Black Night And Shadowy Names

Eos -- that's pronounced with a short e like eros without the r -- is the Greek Titan of the dawn. Any ancient name with a sleek modern feel has definite revival possibilities. Eos could be an inventive way to honor grandma Dawn.

A dramatic nature-inspired possibility for either sex.

A dramatic nature-inspired possibility for either sex.

Lovers of Esme might also like this beautiful Turkish name, with its mysterious meaning. The last syllable sounds like "rye".

This lovely Top 100 Turkish name is related to the Arabic Asra or Isra.

Fiḍḍa al-Nūbīyya was a significant Islamic figure best known for being the maid of Fatima al-Zahra — the Prophet Muhammad's daughter. Fiḍḍa famously spoke in Quranic verses for over 20 years.

Common name in Japan, would have alcoholic allusions here.

Most parents would find this old Roman name pretentious compared to the more accessible Adrian, but some history buffs just might want to commemorate the enlightened emperor.

Familiar via Harry, but much more worldly.

Hazen is a variation of the Dutch surname Hasin, which has two separate origins. The first is as a nickname for Haso, a Germanic given name derived from haswa, meaning "gray" or "black." Hasin was also a variation of Haas, a Dutch and German surname meaning "hare."

An androgynous alternative to Hazel, an American favorite that continues to rise.

Like a large proportion of traditional Hawaiian names, Hoku can be used for both girls and boys.

A spirited name with major cross-cultural significance. In addition to its celestial meaning in Hawaiian, it means "rhyme" in Finnish and "congratulations" in Japanese.

One of a handful of Cherokee names meaning "black fox," along with Enoli and Inola.

One of three Cherokee names with the same meaning, along with Inali and Enoli, both male names.

Isra is a gender-neutral Arabic name. The name of a chapter of the Quran, it refers to the Prophet's journey from Mecca to Jerusalem.

Israh which is also spelled Isra is a gender-neutral Muslim name.

The Basque name, meaning shadow, has the virtue of having both an interesting meaning and an obvious pronunciation.

Rare and rhythmic.

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.