200+ Spellbound Baby Names for Witchy Parents

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Witchy baby names pull from real history — goddess names whispered in old folk traditions, herbs grown for protection and healing, and words for moonlight and midnight that show up in mythology long before witches became a Halloween costume. If you want a name with some of that magic in its background, one that nods to the old gods, the wild plants, or the dark corners of the night sky, you’ve come to the right list. These aren’t spooky-for-the-sake-of-spooky picks — they’re rooted in centuries of folklore and quiet superstition.

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Popularity below is calculated from Social Security Administration data through 2024, the most recent year on record.

Here’s what’s in store –

Goddess Names From the Craft Traditions

Dark and Shadowed Names

The Botanical Witches: Names From Herbs, Trees, and Plants

Celestial Bodies: Star, Moon, and Sky Names

Seers, Oracles, and Ancient Sorceresses

Celtic, Welsh, and Arthurian Names

Names That Cast a Spell When Spoken

Norse, Slavic, and World Folklore Names

If you’ve been drawn to names that carry some weight to them, names that feel less like labels and more like small invocations, you are in the right place. This list isn’t about darkness for its own sake. It’s about names with depth, with mythology, with the specific kind of beauty that comes from something rooted in the earth or mapped onto the night sky. Names your daughter can grow into, or grow past, or reclaim at thirty when she finally understands why you chose it.

The witchy aesthetic in baby names spans a genuinely wide range: goddess names from a dozen different traditions, botanical names tied to plants used in folk medicine for centuries, names that feel like constellations when you say them aloud, and names from Norse and Slavic and Celtic mythology that have never quite made it into mainstream lists but deserve to. All of them are here.

A note on scope: every name in this list is real, drawn from actual mythological traditions, historical records, or living cultures. No invented nonsense. If a name belongs to a goddess, a sorceress from epic literature, or a plant that healers have used for a thousand years, that context is noted — because the story behind the name is part of what makes it worth giving.

Goddess Names From the Craft Traditions

These names come directly from goddess figures across cultures who are associated with magic, the moon, crossroads, transformation, and the kinds of power that have always made patriarchal institutions nervous. A solid foundation for a daughter with a strong sense of herself.

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

The original patron of witches, often depicted carrying torches at the place where three roads meet; rarely used in baby names, which makes it feel genuinely unusual.

Circe

Origin: Ancient Greek (mythological name)
Pronunciation: SUR-see · sɜːʳsi
Meaning: Falcon or circle
Popularity: #4,785 and rising (#6,469 → #4,785, 2024)

Persephone

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

Queen of the Underworld for six months of every year; the name is long and mythologically loaded, but the nickname Percy softens it considerably.

Selene

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: suh-LEE-nee · səˈliːni
Meaning: moon (as the Greek moon goddess)
Popularity: #675 and rising (#708 → #675, 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)

Freya

Origin: Old Norse
Pronunciation: FRAY-ah · ˈfreɪə
Meaning: noble lady, mistress
Popularity: #159 and falling (#136 → #159, 2024)

“Goddess of love and fertility” describes the mythological figure, not the word’s etymology — literally, Freya just means “noble lady/mistress,” an epithet that came to replace the goddess’s own lost name.

Morrigan

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

Shapeshifting crow goddess who appeared on battlefields and foretold death; unusual, striking, and deeply Irish.

Cerridwen

Origin: Welsh (mythological name, etymology disputed)
Pronunciation: keh-RID-wen · kɛˈrɪdwɛn
Meaning: Blessed poetry
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Goddess of transformation who brewed the cauldron of inspiration; the namesake of the witch in the Taliesin legend.

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: #1,310 and falling (#1,157 → #1,310, 2024)

The white horse goddess of Welsh mythology, wrongly accused, never broken; also immortalized by Fleetwood Mac, which gives the name an extra layer.

Brigid

Origin: Irish (Gaelic, from Proto-Celtic)
Pronunciation: BRIJ-id · ˈbrɪdʒɪd
Meaning: high, exalted one
Popularity: #2,662 and falling (#2,620 → #2,662, 2024)

Triple goddess of fire, healing, and poetry; her sacred flame burned for centuries in Kildare, tended by nineteen priestesses.

Aradia

Origin: Italian (folklore, 19th century)
Pronunciation: ah-RAH-dee-uh · əˈrɑːdiə
Meaning: Legendary goddess-figure of Italian witchcraft
Popularity: #7,679 as of 2023 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Popularized by Charles Leland’s *Aradia, or the Gospel of the Witches*; haunting and unusual.

Diana

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: dy-AN-uh · daɪˈænə
Meaning: divine, heavenly
Popularity: #243 and falling (#228 → #243, 2024)

That describes what the goddess Diana presided over, not the literal meaning of the name — the name itself comes from Latin divus/dius, meaning ‘divine’ or ‘heavenly.’

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: #1,082 and rising (#1,464 → #1,082, 2024)

Goddess of magic who reassembled her husband from scattered pieces and breathed life back into him; one of the most powerful names in any tradition.

Bast

Origin: Egyptian
Pronunciation: BAHST · bɑːst
Meaning: she of the ointment jar
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Cat-headed goddess of protection, fertility, and the home; short, clean, feline.

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: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

That’s Oya’s mythological role, not a translation of her name — the name itself literally means ‘she tore.’

Kali

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: KAH-lee · ˈkɑːli
Meaning: the black one / of time — the Hindu goddess Kali, from Sanskrit kāla
Popularity: #294 and falling (#290 → #294, 2024)

Tanith

Origin: Phoenician (Punic)
Pronunciation: TAN-ith · ˈtænɪθ
Meaning: Serpent lady
Popularity: #14,699 as of 2011 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The great goddess of Carthage, associated with the moon and the night sky; rare and striking.

Danu

Origin: Old Irish (mythological name, reconstructed, root scholarly disputed)
Pronunciation: DAH-noo · ˈdɑːnuː
Meaning: Divinity
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The mother goddess of the Tuatha Dé Danann, the divine race of ancient Ireland; elegant and largely unknown outside Celtic studies.

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)

The first woman in Jewish apocryphal tradition who refused to be subordinate; reclaimed as a symbol of female autonomy.

Medb

Origin: Irish (Old Irish, from Proto-Celtic)
Meaning: she who intoxicates
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Warrior queen of Connacht and in some interpretations a goddess of sovereignty; pronounced roughly “Maeve” if that helps.

Viviane

Origin: French
Pronunciation: viv-ee-AN
Meaning: alive, living
Popularity: #4,538 and rising (#4,729 → #4,538, 2024)

The Lady of the Lake who raised Lancelot and gave Arthur his sword; the more recognizable French form of Nimue.

Medea

Origin: Ancient Greek
Pronunciation: meh-DEE-uh · mɪˈdiːə
Meaning: cunning; one who plans or schemes
Popularity: #14,862 as of 2008 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The most famous sorceress of antiquity, granddaughter of the sun god, who knew the uses of every herb; a bold choice that signals you’ve read the source material.

Calypso

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: kuh-LIP-soh · kəˈlɪpsoʊ
Meaning: she who conceals
Popularity: #3,966 and rising (#4,063 → #3,966, 2024)

Melusine

Origin: Old French / medieval legend (root uncertain)
Pronunciation: meh-loo-ZEEN · ˌmɛluːˈziːn
Meaning: Water sprite
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The serpent-tailed fairy queen of French legend, founder of the Lusignan dynasty; medieval, unusual, and exactly as witchy as it sounds.

Nimue

Origin: Arthurian legend (disputed, possibly Celtic)
Pronunciation: NIM-way · ˈnɪmweɪ
Meaning: Lady of the Lake
Popularity: #16,954 and falling (#13,082 → #16,954, 2024)

The enchantress who imprisoned Merlin and raised Lancelot; depends on the version of the legend, but always magical.

Eris

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: ERR-is · ˈɛrɪs
Meaning: strife, discord
Popularity: #1,650 and falling (#1,585 → #1,650, 2024)

Goddess who tossed the golden apple that started the Trojan War; short, crisp, and carrying significantly more mythology than it appears to.

Arianrhod

Origin: Welsh
Pronunciation: ahr-YAHN-rod · arˈjanr̥ɔd
Meaning: silver wheel
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Star goddess associated with the moon and the turning year; one of the most beautiful compound Welsh names.

Dark and Shadowed Names

Not grim — atmospheric. These are names that live in the in-between hours, the edge of the forest, the moment before a storm. They have texture.

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)

Associated with prophecy, intelligence, and the otherworld across dozens of cultures; clean and direct.

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)

Used for the evening prayer in Catholic tradition; rare as a given name despite being genuinely lovely.

Nox

Origin: Latin (Roman mythology)
Pronunciation: NAHKS · nɑːks
Meaning: night
Popularity: #3,743 and falling (#3,399 → #3,743, 2024)

Personification of night in Roman mythology, mother of sleep, death, and dreams; extremely short but carries a lot.

Umbra

Origin: Latin (word used as a modern name)
Pronunciation: UM-bruh · ˈʌmbrə
Meaning: shadow
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

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: #4,986 and rising (#5,228 → #4,986, 2024)

The heraldic term for black, derived from the black marten; elegant and specific.

Moira

Origin: Irish (Anglicized form of Máire/Mary)
Pronunciation: MOY-rah · ˈmɔɪrə
Meaning: Fate, destiny
Popularity: #1,901 and falling (#1,798 → #1,901, 2024)

Nemesis

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: NEM-uh-sis · ˈnɛməsɪs
Meaning: to give what is due; goddess of divine retribution
Popularity: #14,654 as of 2023 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The goddess of retribution who ensured nobody got too lucky for too long; a bold choice with a clear message.

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)

More name than weather event; Shakespeare used it for a play, which adds a literary dimension.

Briar

Origin: English (Middle English)
Pronunciation: BRY-er · ˈbraɪər
Meaning: thorny shrub or bramble
Popularity: #522 and rising (#549 → #522, 2024)

The plant that grew up around Sleeping Beauty’s castle; associated with protection magic in folk tradition.

Ember

Origin: English (modern vocabulary-word name)
Pronunciation: EM-bur · ˈɛmbər
Meaning: a glowing coal or fragment from a dying fire
Popularity: #137 and rising (#169 → #137, 2024)

Not a flame but the thing that survives the fire; warm rather than purely dark.

Cinder

Origin: Old English (via ‘sinder’, spelling later influenced by Old French ‘cendre’)
Pronunciation: SIN-der · ˈsɪndər
Meaning: burnt residue or slag left after something has burned, originally referring to slag from smelting metal
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The root of Cinderella’s name in many translations; raw and elemental.

Vale

Origin: English (from Latin vallis via Old French)
Pronunciation: VAYL · ˈveɪl
Meaning: valley
Popularity: #6,886 and rising (#8,942 → #6,886, 2024)

A sheltered, low place; carrying the secondary meaning of farewell (vale in Latin), which layers it nicely.

Mara

Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: MAR-ah · ˈmɑːrə
Meaning: bitter
Popularity: #588 and falling (#582 → #588, 2024)

Lamia

Origin: Greek and Arabic
Pronunciation: luh-MEE-ah · ləˈmiːə
Meaning: monster/fiend (Greek mythology); radiant (Arabic)
Popularity: #7,079 and falling (#5,482 → #7,079, 2024)

A monster from Greek mythology who stole and ate children; also a John Keats poem about a serpent woman; striking and strange.

Caligo

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: kuh-LYE-goh · kəˈlaɪɡoʊ
Meaning: mist, fog; darkness
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The personification of the deep darkness that preceded creation in Roman myth; rare and extraordinary.

Vesna

Origin: Slavic
Pronunciation: VES-nuh · ˈvɛsnə
Meaning: ‘Spring’ in several Slavic languages; also the name of an ancient Slavic goddess of spring.
Popularity: #17,474 and falling (#17,425 → #17,474, 2024)

The Slavic goddess who returns warmth to the world — the dark giving way to light; almost unknown outside Slavic cultures.

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)

Direct, elemental, unapologetic.

Onyx

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

Onyx doesn’t linguistically mean ‘strength and protection’ — that’s modern crystal lore. The Greek root onyx literally means ‘claw, fingernail,’ describing the stone’s nail-like bands.

Shade

Origin: Old English
Pronunciation: SHAYD · ʃeɪd
Meaning: shadow
Popularity: #5,602 and falling (#5,418 → #5,602, 2024)

The word for a spirit of the dead in classical mythology; spare and slightly eerie.

Morvaine

Origin: Welsh/Breton
Pronunciation: mor-VAYN · mɔːrˈveɪn
Meaning: Dark bay
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A Breton name meaning roughly “dark sea”; obscure and beautiful.

Pesta

Origin: Norwegian
Pronunciation: PES-tuh · ˈpɛstɑ
Meaning: the plague
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The personification of the Black Death in Norwegian folklore, a cloaked woman who walked ahead of death; more for the extremely committed.

Obsidian

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: ob-SID-ee-ən · əbˈsɪdiən
Meaning: black volcanic glass
Popularity: #5,176 and falling (#5,005 → #5,176, 2024)

The dark protective stone used in scrying mirrors; striking as a name, genuinely unusual.

Griselda

Origin: Germanic
Pronunciation: grih-ZEL-duh · ɡrɪˈzɛldə
Meaning: Germanic elements meaning roughly ‘grey battle-maiden’ (grey/pale + battle)
Popularity: #3,592 and falling (#3,195 → #3,592, 2024)

The patient heroine of a medieval tale who endured everything; the name feels ancient and witchy without being invented.

Wren

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

Small, fierce, and the winter king in Celtic folklore — wrens were considered sacred and hunted ritually at midwinter.

The Botanical Witches: Names From Herbs, Trees, and Plants

The herbalist tradition is one of the oldest forms of craft — knowing which plants heal, which protect, which open doors between worlds. These names come from that lineage.

Rowan

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

The mountain ash, planted by cottage doors across Britain and Ireland to keep evil from entering; one of the most protectively magical trees in European folklore.

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)

Used in cleansing rituals across many traditions; the name carries both the herb and the quality.

Hazel

Origin: Old English
Pronunciation: HAY-zel · ˈheɪzəl
Meaning: the hazel tree, and by extension its light-brown color
Popularity: #19 and falling (#18 → #19, 2024)

That’s a folklore association layered onto the tree, not the name’s actual meaning — Hazel denotes the hazel tree (and its light-brown color), not ‘wisdom.’

Willow

Origin: English
Pronunciation: WIL-oh · ˈwɪloʊ
Meaning: named for the willow tree
Popularity: #41, holding steady (2024)

Associated with the moon, water, and grief; sacred to Hecate and used in moon magic.

Ivy

Origin: English
Pronunciation: EYE-vee · ˈaɪvi
Meaning: the climbing ivy plant, a traditional symbol of fidelity
Popularity: #36 and rising (#38 → #36, 2024)

Evergreen and tenacious; associated with fidelity and the vine in classical tradition.

Yarrow

Origin: Celtic (river name) / English (plant name)
Pronunciation: YAR-oh · ˈjæɹ.oʊ
Meaning: rough (Celtic river name); also the yarrow herb
Popularity: #8,922 and rising (#9,712 → #8,922, 2024)

Used for centuries to stop bleeding and in love divination; one of the oldest medicinal plants in human use.

Rue

Origin: English
Pronunciation: ROO · ruː
Meaning: the rue plant, ‘herb of grace’; also English ‘rue’, meaning regret
Popularity: #1,241 and rising (#1,259 → #1,241, 2024)

Shakespeare’s herb of remembrance and regret, used in protective magic and hung over thresholds.

Sorrel

Origin: Old French (via the plant name)
Pronunciation: SOR-uhl · ˈsɔːrəl
Meaning: the sorrel plant (a tart, sour-leaved herb); also a reddish-brown color
Popularity: #14,992 and falling (#11,050 → #14,992, 2024)

A lemony wild green that grows at the edge of things.

Elder

Origin: Old English (elder tree) / English word ‘elder’
Pronunciation: EL-der · ˈɛldər
Meaning: from the elder tree (Old English ‘ellærn’/’ellern’); the Spanish/Portuguese form ‘Élder’ is separately documented as a borrowing of the English word ‘elder’ used as an LDS missionary title, not the tree
Popularity: #2,396 and rising (#2,704 → #2,396, 2024)

Alder

Origin: English (surname)
Pronunciation: AWL-der · ˈɔːldər
Meaning: originally a surname for someone who lived near alder trees
Popularity: #1,421 and rising (#1,464 → #1,421, 2024)

A water-loving tree sacred to river magic; the wood doesn’t rot underwater, which felt miraculous before people understood why.

Fern

Origin: English (nature name)
Pronunciation: FURN · ˈfɜːrn
Meaning: the fern plant
Popularity: #1,261 and rising (#1,428 → #1,261, 2024)

Associated with luck, fairies, and invisibility in folklore — fern seeds gathered at midnight on Midsummer were said to make you invisible.

Mugwort

Origin: Old English (plant name, root uncertain)
Pronunciation: MUG-wort · ˈmʌɡwɜːrt
Meaning: The dreamwort
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The moon herb, burned for prophetic dreams and burned in smudge bundles; Artemisia vulgaris in Latin, connecting it to Artemis/Diana.

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: #12,007 and rising (#14,984 → #12,007, 2024)

Verbena

Origin: Latin (plant name)
Pronunciation: ver-BEE-nah · vərˈbiːnə
Meaning: sacred plant (vervain)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Wormwood

Origin: Old English (folk-altered spelling)
Pronunciation: WERM-wuwd · ˈwɜːrmwʊd
Meaning: bitter herb
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Used to make absinthe and associated with the green fairy; Artemisia absinthium connects it again to the moon goddess.

Valerian

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: vuh-LEER-ee-un · vəˈlɪəriən
Meaning: strength, health (from Latin valere, ‘to be strong’)
Popularity: #6,137 and rising (#6,856 → #6,137, 2024)

The sedative herb whose roots smell of old socks but whose name is genuinely lovely.

Holly

Origin: English
Pronunciation: HAH-lee · ˈhɑːli
Meaning: the holly tree/plant
Popularity: #419 and rising (#451 → #419, 2024)

The winter tree, sacred across Celtic traditions for enduring the dark months; associated with protection and male energy in Wiccan practice.

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 and rising (#113 → #111, 2024)

Burned for purification across Tibetan, Native American, and European traditions.

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 and rising (#713 → #693, 2024)

The pot marigold, used to mark the hours (it closes at night), in Día de los Muertos altars, and in offerings to Lakshmi.

Thistle

Origin: English/Old English (word/plant name)
Pronunciation: THIS-ul · ˈθɪsəl
Meaning: the thistle, a prickly flowering plant
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Clover

Origin: English
Pronunciation: KLOH-ver · ˈkloʊvər
Meaning: the clover plant (Old English clafre), popularly linked to luck
Popularity: #618 and rising (#672 → #618, 2024)

Associated with luck, the triple goddess, and the fairy mounds in Irish tradition where clovers grew thickly.

Saffron

Origin: English (flower/spice name)
Pronunciation: SAF-run · ˈsæfrən
Meaning: named for the saffron crocus flower and its golden spice
Popularity: #5,564 and falling (#4,718 → #5,564, 2024)

Lavender

Origin: Old French / Latin
Pronunciation: LAV-en-der · ˈlævəndər
Meaning: the lavender plant
Popularity: #998 and rising (#1,179 → #998, 2024)

Associated with protection, sleep, and cleansing; the Provençal landscape and the altar both.

Fennel

Origin: Old English (from Latin)
Pronunciation: FEN-əl · ˈfɛnəl
Meaning: The aromatic fennel herb, ultimately from Latin ‘faenum’ (hay), likely referencing its hay-like scent when dried.
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

One of nine sacred herbs in the Old English Nine Herbs Charm; said to restore eyesight and bring strength.

Cedar

Origin: English
Pronunciation: SEE-dur · ˈsiːdər
Meaning: the cedar tree
Popularity: #1,197 and rising (#1,252 → #1,197, 2024)

Burned for purification, used to line chests that preserve things, sacred to several Mesopotamian goddesses.

Myrtle

Origin: English (plant name)
Pronunciation: MER-tul · ˈmɜːrtəl
Meaning: named after the myrtle plant, an evergreen shrub associated with love and marriage
Popularity: #14,617 as of 2023 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Sacred to Aphrodite, used in bridal wreaths in the ancient world, and associated with love and immortality.

Aspen

Origin: English (modern coinage, nature name)
Pronunciation: AS-pun · ˈæspən
Meaning: named for the aspen (quaking) tree
Popularity: #265 and falling (#215 → #265, 2024)

Its leaves shiver constantly; associated with protection and communication between the living and the dead.

Celestial Bodies: Star, Moon, and Sky Names

These names were given to daughters long before baby name lists existed — given by people who looked up and reached for the nearest word for something too beautiful to leave unnamed.

Luna

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: LOO-na · ˈluːnə
Meaning: moon
Popularity: #13 and falling (#10 → #13, 2024)

Vega

Origin: Arabic (via the star name)
Pronunciation: VAY-gah · ˈveɪgə
Meaning: falling eagle (referring to the star Vega’s Arabic name)
Popularity: #3,944 and falling (#3,470 → #3,944, 2024)

The brightest star in Lyra and one of the three stars of the Summer Triangle; Arabic names for stars are frequently this beautiful.

Nova

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: NOH-vah · ˈnoʊvə
Meaning: new
Popularity: #39 and falling (#35 → #39, 2024)

The name itself just means ‘new’ (Latin novus/nova); the ‘star’ sense is borrowed from the unrelated astronomical term ‘nova,’ not the given name’s etymology.

Celeste

Origin: Latin (via French)
Pronunciation: suh-LEST · səˈlɛst
Meaning: heavenly
Popularity: #198 and rising (#275 → #198, 2024)

Understated and elegant; the French form of a Roman adjective that never stopped being beautiful.

Astra

Origin: Latin/Greek
Pronunciation: AS-truh · ˈæstrə
Meaning: star
Popularity: #3,167 and falling (#2,936 → #3,167, 2024)

More direct than Stella or Estelle; feels older somehow.

Andromeda

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: an-DROM-uh-duh · ænˈdrɒmɪdə
Meaning: ruler of men (Greek mythological name)
Popularity: #2,300 and rising (#2,397 → #2,300, 2024)

Cassiopeia

Origin: Greek (via Latin)
Pronunciation: kass-ee-oh-PEE-uh · ˌkæsioʊˈpiːə
Meaning: She whose words excel
Popularity: #8,523 and falling (#6,464 → #8,523, 2024)

The queen constellation shaped like a W; vain, proud, and immortalized in the northern sky.

Electra

Origin: Ancient Greek
Pronunciation: ih-LEK-trah · ɪˈlɛktrə
Meaning: amber, shining
Popularity: #9,068 and falling (#7,748 → #9,068, 2024)

One of the seven Pleiades sisters; her grief at the fall of Troy was so great she became invisible in the constellation, which is why there are only six visible Pleiades.

Phoebe

Origin: Ancient Greek
Pronunciation: FEE-bee · ˈfiːbi
Meaning: bright, shining
Popularity: #183 and rising (#190 → #183, 2024)

Titan goddess of the moon before Artemis; also one of Saturn’s moons and the smallest but most beloved character on a certain nineties sitcom.

Aurora

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: uh-ROR-uh · əˈrɔːrə
Meaning: dawn (name of the Roman goddess of the dawn)
Popularity: #16 and rising (#22 → #16, 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)

From the seraphim, the highest order of angels whose name means they burn; Tolkien used the related name for several characters.

Altair

Origin: Arabic
Pronunciation: al-TAIR · ælˈtaɪər
Meaning: the flying eagle (referring to the star Alpha Aquilae)
Popularity: #4,063 and rising (#5,938 → #4,063, 2024)

It isn’t the generic word for ‘star’ — it’s Arabic for ‘the flying eagle,’ naming one specific bright star, not stars in general.

Elara

Origin: Greek (mythological name)
Pronunciation: eh-LAR-ah · ɛˈlɑːrə
Meaning: One of Jupiter’s inner moons
Popularity: #1,156 and rising (#1,381 → #1,156, 2024)

Discovered 1905; named for a lover of Zeus.

Cosima

Origin: Italian (feminine form of Cosimo, from Greek)
Pronunciation: koh-SEE-mah · koʊˈsiːmə
Meaning: order, beauty, or the (ordered) universe
Popularity: #6,975 and rising (#8,585 → #6,975, 2024)

Derives from kosmos; Wagner’s second wife Cosima championed his work after his death and ran the Bayreuth Festival.

Vela

Origin: Latin (astronomical/constellation name)
Pronunciation: VEE-luh · ˈviːlə
Meaning: sails (of a ship)
Popularity: #5,925 and falling (#5,113 → #5,925, 2024)

A southern constellation that was once part of the giant Argo Navis, the ship of Jason and the Argonauts.

Cygnus

Origin: Latin (from Greek kyknos)
Pronunciation: SIG-nus · ˈsɪɡnəs
Meaning: swan
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The Northern Cross constellation, pointing toward the center of the Milky Way; swans appear in the mythologies of half the world’s traditions.

Ara

Origin: Armenian
Pronunciation: AH-rah · ˈɑːrɑː
Meaning: Altar
Popularity: #3,116 and rising (#3,140 → #3,116, 2024)

A small southern constellation; short, clean, and carries the quiet weight of something sacred.

Aether

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: EE-ther · ˈiːθər
Meaning: the bright upper sky/air, personified as a primordial Greek god of light
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The primordial deity of the bright upper sky above the clouds; the fifth classical element.

Zenith

Origin: English word name (ultimately Arabic, via Old Spanish/Medieval Latin)
Pronunciation: ZEE-nith · ˈziː.nɪθ
Meaning: the highest point; peak
Popularity: #2,906 and rising (#3,289 → #2,906, 2024)

Estelle

Origin: Occitan (ultimately from Latin stella)
Pronunciation: es-TEL · ɛˈstɛl
Meaning: star
Popularity: #636 and rising (#710 → #636, 2024)

The French form, with a slight vintage quality that makes it feel distinct from Stella.

Stella

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: STEL-ah · ˈstɛlə
Meaning: star
Popularity: #49 and falling (#46 → #49, 2024)

Soleil

Origin: French
Pronunciation: soh-LAY · soʊˈleɪ
Meaning: sun
Popularity: #824 and rising (#975 → #824, 2024)

Almost never used in English-speaking countries; direct and luminous.

Caelum

Origin: Latin (constellation name)
Pronunciation: SEE-lum · ˈsiːləm
Meaning: named for a southern constellation representing an engraver’s chisel, from a Latin word ‘caelum’ meaning ‘chisel’ — a different word from the more common caelum meaning ‘sky/heaven’
Popularity: #2,026 and rising (#2,275 → #2,026, 2024)

As the constellation name, Caelum actually derives from a different Latin word meaning ‘chisel’ (an engraving tool), not the common word for ‘sky/heaven’ — a coincidental look-alike.

Eridanus

Origin: Ancient Greek
Pronunciation: eh-RID-uh-nus · ɪˈrɪdənəs
Meaning: The river
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The sixth-largest constellation, shaped like a winding river; associated with the mythological river Eridanus where Phaeton fell.

Origin: Ancient Greek (mythological name, deeper root uncertain)
Pronunciation: EYE-oh · ˈaɪoʊ
Meaning: Moon of Jupiter, lover of Zeus
Popularity: #9,867 as of 2023 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Among the most ancient Greek names; the priestess turned into a white cow, now an intensely volcanic moon.

Cressida

Origin: Greek (via medieval literary tradition)
Pronunciation: KRESS-ih-dah · ˈkrɛsɪdə
Meaning: golden
Popularity: #12,408 and falling (#10,569 → #12,408, 2024)

Named for the Trojan maiden of Shakespeare’s play; short, literary, and carrying a shadow of betrayal that makes it complex.

Seers, Oracles, and Ancient Sorceresses

These are the women who saw what others couldn’t, spoke what others wouldn’t, and paid prices for both. Naming a daughter after them is an act of respect.

Cassandra

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: kuh-SAN-drah · kəˈsændrə
Meaning: She who entangles men, or to shine on men
Popularity: #613 and rising (#639 → #613, 2024)

The Trojan princess given the gift of prophecy and the curse that no one would believe her; the original tragedy of being right and unheard.

Pythia

Origin: Ancient Greek
Pronunciation: PITH-ee-uh · ˈpɪθ.i.ə
Meaning: of Pytho
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Sibyl

Origin: Ancient Greek
Pronunciation: SIHB-ul · ˈsɪbəl
Meaning: from the legendary Greek prophetesses called Sibyls; used to mean ‘oracle’ or ‘seer’
Popularity: #9,438 and falling (#7,584 → #9,438, 2024)

The ten Sibyls of antiquity scattered across the Greek and Roman world, speaking in riddles; Michaelangelo painted several of them on the Sistine Chapel ceiling.

Sybilla

Origin: Latin (from Greek)
Pronunciation: sih-BIL-uh · sɪˈbɪlə
Meaning: prophetess, oracle
Popularity: #19,256 as of 2011 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A formal variant; medieval queens and noblewomen bore this name.

Diotima

Origin: Ancient Greek
Pronunciation: dye-uh-TEE-muh · ˌdaɪəˈtiːmə
Meaning: Honored by Zeus
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Thessaly

Origin: Greek (place name)
Pronunciation: THESS-uh-lee · ˈθɛsəli
Meaning: From Thessaly
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The region of Greece so associated with witches that Roman writers used “Thessalian” as a synonym for “magical”; rarely used as a given name.

Iphigenia

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: if-ih-juh-NY-ah · ˌɪfɪdʒəˈnaɪə
Meaning: born strong
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Agamemnon’s daughter sacrificed to the winds, made a priestess by Artemis who saved her at the last moment; Euripides wrote two plays about her.

Ismene

Origin: Greek (mythological name, precise root uncertain)
Pronunciation: iz-MEE-nee · ɪzˈmiːni
Meaning: Knowing
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The quieter daughter of Oedipus, the one who survived; less dramatic than Antigone but no less interesting.

Erichtho

Origin: Ancient Greek
Pronunciation: eh-RIK-thoh · ɪˈrɪkθoʊ
Meaning: Of Erichus
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The Thessalian witch in Lucan’s *Pharsalia* who reanimated a corpse to prophesy; extremely niche but genuinely ancient.

Arsinoe

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: ar-SIN-oh-ee · ɑːrˈsɪnoʊi
Meaning: one who elevates the mind
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Several queens of Egypt bore this name; Arsinoe II was effectively pharaoh.

Endora

Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: en-DOR-uh · ɛnˈdɔːrə
Meaning: Spring of habitation
Popularity: #18,003 as of 2006 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

From Endor, where the Witch of Endor summoned the ghost of Samuel for King Saul; also the fictional witch on *Bewitched*, which makes it charming.

Isadora

Origin: Greek (variant of Isidora)
Pronunciation: iz-uh-DOR-uh · ɪzəˈdɔːrə
Meaning: gift of the goddess Isis
Popularity: #1,223 and rising (#1,438 → #1,223, 2024)

Ondine

Origin: Latin/French
Pronunciation: ahn-DEEN · ɑːnˈdiːn
Meaning: little wave / water spirit
Popularity: #14,789 and rising (#16,983 → #14,789, 2024)

The water spirit from German Romantic literature who cursed her faithless husband to die if he fell asleep; also a ballet, also a Ravel piano piece.

Lorelei

Origin: German
Pronunciation: LOR-uh-ly · ˈlɔːrəlaɪ
Meaning: murmuring/lurking rock
Popularity: #456 and rising (#485 → #456, 2024)

Lorelei is popularly described as a ‘siren,’ but that’s the attached legend, not the etymology — the name itself literally means ‘murmuring/lurking rock,’ referring to the treacherous rock formation.

Armida

Origin: Italian
Pronunciation: ar-MEE-duh · ɑːrˈmiːdə
Meaning: Armed
Popularity: #15,522 as of 2021 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The sorceress of Tasso’s *Jerusalem Delivered* who builds an enchanted garden to trap Crusaders; grand opera has been telling her story for four centuries.

Alcina

Origin: Italian (literary, Greek-derived)
Pronunciation: al-CHEE-nuh · ælˈtʃiːnə
Meaning: strength
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The enchantress of Ariosto’s *Orlando Furioso* who kept her lovers as animals; Handel wrote an opera about her, and it is extraordinary.

Vivaldi

Origin: Italian (surname)
Pronunciation: vih-VAHL-dee · vɪˈvɑːldi
Meaning: No, skip. **Walpurga** — Mighty fortress
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Eudoxia

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: yoo-DOK-see-uh · juːˈdɒksiə
Meaning: well-regarded, of good reputation
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Several Byzantine empresses; the name sounds both ancient and magical.

Lavinia

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

The woman whose marriage to Aeneas founded the Latin people; a Virgil character who barely speaks in the *Aeneid* but whose silence is significant.

Celtic, Welsh, and Arthurian Names

The Celtic tradition is one of the richest veins for witchy names — a mythology where women regularly held power, transformed into birds, and knew more than anyone gave them credit for.

Niamh

Origin: Irish
Pronunciation: NEEV · ˈniːv
Meaning: bright, radiant
Popularity: #3,148 and rising (#4,339 → #3,148, 2024)

The goddess who took the hero Oisín to the Land of Eternal Youth; pronounced “Neev,” which is something to prepare grandparents for.

Aisling

Origin: Irish
Meaning: dream, vision
Popularity: #4,547 and falling (#4,045 → #4,547, 2024)

The literary tradition of the aisling involves a visionary woman who appears to a poet; pronounced “ASH-ling.”

Siofra

Origin: Irish
Pronunciation: SHEE-fruh · ˈʃiːfrˠə
Meaning: elf, sprite (folklore: changeling)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A fairy child swapped for a human one; unusual even within Ireland and genuinely beautiful.

Caoimhe

Origin: Old Irish
Meaning: gentle, beautiful, precious
Popularity: #8,519 and rising (#12,384 → #8,519, 2024)

Pronounced “KEE-va”; one of the loveliest sounds in the Irish language attached to one of the loveliest meanings.

Aoife

Origin: Old Irish
Pronunciation: EE-fuh · ˈiːfə
Meaning: beauty, radiance
Popularity: #2,230 and falling (#2,124 → #2,230, 2024)

Pronounced “EE-fah”; the warrior woman of Irish mythology who had a child with Cú Chulainn.

Saoirse

Origin: Irish
Pronunciation: SEER-shah · ˈsɪərʃə
Meaning: freedom
Popularity: #1,036 and falling (#959 → #1,036, 2024)

Pronounced “SEER-sha”; Saoirse Ronan introduced it to a generation of parents who’ve been attempting it ever since.

Fionnuala

Origin: Irish (Old Irish compound)
Pronunciation: fih-NOO-luh · fɪˈnuːlə
Meaning: white shoulder (fionn ‘white/fair’ + guala ‘shoulder’)
Popularity: #16,027 and falling (#12,563 → #16,027, 2024)

One of the Children of Lir, turned into a swan by her stepmother and forced to wander the waters of Ireland for nine hundred years; the name has survived the tragedy.

Blodeuwedd

Origin: Welsh
Meaning: flower face
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The woman created from oak blossom, meadowsweet, and broom to be a wife; she chose her own lover and was turned into an owl — pronounced “Blod-EYE-with.”

Branwen

Origin: Welsh
Pronunciation: BRAN-wen · ˈbrænwɛn
Meaning: blessed or white raven
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The Irish queen of the Second Branch of the Mabinogi whose letter sent her brother to war; raven + white is an extraordinary combination.

Morwenna

Origin: Cornish/Welsh
Pronunciation: mor-WEN-uh · mɔːrˈwɛnə
Meaning: maiden (from Cornish/Welsh morwyn)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A Cornish saint and a genuinely beautiful name almost entirely unknown outside Wales.

Enid

Origin: Welsh (Middle Welsh ‘eneit’)
Pronunciation: EE-nid · ˈiːnɪd
Meaning: spirit, life
Popularity: #4,578 and falling (#2,653 → #4,578, 2024)

The Arthurian woman whose husband tested her loyalty in increasingly absurd ways; Tennyson’s *Idylls of the King* is entirely unfair to her.

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)

A name appearing in Arthurian tradition and Ivanhoe; the Hogwarts house founder version has introduced it to new audiences.

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)

The Irish princess in the Tristan legend who drank the wrong potion and loved the wrong man; the German form Iseult has its own beauty.

Guinevere

Origin: Welsh (via Gwenhwyfar)
Pronunciation: GWIN-eh-veer · ˈɡwɪnəvɪr
Meaning: white/fair + a debated second element (‘phantom’ or ‘smooth’)
Popularity: #947 and rising (#1,009 → #947, 2024)

The queen whose love destroyed a kingdom; the Welsh Gwenhwyfar means “white spirit” or “white phantom,” which is more specifically witchy.

Vivienne

Origin: Latin (via Old French, variant of Vivian)
Pronunciation: VIV-ee-en · ˈvɪviɛn
Meaning: living, full of life
Popularity: #184 and rising (#235 → #184, 2024)

The French form of the Lady of the Lake’s name; currently popular in France and rising in the US.

Elowen

Origin: Cornish
Pronunciation: EL-oh-wen · ˈɛloʊwɛn
Meaning: elm tree
Popularity: #898 and rising (#1,060 → #898, 2024)

Elaine

Origin: Old French (from Helen, a Welsh derivation also proposed)
Pronunciation: ih-LAYN · ɪˈleɪn
Meaning: shining light (disputed)
Popularity: #369 and rising (#381 → #369, 2024)

Three different Elaines in Arthurian legend, including the Lady of Shalott; Tennyson made the name famous and then slightly melancholy.

Morgause

Origin: Arthurian legend (literary, possibly related to Morgan)
Pronunciation: mor-GAWZ · mɔːrˈɡɔːz
Meaning: Great circle
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Morgan le Fay’s sister, mother of Gawain, sometimes presented as the greater power behind the scenes.

Oonagh

Origin: Irish
Meaning: The golden one
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Queen of the fairies in Irish tradition, wife of Finvarra; pronounced “OON-ah.”

Ceridwen

Origin: Welsh (mythological)
Pronunciation: keh-RID-wen · kɛˈrɪdwɛn
Meaning: Blessed poetry, fair poetry
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The witch who brewed the cauldron of wisdom and unwittingly gave the poet Taliesin his gift; spelled Cerridwen in some traditions.

Rhoswyn

Origin: Welsh
Pronunciation: ROS-win · ˈrɒswɪn
Meaning: white rose
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Gwendolyn

Origin: Welsh (English spelling variant)
Pronunciation: GWEN-duh-lin · ˈɡwɛndəlɪn
Meaning: white/fair ring
Popularity: #393 and falling (#378 → #393, 2024)

Talitha

Origin: Aramaic (biblical)
Pronunciation: TAL-ih-thuh · ˈtælɪθə
Meaning: young girl, little girl
Popularity: #3,257 and falling (#2,843 → #3,257, 2024)

Sorcha

Origin: Scottish Gaelic / Irish
Meaning: bright, radiant
Popularity: #13,286 as of 2023 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Pronounced “SOR-uh-khah” or “SOR-ah-ha” depending on dialect; the Irish equivalent of Clara, which feels like a nice surprise.

Names That Cast a Spell When Spoken

Some names are chosen for their meaning; some are chosen for their sound. These names have both — long, slightly breathless, with the rhythm of an incantation when said aloud.

Esmeralda

Origin: Spanish/Portuguese
Pronunciation: ez-mur-AL-duh · ˌɛzməˈrældə
Meaning: emerald
Popularity: #350 and falling (#342 → #350, 2024)

Calliope

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: kuh-LY-uh-pee · kəˈlaɪəpi
Meaning: beautiful voice
Popularity: #499 and falling (#491 → #499, 2024)

The muse of epic poetry who inspired Homer; pronounced “kah-LY-oh-pee” and frequently mispronounced, which is its only drawback.

Araminta

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: air-ah-MIN-tah · ˌɛrəˈmɪntə
Meaning: Eagle battle
Popularity: #8,975 and rising (#9,678 → #8,975, 2024)

Vanishingly rare, which is surprising given how extraordinary it sounds; Araminta Ross was Harriet Tubman’s birth name.

Evangelina

Origin: Greek (modern elaboration of Evangeline)
Pronunciation: ee-van-jeh-LEE-nah · iːvændʒəˈliːnə
Meaning: bringer of good news
Popularity: #1,260 and rising (#1,472 → #1,260, 2024)

The full form of Eva or Evie; Longfellow’s poem *Evangeline* made the name famous in the nineteenth century.

Melisande

Origin: uncertain (possibly Germanic, via Old French)
Pronunciation: mel-i-ZAHND · ˌmɛlɪˈzɑːnd
Meaning: Strong worker
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The heroine of Maeterlinck’s symbolist play *Pelléas et Mélisande*, set to music by Debussy; she appears from nowhere and is never explained.

Amaranth

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: AM-uh-ranth · ˈæmərænθ
Meaning: unfading (an everlasting, never-wilting flower)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The flower that doesn’t wilt; used in Greek mythology to garland the dead because it endured; also a grain, also an extraordinary name.

Theodelinda

Origin: Germanic (Lombardic)
Pronunciation: thee-oh-duh-LIN-duh · ˌθiːoʊdəˈlɪndə
Meaning: gentle one among the people
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A medieval Lombard queen; the name is technically too much for any child to carry but sounds genuinely magnificent.

Walpurga

Origin: Old High German
Pronunciation: vahl-POOR-gah · vɑːlˈpʊərɡə
Meaning: ruler’s fortress
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Already noted for Walpurgisnacht; the name itself is ancient and strange and worthy of more attention.

Elspeth

Origin: Scottish (variant of Elizabeth, ultimately Hebrew)
Pronunciation: EL-speth · ˈɛlspəθ
Meaning: God is my oath (via Elizabeth, from Hebrew Elisheva)
Popularity: #6,215 and rising (#8,614 → #6,215, 2024)

The Scottish form of Elizabeth; several women named Elspeth were tried for witchcraft in seventeenth-century Scotland, which gives it an uncomfortable but real historical layer.

Thessalonika

Origin: Ancient Greek
Pronunciation: thes-uh-luh-NY-kuh · ˌθɛsələˈnaɪkə
Meaning: Thessalian victory
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Ptolemais

Origin: Ancient Greek
Pronunciation: tol-uh-MAY-iss · ˌtɒləˈmeɪɪs
Meaning: daughter of Ptolemy
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Theodora

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: thee-oh-DOR-ah · ˌθiːəˈdɔːrə
Meaning: God’s gift
Popularity: #812 and falling (#776 → #812, 2024)

Evangeline

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

Longfellow’s Acadians; the Acadian expulsion; the woman who searched for her beloved across a continent.

Valentina

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: val-en-TEE-nah · vælənˈtiːnə
Meaning: strong, healthy
Popularity: #47 and rising (#49 → #47, 2024)

The first woman in space (Valentina Tereshkova, 1963) and a name that sounds like it belongs in an opera.

Seraphiel

Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: seh-RAF-ee-el · sɛˈræfiəl
Meaning: burning one of God
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Christabel

Origin: Middle English (Crist ‘Christ’ + -bel ‘beauty’, from Belle)
Pronunciation: KRIS-tuh-bel · ˈkrɪstəbɛl
Meaning: beautiful Christian
Popularity: #8,531 and falling (#7,323 → #8,531, 2024)

Coleridge’s unfinished poem about a woman bewitched by a mysterious stranger; the name never quite recovered from the supernatural associations, which is precisely why it’s interesting.

Rosamund

Origin: Germanic (Frankish/Lombardic)
Pronunciation: ROZ-ah-mund · ˈrɑːzəmənd
Meaning: horse protection (folk-reinterpreted as ‘rose of the world’)
Popularity: #7,858 and falling (#6,353 → #7,858, 2024)

Rosamund is popularly said to mean ‘rose of the world’ (Latin rosa mundi) — this reading genuinely circulated in medieval times, but it’s a folk-etymological reinterpretation of the original Germanic name meaning ‘horse protection’.

Norse, Slavic, and World Folklore Names

Witchcraft is a global practice, and the baby name lists that focus exclusively on Celtic and Greek traditions are missing half the story. These names come from the Norse völva tradition, Slavic folk magic, and other traditions that have their own deep roots.

Vasilisa

Origin: Greek (via Russian)
Pronunciation: vah-see-LEE-suh · ˌvɑːsɪˈliːsə
Meaning: descended from the Greek word for ‘queen’
Popularity: #10,183 and falling (#8,944 → #10,183, 2024)

The heroine of *Vasilisa the Beautiful*, who navigates Baba Yaga’s house by the light of a skull; from the same root as Basilissa.

Zorya

Origin: Slavic (mythological)
Pronunciation: ZOR-yuh · ˈzɔːrjə
Meaning: dawn
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

She’s often pictured as a single dawn goddess, but Slavic folklore usually describes Zorya as sister guardian figures of the morning and evening star, not one lone deity.

Marzanna

Origin: Slavic
Pronunciation: mar-ZAH-nuh · mɑːrˈzɑːnə
Meaning: tied to an old Slavic root for death; name of a winter-ending goddess
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Marzanna isn’t associated with the moon in Slavic tradition — her domain is winter’s end, death, and rebirth.

Mokosh

Origin: Slavic
Pronunciation: MOH-kosh · ˈmoʊkɒʃ
Meaning: Moist
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Lada

Origin: Slavic
Pronunciation: LAH-dah · ˈlɑːdə
Meaning: linked to a (disputed) Slavic goddess of love; or ‘order’/’maiden’/’bride’
Popularity: #14,537 as of 2022 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Whether a genuine pre-Christian goddess named Lada existed is disputed among scholars — some consider it a later folk construction rather than solid mythology.

Devana

Origin: Slavic
Pronunciation: deh-VAH-nuh · dɛˈvɑːnə
Meaning: Maiden or virgin
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

While Devana is a goddess associated with the hunt, her name stems from the Slavic word for maiden.

Skuld

Origin: Old Norse
Pronunciation: SKOOLD · skʊld
Meaning: ‘that which must happen’ / ‘debt, obligation’ — the Norse Norn who personifies the future
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Verdandi

Origin: Old Norse
Pronunciation: ver-DAHN-dee · vɛrˈdɑːndi
Meaning: becoming, or what is happening now
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Urd

Origin: Old Norse
Meaning: fate; what has already come to pass
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The oldest Norn, who weaves from the past; the Old English cognate wyrd gives us the word “weird,” which originally meant “fate.”

Hel

Origin: Old Norse
Pronunciation: HELL · hɛl
Meaning: the hidden or concealed place
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Skadi

Origin: Old Norse (mythological)
Meaning: possibly ‘harm/damage’ (cognate with ‘scathe’); etymology debated
Popularity: #4,635 and rising (#5,925 → #4,635, 2024)

The giantess who became a goddess, who skis through winter forests with her bow; she chose her husband by looking only at his feet.

Rán

Origin: Old Norse
Meaning: robbery, plunder
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

That describes who she is, not what the name literally means; the word itself means ‘robbery/plunder,’ referencing how she seizes the drowned.

Gullveig

Origin: Old Norse
Pronunciation: GOOL-vay · ˈɡʊlveɪ
Meaning: Gold drink or gold power
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The Vanir witch who was burned three times by the Aesir and rose reborn each time; her deaths started the first war between the gods.

Angrboda

Origin: Old Norse
Pronunciation: AHNG-gur-boh-duh · ˈɑːŋɡərbəʊdə
Meaning: she who offers sorrow
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The giantess and witch who was the mother of Fenrir, Jormungandr, and Hel; she lived in Ironwood and knew things Odin didn’t.

Völva

Origin: Old Norse
Pronunciation: VOL-vuh · ˈvœlvə
Meaning: wand carrier or staff bearer
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The title of the Norse seeress who practiced seiðr magic; the Völuspá is her prophecy of the end of the world.

Cailleach

Origin: Scottish/Irish Gaelic
Pronunciation: KAL-yəkh
Meaning: old woman/hag — a divine hag figure in Gaelic mythology
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The divine hag who created the Scottish mountains by dropping boulders from her apron; she controls the winter months.

Nicneven

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Pronunciation: nik-NEV-en · nɪkˈnɛvən
Meaning: Daughter of the little saint
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The Queen of Fairies and witches in Scottish tradition, sometimes called the Queen of Elfhame; extremely rare as a given name.

Erzulie

Origin: Haitian Creole/Vodou (etymology disputed, possibly West African)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The lwa of love, beauty, and sorrow in Haitian Vodou; pronounced roughly “AIR-zoo-lee” and belonging to a living religious tradition to approach with awareness.

Beira

Origin: disputed — Scottish folklore figure vs. Portuguese-derived place name
Pronunciation: BAY-ruh · ˈbeɪrə
Meaning: Water
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Another name for the Cailleach in her role as goddess of winter and the waters.

Vör

Origin: Old Norse
Meaning: the aware one or careful
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The Norse goddess who was so perceptive that nothing could be hidden from her; a goddess of wisdom and attention.

Norna

Origin: Old Norse
Pronunciation: NOR-nuh · ˈnɔːrnə
Meaning: Norn
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The Norns anglicized; used in Walter Scott’s *The Pirate* for a character who was a seeress.

Mambo

Origin: Haitian Creole
Pronunciation: MAHM-boh · ˈmɑːmboʊ
Meaning: priestess
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Perchta

Origin: Old High German (Alpine)
Pronunciation: PAIRK-tuh · ˈpɛʁçta
Meaning: bright, shining
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The Alpine goddess who rewarded good spinners and sliced open lazy ones to fill their bodies with straw; now a figure in Krampus traditions.

Holda

Origin: Old High German (Swabian)
Meaning: favor, grace
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings