “violet, purple flower dark blue flower.” In Greek mythology, Iole was the daughter of Eurytus, king of the city Oechalia. Iole was indirectly the cause of Heracles’s death because of his wife’s jealousy of her.
Origin: greek
This name derives from the Old French “violette / viole” (Old Provençal: viola), from the Latin “vĭŏla,” which in turn derives from the Ancient Greek “íon (ἴον)” meaning “violet, purple flower, dark blue flower.” It is an auspicious name that refers to the homonymous flower. The English form Violet enjoyed a specific diffusion in Scotland in the sixteenth century but became widespread in English only from the nineteenth. The Italian form “viola” became known in England thanks to the character named in Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night.”
Origin: greek
This name derives from the Ancient Greek “Zéphuros (Ζέφυρος),” meaning “Zephyrus, Zephyr, the west wind.” Finally, the name derives from the word “zófos (ζόφος),” meaning “west, dark region, darkness (where the sun sets).” In Greek mythology, Zephyrus was the personification of the west wind and the bringer of light spring and early summer breezes; his Roman equivalent was Favonius. In the myth of Cupid and Psyche, Zephyrus was the attendant of Cupid, who brought Psyche to his master’s palace. It was thought that Zephyrus lived in a cave in Thrace. Pope Zephyrinus was the 15th bishop of Rome and Pope. He is a revered saint by the Catholic Church, and his feast day is celebrated on December 20. He was Pope from 199 to his death in 217. His predecessor was Pope Victor I.
Origin: greek
This name derives from the Spanish “paloma,” meaning “the pigeon (family of the dove),” from the Latin “pălumbēs > palumba,” which in turn derives from the Proto Indo-European “*pal-wo-,” meaning “dark-colored, gray.” La Virgen de la Paloma is a Marian image of Madrid (Spain). Without being the official patron of the town (place of Almudena), traditionally considered “popular patron saint of Madrid,” he enjoyed great devotion. In his honor is held annually the Fiestas de la Paloma, very pure, traditional. It is a relatively recent tradition, dating from the late 18th-century.
Origin: latin
This name derives from the Latin “prīmus > prīmĭtīvus,” meaning “first, firstborn, original, the most remarkable, the most illustrious.” Saints Facundus (Spanish: Facundo) and Primitivus (Spanish: Primitivo) are venerated as Christian martyrs. According to tradition, they were Christian natives of León who were tortured and then beheaded on the banks of the River Cea. Primitivo is a variety of black-skinned wine grape. The mixture is planted in over 10 percent of California vineyards. DNA fingerprinting revealed that it is genetically equivalent to the Croatian grapes Crljenak Kaštelanski and Tribidrag, as well as to the Primitivo variety traditionally grown in Puglia (the ‘heel’ of Italy), where it was introduced in the 18th-century.
Origin: latin
This name derives from the Latin “prīmus > prīmĭtīvus,” meaning “first, firstborn, original, the most remarkable, the most illustrious.” Saints Facundus (Spanish: Facundo) and Primitivus (Spanish: Primitivo) are venerated as Christian martyrs. According to tradition, they were Christian natives of León who were tortured and then beheaded on the banks of the River Cea. Primitivo is a variety of black-skinned wine grape. The mixture is planted in over 10 percent of California vineyards. DNA fingerprinting revealed that it is genetically equivalent to the Croatian grapes Crljenak Kaštelanski and Tribidrag, as well as to the Primitivo variety traditionally grown in Puglia (the ‘heel’ of Italy), where it was introduced in the 18th-century.
Origin: latin
This name derives from the Irish “odhrá > odhrán,” meaning “dark-haired, a brown one, a little pale green one, pale green, sallow.” Seventeen saints have used the name Odhran. St. Odhran of Iona was an Irish abbot and one of the 12 devotees. After serving as abbot of Meath, he journeyed to Scotland with St. Columba to promote the faith and died at Iona. Odhran was the first Irish monk to die at Iona. He may have founded Latteragh Abbey in Tipperary and is considered the principal patron saint of Waterford, Ireland. His name day is celebrated on October 27.
Origin: irish (gaelic)
This name derives from the Gaelic “Ciarán,” meaning “little dark one” or “blacky,” from the Irish element “ciar,” meaning “black, dark.” The name is popularized by the Irish saints dating back from the 5th-century. Ciarán was one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland and is considered the first saint to have been born in Ireland. However, the legend that he preceded Saint Patrick is questionable. Ciarán was bishop of Saigir (Seir-Kieran) and remained the patron saint of its successor, Ossory’s diocese.
Origin: irish (gaelic)
This name derives from the Ancient Greek “órphnē (ὄρφνη) Orpheús (Ὀρφεύς),” meaning “darkness of the night, night, the darkness of the nether world.” Orpheus was a legendary musician, poet, and prophet in ancient Greek religion and myth. According to Apollodorus and a fragment of Pindar, Orpheus’s father was Oeagrus, a Thracian king, or, according to another version of the story, the god Apollo. His mother was the muse Calliope; or, the daughter of Pierus, son of Makednos. His birthplace and place of residence were in Pimpleia, Olympus.
Origin: greek
This name derives from the Old High German “raban,” from the Proto-Germanic “*hrabnaz” (Old Norse: hrafn; Old Saxon: hravan; Old English: hræfn), meaning “raven.” In turn, the name means “a thieving person or a dark-haired person.” Raven, by the way, is a unisex given name in the English language. In the United States of America, the name is more commonly used as a feminine name and has ranked amongst the top 1,000 female names given to baby girls since 1977.
Origin: germanic
The origin of this name is still today quite uncertain. The theories include: 1) From the Latin “moneō,” which in turn derives from the Proto-Italic “*moneō,” meaning “warn, advise, remind.” 2) From the Ancient Greek “mónos (μόνος),” meaning “unique, alone, nun, solitary, hermit.” 3) An ancient name of North African origin whose etymology is unknown. The first reference to the name is found in the ancient numerical inscriptions. Numidia (202–46 BC) was an ancient Berber kingdom in modern-day Algeria and a smaller part of western Tunisia in North Africa. The name might include a reference to the ancient Libyan god “mon,” from Egyptian mythology “Amon” king of the gods. Saint Monica (AD 331–387) was the mother of Augustine of Hippo; she is venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church, which commemorates her on 27 August. Of Berber ethnicity, she was born into a profoundly Christian family with the right economic conditions. She was allowed to study and took advantage of it to read the “Bible” and meditate on it. Famous Christian legends recall Saint Monica weeping every night for her son Augustine.
Origin: latin
This name derives from the Ancient Greek “Seírios (Σείριος)”, meaning “sun-bright, glowing, burning, blazing, shining”, which in turn derives from Akkadian “Aššur.” The name Sīrĭus in Latin was used as an ethnic cognomen to indicate people from Syria (just in imperial slaves and freedmen). Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky, known in ancient Egypt as Sopdet (Greek: Sôthis ‘Σῶθῐς’), is recorded in the earliest astronomical records. During the era of the Middle Kingdom, Egyptians based their calendar on the heliacal rising of Sirius, namely the day it becomes visible just before sunrise after moving far enough away from the glare of the Sun. Saint Syrus (Sirus) of Pavia (Italian: San Siro) is traditionally said to have been the first bishop of Pavia during the 1st-century.
Origin: latin
This name derives from the Middle English and Eurasian “tele > teal” (Anas crecca), probably from an unrecorded Old English word “*tǣle.” It is a common and widespread duck which breeds in temperate Eurasia and migrates south in winter. It is a bird of the blue-green color. Teal is a low-saturated color, a bluish-green to dark medium, similar to medium blue-green and dark cyan. The complementary shade of the teal is coral.
Origin: old english (anglo-saxon)
This name derives from the Ancient Greek “arkhḗ (ᾰ̓ρχή),” meaning “beginning, origin, sovereignty, dominion, authority.” In Greek Mythology, Arke or Arce was the daughter of Thaumas and Iris’s fraternal twin sister. She is sometimes affiliated with the faded second rainbow, sometimes seen in the shadow of the first.
Origin: greek
This name means “moor, dark-skinned.” It is a name of ethnic origin, derived from the Latin “Maurus,” meaning “belonging to the people of the Moors,” who lived in the region of Africa called “Mauretania,” which extended from Algeria and came to Morocco and northern Mauritania. Probably the Romans gave them this name because of the dark color of the skin, in fact, amaurós (ἀμαυρός) in Greek means “moor, dark,” also the meaning of amáurosi (αμαύρωση), browning, burnishing (burned or tanned). Saint Maurus was the first disciple of St. Benedict of Nursia (512–584). The Life recounts the long journey of St. Maurus and his companions from Italy to France, accompanied by many adventures and miracles as St. Maurus is transformed from the youthful disciple of Benedict into a powerful, miracle-working holy man in his own right.
Origin: greek
This name derives from the Ancient Greek “Seírios (Σείριος)”, meaning “sun-bright, glowing, burning, blazing, shining”, which in turn derives from Akkadian “Aššur.” The name Sīrĭus in Latin was used as an ethnic cognomen to indicate people from Syria (just in imperial slaves and freedmen). Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky, known in ancient Egypt as Sopdet (Greek: Sôthis ‘Σῶθῐς’), is recorded in the earliest astronomical records. During the era of the Middle Kingdom, Egyptians based their calendar on the heliacal rising of Sirius, namely the day it becomes visible just before sunrise after moving far enough away from the glare of the Sun. Saint Syrus (Sirus) of Pavia (Italian: San Siro) is traditionally said to have been the first bishop of Pavia during the 1st-century.
Origin: latin
This name derives from the Middle English and Eurasian “tele > teal” (Anas crecca), probably from an unrecorded Old English word “*tǣle.” It is a common and widespread duck which breeds in temperate Eurasia and migrates south in winter. It is a bird of the blue-green color. Teal is a low-saturated color, a bluish-green to dark medium, similar to medium blue-green and dark cyan. The complementary shade of the teal is coral.
Origin: old english (anglo-saxon)
This name derives from the ancient Greek “Érebos (Ἔρεβος).” In Greek mythology, Herebus, “the god of darkness and shadow,” was often considered a primordial deity, representing the personification of darkness; for example, Hesiod's Theogony places him among the first five beings born from Chaos. Erebus has few characteristics in mythological tradition and Greek literature, but is said to have given rise to several other deities with Nyx; depending on the mythological source, this union includes Ether, Hemera, Hesperides, Hypno, Moirai, Geras, Styx, Charon, and Thanatos.
Origin: greek
This name derives from Old French “Normanz,” which in turn is from two Old High German elements: “*nurþraz” (north, northern) plus “*mann-” (man, a name of the M-rune). The name was used to denote someone of Scandinavian ancestry or someone from Normandy (northern France). During the Dark Ages, Scandinavian Vikings called themselves Norðmenn. The Normans were a mixed Scandinavian-Frankish people descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France after being given a Duchy by the French King, conquered other lands and protected the French coast from foreign attacks. Norman is also an English and Irish surname.
Origin: germanic
This name derives from the Old High German “raban,” from the Proto-Germanic “*hrabnaz” (Old Norse: hrafn; Old Saxon: hravan; Old English: hræfn), meaning “raven.” In turn, the name means “a thieving person or a dark-haired person.” Raven, by the way, is a unisex given name in the English language. In the United States of America, the name is more commonly used as a feminine name and has ranked amongst the top 1,000 female names given to baby girls since 1977.
Origin: germanic
This name derives from the Ancient Greek “Póntos (Πόντος),” meaning “the sea, marine.” In Greek mythology, Pontos was an ancient, pre-Olympian god of the sea, one of the Greek primordial deities. According to the Greek poet Hesiod, Pontus was Gaia’s son and was born without coupling. Pontus is a historical Greek designation for a region on the Black Sea’s southern coast, located in modern-day northeastern Anatolia, in Turkey. The name has a correlation with the Etruscan and Oscan “pompe > pomties” which means “five,” from the Greek “penta (πεντα),” indicating the fifth born. Pontius Pilate was the fifth prefect of the Roman province of Judaea, from 26–36 AD. He is best known as the judge at the trial of Jesus and the man who authorized the crucifixion of Jesus. As prefect, he served under Emperor Tiberius.
Origin: greek
This name derives from the Scottish (Gaelic) “dubh ghlas,” composed of two elements: “dubh” (dark, black) and “ghlas” (stream, river). The name means “black stream, one who comes from the dark river.” It is a male given name transferred from the surname. Douglas is a Scottish masculine given name that originated from the surname Douglas. Although today the name is almost exclusively given to boys, it was used as a girl’s name in the 17th and 18th-centuries, in the north of England. The Douglases are an Ancient Scottish kindred from the Scottish Lowlands taking their name from Douglas, South Lanarkshire; their leaders gained vast territories throughout the Scottish Borderland, Angus, Lothian, Moray in France, and Sweden. The Douglases were one of Scotland’s most powerful families, and indeed the most prominent family in lowland Scotland during the Late Middle Ages, often holding the real power behind the Stewart Kings’ throne.
Origin: scottish (gaelic)
This name derives from the Arabic triconsonantal root: “l-y-l (lamedh-yodh-lamedh).” The name Layla meaning “night, born at night, dark-haired beauty, dark beauty,” and is linked to the Hebrew name transliterated “Laylah.” It is an internationally-used Arabic feminine given name originating in the Semitic languages. The name has long been used in Arab and Persian folklore, poetry, and literature. For example, the 7th-century Arab poet Qays addressed romantic poems to a woman called Layla. The story of “Qays and Layla” or Layla and Majnun became a popular romance in the medieval Arab World and Persia, and the use of the name spread accordingly; it gained popularity further afield in the Muslim World, among the Turkic peoples and in the Balkans and India.
Origin: hebrew
This name derives from the Old French “violette / viole” (Old Provençal: viola), from the Latin “vĭŏla,” which in turn derives from the Ancient Greek “íon (ἴον)” meaning “violet, purple flower, dark blue flower.” It is an auspicious name that refers to the homonymous flower. The English form Violet enjoyed a specific diffusion in Scotland in the sixteenth century but became widespread in English only from the nineteenth. The Italian form “viola” became known in England thanks to the character named in Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night.”
Origin: greek
the black one, black, dark coloured (A goddess in Hinduism, and one of the most significant figures within that religion). (denotes a fixed or right point in time). It is also the name of a deity. As applied to gods and goddesses in works such as the Devī Māhātmya and the Skanda Purāṇa, kāla 1 and kāla 2 are not readily distinguishable.
Origin: sanskrit
This name derives from the Old Norse “Kjárr,” which in turn derives from the Irish element “ciar,” meaning “black, dark.” The name is popularized by Irish saints dating back to the 5th-century.
Origin: old norse
This name derives from the Gaelic “Ciarán,” meaning “little dark one” or “blacky,” from the Irish element “ciar,” meaning “black, dark.” The name is popularized by the Irish saints dating back from the 5th-century. Ciarán was one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland and is considered the first saint to have been born in Ireland. However, the legend that he preceded Saint Patrick is questionable. Ciarán was bishop of Saigir (Seir-Kieran) and remained the patron saint of its successor, Ossory’s diocese.
Origin: irish (gaelic)
This name derives from the Latin “Laurentum” (wreathed/crowned with laurel), which in turn derives from “laurus,” meaning “laurel, from the place of laurel trees, laurel branch, laurel wreath.” Laurentum was an ancient Roman city of Latium situated between Ostia and Lavinium, on the west coast of the Italian Peninsula southwest of Rome. Laurence (Laurentius) was the second Archbishop of Canterbury from about 604 to 619. He was a member of the Gregorian mission sent from Italy to England to Christianize the Anglo-Saxons from their native Anglo-Saxon paganism, although the date of his arrival is disputed. San Lorenzo “St. Lawrence” is also linked to the night of the falling stars.
Origin: latin
This name means “moor, dark-skinned.” It is a name of ethnic origin, derived from the Latin “Maurus,” meaning “belonging to the people of the Moors,” who lived in the region of Africa called “Mauretania,” which extended from Algeria and came to Morocco and northern Mauritania. Probably the Romans gave them this name because of the dark color of the skin, in fact, amaurós (ἀμαυρός) in Greek means “moor, dark,” also the meaning of amáurosi (αμαύρωση), browning, burnishing (burned or tanned). Saint Maurus was the first disciple of St. Benedict of Nursia (512–584). The Life recounts the long journey of St. Maurus and his companions from Italy to France, accompanied by many adventures and miracles as St. Maurus is transformed from the youthful disciple of Benedict into a powerful, miracle-working holy man in his own right.
Origin: greek
The origin of this name is still today quite uncertain. The theories include: 1) From the Slavic and Polish “dub (дуб) > dąb > Dąbrowa,” meaning “oak grove.” Dąbrowa is the forest area (forest association) precisely the type of deciduous forest with oak trees (different species of the genus Quercus). Dąbrówka is a village in the administrative district of “Gmina Bobrowo” in Wołomin County, Masovian Voivodeship, in east-central Poland. 2) From the Slavic “dóbro (до́бро),” meaning “good, goodness.” 3) From the Czech “dąbr,” meaning “dark.” Doubravka of Bohemia was a Bohemian princess of the Přemyslid dynasty and by marriage Duchess of the Polans. She was the daughter of Boleslav I the Cruel, Duke of Bohemia, whose wife may have been the mysterious Biagota.
Origin: slavic
The origin of this name is still today quite uncertain. The theories include: 1) From the Latin “moneō,” which in turn derives from the Proto-Italic “*moneō,” meaning “warn, advise, remind.” 2) From the Ancient Greek “mónos (μόνος),” meaning “unique, alone, nun, solitary, hermit.” 3) An ancient name of North African origin whose etymology is unknown. The first reference to the name is found in the ancient numerical inscriptions. Numidia (202–46 BC) was an ancient Berber kingdom in modern-day Algeria and a smaller part of western Tunisia in North Africa. The name might include a reference to the ancient Libyan god “mon,” from Egyptian mythology “Amon” king of the gods. Saint Monica (AD 331–387) was the mother of Augustine of Hippo; she is venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church, which commemorates her on 27 August. Of Berber ethnicity, she was born into a profoundly Christian family with the right economic conditions. She was allowed to study and took advantage of it to read the “Bible” and meditate on it. Famous Christian legends recall Saint Monica weeping every night for her son Augustine.
Origin: latin
This name derives from the Old English surname from the byname “Cola and Charcoal,” from the Old English “col,” from the Proto-Germanic “*kulą,” meaning “coal.” Charcoal is a light, black residue consisting of carbon and any remaining ash, obtained by removing water and other volatile constituents from animal and vegetation substances. In turn, the name means “a person with dark features.”
Origin: old english (anglo-saxon)
This name means “moor, dark-skinned.” It is a name of ethnic origin, derived from the Latin “Maurus,” meaning “belonging to the people of the Moors,” who lived in the region of Africa called “Mauretania,” which extended from Algeria and came to Morocco and northern Mauritania. Probably the Romans gave them this name because of the dark color of the skin, in fact, amaurós (ἀμαυρός) in Greek means “moor, dark,” also the meaning of amáurosi (αμαύρωση), browning, burnishing (burned or tanned). Saint Maurus was the first disciple of St. Benedict of Nursia (512–584). The Life recounts the long journey of St. Maurus and his companions from Italy to France, accompanied by many adventures and miracles as St. Maurus is transformed from the youthful disciple of Benedict into a powerful, miracle-working holy man in his own right.
Origin: greek
This name derives from the Old Irish adjective “ciar,” namely “Ó Ciardha,” meaning “black, little dark one.” The name is linked to Saint Ciara, a 7th-century Irish saint venerated by the Roman Catholic Church. It is a habitation and topographic name in Normandy, Burgundy, and Franche-Comté in France, occurring more often as Carrey.
Origin: irish (gaelic)
This name derives from the Irish “odhrá > odhrán,” meaning “dark-haired, a brown one, a little pale green one, pale green, sallow.” Seventeen saints have used the name Odhran. St. Odhran of Iona was an Irish abbot and one of the 12 devotees. After serving as abbot of Meath, he journeyed to Scotland with St. Columba to promote the faith and died at Iona. Odhran was the first Irish monk to die at Iona. He may have founded Latteragh Abbey in Tipperary and is considered the principal patron saint of Waterford, Ireland. His name day is celebrated on October 27.
Origin: irish (gaelic)
This name derives from the Ancient Greek “arkhḗ (ᾰ̓ρχή),” meaning “beginning, origin, sovereignty, dominion, authority.” In Greek Mythology, Arke or Arce was the daughter of Thaumas and Iris’s fraternal twin sister. She is sometimes affiliated with the faded second rainbow, sometimes seen in the shadow of the first.
Origin: greek
This name derives from the Ancient Greek “stúgéo (στυγέω) stúgo (στύγω) Stúx (Στύξ) Stýx (Στύξ),” meaning “hate, detest, dark, gloomy, dismal, hatred, murky.” The Styx is a river in Greek mythology that formed the boundary between Earth and the underworld (often called Hades, which is also the name of this domain’s ruler). The rivers Styx, Phlegethon, Acheron, and Cocytus all converge at the center of the underworld on a great marsh, which is also sometimes called the Styx. Styx was also the name of the daughter of Oceanus and Tethys. She was wife to Pallas and bore him Zelus, Nike, Kratos, and. Styx supported Zeus in the Titanomachy, where she was the first to rush to his aid. For this reason, her name was given the honor of being a binding oath for the gods.
Origin: greek
This name means “moor, dark-skinned.” It is a name of ethnic origin, derived from the Latin “Maurus,” meaning “belonging to the people of the Moors,” who lived in the region of Africa called “Mauretania,” which extended from Algeria and came to Morocco and northern Mauritania. Probably the Romans gave them this name because of the dark color of the skin, in fact, amaurós (ἀμαυρός) in Greek means “moor, dark,” also the meaning of amáurosi (αμαύρωση), browning, burnishing (burned or tanned). Saint Maurus was the first disciple of St. Benedict of Nursia (512–584). The Life recounts the long journey of St. Maurus and his companions from Italy to France, accompanied by many adventures and miracles as St. Maurus is transformed from the youthful disciple of Benedict into a powerful, miracle-working holy man in his own right.
Origin: greek
This name derives from the Ancient Greek “Rhêsos (Ῥῆσος),” probably from the Proto-Indo-European “*reg-,” meaning “to rule.” Rhesus is a fictional Thracian king in the Iliad who fought on the side of Trojans. Diomedes and Odysseus stole his team of fine horses during a night raid on the Trojan camp.
Origin: greek
This name derives from the Ancient Greek “peírō (πείρω) póros (πόρος),” meaning “pierce, run through, passageway, way, opening.” Porus is a character from Greek and Roman mythology. In some Alcmene fragments, Porus is one of the two ordering principles that emerged from the coming to light of Thetis, from the formless mass, and represents “the way” understood as the road that leads to it, together with Tekmor, which means the limit. Their action distributes the formless matter between day and night.
Origin: greek
This name derives from the Indian (Tamil) word “nila”, meaning “moon, enchanting moon, dark blue”. Bharathappuzha "River of Bhārata", also known as the River Nila, is a river in India in the state of Kerala. With a length of 209 km, it is the second-longest river in Kerala, after the Periyar River.
Origin: sanskrit
This name derives from the Latin “Laurentum” (wreathed/crowned with laurel), which in turn derives from “laurus,” meaning “laurel, from the place of laurel trees, laurel branch, laurel wreath.” Laurentum was an ancient Roman city of Latium situated between Ostia and Lavinium, on the west coast of the Italian Peninsula southwest of Rome. Laurence (Laurentius) was the second Archbishop of Canterbury from about 604 to 619. He was a member of the Gregorian mission sent from Italy to England to Christianize the Anglo-Saxons from their native Anglo-Saxon paganism, although the date of his arrival is disputed. San Lorenzo “St. Lawrence” is also linked to the night of the falling stars.
Origin: latin
This name derives from the Old High German “Ewawald,” composed of two elements: “*aịu-” (lifetime, vitality, eternity, ever) plus “*waldaʐ” (ruler, might, mighty one, power, powerful one). The Two Ewalds were Saint Ewald the Black and Saint Ewald the Fair, martyrs in Old Saxony about 692. Both bore the same name but were distinguished by the difference in the color of their hair and complexions. They are now honored as saints in Westphalia.
Origin: germanic
This name derives from the Ancient Greek “Nýx (Νύξ),” which in turn derives from “núx (νῠ́ξ)“ meaning “night.” In Greek mythology, Nýx is the Greek goddess (or personification) of the night. A shadowy figure, Nyx stood at or near the beginning of creation and mothered other personified deities such as Hypnos (Sleep) and Thanatos (Death), with Erebus (Darkness). In 1997, the International Astronomical Union approved Nyx's name for a mountain/peak on the planet Venus.
Origin: greek
This name derives from the Latin “Laurentum” (wreathed/crowned with laurel), which in turn derives from “laurus,” meaning “laurel, from the place of laurel trees, laurel branch, laurel wreath.” Laurentum was an ancient Roman city of Latium situated between Ostia and Lavinium, on the west coast of the Italian Peninsula southwest of Rome. Laurence (Laurentius) was the second Archbishop of Canterbury from about 604 to 619. He was a member of the Gregorian mission sent from Italy to England to Christianize the Anglo-Saxons from their native Anglo-Saxon paganism, although the date of his arrival is disputed. San Lorenzo “St. Lawrence” is also linked to the night of the falling stars.
Origin: latin
This name derives from the Sanskrit “vena,” meaning “yearning.” It is the name of an evil king in Hindu mythology. In Hindu scriptures, Vena was a great king. However, he became evil and corrupt. The world became so gloomy and dark that the earth-goddess Bhumidevi decided that she would not provide crops to humans anymore.
Origin: sanskrit
This name derives from the Gaelic “Ciarán,” meaning “little dark one” or “blacky,” from the Irish element “ciar,” meaning “black, dark.” The name is popularized by the Irish saints dating back from the 5th-century. Ciarán was one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland and is considered the first saint to have been born in Ireland. However, the legend that he preceded Saint Patrick is questionable. Ciarán was bishop of Saigir (Seir-Kieran) and remained the patron saint of its successor, Ossory’s diocese.
Origin: irish (gaelic)
This name derives from the Old High German “raban,” from the Proto-Germanic “*hrabnaz” (Old Norse: hrafn; Old Saxon: hravan; Old English: hræfn), meaning “raven.” In turn, the name means “a thieving person or a dark-haired person.” Raven, by the way, is a unisex given name in the English language. In the United States of America, the name is more commonly used as a feminine name and has ranked amongst the top 1,000 female names given to baby girls since 1977.
Origin: germanic
This name derives from the Ancient Greek “íon (ίον) Iólē (Ῐ̓όλη),” meaning “violet, purple flower dark blue flower.” In Greek mythology, Iole was the daughter of Eurytus, king of the city Oechalia. Iole was indirectly the cause of Heracles’s death because of his wife’s jealousy of her.
Origin: greek
This name derives from the Imperial Latin “cārus,” meaning “darling, beloved, dear, loved one,” used in the past as an adjective to mean something precious, essential. Cara also means “friend” in Irish, and the alternative spelling of Kara, is from the Cornish word, meaning “love.” In Turkey, the word Kara means “dark,” which may or may not be related to the Gaelic “Ciara” of the same meaning, linked to the Latin “cărĭnus” (the color of the walnut).
Origin: latin
This name derives from the Ancient Greek “íon (ίον) Iólē (Ῐ̓όλη),” meaning “violet, purple flower dark blue flower.” In Greek mythology, Iole was the daughter of Eurytus, king of the city Oechalia. Iole was indirectly the cause of Heracles’s death because of his wife’s jealousy of her.
Origin: greek
This name derives from the Arabic triconsonantal root: “l-y-l (lamedh-yodh-lamedh).” The name Layla meaning “night, born at night, dark-haired beauty, dark beauty,” and is linked to the Hebrew name transliterated “Laylah.” It is an internationally-used Arabic feminine given name originating in the Semitic languages. The name has long been used in Arab and Persian folklore, poetry, and literature. For example, the 7th-century Arab poet Qays addressed romantic poems to a woman called Layla. The story of “Qays and Layla” or Layla and Majnun became a popular romance in the medieval Arab World and Persia, and the use of the name spread accordingly; it gained popularity further afield in the Muslim World, among the Turkic peoples and in the Balkans and India.
Origin: hebrew
This name derives from the Gaelic “Ciarán,” meaning “little dark one” or “blacky,” from the Irish element “ciar,” meaning “black, dark.” The name is popularized by the Irish saints dating back from the 5th-century. Ciarán was one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland and is considered the first saint to have been born in Ireland. However, the legend that he preceded Saint Patrick is questionable. Ciarán was bishop of Saigir (Seir-Kieran) and remained the patron saint of its successor, Ossory’s diocese.
Origin: irish (gaelic)
This name derives from the Gaelic “Ciarán,” meaning “little dark one” or “blacky,” from the Irish element “ciar,” meaning “black, dark.” The name is popularized by the Irish saints dating back from the 5th-century. Ciarán was one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland and is considered the first saint to have been born in Ireland. However, the legend that he preceded Saint Patrick is questionable. Ciarán was bishop of Saigir (Seir-Kieran) and remained the patron saint of its successor, Ossory’s diocese.
Origin: irish (gaelic)
This name derives from the Ancient Greek “hḗlios (ἥλιος)” Latinized as Helius (sun, east, day, sunshine). Helios was the personification of the Sun in Greek mythology. Helios was imagined as a handsome god crowned with the shining aureole of the sun, who drove the chariot of the sun across the sky each day to earth-circling Oceanus and through the world-ocean returned to the East at night. The Greek “ἥλιος” is the inherited word for the sun, cognate with the Latin “sol” and the Sanskrit “Surya.” In Greek mythology, the Heliades (Greek: Ἡλιάδες, ‘children of the sun’) were the daughters of Helios and Clymene the Oceanid.
Origin: greek
This name derives from the Imperial Latin “cārus,” meaning “darling, beloved, dear, loved one,” used in the past as an adjective to mean something precious, essential. Cara also means “friend” in Irish, and the alternative spelling of Kara, is from the Cornish word, meaning “love.” In Turkey, the word Kara means “dark,” which may or may not be related to the Gaelic “Ciara” of the same meaning, linked to the Latin “cărĭnus” (the color of the walnut).
Origin: latin
This name derives from the Ancient Greek “sáppheiros (σάπφειρος),” from the Hebrew “sappı̂yr,” meaning “blue stone, sapphire, lapis lazuli.” The color of beautiful blue sapphires may be described as a vivid medium-dark violet to purplish-blue where the primary blue hue is at least 85% and the secondary tone no more than 15%, without the least admixture of a green secondary hue or a gray mask. 1) According to the Apostles, Ananias and his wife Sapphira were members of the Early Christian church in Jerusalem. The account records their sudden deaths after being accused of lying to the apostles about money. 2) Sappho was a Greek lyric poet, born on the island of Lesbos. The Alexandrians included her in the list of nine lyric poets.
Origin: hebrew
This name derives from the Latin “Laurentum” (wreathed/crowned with laurel), which in turn derives from “laurus,” meaning “laurel, from the place of laurel trees, laurel branch, laurel wreath.” Laurentum was an ancient Roman city of Latium situated between Ostia and Lavinium, on the west coast of the Italian Peninsula southwest of Rome. Laurence (Laurentius) was the second Archbishop of Canterbury from about 604 to 619. He was a member of the Gregorian mission sent from Italy to England to Christianize the Anglo-Saxons from their native Anglo-Saxon paganism, although the date of his arrival is disputed. San Lorenzo “St. Lawrence” is also linked to the night of the falling stars.
Origin: latin
This name derives from the Ancient Greek “íon (ίον) Iólē (Ῐ̓όλη),” meaning “violet, purple flower dark blue flower.” In Greek mythology, Iole was the daughter of Eurytus, king of the city Oechalia. Iole was indirectly the cause of Heracles’s death because of his wife’s jealousy of her.
Origin: greek
This name derives from the Arabic triconsonantal root: “l-y-l (lamedh-yodh-lamedh).” The name Layla meaning “night, born at night, dark-haired beauty, dark beauty,” and is linked to the Hebrew name transliterated “Laylah.” It is an internationally-used Arabic feminine given name originating in the Semitic languages. The name has long been used in Arab and Persian folklore, poetry, and literature. For example, the 7th-century Arab poet Qays addressed romantic poems to a woman called Layla. The story of “Qays and Layla” or Layla and Majnun became a popular romance in the medieval Arab World and Persia, and the use of the name spread accordingly; it gained popularity further afield in the Muslim World, among the Turkic peoples and in the Balkans and India.
Origin: hebrew
This name means “moor, dark-skinned.” It is a name of ethnic origin, derived from the Latin “Maurus,” meaning “belonging to the people of the Moors,” who lived in the region of Africa called “Mauretania,” which extended from Algeria and came to Morocco and northern Mauritania. Probably the Romans gave them this name because of the dark color of the skin, in fact, amaurós (ἀμαυρός) in Greek means “moor, dark,” also the meaning of amáurosi (αμαύρωση), browning, burnishing (burned or tanned). Saint Maurus was the first disciple of St. Benedict of Nursia (512–584). The Life recounts the long journey of St. Maurus and his companions from Italy to France, accompanied by many adventures and miracles as St. Maurus is transformed from the youthful disciple of Benedict into a powerful, miracle-working holy man in his own right.
Origin: greek
This name derives from the Old French “violette / viole” (Old Provençal: viola), from the Latin “vĭŏla,” which in turn derives from the Ancient Greek “íon (ἴον)” meaning “violet, purple flower, dark blue flower.” It is an auspicious name that refers to the homonymous flower. The English form Violet enjoyed a specific diffusion in Scotland in the sixteenth century but became widespread in English only from the nineteenth. The Italian form “viola” became known in England thanks to the character named in Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night.”
Origin: greek
having beautiful dark lips
Origin: arabic
This name derives from the Old High German “raban,” from the Proto-Germanic “*hrabnaz” (Old Norse: hrafn; Old Saxon: hravan; Old English: hræfn), meaning “raven.” In turn, the name means “a thieving person or a dark-haired person.” Raven, by the way, is a unisex given name in the English language. In the United States of America, the name is more commonly used as a feminine name and has ranked amongst the top 1,000 female names given to baby girls since 1977.
Origin: germanic
This name derives from the Old High German “Ewawald,” composed of two elements: “*aịu-” (lifetime, vitality, eternity, ever) plus “*waldaʐ” (ruler, might, mighty one, power, powerful one). The Two Ewalds were Saint Ewald the Black and Saint Ewald the Fair, martyrs in Old Saxony about 692. Both bore the same name but were distinguished by the difference in the color of their hair and complexions. They are now honored as saints in Westphalia.
Origin: germanic
This name derives from the Old High German “Ewawald,” composed of two elements: “*aịu-” (lifetime, vitality, eternity, ever) plus “*waldaʐ” (ruler, might, mighty one, power, powerful one). The Two Ewalds were Saint Ewald the Black and Saint Ewald the Fair, martyrs in Old Saxony about 692. Both bore the same name but were distinguished by the difference in the color of their hair and complexions. They are now honored as saints in Westphalia.
Origin: germanic
This name derives from the Irish surname “O’Dwyer,” from the Gaelic “ó Dubhuir”, meaning “dark wise one, grandson of Duibhir,” from the Gaelic “dubh”, meaning “dark, black”. O’Dwyer (pronounced O Dweer), by tradition, lived sometime around the tenth century. The exact meaning of the ancestor’s name is unknown, though “black skirt” is one possibility, but the common modern consensus is that it means “black and dun-coloured” which is thought to refer to Duibhir’s hair and skin coloring.
Origin: irish (gaelic)
Names that mean dark carry special significance across many cultures. These names are often chosen by parents who wish to instill qualities of Dark and mysterious in their children. Whether you're looking for a traditional name with deep historical roots or a modern name with contemporary appeal, this collection offers diverse options for your baby.
Each name in this collection has been carefully researched to ensure authentic meanings and origins. Browse by gender to find the perfect dark name for your baby boy or girl, or explore all names to discover unique options that transcend traditional gender categories.