175+ Witchy Girl Names With Dark, Magical Energy

Before “witch” was an insult, it was a job description. The Old English wicce meant the woman who knew things — which root broke a fever, which moon phase to plant by, which words to say over a birth. That knowledge traveled in names long before it traveled in books, and the names on this list still carry traces of it: moon goddesses invoked at planting time, herbs steeped into tinctures, and the literary witches — Hermione, Circe, Willow — who kept the archetype alive long after the last trial ended.

When referencing popularity, I am referring to baby name data from Social Security Administration database in the United States for 2025, which is the most current year of data available.

Here’s what’s in store – 

This list pulls from five real wells, and it’s organized that way instead of alphabetically, so you can follow whichever thread calls to you: moon and night-sky vocabulary, plant and herb lore, goddesses of magic and the underworld, witches from folklore and fiction, and the historical women — healers, herbalists, so-called heretics — whose names got rewritten as warnings instead of remembered as wisdom.

Not every dark-sounding name earns the witchy label. The ones that hold up tend to share three things: a sound with some weight to it, a documented root — a goddess, a plant, a place, a real person — rather than just vibes, and enough substance that a kid could explain where it comes from if someone asked. That last part matters more than it sounds like it should: a name your daughter can tell a real story about tends to age better than one that was only ever spooky.

Moon and Night Sky Names

These names pull directly from moon lore, night vocabulary, and the celestial language witches have always claimed as their own. They tend to feel airy and otherworldly rather than heavy.

Luna

• Origin: Latin
• Pronunciation: LOO-na · ˈluːnə
• Meaning: moon
• Popularity: #13

The Roman goddess of the moon and the most direct way to put moonlight on a birth certificate.

Selene

• Origin: Greek
• Pronunciation: suh-LEE-nee · səˈliːni
• Meaning: moon (as the Greek moon goddess)
• Popularity: #675

The Greek moon goddess who drove a silver chariot across the sky each night.

Hecate

• Origin: Greek
• Pronunciation: HEK-uh-tee · ˈhɛkəti
• Meaning: possibly ‘one who works/strikes from afar’ or ‘the far-reaching one’ (an epithet related to Apollo); origin genuinely disputed
• Popularity: Rare

Goddess of crossroads, ghosts, and witchcraft — the patron deity of the magical arts.

Artemis

• Origin: Ancient Greek (deeper root uncertain)
• Pronunciation: AR-tuh-miss · ˈɑːrtəmɪs
• Popularity: #1022

Diana

• Origin: Latin
• Pronunciation: dy-AN-uh · daɪˈænə
• Meaning: divine, heavenly
• Popularity: #243

The Roman counterpart of Artemis, long associated with woodland magic and women’s mysteries.

Cynthia

• Origin: Greek
• Pronunciation: SIN-thee-ah · ˈsɪnθiə
• Meaning: of/from Mount Cynthus, an epithet of the goddess Artemis
• Popularity: #826

An epithet for Artemis and a quietly elegant moon name.

Phoebe

• Origin: Ancient Greek
• Pronunciation: FEE-bee · ˈfiːbi
• Meaning: bright, shining
• Popularity: #183

A Titan associated with the moon and the gift of prophecy.

Estella

• Origin: Latin (via French Estelle)
• Pronunciation: es-TEL-uh · ɛˈstɛlə
• Meaning: star
• Popularity: #501

Dickens used it for his most haunted heroine in Great Expectations.

Nyx

• Origin: Greek
• Pronunciation: NIKS · nɪks
• Meaning: night (personified as the primordial goddess of night)
• Popularity: #2704

The primordial Greek goddess of night — short, sharp, and unmistakably dark.

Astra

• Origin: Latin/Greek
• Pronunciation: AS-truh · ˈæstrə
• Meaning: star
• Popularity: #3167

Astra is literally the Latin and Greek word for ‘star.’

Stella

• Origin: Latin
• Pronunciation: STEL-ah · ˈstɛlə
• Meaning: star
• Popularity: #49

Esmeralda

• Origin: Spanish/Portuguese
• Pronunciation: ez-mur-AL-duh · ˌɛzməˈrældə
• Meaning: emerald
• Popularity: #350

The fortune-telling heroine of The Hunchback of Notre-Dame.

Vespera

• Pronunciation: VES-per-ah · ˈvɛspərə
• Popularity: Rare

Soraya

• Origin: Persian (from Arabic)
• Pronunciation: soh-RY-ah · soʊˈraɪə
• Meaning: the Pleiades star cluster; also glossed as ‘brilliant gem’
• Popularity: #913

Soraya names the Pleiades star cluster in Persian (from Arabic), and is also glossed as ‘brilliant gem.’

Lyra

• Origin: Ancient Greek (via Latin)
• Pronunciation: LY-rah · ˈlaɪrə
• Meaning: a lyre, the stringed musical instrument
• Popularity: #482

The constellation containing the star Vega, and Philip Pullman’s witch-adjacent heroine.

Cordelia

• Origin: uncertain (Shakespeare’s spelling of a historical British name, Cordeilla, possibly linked to the obscure saint’s name Cordula)
• Pronunciation: kor-DEEL-yah · kɔːrˈdiːljə
• Popularity: #1065

Andromeda

• Origin: Greek
• Pronunciation: an-DROM-uh-duh · ænˈdrɒmɪdə
• Meaning: ruler of men (Greek mythological name)
• Popularity: #2300

Andromeda is a Greek mythological name meaning ‘ruler of men.’

Cassiopeia

• Origin: Greek (via Latin)
• Pronunciation: kass-ee-oh-PEE-uh · ˌkæsioʊˈpiːə
• Popularity: #8523

The constellation and the queen punished by Poseidon.

Selena

• Origin: Greek (via Selene) or Latin (via Selina), disputed
• Pronunciation: suh-LEE-nuh · səˈliːnə
• Meaning: moon
• Popularity: #245

A softer Latinized variant of Selene with the same lunar pull.

Eclipsa

• Pronunciation: eh-KLIP-suh · ɪˈklɪp.sə
• Popularity: Rare

Aurora

• Origin: Latin
• Pronunciation: uh-ROR-uh · əˈrɔːrə
• Meaning: dawn (name of the Roman goddess of the dawn)
• Popularity: #16

Roman goddess of the sunrise and namesake of the northern lights.

Celeste

• Origin: Latin (via French)
• Pronunciation: suh-LEST · səˈlɛst
• Meaning: heavenly
• Popularity: #198

Celeste comes from the Latin (via French) word for ‘heavenly.’

Sidra

• Origin: Arabic
• Pronunciation: SIHD-ruh · ˈsɪdrə
• Meaning: From the Arabic word for the lote tree, referencing ‘Sidrat al-Muntaha,’ the tree marking the boundary of paradise in Islamic tradition
• Popularity: #1641

Sidra comes from the Arabic word for the lote tree, referencing ‘Sidrat al-Muntaha,’ the tree marking the boundary of paradise in Islamic tradition.

Pleione

• Pronunciation: plee-OH-nee
• Popularity: Rare

Mother of the Pleiades and a deep cut for astronomy lovers.

Maia

• Origin: Greek/Roman (mythological); also Māori
• Pronunciation: MY-ah · ˈmaɪə
• Meaning: refers to the mythological Maia — mother of Hermes in Greek myth, and a Roman goddess of springtime growth (source of the month name ‘May’); also used independently as a Māori name meaning ‘brave, confident’
• Popularity: #459

Calypso

• Origin: Greek
• Pronunciation: kuh-LIP-soh · kəˈlɪpsoʊ
• Meaning: she who conceals
• Popularity: #3966

The sea nymph and sorceress who held Odysseus for seven years.

Vega

• Origin: Arabic (via the star name)
• Pronunciation: VAY-gah · ˈveɪgə
• Meaning: falling eagle (referring to the star Vega’s Arabic name)
• Popularity: #3944

The brightest star in the Lyra constellation.

Carina

• Origin: Latin
• Pronunciation: kuh-REE-nuh · kəˈriːnə
• Meaning: beloved
• Popularity: #1479

Herb and Plant Witch Names

Folk magic has always lived in the garden. These names come from healing plants, poisonous flowers, and the green world that witches have tended for centuries.

Sage

• Origin: English (from Old French/Latin)
• Pronunciation: SAYJ · ˈseɪdʒ
• Meaning: a wise person; also linked to the sage herb plant
• Popularity: #146

The herb burned for cleansing and the word for wisdom itself.

Rosemary

• Origin: English (blend of Rose and Mary)
• Pronunciation: ROHZ-mair-ee · ˈroʊzˌmɛri
• Meaning: a blend of the names Rose and Mary; later also linked to the herb rosemary (from Latin ‘dew of the sea’)
• Popularity: #301

The herb of remembrance, planted at gates to keep evil out.

Willow

• Origin: English
• Pronunciation: WIL-oh · ˈwɪloʊ
• Meaning: named for the willow tree
• Popularity: #41

The tree of moon magic, intuition, and the famous Buffy the Vampire Slayer witch.

Hazel

• Origin: Old English
• Pronunciation: HAY-zel · ˈheɪzəl
• Meaning: the hazel tree, and by extension its light-brown color
• Popularity: #19

Hazel names the hazel tree in Old English, with the light-brown color taking its name from it in turn.

Juniper

• Origin: English
• Pronunciation: JOO-nih-per · ˈdʒuːnɪpər
• Meaning: the juniper tree/shrub; occasionally a folk-etymology variant of Jennifer (from Welsh Guinevere)
• Popularity: #111

Juniper names the juniper tree or shrub, though it’s occasionally used as a folk-etymology variant of Jennifer, itself from the Welsh Guinevere.

Iris

• Origin: Greek
• Pronunciation: EYE-ris · ˈaɪrɪs
• Meaning: rainbow; also the name of the Greek goddess/messenger of the rainbow, and the flower named after her
• Popularity: #71

The messenger goddess and the bearded flower of secret knowledge.

Lily

• Origin: English
• Pronunciation: LIL-ee · ˈlɪli
• Meaning: the lily flower
• Popularity: #24

Lily is simply the English name of the lily flower.

Belladonna

• Origin: Italian
• Pronunciation: bel-uh-DON-uh · ˌbɛləˈdɑːnə
• Meaning: beautiful lady (also the poisonous nightshade plant)
• Popularity: #5160

Hemlock

• Origin: Old English
• Pronunciation: HEM-lok · ˈhɛmlɒk
• Meaning: the hemlock tree (Tsuga), an evergreen conifer native to North America
• Popularity: Rare

Foxglove

• Origin: English (plant name)
• Pronunciation: FAHKS-gluv · ˈfɒksɡlʌv
• Meaning: the foxglove flower (Digitalis)
• Popularity: Rare

Beautiful, toxic, and known in folklore as fairy gloves or witches’ bells.

Wisteria

• Origin: New Latin
• Pronunciation: wis-TEER-ee-ah · wɪˈstɪriə
• Meaning: name of the flowering vine, itself coined to honor 19th-century American anatomist Caspar Wistar
• Popularity: Rare

A purple flower with a name that drips with old-Southern gothic.

Marigold

• Origin: English (flower name)
• Pronunciation: MAIR-ih-gold · ˈmɛrɪɡoʊld
• Meaning: the marigold flower; the flower’s name is traditionally explained as ‘Mary’s gold’ (honoring the Virgin Mary), not literally ‘golden flower’
• Popularity: #693

A protective flower in Mexican Día de los Muertos and English folk magic alike.

Daphne

• Origin: Greek
• Pronunciation: DAF-nee · ˈdæfni
• Meaning: laurel tree
• Popularity: #192

The nymph who became a laurel to escape Apollo’s pursuit.

Linnea

• Origin: Swedish (Latinized)
• Pronunciation: lin-AY-ah · lɪˈneɪə
• Meaning: the twinflower (Linnaea borealis), a plant named in honor of botanist Carl Linnaeus
• Popularity: #1608

A delicate Nordic flower name with witch-of-the-woods energy.

Yarrow

• Origin: Celtic (river name) / English (plant name)
• Pronunciation: YAR-oh · ˈjæɹ.oʊ
• Meaning: rough (Celtic river name); also the yarrow herb
• Popularity: #8922

A divination herb tossed onto altars and used in the I Ching.

Verbena

• Origin: Latin (plant name)
• Pronunciation: ver-BEE-nah · vərˈbiːnə
• Meaning: sacred plant (vervain)
• Popularity: Rare

Vervain — a plant believed to ward off vampires and demons.

Acacia

• Origin: Greek
• Pronunciation: uh-KAY-shuh · əˈkeɪʃə
• Meaning: a thorny flowering tree
• Popularity: #2711

Sacred in ancient Egypt and associated with rebirth.

Magnolia

• Origin: English (flower name)
• Pronunciation: mag-NOHL-yah · mæɡˈnoʊljə
• Meaning: name of the magnolia flower, adopted as an English given name in the 19th century
• Popularity: #138

Deep Southern and dripping with quiet, magical menace.

Bryony

• Origin: English (from the plant name, ultimately Greek via Latin)
• Pronunciation: BRY-uh-nee · ˈbraɪəni
• Meaning: named after the bryony plant, a flowering climbing vine
• Popularity: #9816

An English hedgerow plant once carved into mandrake substitutes.

Camellia

• Origin: Latin (botanical name)
• Pronunciation: kuh-MEEL-yah · kəˈmiːljə
• Popularity: #1539

A waxy, perfect bloom that became a Victorian symbol of longing.

Calluna

• Origin: Greek (botanical Latin)
• Pronunciation: kuh-LOO-nah · kəˈluːnə
• Meaning: to sweep (heather, used for brooms)
• Popularity: Rare

The botanical name for heather — windswept and Scottish.

Datura

• Origin: Sanskrit (via Hindi/Urdu dhatūrā)
• Pronunciation: duh-TOOR-uh · dəˈtʊərə
• Meaning: name of the thorn-apple/moonflower plant, from a Sanskrit-derived Hindi/Urdu word
• Popularity: Rare

Moonflower — hallucinogenic, sacred, and used in shamanic ritual.

Mandrake

• Pronunciation: MAN-drayk · ˈmændreɪk
• Popularity: Rare

Briar

• Origin: English (Middle English)
• Pronunciation: BRY-er · ˈbraɪər
• Meaning: thorny shrub or bramble
• Popularity: #522

Briar comes from the Middle English word for a thorny shrub or bramble.

Cassia

• Origin: Latin (from Greek ‘kasia’)
• Pronunciation: KAS-ee-uh · ˈkæsiə
• Meaning: cinnamon (the spice/tree)
• Popularity: #2234

A spice used in protection magic and a softer C name.

Tansy

• Origin: English (flower name, ultimately Greek)
• Pronunciation: TAN-zee · ˈtænzi
• Meaning: the tansy flower; the plant name traces to Greek ‘athanasia,’ meaning immortality
• Popularity: #12007

A yellow medicinal herb with a name that feels like a Victorian witch’s familiar.

Lavender

• Origin: Old French / Latin
• Pronunciation: LAV-en-der · ˈlævəndər
• Meaning: the lavender plant
• Popularity: #998

Calming, cleansing, and used in love and sleep spells.

Saffron

• Origin: English (flower/spice name)
• Pronunciation: SAF-run · ˈsæfrən
• Meaning: named for the saffron crocus flower and its golden spice
• Popularity: #5564

A name as warm and golden as the herb itself.

Goddess and Mythological Names

Witches have always borrowed authority from older deities. These names belong to goddesses, sorceresses, and mythological women with real power behind their syllables.

Circe

• Origin: Ancient Greek (mythological name)
• Pronunciation: SUR-see · sɜːʳsi
• Popularity: #4785

The most famous witch of antiquity, who turned Odysseus’s men into swine.

Medea

• Origin: Ancient Greek
• Pronunciation: meh-DEE-uh · mɪˈdiːə
• Meaning: cunning; one who plans or schemes
• Popularity: #14862

The sorceress of Colchis who helped Jason steal the Golden Fleece.

Morgana

• Origin: Welsh (feminine form of Morgan)
• Pronunciation: mor-GAH-nuh · mɔːrˈɡɑːnə
• Meaning: feminine form of Morgan; shares its uncertain ‘chief’ meaning
• Popularity: #6542

Morgan le Fay, King Arthur’s half-sister and the most enduring witch of British legend.

Cerridwen

• Origin: Welsh (mythological name, etymology disputed)
• Pronunciation: keh-RID-wen · kɛˈrɪdwɛn
• Popularity: Rare

The Welsh goddess of the cauldron of inspiration and transformation.

Brigid

• Origin: Irish (Gaelic, from Proto-Celtic)
• Pronunciation: BRIJ-id · ˈbrɪdʒɪd
• Meaning: high, exalted one
• Popularity: #2662

Triple goddess of poetry, healing, and smithcraft — a patroness of women’s magic.

Hela

• Pronunciation: HEH-lah · ˈhɛlə
• Popularity: Rare

The Norse goddess of the underworld, half-living and half-corpse.

Freya

• Origin: Old Norse
• Pronunciation: FRAY-ah · ˈfreɪə
• Meaning: noble lady, mistress
• Popularity: #159

Norse goddess of love, war, and the magic called seiðr.

Isis

• Origin: Ancient Egyptian (via Greek Isis, from Egyptian Aset)
• Pronunciation: EYE-sis · ˈaɪsɪs
• Meaning: traditionally glossed as ‘throne’ (from the throne symbol in her name), though the exact root is debated among Egyptologists
• Popularity: #1082

The Egyptian goddess of magic, motherhood, and resurrection.

Bastet

• Pronunciation: BAS-tet · ˈbæs.tɛt
• Popularity: Rare

The Egyptian cat goddess, beloved of witches everywhere.

Sekhmet

• Pronunciation: SEK-met · ˈsɛkmɛt
• Popularity: Rare

Lioness-headed warrior goddess of destruction and healing.

Nephthys

• Pronunciation: NEF-this · ˈnɛfθɪs
• Popularity: Rare

Sister to Isis and a goddess of mourning, night, and protective magic.

Lilith

• Origin: Hebrew/Akkadian (disputed)
• Pronunciation: LIL-ith · ˈlɪlɪθ
• Meaning: linked to Lilitu, an ancient Mesopotamian night/storm demon
• Popularity: #256

Adam’s mythical first wife who refused to submit and became a night demon.

Persephone

• Origin: Ancient Greek
• Pronunciation: per-SEF-uh-nee · pərˈsɛfəni
• Popularity: #737

Queen of the underworld for half the year, queen of spring for the other.

Demeter

• Origin: Greek
• Pronunciation: dih-MEE-ter · dɪˈmiːtər
• Meaning: earth mother
• Popularity: Rare

Goddess of harvest, grief, and the mysteries of Eleusis.

Athena

• Origin: Greek
• Pronunciation: uh-THEE-nah · əˈθiːnə
• Meaning: name of the Greek goddess of wisdom and warfare
• Popularity: #90

Goddess of strategy, weaving, and the wise old owls of night.

Hera

• Origin: Ancient Greek (deeper root uncertain/debated)
• Pronunciation: HEER-uh · ˈhɪərə
• Popularity: #2776

Queen of the Olympians and patroness of women’s most fearsome power.

Inanna

• Origin: Sumerian
• Pronunciation: ih-NAH-nuh · ɪˈnɑːnə
• Meaning: possibly “Lady of Heaven” (disputed); goddess of love, fertility, and war
• Popularity: #9801

The Sumerian goddess who descended into the underworld and returned.

Ishtar

• Pronunciation: ISH-tahr · ˈɪʃtɑːr
• Popularity: Rare

Mesopotamian goddess of love, war, and political sovereignty.

Astarte

• Pronunciation: uh-STAR-tee · əˈstɑːrti
• Popularity: Rare

Rhiannon

• Origin: Welsh
• Pronunciation: ree-AN-un · riˈænən
• Meaning: traditionally reconstructed as ‘great queen’ or ‘divine queen’, name of a major figure in Welsh mythology
• Popularity: #1310

Branwen

• Origin: Welsh
• Pronunciation: BRAN-wen · ˈbrænwɛn
• Meaning: blessed or white raven
• Popularity: Rare

Arianrhod

• Origin: Welsh
• Pronunciation: ahr-YAHN-rod · arˈjanr̥ɔd
• Meaning: silver wheel
• Popularity: Rare

The Welsh goddess of the moon, fate, and the spiral castle of the stars.

Morrigan

• Origin: Irish (mythological)
• Pronunciation: MOR-ih-gun · ˈmɒrɪɡən
• Meaning: great queen
• Popularity: #3788

The Irish triple goddess of war, prophecy, and crows.

Danu

• Origin: Old Irish (mythological name, reconstructed, root scholarly disputed)
• Pronunciation: DAH-noo · ˈdɑːnuː
• Popularity: Rare

The mother goddess of the Tuatha Dé Danann, the magical race of Ireland.

Aine

• Origin: Irish
• Pronunciation: AWN-yuh · ˈɑːnjə
• Meaning: radiance or brightness
• Popularity: #3112

The Irish goddess of summer, sovereignty, and midsummer fire.

Macha

• Pronunciation: MAH-khuh · ˈmɑːxə
• Popularity: Rare

One of the three Morrigan sisters, associated with horses and cursed kings.

Skadi

• Origin: Old Norse (mythological)
• Pronunciation: SKAH-dee · ˈskɑːdi
• Meaning: possibly ‘harm/damage’ (cognate with ‘scathe’); etymology debated
• Popularity: #4635

Norse goddess of winter, mountains, and bowhunting.

Nerthus

• Pronunciation: NAIR-thus · ˈnɛərθʊs
• Popularity: Rare

An ancient Germanic earth goddess worshipped in sacred groves.

Pele

• Origin: Hawaiian
• Pronunciation: PEH-leh · ˈpɛlɛ
• Meaning: proper name of the Hawaiian goddess of fire and volcanoes (not a literal translation of ‘volcano’)
• Popularity: #13577

The Hawaiian volcano goddess — fierce, beautiful, and not to be crossed.

Oya

• Origin: Yoruba
• Pronunciation: aw-YAH · ɔːˈjɑː
• Meaning: Literally ‘she tore’ in Yoruba; the name of the orisha associated with storms, wind, and transformative change — ‘storm goddess’ describes her role, not a literal translation.
• Popularity: Rare

Yoruba goddess of storms, winds, and transformation.

Folkloric and Hedge Witch Names

These are the names that feel pulled from a cottage at the edge of the woods — soft, old, and a little bit feral.

Agnes

• Origin: Greek
• Pronunciation: AG-nes · ˈæɡnəs
• Meaning: pure or chaste
• Popularity: #1063

Beatrix

• Origin: Latin (variant of Beatrice)
• Pronunciation: BEE-uh-triks · ˈbiːətrɪks
• Meaning: variant of Beatrice — brings happiness / blessed
• Popularity: #1379

Beatrix Potter gave it a quiet whimsy; Beatrix Kiddo gave it teeth.

Winifred

• Origin: Old English / Welsh (conflated names)
• Pronunciation: WIN-ih-fred · ˈwɪnɪfrɪd
• Meaning: joy and peace (Old English), merged with the separate Welsh name Gwenfrewi
• Popularity: #1031

Winifred Sanderson of Hocus Pocus made this name immortal.

Tabitha

• Origin: Aramaic
• Pronunciation: TAB-i-thuh · ˈtæbɪθə
• Meaning: gazelle
• Popularity: #1519

The witch daughter on Bewitched — wholesome on top, mischievous underneath.

Endora

• Pronunciation: en-DOR-uh · ɛnˈdɔːrə
• Popularity: #18003

The Witch of Endor consulted by King Saul in the Bible.

Ursula

• Origin: Latin
• Pronunciation: UR-suh-luh · ˈɜːrsələ
• Meaning: little (she-)bear
• Popularity: #5266

A saint, a sea witch, and one of the most resonant U names in English.

Hilda

• Origin: Germanic
• Pronunciation: HIL-dah · ˈhɪldə
• Meaning: battle
• Popularity: #3053

The teenage witch’s aunt and a saint who governed an abbey in northern England.

Zelda

• Origin: German (via Griselda) / Yiddish (feminine of Zelig)
• Pronunciation: ZEL-dah · ˈzɛldə
• Meaning: grey battle-maiden (via Griselda); also ‘blessed’ as a form of Zelig
• Popularity: #748

A Sabrina aunt, a princess of Hyrule, and Fitzgerald’s brilliant doomed wife.

Elphaba

• Pronunciation: EL-fuh-buh · ˈɛl.fə.bə
• Popularity: Rare

Gregory Maguire’s name for the Wicked Witch of the West.

Glinda

• Pronunciation: GLIN-duh · ˈɡlɪndə
• Popularity: #18483

Sabrina

• Origin: Celtic (Brittonic)
• Pronunciation: suh-BREE-nah · səˈbriːnə
• Meaning: name of a legendary Celtic princess; by tradition she gave her name to the River Severn (not the reverse)
• Popularity: #357

The teenage witch and a river spirit from Celtic Britain.

Bonnie

• Origin: Scottish
• Pronunciation: BAH-nee · ˈbɑːni
• Meaning: pretty, beautiful
• Popularity: #441

Bonnie Bennett in The Vampire Diaries gave it serious witch credentials.

Prudence

• Origin: Latin
• Pronunciation: PROO-duhns · ˈpruːdəns
• Meaning: having sound judgment and caution in one’s actions
• Popularity: #2588

A Puritan virtue name often borne by characters who turn out to be witches.

Mercy

• Origin: English (17th-century Puritan virtue name)
• Pronunciation: MER-see · ˈmɜːrsi
• Meaning: compassion, mercy
• Popularity: #849

Another Puritan virtue name with a thread of darkness — Mercy Brown was the last “American vampire.”

Patience

• Origin: English (virtue name)
• Pronunciation: PAY-shents · ˈpeɪʃəns
• Meaning: The virtue of patience/endurance
• Popularity: #1330

A Puritan virtue name that lands as quietly Salem-coded.

Temperance

• Origin: English (Puritan virtue name, from Latin temperantia)
• Pronunciation: TEM-pruhns · ˈtɛmpərəns
• Meaning: moderation, self-restraint
• Popularity: #2127

A Puritan name with strong witch-trial energy.

Constance

• Origin: Latin
• Pronunciation: KAHN-stanss · ˈkɑːnstəns
• Meaning: steadfast, constant
• Popularity: #1645

Constance Hatchaway in the Haunted Mansion ride and a perfectly austere Puritan name.

Verity

• Origin: Latin
• Pronunciation: VER-ih-tee · ˈvɛrəti
• Meaning: truth (a Puritan virtue name)
• Popularity: #1875

A Puritan virtue name with a sharp, prickly edge.

Thomasin

• Pronunciation: TOM-uh-sin · ˈtɒməsɪn
• Popularity: Rare

The protagonist’s name in Robert Eggers’s film The Witch.

Goody

• Pronunciation: GUUD-ee · ˈɡʊd.i
• Popularity: Rare

An archaic colonial title used for women in Salem — daring as a first name.

Eulalie

• Origin: Ancient Greek (French form of Eulalia)
• Pronunciation: yoo-LAH-lee · juːˈlɑːli
• Meaning: sweetly-speaking / well-spoken (Greek eu, ‘well’ + lalia, ‘speech’)
• Popularity: #11380

A delicate French name with a Poe-poem heart.

Ophelia

• Origin: Greek
• Pronunciation: oh-FEEL-yuh · oʊˈfiːljə
• Meaning: help, benefit
• Popularity: #261

Hamlet’s drowned maiden whose name now means tragic, wild, and pre-Raphaelite.

Beatrice

• Origin: Latin
• Pronunciation: BEE-uh-tris · ˈbiːətrɪs
• Meaning: one who brings happiness (also glossed “blessed one”)
• Popularity: #579

Dante’s guide through paradise — divine and unreachable.

Adelaide

• Origin: Germanic (Old High German, via French)
• Pronunciation: AD-el-ayd · ˈædəleɪd
• Meaning: of noble character
• Popularity: #271

Old, lacy, and slightly haunted in the best way.

Hester

• Origin: English (form of Esther, Esther’s own origin is debated, often cited as Hebrew/Persian)
• Pronunciation: HESS-ter · ˈhɛstər
• Meaning: star
• Popularity: #16067

Mabel

• Origin: English (from Latin amabilis via Amabel)
• Pronunciation: MAY-bel · ˈmeɪbəl
• Meaning: lovable
• Popularity: #222

An overlooked Victorian charmer with a wink of mischief.

Mathilda

• Origin: Germanic (variant spelling of Matilda)
• Meaning: mighty/strong in battle
• Popularity: #4609

Mathilda is a variant spelling of the Germanic Matilda, meaning ‘mighty’ or ‘strong in battle.’

Theodora

• Origin: Greek
• Pronunciation: thee-oh-DOR-ah · ˌθiːəˈdɔːrə
• Meaning: God’s gift
• Popularity: #812

Augusta

• Origin: Latin
• Pronunciation: aw-GUS-tuh · ɔːˈɡʌstə
• Meaning: venerable, majestic (feminine form of Augustus)
• Popularity: #3076

Severe, regal, and slightly intimidating.

Edith

• Origin: Old English
• Pronunciation: EE-dith · ˈiːdɪθ
• Meaning: rich/blessed in war
• Popularity: #528

An Edith Wharton kind of name — old money with secrets.

Dark and Shadowy Word Names

Names drawn directly from the vocabulary of the dark — twilight, shadow, raven, smoke. Use sparingly and with intention.

Raven

• Origin: English (word name, masculine use parallels Old Norse Hrafn)
• Pronunciation: RAY-vuhn · ˈreɪvən
• Meaning: the black-feathered bird
• Popularity: #388

The bird of prophecy, of Odin, of Edgar Allan Poe.

Wren

• Origin: English (Middle English)
• Pronunciation: REN · ˈrɛn
• Meaning: the small songbird
• Popularity: #213

Wren simply names the small songbird, from Middle English.

Maeve

• Origin: Irish (Anglicized form of Medb/Meadhbh)
• Pronunciation: MAYV · ˈmeɪv
• Meaning: intoxicating / she who intoxicates
• Popularity: #75

Maeve is the Anglicized form of the Irish Medb/Meadhbh, meaning ‘intoxicating’ or ‘she who intoxicates.’

Eden

• Origin: Hebrew (boys’ use sometimes from an unrelated English surname)
• Pronunciation: EE-den · ˈiːdən
• Meaning: traditionally glossed ‘delight,’ referencing the biblical Garden of Eden; some scholars trace the underlying word to a Sumerian term for ‘steppe/plain’ instead
• Popularity: #72

The original garden, with a serpent already coiled in it.

Onyx

• Origin: Greek
• Pronunciation: ON-iks · ˈɑːnɪks
• Meaning: banded gemstone; from Greek for ‘claw, fingernail’
• Popularity: #358

Onyx takes its name from the Greek word for ‘claw, fingernail,’ describing the banded gemstone.

Garnet

• Origin: French
• Pronunciation: GAR-nit · ˈɡɑːrnɪt
• Meaning: the garnet gemstone (a deep red precious stone)
• Popularity: #16044

A deep-red stone tied to courage and the blood of the earth.

Amethyst

• Origin: Greek (word name)
• Pronunciation: AM-uh-thist · ˈæmɪθɪst
• Meaning: from the gemstone name; ultimately Greek for ‘not intoxicated’ (a- + methystos)
• Popularity: #1320

Amethyst is the gemstone name, tracing back to the Greek a- + methystos, meaning ‘not intoxicated.’

Opal

• Origin: English (19th-century coinage from the gemstone name, ultimately Sanskrit)
• Pronunciation: OH-pal · ˈoʊpəl
• Meaning: named after the opal gemstone; the gem-word itself traces to a Sanskrit term for ‘jewel’
• Popularity: #450

A shifting, milky stone considered unlucky outside October — fascinating for that very reason.

Pearl

• Origin: English
• Pronunciation: PURL · ˈpɜːrl
• Meaning: from the gemstone pearl; also an English form of the Yiddish name Perle
• Popularity: #802

Hester Prynne’s daughter and a stone with both lunar and tidal magic.

Ember

• Origin: English (modern vocabulary-word name)
• Pronunciation: EM-bur · ˈɛmbər
• Meaning: a glowing coal or fragment from a dying fire
• Popularity: #137

Soft on the surface, fire underneath.

Wynter

• Origin: English (spelling variant of Winter)
• Pronunciation: WIN-tur · ˈwɪntər
• Meaning: the winter season (variant spelling of the name/word Winter)
• Popularity: #415

A spelling variant that adds frost to an already cool word name.

Crow

• Pronunciation: KROH · kroʊ
• Popularity: Rare

Indigo

• Origin: Greek (via the color/dye name)
• Pronunciation: IN-dih-goh · ˈɪndɪˌɡoʊ
• Meaning: named after the deep-blue indigo dye/color
• Popularity: #923

The deepest blue and the color of the third eye.

Twila

• Origin: English (modern given name, origin unclear)
• Pronunciation: TWY-luh · ˈtwaɪlə
• Popularity: #3942

Vesper

• Origin: Latin
• Pronunciation: VES-per · ˈvɛspər
• Meaning: evening; the evening star (the planet Venus at dusk)
• Popularity: #2789

Catholic evening prayer and the most elegant Bond girl.

Noctua

• Pronunciation: NOK-choo-uh · ˈnɒktju.ə
• Popularity: Rare

The Latin word for the owl sacred to Athena.

Corvina

• Pronunciation: kor-VEE-nuh · kɔːrˈviːnə
• Popularity: Rare

A feminine raven name that feels both Italian and arcane.

Sable

• Origin: Old French (ultimately from Slavic/Old Russian ‘sobol’)
• Pronunciation: SAY-buhl · ˈseɪbəl
• Meaning: black, especially as a heraldic color; from the dark fur of the sable marten
• Popularity: #4986

A heraldic color and a quietly luxurious name.

Mauve

• Origin: French (color name)
• Pronunciation: MOHV · moʊv
• Popularity: Rare

A dusty, witchy color name that lands soft.

Shadow

• Pronunciation: SHAD-oh · ˈʃæd.oʊ
• Popularity: #6393

Onora

• Pronunciation: oh-NOR-ah · əˈnɔːrə
• Popularity: Rare

A softer alternative to Onyx with the same dark vowels.

Storm

• Origin: English
• Pronunciation: STORM · ˈstɔːrm
• Meaning: taken directly from the English word ‘storm’ (tempest, violent weather)
• Popularity: #1621

Big, dramatic, and somehow always cool.

Coraline

• Origin: French (elaboration of Coralie/Coral, literary coinage)
• Pronunciation: KOR-uh-lyne · ˈkɔːrəlaɪn
• Meaning: little coral / an elaboration of Coral
• Popularity: #720

Lenore

• Origin: French (variant of Eleanor)
• Pronunciation: luh-NOR · ləˈnɔːr
• Meaning: variant of Eleanor; Eleanor’s own root meaning is disputed
• Popularity: #2018

Annabel

• Origin: Latin (via Old French Amabel)
• Pronunciation: AN-uh-bel · ˈæn.ə.bɛl
• Meaning: lovable
• Popularity: #1601

Annabel Lee — another Poe heroine, this one in a kingdom by the sea.

Carmilla

• Origin: uncertain (possibly literary elaboration of Carmen)
• Pronunciation: kar-MIL-uh · kɑːrˈmɪlə
• Popularity: #9025

The lesbian vampire of J. Sheridan Le Fanu’s 1872 novella, predating Dracula.

Vivien

• Origin: Latin (feminine spelling variant of Vivian)
• Pronunciation: VIV-ee-en · ˈvɪviən
• Meaning: alive, lively
• Popularity: #1721

Vivien is the Lady of the Lake who imprisoned Merlin in some Arthurian tellings.

Nimue

• Origin: Arthurian legend (disputed, possibly Celtic)
• Pronunciation: NIM-way · ˈnɪmweɪ
• Popularity: #16954

Another name for the Lady of the Lake — the sorceress who outwitted Merlin.

Morwenna

• Origin: Cornish/Welsh
• Pronunciation: mor-WEN-uh · mɔːrˈwɛnə
• Meaning: maiden (from Cornish/Welsh morwyn)
• Popularity: Rare

A genuinely uncommon Cornish name with Tristan-and-Isolde gravity.

Saint, Mystic, and Heretic Names

Names borrowed from women the church canonized — and women the church burned. Both groups had powers worth honoring.

Cecilia

• Origin: Latin
• Pronunciation: seh-SEEL-yah · sɪˈsiːljə
• Meaning: possibly ‘blind’, from a Roman family byname
• Popularity: #123

The patron saint of music, often depicted with an otherworldly halo.

Lucia

• Origin: Latin
• Pronunciation: loo-SEE-ah · luːˈsiːə
• Meaning: feminine form of the Roman name Lucius, traditionally tied to ‘lux’ (light); also the name of a Sicilian martyr
• Popularity: #98

Saint Lucy, who carries her own eyes on a plate — a deeply uncanny patron saint of vision.

Anastasia

• Origin: Ancient Greek
• Pronunciation: an-ah-STAY-zhah · ænəˈsteɪʒə
• Meaning: resurrection
• Popularity: #166

Anastasia comes from Ancient Greek, meaning ‘resurrection.’

Theodosia

• Origin: Greek
• Pronunciation: thee-uh-DOH-zhuh · θiəˈdoʊʒə
• Meaning: given/dedicated to God
• Popularity: #4864

The slightly more occult cousin of Theodora.

Genevieve

• Origin: French
• Pronunciation: JEN-eh-veev · ˈdʒɛnəviːv
• Meaning: woman of the tribe/kin
• Popularity: #165

The patron saint of Paris, who saved the city through prayer.

Hildegard

• Origin: Germanic (West Germanic *Hildigardu)
• Pronunciation: HIL-duh-gard · ˈhɪldəɡɑːrd
• Meaning: battle enclosure
• Popularity: #6727

Hildegard of Bingen — composer, herbalist, abbess, and possibly the most witch-coded saint in history.

Catalina

• Origin: Spanish (form of Catherine/Katherine)
• Pronunciation: kat-uh-LEE-nuh · ˌkætəˈliːnə
• Popularity: #128

A Spanish form of Catherine with a slightly more shadowed feel.

Petronilla

• Pronunciation: peh-troh-NIL-uh · ˌpɛtrəˈnɪlə
• Popularity: Rare

Joan

• Origin: Hebrew (via Latin/Greek, English form of Joanna, Catalan form of John)
• Pronunciation: JONE · dʒoʊn
• Meaning: ‘God is gracious’ (from Hebrew Yehochanan)
• Popularity: #1013

Joan of Arc — burned for witchcraft and heresy, later canonized.

Jeanne

• Pronunciation: JEEN · dʒiːn
• Popularity: #4311

The original French form of Joan, with all of her fire.

Tituba

• Pronunciation: TIT-oo-buh
• Popularity: Rare

The enslaved woman whose testimony fueled the Salem witch trials.

Bridget

• Origin: Irish
• Pronunciation: BRIJ-it · ˈbrɪdʒɪt
• Meaning: strength, power, vigor (also glossed as ‘exalted one’)
• Popularity: #703

Bridget Bishop was the first person hanged in Salem in 1692.

Rebecca

• Origin: Hebrew
• Pronunciation: ruh-BEK-uh · rəˈbɛkə
• Meaning: to bind or tie firmly
• Popularity: #342

Rebecca Nurse was an elderly Salem accused who maintained her innocence to the gallows.

Susannah

• Origin: Hebrew (English variant of Shoshana, via Susanna)
• Pronunciation: soo-ZAN-uh · suːˈzænə
• Meaning: lily
• Popularity: #2734

One of the Salem accused and a name with serious witch-trial resonance.

Dorcas

• Origin: Greek (biblical)
• Pronunciation: DOR-kas · ˈdɔːrkəs
• Meaning: gazelle
• Popularity: #5982

Another Salem name — Dorcas Good was only four years old when she was imprisoned.

Martha

• Origin: Aramaic
• Pronunciation: MAR-thuh · ˈmɑːrθə
• Meaning: lady, mistress
• Popularity: #667

Martha Corey was hanged at Salem, refusing to confess to the end.

Sarah

• Origin: Hebrew
• Pronunciation: SAIR-ah · ˈsɛrə
• Meaning: lady, princess
• Popularity: #95

Sarah Good was hanged at Salem; her last words cursed her accuser.

Mary

• Origin: Hebrew (via Aramaic, Greek, Latin, Old French, Middle English)
• Pronunciation: MAIR-ee · ˈmɛri
• Popularity: #132

Both Mary Magdalene the mystic and a half-dozen accused Salem witches.

Catherine

• Origin: Greek (original meaning debated)
• Pronunciation: KATH-rin · ˈkæθrɪn
• Meaning: original meaning uncertain/debated (possibly ‘each of the two’, or tied to the goddess Hecate); popularly but inaccurately glossed as ‘pure’
• Popularity: #320

Catherine de’ Medici, the Florentine queen rumored to poison her rivals with magic.

Margaret

• Origin: Greek
• Pronunciation: MAR-grit · ˈmɑːrɡrɪt
• Meaning: pearl (via Latin/Old French margarita), popularized by the 3rd-century Saint Margaret the Virgin
• Popularity: #119

Margaret Hamilton played the Wicked Witch of the West and never escaped the wardrobe.

Eleanor

• Origin: Old French/Provençal (from Alienor)
• Pronunciation: EL-uh-nor · ˈɛlənɔːr
• Meaning: uncertain; traditionally ‘the other Aenor’ (a compound with her mother’s name)
• Popularity: #14

Eleanor Vance in The Haunting of Hill House — psychic, lonely, doomed.

Bridie

• Pronunciation: BRY-dee · ˈbɹaɪdi
• Popularity: #11252

A vintage Irish nickname that sounds like someone who reads tea leaves.

Maud

• Origin: Germanic (via Old French Mahaut, variant of Matilda)
• Pronunciation: MAWD · mɔːd
• Meaning: powerful in battle
• Popularity: #14595

Empress Matilda, the medieval queen who fought a civil war for her crown.

Isadora

• Origin: Greek (variant of Isidora)
• Pronunciation: iz-uh-DOR-uh · ɪzəˈdɔːrə
• Meaning: gift of the goddess Isis
• Popularity: #1223

A name that literally invokes the Egyptian goddess of magic.

Seraphina

• Origin: Late Latin (name of early Christian martyrs), from biblical Hebrew seraphim
• Pronunciation: sair-ah-FEE-nah · ˌsɛrəˈfiːnə
• Meaning: of the seraphim, a class of biblical angels
• Popularity: #778

The highest order of angels — six-winged and burning.

Evangeline

• Origin: Greek (literary coinage)
• Pronunciation: ee-VAN-jeh-leen · ɪˈvændʒəliːn
• Meaning: good news
• Popularity: #174

Longfellow’s heroine — a wandering, almost folkloric figure.

Magdalena

• Origin: Hebrew (via Aramaic/Greek Magdala)
• Pronunciation: mag-duh-LAY-nah · mægdəˈleɪnə
• Meaning: woman from Magdala (a town whose name means ‘tower’)
• Popularity: #838

The Spanish form of Magdalene, the mystic apostle.

Veronica

• Origin: Greek (via Latin)
• Pronunciation: vur-ON-ik-ah · vəˈrɑːnɪkə
• Meaning: bringer of victory (from Berenice/Pherenike)
• Popularity: #392

The saint who wiped Christ’s face — her veil is itself a sacred relic.

Wearable Witchy Names for Everyday

If you want the magic without the costume, this last group leans softer. Each name still carries occult roots, but none will make a kindergarten teacher blink.

June

• Origin: Latin (via Old French)
• Pronunciation: JOON · ˈdʒuːn
• Meaning: named for the goddess Juno, whose name traces to a root meaning ‘youthful vitality’
• Popularity: #152

Named for Juno, queen of the Roman gods.

Margot

• Origin: French (short form of Marguerite/Margaret)
• Pronunciation: MAR-goh · ˈmɑːrɡoʊ
• Meaning: pearl, carried over from Marguerite/Margaret
• Popularity: #126

Witchy in the same way Margaux is — French, polished, with an unspoken edge.

Rosalind

• Origin: Germanic
• Pronunciation: RAH-zuh-lind · ˈrɑːzəlɪnd
• Meaning: from elements meaning roughly ‘horse’ and ‘soft/tender’ — something like ‘gentle horse’
• Popularity: #1475

Shakespeare’s crossdressing forest heroine in As You Like It.

Tessa

• Origin: Greek (short form of Theresa)
• Pronunciation: TESS-ah · ˈtɛsə
• Meaning: harvest (as a pet form of Theresa)
• Popularity: #303

Tess of the d’Urbervilles — pastoral, doomed, unforgettable.

Cora

• Origin: Greek
• Pronunciation: KOR-ah · ˈkɔːrə
• Meaning: maiden
• Popularity: #102

Persephone’s other name before she became queen of the underworld.

Della

• Origin: English (19th-century coinage, possibly short for Adela or Delia)
• Pronunciation: DEL-ah · ˈdɛlə
• Meaning: uncertain: possibly ‘noble’ (if shortened from Adela) or ‘of Delos’ (if shortened from Delia)
• Popularity: #580

Della is a 19th-century English coinage, possibly short for Adela (‘noble’) or Delia (‘of Delos’).

Nora

• Origin: diminutive (short form of Eleanor, of disputed origin, rarely of Honora, Latin)
• Pronunciation: NOR-ah · ˈnɔːrə
• Popularity: #22

Nora began as a short form of Eleanor, whose own origin is disputed, and only rarely traces to the Latin Honora.

Eve

• Origin: Hebrew
• Pronunciation: EEV · ˈiːv
• Meaning: life, living
• Popularity: #569

Eve comes from the Hebrew for ‘life’ or ‘living.’

Sloane

• Origin: Irish (from the surname Ó Sluaghadháin, ‘descendant of Sluaghadhán’)
• Pronunciation: SLOHN · ˈsloʊn
• Meaning: raid or (military) expedition
• Popularity: #153

Sharp and modern, with a back-of-the-mouth bite.

Vera

• Origin: Russian/Slavic
• Pronunciation: VEER-ah · ˈvɪrə
• Meaning: faith
• Popularity: #226

Vera was Vladimir Nabokov’s brilliant, slightly inscrutable wife.

Alma

• Origin: Latin (disputed)
• Pronunciation: AL-muh · ˈælmə
• Meaning: nourishing, kind
• Popularity: #472

Alma traces to a disputed Latin root meaning ‘nourishing’ or ‘kind.’

Clio

• Origin: Ancient Greek
• Pronunciation: KLEE-oh · ˈkliːoʊ
• Meaning: glory, fame
• Popularity: #5973

The Greek muse of history and a name with low-key sorcery.

Thea

• Origin: Greek
• Pronunciation: THEE-ah · ˈθiːə
• Meaning: goddess
• Popularity: #348

The Greek Titan of sight and the mother of the moon.

Romilly

• Origin: English (surname from French place name Romilly)
• Pronunciation: ROM-ih-lee · ˈrɑːmɪli
• Meaning: from the French place name Romilly, associated with ‘Roman’
• Popularity: #6095

Quirky and uncommon, with a faintly mossy English feel.

Imogen

• Origin: Celtic (Scottish Gaelic), via a Shakespearean misprint
• Pronunciation: IM-uh-jen · ˈɪmədʒən
• Meaning: maiden, girl (from Scottish Gaelic ‘inghean’)
• Popularity: #1126

Shakespeare’s wronged princess, possibly invented from a typo of Innogen.

Frances

• Origin: Latin
• Pronunciation: FRAN-ses · ˈfrænsəs
• Meaning: French, or more literally “a Frank” (member of the Frankish people); from Old French Franceise, ultimately Latin Franciscus.
• Popularity: #379

Frances Glessner Lee built miniature crime scenes — a quietly witchy patron saint of detail.

Pippa

• Origin: Greek (diminutive of Philippa)
• Pronunciation: PIP-uh · ˈpɪpə
• Meaning: pet form of Philippa; lover of horses
• Popularity: #2475

Pippa is a pet form of Philippa, the Greek name meaning ‘lover of horses.’

Etta

• Origin: English/German (diminutive suffix name)
• Pronunciation: ET-ah · ˈɛtə
• Meaning: ruler of the home (inherited sense, from Henrietta)
• Popularity: #973

Etta James — a name that vibrates with smoky blues.

Iona

• Origin: Scottish (place name)
• Pronunciation: eye-OH-nah · aɪˈoʊnə
• Meaning: the name of the Scottish island; the island’s own name likely stems from a medieval scribal misreading rather than being a straightforward word
• Popularity: #2777

The misty Scottish island where Celtic Christianity met druid magic.

Saskia

• Origin: Dutch/Frisian (from a Germanic element meaning ‘Saxon’)
• Pronunciation: SAHS-kee-ah · ˈsɑːskiə
• Meaning: a Saxon woman
• Popularity: #3732

Rembrandt’s first wife — the subject of his most luminous portraits.

Posy

• Origin: English (from Middle English poesy, ‘verse’)
• Pronunciation: POH-zee · ˈpoʊzi
• Meaning: a small bunch of flowers
• Popularity: #14813

Posy originally meant ‘verse’ in Middle English (from poesy) before coming to mean a small bunch of flowers.

Marlowe

• Origin: English (place name: Marlow)
• Pronunciation: MAR-loh · ˈmɑːrloʊ
• Popularity: #624

Marlowe derives from the English place name Marlow.

Phaedra

• Origin: Greek
• Pronunciation: FEE-drah · ˈfiːdrə
• Meaning: bright, shining
• Popularity: #6086

The Cretan princess and tragic heroine of Greek myth.

Astrid

• Origin: Old Norse / Scandinavian
• Pronunciation: AS-trid · ˈæstrɪd
• Meaning: divinely beautiful (popularly also glossed ‘divine strength’)
• Popularity: #383

A Norse name with seiðr magic embedded in the syllables.

How to Choose a Name From This List

Start by paying attention to what kind of witch the name conjures. A name like Hecate or Lilith is a declaration — it tells the world this child is going to wear all black to prom and probably get away with it. A name like Hazel or Iris is a secret you keep for yourself. Both are wonderful. They just live in different houses.

If you’re worried about a name being too costume-y, say it next to your last name out loud. A surprising number of names on this list (Maeve Patel, Hazel Brown, Iris Chen) sound completely grounded once you anchor them to a real surname. The ones that don’t — Belladonna O’Sullivan is going to be a lot — can become beautiful middle names instead.

Think about the nickname economy. A name like Theodosia is a full meal of a name, but she’ll be Theo or Thea most of her life. Some witchy names already come bite-sized (Wren, Nyx, Cora) and need no abbreviation. Others (Persephone, Cassiopeia) lean long on purpose. Both work — just go in with your eyes open.

Finally, give yourself permission to choose a name that feels too big. The most magical names tend to be the ones their bearers grow into. A Lilith or a Cordelia or an Endora has room to expand. A child only needs a few years to make any name feel inevitable.

Name Art for Your Favorite

Love a name from this list? MinimalistMama offers custom Name Art prints — personalized, minimalist nursery art with the name you choose, designed to match your aesthetic. A perfect gift for baby showers or to hang above the crib.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes a name “witchy” exactly?

Witchy names usually come from one of a few sources: moon and night vocabulary, plant and herb traditions, mythological figures associated with magic, folklore and literary witches, or historically persecuted women (saints, mystics, accused witches). The common thread is a sense of old power — a feeling that the name carries some weight beyond its sound. Sound matters too. Witchy names tend to use soft consonants, lingering vowels, and unusual stress patterns.

Are these names too “out there” for a real baby?

Most aren’t, surprisingly. Names like Hazel, Iris, Willow, Maeve, Luna, and Sage are all in the top 500 in the U.S. and feel completely wearable in a kindergarten setting. The list also includes bolder options (Belladonna, Hecate, Lilith) for parents who want something more declarative. The “Wearable Witchy Names for Everyday” section is a good starting place if you want the vibe without the commitment.

What’s the difference between witchy names and gothic names?

Gothic names tend to lean dark for dark’s sake — Raven, Onyx, Storm, Shadow. Witchy names lean toward power and history. A witchy name usually has roots in mythology, herbalism, folk tradition, or the lives of real magical women. There’s overlap, but witchy names tend to feel earned in a way gothic names sometimes don’t.

Is it okay to name a baby after a goddess?

For most Greek, Roman, Norse, and Celtic deities, yes — these naming traditions are well established (think Diana, Athena, Aurora, Freya). For currently practiced traditions, particularly Yoruba (Oya), Hawaiian (Pele), and Hindu deities, it’s worth doing additional research and being thoughtful about cultural context. When in doubt, choose a goddess from your own heritage or a deity from a long-historical tradition.

What are the most popular witchy names right now?

Luna has been the breakout witchy name of the past decade and now ranks in the top 15 in the U.S. Hazel, Willow, Aurora, Iris, and Maeve are all rising fast. Lilith, Selene, and Persephone are still uncommon but growing — they hit a sweet spot of being recognizable without being overused.

Can I pair a witchy first name with a traditional middle name?

Absolutely — and it often works beautifully. Belladonna Jane, Hecate Marie, and Persephone Rose all balance the dramatic first with a grounded middle. The reverse also works: Mary Lilith, Anne Selene, Emma Persephone. A traditional middle name gives a child the option to dial up or down their name’s energy as they grow.

What if I love the vibe but want something less obvious?

Look to plant and herb names (Linnea, Cassia, Tansy, Bryony), Celtic and Welsh deity names (Rhiannon, Branwen, Arianrhod), or quietly mystical literary names (Cordelia, Imogen, Thomasin). These carry all the same energy without announcing themselves. Names like Etta, Posy, Della, and Pippa are even subtler — witchy in spirit, completely uncostumed.

📊 Curious how popular a name actually is? Look it up in our Baby Name Popularity Checker — pulls live SSA data to show ranking trends.

Final Thoughts

A name doesn’t have to come with a cauldron to carry magic. Some of the most powerful names on this list are also the softest — Iris, Maeve, Hazel, Wren — and they’ll move through the world with a child who learns, over time, that her name was always a little bit of a spell. Take your time, read them aloud, and trust the one that won’t let you go.

Read next; 🎀 200+ Korean Girl Names With Real Meaning and Beauty  🎀 200+ Cool Girl Names That Are Effortlessly Confident  🎀 200+ Tough, Badass Girl Names for a Fierce Little Force

✨ Love these names? Create free printable nursery art for any name →