80+ *Enchanting* Gothic Baby Names for Your Little Dark Romantic

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Looking for the perfect gothic baby name that’s dark, romantic, and just a little bit mysterious? This list is full of enchanting options – from Victorian elegance to literary heroines to names inspired by moonlit nights.

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Gothic Girl Names

Gothic Boy Names

Gender-Neutral Gothic Names

Gothic Names from Literature

Choosing the Perfect Gothic Name

Gothic names have a timeless appeal that never quite fades. And with Wednesday returning for another season and the stunning new Nosferatu hitting theaters, it’s no surprise that dark, romantic names are having a serious moment right now. Add in the dark romance book trend that’s taken over BookTok, and suddenly names like Evangeline, Cassius, and Ophelia are everywhere – for good reason.

These aren’t your typical baby names. They have depth, history, and just the right amount of edge. Whether you want something dramatically Victorian, softly mysterious, or straight out of your favorite gothic novel, I’ve gathered up my absolute favorite gothic baby names for girls, boys, and gender-neutral options.

Gothic Girl Names

Romantic, mysterious, and undeniably elegant.

Evangeline

Origin: Greek (literary coinage)
Pronunciation: ee-VAN-jeh-leen · ɪˈvændʒəliːn
Meaning: good news
Popularity: #174 and rising (#212 → #174, 2024)

Lenore

Origin: French (variant of Eleanor)
Pronunciation: luh-NOR · ləˈnɔːr
Meaning: variant of Eleanor; Eleanor’s own root meaning is disputed
Popularity: #2,018 and rising (#2,504 → #2,018, 2024)

Ophelia

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: oh-FEEL-yuh · oʊˈfiːljə
Meaning: help, benefit
Popularity: #261 and rising (#265 → #261, 2024)

Morgana

Origin: Welsh (feminine form of Morgan)
Pronunciation: mor-GAH-nuh · mɔːrˈɡɑːnə
Meaning: feminine form of Morgan; shares its uncertain ‘chief’ meaning
Popularity: #6,542 and falling (#4,708 → #6,542, 2024)

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
Meaning: heart; daughter of the sea
Popularity: #1,065 and rising (#1,117 → #1,065, 2024)

Lavinia

Origin: Latin (place name Lavinium, Latium)
Pronunciation: luh-VIN-ee-ah · ləˈvɪniə
Meaning: woman of Rome
Popularity: #2,139 and rising (#2,346 → #2,139, 2024)

Rowena

Origin: literary name (medieval pseudo-historical chronicle); root uncertain
Pronunciation: roh-WEE-nuh · roʊˈiːnə
Meaning: fame and joy
Popularity: #3,430 and rising (#4,028 → #3,430, 2024)

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 and rising (#971 → #778, 2024)

Isolde

Origin: Germanic or Celtic/Brythonic (disputed)
Pronunciation: ih-ZOHL-dah · ɪˈzoʊldə
Meaning: uncertain — literally ‘ice’ + ‘battle’ in the Germanic reading, or ‘she who is gazed upon’ in the Celtic/Brythonic reading
Popularity: #7,721 and falling (#5,458 → #7,721, 2024)

Persephone

Origin: Ancient Greek
Pronunciation: per-SEF-uh-nee · pərˈsɛfəni
Meaning: bringer of destruction
Popularity: #737 and rising (#749 → #737, 2024)

Raven

Origin: English (word name, masculine use parallels Old Norse Hrafn)
Pronunciation: RAY-vuhn · ˈreɪvən
Meaning: the black-feathered bird
Popularity: #388 and falling (#361 → #388, 2024)

Lilith

Origin: Hebrew/Akkadian (disputed)
Pronunciation: LIL-ith · ˈlɪlɪθ
Meaning: linked to Lilitu, an ancient Mesopotamian night/storm demon
Popularity: #256 and falling (#232 → #256, 2024)

Belladonna

Origin: Italian
Pronunciation: bel-uh-DON-uh · ˌbɛləˈdɑːnə
Meaning: beautiful lady (also the poisonous nightshade plant)
Popularity: #5,160 and rising (#5,993 → #5,160, 2024)

Crimson

Origin: English (color word)
Pronunciation: KRIM-zun · ˈkrɪmzən
Meaning: a deep red color
Popularity: #3,701 and rising (#3,805 → #3,701, 2024)

Desdemona

Origin: Greek (literary coinage)
Pronunciation: dez-duh-MOH-nuh · ˌdɛzdəˈmoʊnə
Meaning: ill-fated or unfortunate
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Elvira

Origin: Spanish (medieval royal name of probable Gothic origin, debated)
Pronunciation: el-VEE-rah · ɛlˈvaɪrə
Meaning: Uncertain/debated — proposed Gothic roots are tentatively glossed as something like ‘joyful sincerity,’ though the exact origin isn’t settled.
Popularity: #2,280 and rising (#2,340 → #2,280, 2024)

Genevieve

Origin: French
Pronunciation: JEN-eh-veev · ˈdʒɛnəviːv
Meaning: woman of the tribe/kin
Popularity: #165, holding steady (2024)

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: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Morrigan

Origin: Irish (mythological)
Pronunciation: MOR-ih-gun · ˈmɒrɪɡən
Meaning: great queen
Popularity: #3,788 and falling (#2,573 → #3,788, 2024)

Narcissa

Origin: Greek (feminine form of Narcissus)
Pronunciation: nar-SIS-uh · nɑːrˈsɪsə
Meaning: linked to the narcissus flower and the Greek myth of Narcissus, ultimately tied to Greek ‘narke’ (numbness), referencing the flower’s sedative scent
Popularity: #15,117 as of 1996 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Salem

Origin: Hebrew (feminine use) and Arabic (masculine use, as Salim)
Pronunciation: SAY-lum · ˈseɪləm
Meaning: peace, wholeness (from the Hebrew place name for ancient Jerusalem); the Arabic-derived masculine use means ‘safe, unharmed’
Popularity: #430 and falling (#417 → #430, 2024)

Tempest

Origin: English
Pronunciation: TEM-pest · ˈtɛmpɪst
Meaning: storm; historically a nickname for someone with a stormy or blustery temperament
Popularity: #8,876 and falling (#6,895 → #8,876, 2024)

Vesper

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: VES-per · ˈvɛspər
Meaning: evening; the evening star (the planet Venus at dusk)
Popularity: #2,789 and falling (#2,265 → #2,789, 2024)

Wednesday

Origin: Old English (word/day name)
Pronunciation: WENZ-day · ˈwɛnzdeɪ
Meaning: named for ‘Woden’s day’ (the god Woden/Odin)
Popularity: #2,425 and falling (#1,457 → #2,425, 2024)

Winona

Origin: Dakota
Pronunciation: wih-NOH-nah · wɪˈnoʊnə
Meaning: firstborn daughter
Popularity: #738 and rising (#880 → #738, 2024)

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: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Astrid

Origin: Old Norse / Scandinavian
Pronunciation: AS-trid · ˈæstrɪd
Meaning: divinely beautiful (popularly also glossed ‘divine strength’)
Popularity: #383 and rising (#399 → #383, 2024)

Clarice

Origin: French (from Latin/Italian Clarissa)
Pronunciation: klah-REES · kləˈriːs
Meaning: bright, clear
Popularity: #2,796 and rising (#5,274 → #2,796, 2024)

Gothic Boy Names

Strong, dramatic names with dark romantic appeal.

Cassius

Origin: Latin (Roman family name)
Pronunciation: KASH-us · ˈkæʃəs
Meaning: hollow; vain
Popularity: #567 and rising (#576 → #567, 2024)

Dorian

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: DOR-ee-an · ˈdɔːriən
Meaning: of the Dorians (an ancient Greek people/region, Doris)
Popularity: #538 and rising (#608 → #538, 2024)

Edgar

Origin: Old English
Pronunciation: ED-gur · ˈɛdgər
Meaning: wealthy spear
Popularity: #457 and falling (#436 → #457, 2024)

Jasper

Origin: Old Persian
Pronunciation: JAS-per · ˈdʒæspər
Meaning: treasurer
Popularity: #133 and falling (#122 → #133, 2024)

Ambrose

Origin: Greek (via Latin)
Pronunciation: AM-brohz · ˈæmbroʊz
Meaning: immortal, divine (belonging to the immortals)
Popularity: #741 and rising (#788 → #741, 2024)

Alaric

Origin: Gothic (Germanic)
Pronunciation: AL-ar-ik · ˈælərɪk
Meaning: ruler of all
Popularity: #1,109 and falling (#1,073 → #1,109, 2024)

Atticus

Origin: Latin (from Greek)
Pronunciation: AT-ih-kus · ˈætɪkəs
Meaning: person from Attica
Popularity: #277 and rising (#284 → #277, 2024)

Byron

Origin: Old English (surname/place name)
Pronunciation: BY-run · ˈbaɪrən
Meaning: from a place name meaning ‘at the cattle sheds’ (byres)
Popularity: #882 and falling (#835 → #882, 2024)

Caspian

Origin: English (from Latin ‘Caspius’)
Pronunciation: KAS-pee-an · ˈkæspiən
Meaning: of/from the Caspian Sea
Popularity: #578 and rising (#664 → #578, 2024)

Dante

Origin: Italian
Pronunciation: DAHN-tay · ˈdɑːnteɪ
Meaning: contracted form of Durante, meaning ‘enduring’ or ‘steadfast’
Popularity: #322 and falling (#313 → #322, 2024)

Draven

Origin: modern coinage (English)
Pronunciation: DRAY-vin · ˈdreɪvɪn
Meaning: hunter
Popularity: #1,120 and rising (#1,192 → #1,120, 2024)

Ezra

Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: EZ-rah · ˈɛzrə
Meaning: help
Popularity: #13 and rising (#15 → #13, 2024)

Griffin

Origin: Welsh
Pronunciation: GRIF-in · ˈɡrɪfɪn
Popularity: #223 and falling (#214 → #223, 2024)

Leander

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: lee-AN-der · liˈændər
Meaning: man of the people (Greek ‘people’ + ‘man’)
Popularity: #1,752 and falling (#1,512 → #1,752, 2024)

Lucian

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: LOO-shan · ˈluːʃən
Meaning: light
Popularity: #485 and rising (#488 → #485, 2024)

Magnus

Origin: Latin (adopted via Scandinavian/Scottish royal usage)
Pronunciation: MAG-nus · ˈmæɡnəs
Meaning: great (Latin ‘magnus’), adopted as a name via Charlemagne’s title
Popularity: #749 and rising (#764 → #749, 2024)

Orion

Origin: Ancient Greek (etymology uncertain)
Pronunciation: oh-RY-un · oʊˈraɪən
Meaning: uncertain; possibly ‘heaven’s light’ (a speculative Akkadian derivation, not firmly established)
Popularity: #325 and rising (#373 → #325, 2024)

Phineas

Origin: disputed (Ancient Greek / Hebrew / Egyptian)
Pronunciation: FIN-ee-us · ˈfɪniəs
Meaning: oracle
Popularity: #1,538 and rising (#1,715 → #1,538, 2024)

Rhys

Origin: Welsh
Pronunciation: REES · ˈriːs
Meaning: enthusiasm, ardor
Popularity: #354 and falling (#353 → #354, 2024)

Silas

Origin: Aramaic (biblical, Hellenized as Greek Σίλας, Latinized as Sīlās)
Pronunciation: SY-lus · ˈsaɪləs
Meaning: wood; forest
Popularity: #81, holding steady (2024)

Thorne

Origin: English
Pronunciation: THORN · ˈθɔːrn
Meaning: thorn bush; in some cases a shortened form of the surname Hawthorne
Popularity: #8,879 and rising (#9,643 → #8,879, 2024)

Victor

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: VIK-ter · ˈvɪktər
Meaning: conqueror
Popularity: #214 and rising (#217 → #214, 2024)

Vladimir

Origin: Slavic (Old Russian/Church Slavonic)
Pronunciation: VLAD-ih-meer · ˈvlædɪmɪr
Meaning: great in power, mighty ruler
Popularity: #1,947 and falling (#1,846 → #1,947, 2024)

Zephyr

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: ZEF-er · ˈzɛfər
Meaning: the west wind
Popularity: #1,133 and falling (#1,121 → #1,133, 2024)

Alistair

Origin: Scottish Gaelic (form of Alexander)
Pronunciation: AL-ih-stair · ˈælɪstɛr
Meaning: protector of men
Popularity: #905 and rising (#919 → #905, 2024)

Bastian

Origin: Greek (short form of Sebastian)
Pronunciation: BASS-tee-uhn · ˈbæstiən
Meaning: venerable, revered
Popularity: #1,001 and rising (#1,066 → #1,001, 2024)

Cyprian

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: SIP-ree-un · ˈsɪpriən
Meaning: of/from Cyprus
Popularity: #5,083 and rising (#5,285 → #5,083, 2024)

Dimitri

Origin: Greek (via Italian)
Pronunciation: dih-MEE-tree · dɪˈmiːtri
Meaning: devoted to Demeter
Popularity: #993 and rising (#1,075 → #993, 2024)

Gender-Neutral Gothic Names

Dark, mysterious names that work beautifully for anyone.

Rowan

Origin: Irish
Pronunciation: ROH-en · ˈroʊən
Meaning: little red one
Popularity: #71 and rising (#76 → #71, 2024)

Sage

Origin: English (from Old French/Latin)
Pronunciation: SAYJ · ˈseɪdʒ
Meaning: a wise person; also linked to the sage herb plant
Popularity: #146 and falling (#143 → #146, 2024)

Phoenix

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: FEE-niks · ˈfiːnɪks
Meaning: the mythical firebird symbolizing rebirth and renewal
Popularity: #275 and falling (#269 → #275, 2024)

Wren

Origin: English (Middle English)
Pronunciation: REN · ˈrɛn
Meaning: the small songbird
Popularity: #213 and falling (#195 → #213, 2024)

Onyx

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: ON-iks · ˈɑːnɪks
Meaning: banded gemstone; from Greek for ‘claw, fingernail’
Popularity: #358 and falling (#307 → #358, 2024)

Rune

Origin: Old Norse
Pronunciation: ROON · ˈruːn
Meaning: secret, mystery
Popularity: #1,925 and rising (#2,288 → #1,925, 2024)

Storm

Origin: English
Pronunciation: STORM · ˈstɔːrm
Meaning: taken directly from the English word ‘storm’ (tempest, violent weather)
Popularity: #1,621 and falling (#1,508 → #1,621, 2024)

Ashby

Origin: Old English + Old Norse (place name/surname)
Pronunciation: ASH-bee · ˈæʃbi
Meaning: ash-tree farm/settlement
Popularity: #5,664 and rising (#6,917 → #5,664, 2024)

Blair

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Pronunciation: BLAIR · ˈblɛr
Meaning: field or plain (topographic surname, from Gaelic blàr)
Popularity: #218 and rising (#242 → #218, 2024)

Darcy

Origin: French (place name: Arcy)
Pronunciation: DAR-see · ˈdɑːrsi
Meaning: from the Norman place name Arcy in northern France; ultimate root possibly linked to an old French word for ‘to burn’
Popularity: #983 and rising (#1,020 → #983, 2024)

Ellis

Origin: Welsh and English (dual-origin surname)
Pronunciation: EL-is · ˈɛlɪs
Meaning: benevolent, kind (Welsh); alt. English form of Elias/Elijah
Popularity: #273 and rising (#274 → #273, 2024)

Haven

Origin: English (modern word name)
Pronunciation: HAY-ven · ˈheɪvən
Meaning: a safe harbor or place of refuge, taken directly from the vocabulary word
Popularity: #201 and rising (#218 → #201, 2024)

Marlowe

Origin: English (place name: Marlow)
Pronunciation: MAR-loh · ˈmɑːrloʊ
Meaning: driftwood
Popularity: #624 and rising (#835 → #624, 2024)

Nyx

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: NIKS · nɪks
Meaning: night (personified as the primordial goddess of night)
Popularity: #2,704 and falling (#2,693 → #2,704, 2024)

Peregrine

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: PAIR-uh-grin · ˈpɛrəɡrɪn
Meaning: traveler or pilgrim (from a Latin word originally meaning ‘foreigner’)
Popularity: #3,365 and rising (#3,855 → #3,365, 2024)

Quinn

Origin: Irish (surname)
Pronunciation: KWIN · ˈkwɪn
Meaning: descendant of Conn, an early Irish personal name of disputed meaning
Popularity: #96 and falling (#86 → #96, 2024)

Sloane

Origin: Irish (from the surname Ó Sluaghadháin, ‘descendant of Sluaghadhán’)
Pronunciation: SLOHN · ˈsloʊn
Meaning: raid or (military) expedition
Popularity: #153 and falling (#151 → #153, 2024)

Gothic Names from Literature

Names straight from the pages of gothic novels and poetry.

Carmilla

Origin: uncertain (possibly literary elaboration of Carmen)
Pronunciation: kar-MIL-uh · kɑːrˈmɪlə
Meaning: garden
Popularity: #9,025 and rising (#9,743 → #9,025, 2024)

Heathcliff

Origin: English (literary compound name)
Pronunciation: HEETH-klif · ˈhiːθˌklɪf
Meaning: wild, rugged land (heath + cliff)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Thornfield

Origin: English (literal compound: thorn + field)
Pronunciation: THORN-feeld · ˈθɔːrnfiːld
Meaning: field of thorns
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

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 and rising (#330 → #320, 2024)

Rochester

Origin: Old English (place name: Rochester, Kent)
Pronunciation: RAH-ches-ter · ˈrɒtʃɪstər
Meaning: Hrof’s Roman fort (place name)
Popularity: #4,809 as of 1971 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Annabel

Origin: Latin (via Old French Amabel)
Pronunciation: AN-uh-bel · ˈæn.ə.bɛl
Meaning: lovable
Popularity: #1,601 and rising (#1,803 → #1,601, 2024)

Lestat

Origin: modern coinage (literary)
Pronunciation: luh-STAHT · ləˈstɑːt
Meaning: invented name
Popularity: #8,677 and rising (#9,415 → #8,677, 2024)

Claudia

Origin: Latin (Roman clan name)
Pronunciation: KLAW-dee-uh · ˈklɔːdiə
Meaning: lame, limping (as with the Roman gens Claudia/Claudius)
Popularity: #1,090 and falling (#1,080 → #1,090, 2024)

Montague

Origin: Norman French (surname)
Pronunciation: MAHN-tuh-gyoo · ˈmɒntəɡjuː
Meaning: a variant of the surname Montagu, generally traced to a French place name meaning roughly ‘pointed hill’
Popularity: #11,846 and falling (#10,432 → #11,846, 2024)

Usher

Origin: English (occupational surname)
Pronunciation: USH-er · ˈʌʃər
Meaning: one who shows people to their seats / a doorkeeper
Popularity: #2,332 and rising (#2,339 → #2,332, 2024)

Thornton

Origin: Old English (surname/place name)
Pronunciation: THORN-tuhn · ˈθɔːrntən
Meaning: settlement among thorn bushes
Popularity: #12,159 and rising (#13,974 → #12,159, 2024)

Brontë

Origin: Irish (surname, Anglicized from Ó Proinntigh)
Pronunciation: BRON-tay (Brontë sisters: BRON-tee is also common; Greek-derived ‘thunder’ fits BRON-tee) · ˈbrɒnti
Meaning: descendant of Proinnteach (associated with generosity/hospitality)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings