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If you’re expecting a baby during the autumn months, you might be in the Halloween spirit and want to choose a creepy, "scary" name to match!
From recognizable characters from horror movies to lesser known gothic names , there are many options for everyone who loves chills and thrills. Below, we rounded up our favorite creepy, "scary" names that are perfect for Halloween lovers. Of course, there's nothing bad or evil about any of these names—this list is all in good fun for the ghostly and witchy among us! Here, you’ll find names for girls and boys, and gender-neutral monikers, too, to help you make this important decision.
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Although many baby names are often separated by gender, Parents believes that sex does not need to play a role in selecting names. It's important to choose a name you feel fits your child best.
"Scary" Names for Baby Girls
From recognizable names like Morticia and more subtle names like Morgana, there are plenty of spooky girl names for fans of Halloween.
Ravenna
Originally the name of a town in Italy, Ravenna has become a lovely choice for those who want to nod to the dark-leaning anthropomorphic name “raven.”
Origin : English, Icelandic
Meaning : Raven
Alternative Spellings & Variations : Hrefna
Hecate
This name is associated with the Greek goddess of witchcraft and the underworld, perfect for Halloween fans.
From The Addam’s Family , this was the name of the daughter, whose name was inspired by a popular nursery rhyme, reading, “Wednesday’s child is full of woe.”
Origin : Old English
Meaning : Woden’s Day
Elektra
A popular tragic character from ancient Greek theater, Elektra carries a spark all its own.
Origin : Greek
Meaning : Amber
Alternative Spellings & Variations : Electra, Elettra
Morticia
This name hails from The Addam’s Family , created for the mother of the family.
Alternative Spellings & Variations : Ofelia, Ofeliya
Clarice
Horror movie buffs will recognize this name from the main character in Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal .
Origin : Latin
Meaning : Clear, bright, favorite
Alternative Spellings & Variations : Clarissa, Clarisse
Melisandre
This is the name of the Red Priestess in George R.R. Martin’s series, A Song of Ice and Fire .
Origin : French
Meaning : Strong
Alternative Spellings & Variations : Mélisande
Carmilla
Carmilla is the title character in Sheridan Le Fanu's Carmilla, which is thought to be the very first vampire novel, predating even Dracula .
Origin : Irish, Hebrew
Meaning : Garden
Alternative Spellings & Variations : Carmella, Carme, Karmela
More "Scary" Names for Baby Girls
Dolores : Spanish for "sorrows," this name feels perfectly gothic.
Lilith : This Arabic name means ‘of the night,’ and is also the name of a biblical demon.
Willow : The name Willow, which is derived from Old English, was the name of a fictional character in cult classic, Buffy the Vampire Slayer .
Antoinette : A classic French name , it was borne by Marie Antoinette, the queen of France who was executed during the French Revolution.
Desdemona : This was the name of the wife of Othello in Shakespeare’s great tragedy, Othello .
Ursula : Disney fans may recognize this Latin name from The Little Mermaid ’s villain.
Agatha : This Greek name meaning "good" was the moniker for famous mystery novelist, Agatha Christie.
Elvira : With Spanish roots and meaning "true," Elvira shares a name with the Stygian goddess of dark magic.
Rosemary : Horror superfans will recognize this iconic name from the film Rosemary’s Baby.
Mara : This pretty name which means "bitter" is also the title of 2018 horror film, Mara .
Arachne : In Greek mythology, Arachne was turned into a spider by Athena.
Samara : Samara, which means winged seeds, is the name of the main character in The Ring .
Cruella : A name that means "cruel," Cruella was popularized by 101 Dalmatians .
Morgana : A lovely gothic French name, Morgana was the name of an enchantress in Arthurian Legend.
Isolde : A Celtic name meaning "ice battle," it is found in the tragic Arthurian story, Tristan and Isolde .
Beatrix : Movie buffs will recognize this name from the character Beatrix Kiddo in Kill Bill .
Buffy : A name as iconic as it is cute, Buffy was the lead character in the show Buffy the Vampire Slayer .
Gretel : This pretty German name that means "pearl" comes from the famous fairy tale, Hansel und Gretel .
Sybil : In ancient Greece, Sybils were witchy prophetesses.
Daphne : Fans of Scooby Doo will recognize this Greek name meaning "laurel."
Carrie : An iconic horror name, Carrie was the antihero of Stephen King’s novel, Carrie .
Maleficent : A Latin name with a sense of grandeur, Maleficent was the evil fairy in Sleeping Beauty .
Odile : A classic French name, Odile was the evil swan in Swan Lake .
Naenia : Latin for "incantation," Naenia was the Roman goddess of funerals.
Perdita : This Latin name that means "lost" was the name of the daughter in William Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale .
"Scary" Names for Baby Boys
From Gothic names like Bram to Hebrew names like Cain, this list of creepy, "scary" boy names will help you find the perfect moniker for your little one.
Ichabod
Horror buffs will recognize this name from the main character of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow .
Origin : Hebrew
Meaning : No glory
Alternative Spellings & Variations : Ikhavod
Edgar
This is the moniker of famed Gothic writer, Edgar Allen Poe.
Origin : Old English
Meaning : Fortunate spear
Alternative Spellings & Variations : Edgard, Eadgar, Edgardo
Bram
This name was borne by Bram Stoker, who wrote Dracula .
Origin : Hebrew
Meaning : Father of many
Alternative Spellings & Variations : Abram, Abraham
Cain
Cain was the name of the first son of Adam and Eve, who killed his brother Abel.
Origin : Hebrew
Meaning : Acquired
Alternative Spellings & Variations : Kain, Kayin, Kane
Damien
Horror fans may remember this name from The Exorcist .
Origin : Greek
Meaning : To tame
Alternative Spellings & Variations : Damian
Vlad
From Vlad the Impaler to Vlad Dracula, this name has been used by horror artists across history.
You don't need to be a horror fan to recognize this name from A Nightmare on Elm Street!
Origin : Danish, Dutch
Meaning : Peaceful ruler
Alternative Spellings & Variations : Frederick, Frederik
More "Scary" Names for Baby Boys
Draco : This Greek name means dragon or serpent.
Dante : The Italian writer Dante wrote The Divine Comedy , containing an in-depth examination of the circles of hell.
Mordecai : Modern horror fans will recognize this Hebrew name from The Cabin in the Woods .
Malachi : A name that means "my messenger," it was the moniker of a character in The Children of the Corn .
Orpheus : A Greek name which means "the darkness of night," Orpheus attempted the rescue of Eurydice from Hades.
Zuriel : Zuriel was a fictional vampire and key antagonist in 30 Days of Night .
Azriel : Azrael, another form of Azriel, was the titular character in the horror movie, Azrael .
Mortimer : Mortimer is an old English name that carries a double whammy–it means "dead water" but when shortened, ‘Mort’ is French for ‘dead.’
Cerberus : Cerberus was the three headed dog who guarded the entrance to Hades in Greek mythology .
Casimir : Casimir is a Polish name that means "to destroy peace."
Corbin : An old French name that means "raven," this will surely lend your little one an eerie vibe.
Duncan : Duncan was the name of one of the two kings of Scotland in Macbeth .
Loki : Recognizable because of Marvel, Loki was a Norse trickster god.
Odysseus : Made famous through The Odyssey , Odysseus suffered many horrors before returning home.
Odin : A Norse name , Odin was the leader of the Nordic pantheon.
Perseus : Perseus killed famed monster Medusa in Greek mythology.
Wily : Wile E. Coyote was the famed antagonist of kids’ show, Wile E. Coyote and Roadrunner .
Tynan : Tynan is an old Gaelic name meaning ‘dark.’
Alaric : Fans might recognize this name from The Vampire Diaries .
Merlin : Merlin was a key sorcerer in Arthurian Romance.
Silas : Silas is the name of the main character in The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown.
Gender-Neutral "Scary" Names for Babies
Whether you’re looking for a vintage name or one that feels gothic, this list of gender-neutral "scary" baby names will help you find the right one for your baby.
Aeron
Illustrator Aeron Alfrey has illustrated multiple horror and fantasy novels for authors like HP Lovecraft and Stephen King.
A faun is a kind of mythical creature found in Pan’s Labyrinth .
Origin : English
Meaning : Young deer
Alternative Spellings & Variations : Fawn
Thomasin
Thomasin is the name of Anya Taylor-Joy’s character in The Witch .
Origin : English, Cornish, Greek
Meaning : Twin
Alternative Spellings & Variations : Tamzin, Tasen, Tamsin, Tamsyn
Rogue
Rogue is the name used by Anna Marie LeBeau in X-Men films and comics.
Origin : British
Meaning : Unpredictable, mischievous
Crow
In Middle English, “crawa” was used as a nickname for someone with dark hair.
Origin : Middle English
Meaning : Dark hair, dark bird
Raven
Invoking both the type of bird and the Edgar Allan Poe poem of the same name, Raven is a trending name in the United States.
Origin : Old English
Meaning : Raven
Alternative Spellings & Variations : Ravenna, Roan, Ronne, Hrafn, Hrefna
Bela
Bela Lugosi was a famed horror actor.
Origin : Hungarian, Czech
Meaning : White
Alternative Spellings & Variations : Běla, Béla
More Gender-Neutral "Scary" Names
Valdis : This Old Norse name derives from the Norse goddess of death.
Ambrose : Meaning "immortal," Ambrose was the name of the town in horror movie House of Wax .
Nyx : Nyx is a Greek name meaning "night."
Salem : Both a town in Massachusetts with a history of witch trials and the name of the cat in Sabrina the Teenage Witch , Salem is the perfect Halloween choice for your little one.
Thorn : This sharp name calls to mind fairy tale thorn bushes.
Storm : A name popularized by Marvel, Storm has German and Dutch roots.
Onyx : A kind of black or red chalcedony, Onyx carries a dark connotation while being nature-related.
Wilder : The Wilder Girls by Rory Power was a young adult horror novel that inspires this free-spirited, spooky name.
Shadow : Shadow has its roots in Old English for "shade."
Tarot : Tarot is a kind of cartomancy purported to divine the future.
Piper : This English name which means "a person who plays on a flute," is also the name of a 2023 horror movie.
Regan : Regan is the name of a daughter in Shakespeare’s tragedy, King Lear .
Blair : Horror buffs will recognize this name as a nod to The Blair Witch Project .
Hallow : Potentially the perfect Halloween name!
Zephyr : This Greek name meaning "west wind" is also the name of a horror movie production company.
Dusk : A name that means "darkening," Dusk is also the name of a 2008 horror movie.
Noir : French for "black," Noir is a mysterious gender-neutral name calling to mind dark nights.
Aster : Greek for "star," Aster is the surname of famed Hollywood horror movie filmmaker, Ari Aster.
Jett : An old British name meaning "black stone," this is a great choice for parents seeking a nature-related eerie name.
Darcy : Though many people might think of this as a literary name thanks to Pride and Prejudice , Darcy actually means "descendent of the dark one."
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