Choosing a unique and meaningful name for a new baby is top of mind for all new parents, and those who are spiritual might feel called to choose a name relating to the otherworldly.
Though names that mean ghost, soul, or phantom might feel unusually spooky to some, there’s no need for them to have a dark connotation — they can reflect the unique and sometimes benevolent qualities attributed to these supernatural beings. Likewise, name meanings which describe a strong or loving type of spirit or soul are as aspirational as any other.
Let’s take a look at some of these unique monikers.
Baby names meaning ghost
Unisex
- Yurei – this is the Japanese word for ‘ghost’ and would make a great name for a girl or boy
Boys
- Avatāraya – this is the Sinahlese word for ‘ghost’
- Axar – this is a Gujarati name meaning ‘ghost’
- Draugur – this is the Icelandic word for ‘ghost’ and makes a powerful name for a boy
- Drogo – this name has evolved from the Anglo-Saxon word ‘drog’ meaning ‘ghost’ or ‘phantom’
- Mamua – this is the Basque word for ‘ghost’
- Hantu – this is an Indonesian word meaning ‘ghost’
- Roho – this is the Swahili word for ‘ghost’
Girls
- Bhūta – this is the Gujurati word for ‘ghost’
- Eulalia – this is the Corsican word for ‘ghost’ and makes a beautiful name for a girl
- Gayna – this is an English name meaning ‘white phantom’
- Ginette – another version of the name Gayna, this English name means ‘white phantom’
- Genevra – this is a Greek name meaning ‘white phantom’
- Lillith – this is an Arabic name meaning ‘ghost’ or ‘belonging to the night’
- Masina – this is the Malagasy word for ‘ghost’
- Morrígan – this is the name of an Irish mythological character and is translated as ‘phantom queen’
- Phi – this is the Laothian word for ‘ghost’
- Yennifer – this is a Welsh name meaning ‘white phantom’
Baby names meaning spirit
Boys
- Achak – this is a Native American and Algonquin name meaning ‘spirit’
- Avira – this is a name of Arabaic origin meaning, ‘air’, ‘amosphere’, and ‘spirit’
- Cheveyo – this is a Native American name from the Hopi tribe, meaning ‘spirit warrior’
- Chuchip – this is a Native American name from the Hopi tribe, meaning ‘deer spirit’
- Caden – this is a Welsh boy’s name meaning ‘Spirit of War’
- Espiridion – this is the Spanish version of the Greek name Spiridion (see below) meaning ‘ghost spirit’ or ‘little spirit’
- Euthymios – this Ancient Greek name means ‘in good spirits’. Broken down, the ‘thymos’ element means ‘soul’ or ‘spirit’
- Euthymius – derivative of the Ancient Greek name Euthymios (see meaning above)
- Eutimo – derivative of the Ancient Greek name Euthymios (see meaning above)
- Fravardin – this is a Persian name derived from the word ‘fravashi’, meaning ‘guardian spirit’
- Hania – this is a Native American name used by the Hopi tribe, meaning ‘spirit warrior’
- Hew – this is of Scottish and Old German origin, meaning ‘soul’, ‘mind’, and ‘spirit’
- Hewie – this is of Scottish and Old Germain origin, meaning ‘soul’, ‘mind’, and ‘spirit’.
- Hototo – this is a Native American name used by the Hopi tribe meaning ‘warrior spirit who sings’
- Imamu – this is an African name, meaning ‘spiritual leader’
- Jeongsin – this is the Korean word for ‘spirit’
- Kneph – this name is of Egyptian origin, meaning ‘soul breath’. It is also the name of the Egyptian deity Kneph, the god of animals and spirit
- Kotori – this is a Native American name used by the Hopi tribe, meaning ‘screech owl spirit’
- Mahatma – this is a sanskrit term, meaning ‘great soul’ which is also used as a name
- Roh – this is the Indonesian and Javanese word for ‘spirit’
- Ruyu – this is a Hausa word meaning ‘spirit’
- Ryuu – this is a Japanese name, meaning ‘dragon spirit’
- Shen – this is the Chinese word for ‘spirit’
- Spiridion – this is a Greek diminutive of the latin word ‘spiritus’, meaning ‘ghost spirit’ or ‘little spirit’
- Vogi – this is the Armenian word for ‘spirit’
- Wanageeska – this is a Native American name, meaning ‘white spirit’
Girls
- Arima – this is the Basque word for ‘spirit’ and is a powerful name for a girl
- Āvi – this is a Tamil word meaning ‘soul’
- Hehewuti – this is a Native American name used by the Hopi tribe meaning ‘warrior mother spirit’
- Kachina – this is a Native American name used by the Hopi tribe meaning ‘sacred dancer’ and ‘spirit’. The kachina doll is a popular toy used by the children of the Native American tribes
- Pneuma – this is an Ancient Greek word meaning ‘spirit’
- Spyridoula – this is the feminine version of the Greek name Spiridion meaning ‘ghost spirit’ or ‘little spirit’
- Suli – this is the Georgian word for ‘spirit’
- Tien – this is a Vietamese name meaning ‘fairy’, ‘angel’, and ‘spirit’
Baby names meaning soul
Unisex
- Ātmā – this is a sanskrit term meaning ‘self’ or ‘soul’, which is also used as a name
- Atman – a variation of Ātmā, this is a sanskrit name meaning ‘self’ or ‘soul’
- Jan – this is a Kazakh word meaning ‘soul’
- Janan – this name is of Arabic origin and means ‘heart’ or ‘soul’
- Jiva – this is a sanskrit term meaning ‘an individual soul’, which is also used as a name
- Moyo – this is the Chichewa word for ‘soul’
- Nirvana – this is a sanskrit term meaning ‘liberation of the soul’, which has become a popular name
- Nurzhan – this is a Kazakhstani name meaning ‘light soul’
- Nwaya – this is the Javanese word for ‘soul’
- Rŭh – this is a Kurdish word meaning ‘soul’
Boys
- Aatamgosh – this is a Hindu name meaning ‘inner light’ or ‘soul’
- Anam – this is the Irish word for ‘soul’
- Baiszhan – this name is of Persian origin and means ‘a rich soul’
- Du’an – this is a Serbian name meaning ‘soul’
- Dušan – this name originates from the Slavic word ‘duša’ meaning ‘soul’
- Dušek – although this is most commonly a Polish surname, we think this slavic name, meaning ‘soul’, makes a great first name too
- Tamashī – this is a Japanese word meaning ‘soul’
Girls
- Alma – this is the Spanish word for ‘soul’ and is also an English name meaning ‘to feed one’s soul’
- Anima – this is derived from the latin word ‘Anima Mae’ meaning ‘soul’
- Ānmā – this is the Tamil word for ‘soul’
- Ātmaya – this is a Sinhalese word meaning ‘soul’
- Banafrit – this is an Egyptian name meaning ‘beautiful soul’
- Dušana – this is the feminine version of Dušan and originates from the Slavic word ‘duša’, meaning ‘soul’
- Enid – this is a Welsh name meaning ‘soul’
- Enide – variation of the Welsh name Enid, meaning ‘soul’
