Halloween Names

For older generations this still summons silent horror star Chaney; for others it's a pleasant if slight nickname name.

One of the magical words of childhood (and beyond), and associated with actor Treat (born Richard) Williams, whose nickname came from ancestor Robert Treat Williams, a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

An earthy rock'n'roll name with multiple origins. The Roc was a giant bird in Middle Eastern legend.

Glinda is famous as the name of the Good Witch in The Wizard of Oz, invented by author L. Frank Baum. but has there ever been a real life, non-fictional Glinda? Not in the US last year.

Of all the astrological names —think Leo, Aries, Gemini— Scorpio probably has the most dramatically potent presence, which could prove something of a burden to a young boy.

The "To Be or Not to Be" jokes, via Shakespeare's tortured prince, will get old by Month Two.

Lucifer not cool enough for you? Then you might want to pivot to this arguably badder-boy alternative with the X in the middle. Bonus advantage: Nickname Lux.

For basketball fans, in honor of Magic Johnson. Or anyone who believes in magic.

A name that's appeared out of thin air, in the same vein as such mystical favorites as Destiny and Nevaeh.

Nickname left over from the last generation.

The charming Hitch played by Will Smith in the eponymous movie put this into the lexicon. Also known as the nickname of director Alfred Hitchcock and writer Christopher Hitchens, who titled his autobiography "Hitch."

Also spelled Nemaine, Neman or Nemhain, Nemain derives from Irish mythology, given to the fairy spirit of havoc of war. She is possibly an aspect of the trio of goddesses known as the Morrígan.

An Arabic name with two possible meanings, depending on which root your follow, Taif is both a spiritual name in both senses of the word. On one hand, it can come from tayf meaning "ghost, visitation, wraith", while on the other, it can come from taafa meaning "to walk around, to circle something". More broadly, this refers to the performance of Tawaf, an important part of an Islamic pilgrimage in which pilgrims walk round the Holy Ka'abah seven times anti-clockwise.

Mystical and mysterious, but with grounded sounds, Virva is a name of Finnish origin, derived from the word virvatuli meaning "will o' the wisp". In folklore, will o' the wisps are floating orbs of bluish light, appearing above water and marshes in the dark, then disappearing when travellers approach them. Sometimes said to lure the unwary into danger, in Finnish folklore specifically, they are they are claimed to mark the places where faerie gold is buried.