Names That Mean Dark

This somewhat boisterous Celtic name would be at home in a noisy pub or out walking on the moors. In Scotland, it was originally a nickname for someone with dark hair or a swarthy complexion.

This fabric word name would be a one-of-a-kind.

Popular name in Israel, worth considering for a dark-haired daughter with a bit of a bohemian cast.

Dark.

An ubercool and mysterious name, brought to you by director M. Night Shyamalan.

Donnelly is among the more appealing Irish surname names, less well used than Donovan. Related options include the place name Donegal and the mythological god name Donegan.

Dark, woody name that's brings to mind rich panelling, beautiful colors and luxury.

A two-syllable surname feel puts this name of an important English saint in the running -- though it could sound like a confused cross between Duncan and Dustin.

Merel is a soundalike of Meryl and may be thought of as a variation of that name, but it's also the Dutch word for blackbird and so you can make it more stylish as one of the flock of cool new bird names, joining Wren, Lark, and Sparrow.

This familiar Irish surname, best known as the name of the mononamed Welsh female singer, is extremely rare as a first name in the US but could make an original Irish choice.

A common surname in Scotland, but a starchy first name choice.

Variously spelled trendy name in the 1970s that hasn't even been in the Top 1000 in a decade.

Grimes and Elon Musk put this name on the map in 2022, when they revealed their daughter's name was Exa Dark Sideræl. Until that point, Dark had not been recorded as a given name, although it resembles more established names such as Mark and Lark.

Photographer Diane Arbus named her daughter Doon, inspired by the sand dunes she walked among when pregnant. Used this way, Doon might be considered a nature name, a refashioning of the word dune. But Doon might also stem from the familiar Scottish surname Dunn or Dunne, which means brown or dark, originally used for a dark-haired person.

Zanzibar is an island region off the coast of Tanzania. It's never been recorded as a baby name, but for those with a connection to Zanzibar, it's an intriguing and unique option chock full of zesty Zs.

This recently coined respelling of Cole darkens its image.

An unusual, haunting name, a distant cousin to the more popular Amber and Ember.

This Irish surname packs a lot of attitude, projecting an image of spunk and sass. The Welsh singer Duffy, born Aimee Anne Duffy, is best known for her songs Mercy and Warwick Avenue.

Famous violinist-conductor Pinchas Zuckerman is the most famous modern bearer; the biblical Pinchas was the son of Eleazar and the grandson of Aaron -- both preferable name choices.