names lover

Top 250 Names That Mean Death and Rebirth 2024

Names That Mean Death

Table of Contents

Names carrying meanings related to death, endings or mortality have become more popular in recent years. Once avoided as too morbid, names connected to death now intrigue parents seeking meaningful options. These names often symbolise transition, change, remembrance or new beginnings arising after life’s end. This article will explore the cultural background, analyse meanings and provide over 200 names related to death from global myths and contemporary culture to consider.

Understanding Names That Mean Death

Historically, names meaning death or containing dark elements were avoided out of fear they’d bring bad luck or premature death. But attitudes shifted as people increasingly value names reflecting real-world experiences like mortality.

Modern parents view names with death meanings more neutrally or even positively — associating them with ideologies like living fully, honouring ancestors, celebrating cycles of nature, finding strength during grief or representing moral qualities. Names with death meanings range from the heroic to the sinister based on their cultural origins. They carry undertones of:

  • Transition, change, impermanence
  • Remembrance, honoring those passed
  • Dark qualities like vengeance or unrest
  • Rebirth, regeneration, new beginnings

So names meaning death cover a rich spectrum. The crucial decision is choosing one aligning with your personal values.

Popular Names That Mean Death and Their Meanings

Here are some of the most popular global names meaning death, darkness or mortality and the symbolic significance behind them:

NameOriginMeaning
AcaciaGreekDeathlessness
AmaraNigerianImmortal one
AnkouBretonPersonification of death
AsaHebrewHealer and conveyor of curses or death
AstraLatinOf the stars
AuberonFrenchKing of faeries who help souls cross over
AzraelArabicAngel of death
BelladonnaItalianBeautiful woman, toxic deadly plant
BoreasGreekGod of the freezing north wind
BuffyAmericanVampire slayer character
ChindiNavajoVengeful ghost
ClioGreekTo celebrate death
CroweMiddle EnglishRaven-like bird
DamienEnglishOmen child character
DiesLatinThe passage of time
EreshkigalAkkadianGoddess ruling the Mesopotamian underworld
EuphemiaGreekAuspicious, praiseworthy
HadesGreekGod of the underworld
KaliHindiDark/death goddess
KeitaJapaneseCelebration
LenoreGreekLight
LilithuAssyrianDark goddess related to illness & death
MacariaGreekGoddess of blessed death
MelinoeGreekHaving a dark mind
MikaJapaneseNew moon
MortisLatinPersonification of death
MuninnNorseRaven serving death/war god Odin
NekaneBasqueLament, wailing
NovaLatinNew beginning from an ending
PersephoneGreekQueen of the underworld
PoeAmericanRaven poem writer
RequiemLatinRepose, rest, final soul journey
SamanaHinduGod of death
SednaInuitGoddess of the afterlife
ShadeEnglishDimness, dark, shadow
ShilahHebrewDeath’s messenger
ThanatosGreekDeath
YamaHinduGod judging dead & presiding over ancestors

Girls Names That Mean Death

A list of richly symbolic female names related to endings, darkness, and mythological underworld goddesses.

Boys Names That Mean Death
Girls NamesMeaning
AellaWhirlwind or storm
AmaraEternal, undying
AnkouPersonification of death (Breton)
AryaHonorable, noble
AstennuMythical books recording judgment of dead (Egyptian)
AzraelAngel of death
BedeliaStrength
BrynHill, mound
CassiaTo fall
CicelyMythical Saint beheaded for her beliefs
ClioCelebrate death
DaliaBranch or bough
DamiaTo tame, rule (Greek)
EreshkigalGoddess of death (Mesopotamian)
EuterpeJoy, delight
EuphemiaAuspicious, praiseworthy
HecateGoddess of witchcraft and ghosts
JanaTo harvest, gather
JubileeJoy, a ram’s horn blown for celebrations/funerals
KaliDark/death goddess (Hindu)
LenoreBright, light
LilithuDark goddess related to illness & death (Assyrian)
MacariaGoddess of blessed death (Greek)
MelinoeHaving a dark mind
MikaNew moon
MorticiaDerived from mortis (Latin for death)
NekaneLament
PersephoneQueen of the Greek underworld Hades
RavennaRaven-black hair signaling attraction to the occult or death
RequiemRest, repose
SednaGoddess of the afterlife (Inuit mythology)
ShadeDimness, dark
ShilahDeath’s messenger

Boys Names That Mean Death

A list of evocative male names with meanings tied to mortality, finality, and ominous figures from global lore.

Boys NamesMeaning
AcheronRiver of woe (Greek)
BhrungarajaDestructive king (Hindi)
BramOf the raven (Stoker’s Dracula inspiration)
ConanLittle wolf hound
CroweRaven-like bird (also surname of actor who plays dark characters)
DagdaLeader god in Celtic mythology said to rule underworld at times
DamienOmen child character
DellanDark warrior woman character
DolanDark or black-haired
DrustDruid mythological king said to dwell underground with dead ancestors’ spirits
DylanSon of the waves or sea which is symbolic of death/rebirth mythology in many cultures
EbenStone signaling permanence even after death
ErcDeath (also surname signaling dark, enduring qualities)
FenrirDestructive wolf beast in Norse mythology that swallows souls
HadesGod of Greek underworld where dead go
HelioOf the sun – symbolic in myth of cyclical dying and rebirth
HuginnRaven in Norse mythology serving as eyes, ears of death/war god Odin
IcarusDaring young man who died flying too close to the sun
IraWatchful one
JedidiahBeloved of God
KaceVigilant, watchful
KalenDeath omen
KekPersonification of primordial darkness (Egyptian)
MortisPersonification of death (Roman)
MotPersonification of death (Canaanite)
MuninnSecond raven serving death/war god Odin in Norse myths
NiallChampion, cloud
OrpheusDescended to Greek underworld and returned with soul of dead wife
OsirisEgyptian god ruler of Duat underworld and judge of dead
PoeRaven poem writer
RavenBird long symbolic of darkness, death, mystery in myths
ReaperPersonification of death
RequiemRest, repose

Baby Names That Mean Death

A list of gender neutral baby names inspired by cultural symbols of demise and tragic legends couples can consider.

Baby NamesMeaning
AbsintheMythic toxic wormwood drink dubbed “green fairy”
AconiteToxic wolfsbane flower used to deter werewolves in myths
AsaHealer who also conveys curses or death
AshesRemains after death, symbolic of mourning
AstraOf the stars, celestial
AthelasHealing plant used to ease passage into death in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings
AuberonKing of faeries who help souls crossover into death
AzraelAngel of Death who separates souls from bodies at time of death (Islam/Judaism)
BelladonnaToxic deadly nightshade plant
BlitheHappy, joyful – yet with uncaring undertones about death/danger
BoreasGod of the cold north wind felt by ancients as causing winter death
BrynFrom the hill – hills/mounds ancient symbols of death
CamazotzBat god, lord of the house of death (Mayan myths)
CelandineSwallow-wort flower used in rituals marking cycles of death/rebirth
CerberusMulti-headed hound guarding underworld gate in Greek myths
CeridwenCeltic goddess of rebirth after death/cauldron symbolizing cycle of death/rebirth
CerulaLittle death; a spectral spirit; a completive end before rebirth
CimeronPeople living on boundary between life/death worlds (Romani)
Cwn AnnwnMythic white hounds of Celtic underworld god Arawn
DiesDay, the inevitability of passing
EletheaDiscovering truth at time of death (Gnostic Christian)
EmberRemains after fire symbolic of life extinguished/ongoing
EreshkigalGoddess ruling the Mesopotamian underworld
EuphemiaAuspicious, praiseworthy
ExodusDeparture, death
GhostSoul, spirit
GiltineGoddess of death (Lithuanian)
HadesGod of the Greek underworld
HelGoddess of death (Norse)
JedidiahBeloved of God
KālaGod of death, time (Hindu)
KaliDark death goddess (Hindu)
Keren-HappuchHebrew name meaning ‘horn of the face paint that comes from death’s shadow’
LenoreBright, light
LilithStorm goddess related to illness & death (Jewish)
MacariaGoddess of blessed death (Greek)
MikaNew moon
MortaDeath (Roman)
MorticiaDerived from mortis (Latin for death)
MotPersonification of death (Canaanite)
MouriDeath (Japanese)
NovaNew beginnings arising from an ending
OrpheusHero who went to Hades and returned with his wife’s soul
PersephoneQueen of the underworld (Greek)
RavenBird symbolic of darkness, death, mystery
ReaperPersonification of death
RequiemFuneral mass for the dead
SaulDeath
ShadeDimness, dark, shadowy
ShilahDeath’s messenger (Hebrew)
SupayGod of death (Inca)
TadesseI shall rise again (Ethiopian)
ThanatosPersonification of death (Greek)
YamaGod who judges the dead (Hindu)

Unisex Names That Mean Death

A set of versatile unisex names with meanings encompassing aspects of loss, closure, and immortal handover into the great unknown.

Unisex NamesMeaning
AbsintheMythic toxic wormwood drink dubbed “green fairy”
AcheronRiver of woe (Greek)
AconiteToxic wolfsbane flower used to deter werewolves in myths
AsaHealer who also conveys curses or death
AstraOf the stars, celestial
AtroposA Fate who cuts the thread of life (Greek mythology)
AzraelAngel of Death (Islam/Judaism)
BansheeFemale spirit who wails as a death omen (Irish myth)
BasilKing-like death divinity (Greek myth)
BeaumontGrave, tomb area
BlitheHappy, joyful yet with uncaring undertones about death
BoreasGreek god of the freezing north wind which kills
BrynHill, burial mound
CamazotzBat god, lord of the house of death (Mayan)
CasperA friendly ghost
CerberusMulti-headed hound guarding underworld gate in Greek myths
CeridwenCeltic goddess of rebirth after death
CharonBoatman who ferries dead across Styx (Greek myth)
ChindiVengeful ghost (Navajo)
CimeronPeople living on boundary between life/death
Cwn AnnwnMythic white hounds of Celtic underworld
DiesDay, the passage of time
EbonEbony blackness that swallows light
EmberRemains after fire dies out
EnlilLord of open/ghost world (Sumerian)
EreshkigalGoddess ruling the Mesopotamian underworld
EvelynBeautiful bird, or desired; derived from Aveline meaning hazelnut tree associated with death in folklore
ExodusDeparture, death
FadeGradually grow faint, die out
GhostSoul, spirit
GiltinėGoddess of death (Lithuanian)
HadesGod of the Greek underworld
HebronHebrew place named related to spellbinding and necromancy
JubileeRam’s horn blown for funerals and celebrations
KālaHindu god of death and time
KaliDark death goddess (Hindu)
KeitaCelebration (Japanese)
LenoreBright, light
LilithStorm goddess related to illness & death (Jewish )
LazarusBiblical man resurrected four days after death by Jesus
MacabreGruesome, grim, associated with death
MikaNew moon
MortDeath (French)
MortaDeath (Roman)
MotPersonification of death (Canaanite)
MouriDeath (Japanese)
NiobeDaughter of Tantalus turned to stone while mourning her lost children
NovaNew beginnings arising from an ending
OmriSheaf of wheat symbolic of cycle of rebirth after death
OrpheusHero in Greek myth who went to underworld and returned with his wife
NOS4DBird symbolic of darkness, death, mystery
RequiemFuneral mass for the dead
SaulAsked of God; death
ShadeDimness, dark, shadowy
ShilahDeath’s messenger (Hebrew)
TristanBorn sad, evoker of tears

Choosing a Name with a Death Meaning

Names carrying death or mortality meanings range widely — from dark and foreboding to positive and hopeful. Consider cultural views on death and any personal loss experiences before selecting names like these for your child.

In many cultures, death-related names may be viewed as unlucky or inauspicious. But they can also represent cherishing life, remembering loved ones, feeling empathy or pursuing justice. Talk over these names’ different interpretations to choose appropriately.

Conclusion

This guide covered over 200 global baby names related to endings, mortality and darkness/light symbolism. It provided background on cultural perceptions of death meanings and how that impacts name selection. From names of underworld deities to mortal characters, poisonous plants to life cycle symbols, names touched by death encompass rich range. Hopefully this guide helps introduce evocative options to suit modern sensibilities and honor the eternal human quest for meaning amidst our universality of impermanence.

Featured Posts

Explore Categories

x
x