Names That Mean Death

The name generally given to the "Good Thief" at the crucifixion of Jesus, although he was not actually named in the New Testament.

One of the most popular names in Scandinavia, Freja--or Freyja--was a major deity of Norse paganism. Beautiful, blonde and blue-eyed, she was the goddess of love, beauty and fertility. In the US, the name is most likely spelled Freya.

A real Greek river, believe in ancient times to lead to the Underworld. It has been in (rare) use as a boy name from 2010 onwards, coinciding with the rising interest in mythological names.

This is the French form of Lazarus, which recently has been rising from the dead – it's popular on Nameberry, and was used for his son by musician Trent Reznor. Lazare might be familiar to some via the Gare Saint-Lazare train station in Paris.

Sounds like Serena, but refers to the mythological sirens -- half woman, half bird -- who virtually sang men to death. Not a great role model for your little girl.

Similar to Ivana but less personality-driven.

The Roman god of the underworld, the former ninth planet, a cartoon dog...but not a baby.

This sleek Italian name was raised from the dead by Mexican Mozart in the Jungle star Gael Garcia Bernal, who chose it for his son (he also has a daughter named Libertad). For athletic inspiration, Lazaro Alvarez, boxing for Cuba, is the three-time world champion lightweight boxer. Lazarus and root name Eleazar are both also destined for comebacks.

As Levi becomes more common, we're noticing parents turn to more creative alternatives such as Levitt.

Kore is the original Greek form of the modern Cora, a name that's heading straight for the top of the charts in the English-speaking world. Kore was an alternate name for Persephone, goddess of the underworld. Spelling the name Kore may tip it toward the short form Kory or Korey.

In Greek mythology, the river Styx separates the Earth and the Underworld, named for the goddess who gave it its power. Today Styx is also associated with the 1970s rock band of the same name.

In Greek mythology, Zagreus was a god of the underworld and the son of Persephone and either Hades or Zeus. The word zagreus refers to a hunter who catches (and dismembers) live animals — the mythical Zagreus is often considered the "first Dionysius," as Dionysius was dismembered as an infant.

Kali is a popular girls' name in the US with dark origins: She is the Hindu goddess of death and destruction, though we'd wager many parents see the name as simply a respelling of Callie.

The name of the Inuit goddess of the sea, marine animals, and the underworld. There is also a dwarf planet in the outer solar system called 90377 Sedna, discovered in 2003 and named after the goddess because: "Our newly discovered object is the coldest, most distant place known in the Solar System, so we feel it is appropriate to name it in honor of Sedna, the Inuit goddess of the sea, who is thought to live at the bottom of the frigid Arctic Ocean."

The name of the ferrymen of dead souls to the Greek underworld and the name of Pluto's desolate moon, Charon makes an interesting, if somewhat macabre, choice for a baby. There are two pronunciations of this name, depending on whether you're referring to the ferryman or the moon. While the Greek version is pronounced with a hard "k" sound, the astronomer who named the moon did not know about the Greek myth - he named the moon after his wife Charlene, so many astronomers pronounce it with a "sh" sound.

Maisel is a German-Jewish surname, brought into the spotlight as that of Miriam Maisel, aka The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. The TV show, which premiered in 2017, has led to small numbers of girls given the name in recent years. It feels like a blend of stylish vintage names Maisie and Hazel.

Orcus is the Roman equivalent of the Greek Hades, god of the underworld. His name is ultimately derived from the Greek word hórkos, meaning "oath,"

The personified spirit of death mists, the clouding of the eyes preceding death —Achlys also may have been a goddess of deadly poisons.

Angelia, also called Angelos, was a daughter of Zeus and Hera. She stole her mother's anointments and gave them to Europa, then to escape her mother's wrath went into hiding.

Zeldris is a demon character — also known as the Prince of Darkness — on the anime series Nanatsu no Taizai (or The Seven Deadly Sins). His name debuted on the American charts in 2021, when it was used for eight baby boys.