Picking out the perfect baby name for your little one is such an important decision. Classical to traditional, fantasy elf names to exotic, there’s such an extensive selection to pick from, too.
If you like the idea of a mystical, gothic, shadowy, or dusky name, here are some lovely names meaning dark, especially for you.
The Best Baby Names Meaning Dark
From dusky to nighttime, dark sea to ravens, here are some of the top baby names meaning dark.
- Abnus
Meaning: “dark wood” “ebony” “black wood”
Variations: Abinus, Aabinus, Abnuss
Sinus is a Persian name meaning ebony. Ebony is a dark, hardwood that can sink in water, prized for its black hue and density.
- Adrian
Meaning: “of the Adria sea” “dark sea” “sea” “ocean” “of the ocean”
Variations: Adria, Adrien, Adriana, Hadrian, Adriani, Adrienna, Adrion, Adron, Adryan, Adrielle
Adrian is an excellent unisex name suitable for both a boy or a girl. It derives from the Latin names Adrianus or Hadrianus, which were inspired by the Adriatic sea. The name is also associated with the Illyrian word adur, meaning “sea” or “water.”
- Blake
Meaning: “fair” “of dark complexion” “black”
Variations: Blakely
Blake is a unisex name derived from the Old English words blac, blak, and blaec, meaning both fair, white, white-skinned, black, and of dark complexion.
- Bisman
Meaning: “black” “dark blue”
Variations: Bisma, Bismillah, Bismeet, Bismal, Bismun
Bisman is a Punjabi boy’s name that literally means black or dark blue You can adapt this name into a girl’s name by dropping the “n” at the end.
- Bruno
Meaning: “brown”
Variations: Brunetta, Bruna, Bron, Bronda, Brunhild, Bruns
Bruno is a handsome boy’s name deriving from the Old German word brun and the modern German word braun, meaning brown. By adding an “a” to the end, you can adapt this name into a girl’s name, too.
- Caliban
Meaning: “black”
Variations: Calib, Caleb
Caliban is a Romanian name meaning “black.” This name is not for the faint of heart, though, Caliban being the deformed son of a witch in Shakespeare’s The Tempest and there being an Arabic insult, يا كلب / ya kalib, meaning “you dog.”
- Ciara
Meaning: “black” “little dark one”
Variations: Kiara, Kira, Ciaera, Siara, Cierra, Chiara, Sierra, Kieran, Keyara
Ciara is an Irish and Gaelic girl’s name meaning dark little one. You can easily adapt this name into a boy’s name by adding an “n” at the end.
- Cole
Meaning: “coal” “coal black” “blackened” “charcoal”
Variations: Colle, Colin, Coley, Colette, Coleen, Coleman, Coleman, Kole
Cole is an Old English boy’s name deriving from the word coal. It is thought it may have been used as an occupational last name or name for those who swept chimneys, too, as they were often covered in soot.
- Colin
Meaning: “swarthy” “dark”
Variations: Cole, Coln, Collun, Collen, Nicholas, Colleen, Colette
Colin is a boy’s name thought to derive from the Old Norse names, Kollungr and Koli, meaning swarthy or dark. The name Cole is also a diminutive or shorter nickname of the name Nicholas.
- Colton
Meaning: “coal town” “from coal” “from the dark town”
Variations: Coltonne, Coltin
Colton is an unusual, dark name for a boy. This rustic name derives from the term coal town.
- Corbin
Meaning: “raven” “crow”
Variations: Corban, Corbyn, Corby, Korbin, Korbyn, Korby, Cora, Kora
The boy’s name Corbyn derives from the French word corbeau, meaning raven or crow.
- Crawford
Meaning: “river crossing” “crow” “raven” “crows crossing”
Variations: Krawford, Crawfort
Crawford is a boy’s name deriving from the Old English word crāwe, meaning crow. The suffix -ford derives from the word ford or fjord, meaning river crossing.
- Darcy
Meaning: “dark” “dark one”
Variations: Darcie, Darce, Darcio, Darcele
Darcy is a dashing boy or girl’s name that means dark one.
- Delaney
Meaning: “dark challenger” “black river”
Variations: Delanay, Delia, Dahlia, Delaynie
Delaney is a jaunty name to call a boy or a girl. It is derived from the Irish surname Delaney and the Gaelic name, Ó Dubhshláine, meaning the black river. Dubh means black, and Sláine refers to the River Sláine in Gaelic.
- Donovan
Meaning: “dark brown” “black-brown” “brown-haired” “chieftain” “dark man”
Variations: Donovon, Donavan, Donna, Don, Donner
Donovan is an Irish name meaning dark brown-haired chieftain. It is an anglicized version of the Gaelic name Ó Donndubháin, meaning dark man or dark brown. Donn means brown-haired and chieftain, while dubh means black or dark in Gaelic.
- Dougal
Meaning: “dark stranger” “dark loner”
Variations: Dugal, Dugald, Dougald, Doug, Dougie, Dug
Dougal is a boy’s name of Celtic origin. It derives from the traditional Gaelic names Dubhghall or Dùghall, meaning dark stranger. Dubh means black or dark, and gall means stranger in Gaelic.
- Douglas
Meaning: “dark green” “dark stream” “dark river”
Variations: Douglas, Douglis, Doug, Dougie, Dug,
Douglas is a Celtic boy’s name deriving from the Gaelic names Dúghlas and Dubhghlas. Dubh means dark or black, and ghlas means stream or green in Gaelic. Douglas and McDouglas are also Irish clan names.
- Duncan
Meaning: “brown-haired” “dark-haired” “dark-haired chieftain” “brown-haired chieftain”
Variations: Dunkan
Duncan is an anglicized boy’s name deriving from the Gaelic name Donnchadh, meaning brown or dark-haired chieftain. Donn means brown and chief, while chadh also means chieftain.
- Dwayne
Meaning: “dark-skinned” “dark-haired” “of dark complexion” “dark one”
Variations: Duane, Dwain, Dwaine, Dwane
The boys’ name, Dwayne, is of Irish origin and derives from the Gaelic surname O’Dubhain and the Irish Saint Dubhán. In Gaelic, dubh means dark, and -en is a diminutive suffix.
- Ebony
Meaning: “dark wood” “black wood”
Variations: Eboni, Ebiny
Ebony is a type of dense, dark, black wood prized for its dark hue and hardness. Ebony is also a great name for a girl.
- Hadrian
Meaning: “of the Adria sea” “dark sea” “sea” “ocean” “of the ocean”
Variations: Adria, Adrien, Adriana, Adrian, Adriani, Adrienna, Adrion, Adron, Adryan, Adrielle
Hadrian is an excellent unisex name suitable for both a boy or a girl. It derives from the Latin names Adrianus or Hadrianus, which were inspired by the Adriatic sea. The name is also associated with the Illyrian word adur, meaning “sea” or “water.”
- Jet
Meaning: “black gem” “dark gemstone” “jet plane”
Variations: Jett, Jayda, Jetta
Jet is a type of semi-precious gemstone prized for its dark black color. Jet is also a smart and modern unisex name for a boy or girl. The name also refers to a jet plane.
- Kali
Meaning: “goddess of destruction” “goddess of doom” “fierce” “black” “time”
Variations: Kalli, Cali, Cally, Kala
Kali is the Hindu Goddess of death, destruction, time, and doomsday. The name is of Sanskrit and African origin, deriving from the word kala, meaning “black,” “time,” and “fierce.”
- Kerrell
Meaning: “dusk” “dusky” “dark” “fading light”
Variations: Keral, Kerall, Kerral, Carol, Cheryl, Cher
The name Kerrell is of Irish origin, and means dusky evening or dusk. The surname McKerral is also found to belong to some citizens of the USA.
- Kieran
Meaning: “black” “little black one” “little dark-haired one”
Variations: Keiran, Keiron, Kieryn, Kiran, Keir, Kira, Kiera, Ciran, Cieran, Cira, Cieryn, Ciran, Ciarán
Keiran is an Irish and Scottish name that literally means black or dark. It derives from the Gaelic word Ciarán, ciar meaning black, and -an being a diminutive suffix.
- Kerry
Meaning: “black-haired” “dark-haired” “dark-haired clan”
Variations: Keri, Kerri, Kari, Carrie, Cerise, Cherise, Cherri, Cherry
Kerri is a unisex name for boys and girls of Irish clan origin. The name derives from Ciarraighe, the kingdom of Ciar or County Kerry. Ciar is the son of Fergus mac Róich and gave his name to County Kerry.
- Krish
Meaning: “Dark-skinned one” “blue-skinned one” “little Krishna” “little deity”
Variations: Krishna, Krishay, Krishanth
Krish is a diminutive name of Krishna, a Hindu deity whose name means dark-skinned or blue-skinned one.
- Layla
Meaning: “daughter of the night” “dark” “night”
Variations: Leila, Laila, Lila, Lyla, Lela, Lailah, Laila, Lylah, Lyle
Layla is an Arabic girl’s name that means night and dark. It is often given to daughters born in the nighttime, hence why it also means daughter of the night.
- Lilith
Meaning: “belonging to the night” “dark woman” “rebellious” “strong-willed woman”
Variations: Lilith, Lilly, Lily
Lilith is a girl’s name of Babylonian origin, meaning belonging to the night. In fables told in the Middle Ages, Lilith is also Adam’s first wife, not made from his rib like Eve, but of the same clay as he was. She rebelled and left the Garden of Eden and her husband, refusing to return to what she considered an oppressive way of life as his wife.
- Magda
Meaning: “high tower” “one who is elevated” “Mary Magdalene” “crow” “magpie”
Variations: Magdalena, Magdalene, Magnus
Magda is a Slavic and European girl’s name that means high tower. It derives from the Greek Μαρια Μαγδαληνη (Maria Magdalene), or Mary of Magdala. In Hebrew מגדל / migdal means tower. The name is also mysterious and reminiscent of magpies.
- Mahogany
Meaning: “dark wood” “mahogany wood”
Variations: none
Mahogany is a type of wood prized for its deep red-brown hue. It also makes a cute name for a baby boy or girl!
- Manu
Meaning: “bird” “man” “first man” “original man”
Variations: Manor
In Hinduism, Manu is the first man. In Sanskrit, the term for human, मानव / mānava means of Manu or children of Manu. Manu also means bird in Māori and other Polynesian languages. The two ends of a traditional Polynesian canoe are also called Manu.
- Maurice (French Mauritius Moorish)
Meaning: “Moorish” “dark-skinned” “swarthy” “of Moorish descent”
Variations: Morris, Morrison, Moris, Mauricio, Mauritius, Maury, Moritz, Moriz, Morrisey, Mouric
Morris is a popular English and Scottish boy’s name. It is thought to derive from the French name Maurice, which in turn, is related to the Latin name Mauritius. The name Mauritius derives from the Old French word more and Latin maurus, meaning dark, swarthy, or Moorish, denoting those of Moorish descent.
- Melan
Meaning: “dark” “black” “dark one” “dark-haired woman”
Variations: Melanie, Melany
Melania is a popular European name deriving from the Greek word μελανία / melania, which means dark or black.
- Merle
Meaning: “blackbird” “crow” “raven” “beady-eyed one”
Variations: Merril, Merrill, Muriel, Marlon, Marle, Merlon, Marla, Marlan
Merle is an unusual unisex girl’s or boy’s name deriving from the French word merle and Latin word merula, meaning blackbird.
- Morrigan
Meaning: “goddess” “phantom queen” “great queen” “crow queen” “shapeshifter” “queen of the crows” “warrior queen”
Variations: Morrigu, Morigan, Morgana, Morgan, Morgain
Mór-Ríoghain is a shape-shifting goddess of battle and war in Irish mythology. She can take the shape of a crow, the badb, and usually drives men into battle, encouraging them onwards. Morgan makes for an excellent boy’s name, too.
- Narine
Meaning: “sea nymph” “temptress” “siren” “siren of the sea”
Variations: Nerine, Nereen, Noreen, Niren, Nirin, Narin
Narine is a girl’s name of Greek origin, meaning sea nymph. Sea nymphs may be beautiful, but they also have a darker side and are known for sending men and ships to their doom using their dark beauty, seduction, magic, and siren calls.
- Nigel
Meaning: “dark complexion” “raven-haired” “black” “dark”
Variations: Nagel, Nigella, Niall, Neil, Neel, Nihel, Nigellus
Nigel is a common English name derived from the Latin words nigellus and niger, meaning black, dark, or someone of dark complexion or hair.
- Nisha
Meaning: “night” “of the night”
Variations: Nish, Nishi, Nisa
Nisha is an Indian girl’s name that means night in Hindi.
- Nox
Meaning: “goddess of the night” “of the night” “night goddess”
Variations: Knox
Nox is a modern name to call a boy or a girl, derived from Greek mythology and meaning night. Nox was the Greek goddess of nighttime.
- Onyx
Meaning: “black stone” “black gemstone” “black gem” “black agate”
Variations: Nyx, Onix
Onyx is a mystical boy or girl’s name, meaning dark gemstone. The onyx stone is a semi-precious, black gemstone of the agate family.
- Orpheus
Meaning: “darkness of the night” “darkness” “dark of night”
Variations: Orphne, Orphius
Orpheus is a Greek poet, prophet, and musician. His name is derived from the Greek word ὄρφνη / orphne, which means darkness of the night.
- Phoenix
Meaning: “from the ashes,” “he who rises from the ashes,” “dark red” “immortal bird” “immortal one”
Variations: Fenix, Phenix
A phoenix is a magical, immortal bird found in Greek and Egyptian mythology. It is reborn from the flame and ashes again and again and typically has feathers of a dark red color.
- Raven
Meaning: “raven” “black bird” “beady-eyed one”
Variations: Ravin, Ravina, Corvus
Raven is a popular name to call a girl. A raven is a type of black bird with very glossy black feathers of the Corvus Corax family. Corvus is a lovely dark name to call a boy.
- Sable
Meaning: “black” “black fur”
Variations: none
Sable is a Slavic name that is used to describe the dark fur of certain black, furry animals. Sable fur is prized for its dark hue.
Conclusion:
Stuck on what are names meaning dark to call your little boy or girl? Hopefully, these unique names from around the globe have helped you to narrow down your search!