If you’re looking for a baby name with a touch of mystery and magic, names that mean shadow or darkness may offer just what you’re seeking. These names can be a cute homage to a baby that’s born during the wee hours, but they can also be evocative of stealthiness, mysteriousness, and cunning, like a quickly disappearing shadow or one who moves in darkness.
Words meaning and referring to shadow, darkness, and dusk can be found in most every language, so parents have the option of choosing a darkness-themed moniker that’s also culturally relevant to their little one.
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Male baby names
- Zalaph — Zalaph is a biblical name that means “shadow.”
- Ohanzee — In Siouan, Ohanzee means “shadow.”
- Erebus — Erebus is a Greek name that comes from the Latin word for “darkness.”
- Senko — Senko is the masculine form of the Slavic name Senka. It means “shadow.”
- Caligo — Caligo is the Latin word for “darkness.”
- Kageki —This name comes from the Japanese elements for “shadow” and “hope.”
- Humi — Humi comes from the Old Norse word for “twilight.” This Icelandic name is perfect for any baby born just before sunset.
- Inei — This masculine Japanese name means “dark, shadow.”
- Apsephion —Apsephion is a Greek name that means “darkness.”
- Cethin — Cethin is a Welsh name that means “dusky” or “dark.”
- Kardama — In Sanskrit, Kardama means “shadow.”
- Hiei — The Japanese translation for Hiei is “flying shadow.”
- Araysh — This simple Muslim name means “shadower.”
- Devroop — Devroop means “shadow of God.”
- Antubra —Antubra is the name given to annual solar eclipses. We thought this astrological moniker would be perfect for any science-loving family.
- Kage — Kage is Japanese for “shadow.”
- Dell —In Malta, this name translates to “shadow.”
- Erebus — In Greek mythology, Erebus is “the place of darkness.”
- Betzalel — Betzalel is a traditional Hebrew name. It translates to “shadow of God.”
- Orpheus — Orpheus is a character from Greek mythology. His name means “the darkness of night.”
- Zelophehad — Zelophehad means “dark shadow.” He appears in the Hebrew bible.
- Tirich – Tirich is the name of a valley in Mulkow. As a name, it means “shadow.”
- Niratap – This Bengali name means “one who is filled with shadows.”
- Tenebris — This Tanzanian name means “God of darkness.”
- Tirich — Tirich is a Pashto name that means “shadow” or “darkness.”
- Donovan — The Gaelic name Donovan means “dark.”
- Duncan — Duncan is a Scottish name that means “dark warrior.”
- Blagdan — Blagdan is a name that means “one from the dark valley.”
- Ozul — Ozul is a Gothic boy’s name that means “shadow.”
- Kage — Kage means “shadow” in Japanese.
- Ash — This name plays reference to the dark remnants of fires.
Female baby names
- Senka — Senka is a popular girl’s name in Serbia and Croatia. It means “shadow.”
- Delaney — This playful Gaelic name means “black.” It is likely a reference to the dark waters of the River Slaney.
- Seber — The feminine Kurdish name means “shade” or “shadow.”
- Ciara – Ciara is a popular Irish girl’s name. It means “black.”
- Brunetta — This name means “brown-haired.”
- Charna – This intriguing Yiddish name means “dark.”
- Adrienne — The French name Adrienne means “dark one.”
- Raven — This name plays reference to the blackbird.
- Lila —Lila is a popular Indian given name. It comes from the Arabic word for “night.”
- Sayagul — This lovely Persian name means “shadow flower.”
- Sayah — Sayah is a common girl’s given name in Algeria. It means “shade” or “shadow.”
- Ebony — Ebony is a name with Latin roots. It means “deep black wood.”
- Amaya — This name means “night rain.”
- Achlys — Achyls is the Greek goddess of the mist of death.
- Chhaya — Chhaya is the name of the Hindu goddess of shadows.
- Keyara — Keyara is a Celtic girl’s name that means “little dark one.”
- Jett — Jett is a simple yet cool name that means “black stone.”
- Humbelina — Humbelina means “one who produces a little shadow.”
- Leila — Leila is a popular Arabic name. It means “dark” or “night.”
- Melaina — The name Melaina is derived from the Greek Melanie. It means “shadow.”
- Keket — Keket is the Egyptian goddess of darkness.
- Ebda — Ebda is a vintage-sounding English name. It means “dark beauty.”
- Ombretta — The meaning of this name is “shadow.”
- Tamala — Tamala is a common African name. It means “dark tree.”
- Bruna — Bruna is an Italian name that means “brown-haired.”
- Krishna — This name comes from the Sanskrit word for “black” or “dark.”
- Duabntxoo — Duabntxoo is the Hmong word for “shadow.”
- Pangari – According to indigenous Australians, this name means “shadow.”
- Nisha — Nisha is an uncommon Indian girl’s name. It means “night” in Sanskrit.
- Siber — In Kurdish, this name means “shade” or “shadow.”
- Melanie —Melanie is a feminine Greek name that means “blackness.”
- Tinueviel — This name means “daughter of twilight” or “nightingale.”
- Adie — Adie means “dark one.”
Related: You’ll Never Guess Which Famous People Have Dark Names
Unisex baby names
- Shadow — Shadow is a gender-neutral name. It means “shade from the sun.”
- Cary – Cary is a unisex Celtic name that means “black.”
- Kumori — This gender-neutral name means “shadow” in Japanese.
- Yami — In Japan, the name Yami means “darkness.”
- Varjo —This gender-neutral Finnish name means “shade” or “shadow.”
- Night — If you’re a fan of darkness, you’ll love this gender-neutral name. Make no mistake; it means “evening.”
- Shade — Shade is a unisex Arabic name that means “singer.” It is also an obvious reminder of the darkness cast by shadows.
- Erembourc – According to French mythology, Erembourc is a character that hitches a ride on the back of a shadow. This name stems from the Latin word for “darkness.”
- Darcie – Darcie is a unisex name that means “dark-haired.”
