The meaning behind names has always been important in mythology and folklore. Names often reflected a person’s character, lineage, or destiny. When it comes to names meaning “dark,” there are a few that stand out in different mythologies.
Definitions
Before diving into specific dark names, it’s helpful to clarify what exactly “dark” refers to symbolically. In names and myths, “dark” can mean a few things:
- Evil, sinister, or demonic
- Associated with the night or shadows
- Gloomy, brooding, or mysterious
- Related to death or the underworld
Most dark names encompass at least one of these meanings. The dark figure in mythology often contrasts with the light or solar hero. They represent opposite sides of human nature and experience.
Greek and Roman Mythology
There are several dark names from Greek and Roman myth:
- Erebus – In Greek mythology, Erebus was a primordial god of darkness, shadow, and mist. His name literally means “darkness.” He was the son of Chaos and represented the dark unknown.
- Thanatos – The Greek god of death was named Thanatos, meaning “death.” He was associated with darkness and brought death to mortals when it was their time.
- Pluto – The Roman god of the underworld was called Pluto, derived from the Greek word “ploutos” meaning wealth. The name refers to the precious metals that lay hidden within the dark earth.
- Orcus – In Roman myth, Orcus was an underworld god and punisher of broken oaths. His name is where the word “orc” originated from.
- Nox – Nox was the Roman primordial goddess of night, derived from the Latin word for night.
- Nyx – The Greek counterpart of Nox was Nyx, also meaning “night.” She represented the dark veil over the world at nighttime.
Norse Mythology
The Norse pantheon contains several dark and brooding figures:
- Hel – Hel was the Norse goddess of the underworld also called Helheim. She oversees those who die of sickness or old age.
- Fenrir – Fenrir was a monstrous wolf in Norse myth born from the union of Loki and a giantess. His name translates to “fen-dweller.”
- Jormungand – The Midgard Serpent Jormungand was yet another child of Loki’s. He grew so large that he encircled the human world and grasped his own tail.
- Nidhogg – Nidhogg was a dragon that chewed on the roots of Yggdrasil, the world tree, attempting to destroy it. His name means “malicious striker.”
- Surt – Surt was a fire giant destined to set the world ablaze at Ragnarok. His name comes from the Old Norse for “black.”
Celtic Mythology
Celtic myth contained many names associated with darkness and death:
- Morrigan – The Morrigan was a goddess of battle, strife, and fertility. She often appeared in the form of a crow or raven.
- Cernunnos – Cernunnos was a horned god connected to animals, forests, and the underworld. His name has roots meaning “black” or “shadow.”
- Arawn – In Welsh legend, Arawn was the king of the otherworld realm of Annwn. His name likely derives from a Celtic root for “silver.”
- Nicor – The Nicoras were mythical sea monsters similar to Scotland’s kelpie. Their name meant “death-bringer.”
- Crom Cruach – Crom Cruach was an ancient Irish deity associated with death and human sacrifice. His name may come from “crom” meaning “bent” or “crooked.”
Slavic Mythology
In Slavic folklore, dark names included:
- Chernobog – Chernobog was a Slavic god of darkness and evil, often portrayed in contrast to Belobog, the god of light. His name means “black god.”
- Marzanna – Marzanna was a Slavic goddess of winter and death. Effigies of her were drowned in rivers each spring to usher in a new season.
- Crnobog – Crnobog was the South Slavic god of darkness, chaos, and the underworld.
- Morana – Morana was the goddess of winter, night, and death in Slavic myth. Her name means “nightmare” or “plague.”
Arabian Mythology
Middle Eastern mythology also contained dark figures, such as:
- Iblis – In Islam, Iblis was the devil figure who refused to bow down to Adam and was cast out of heaven. His name means “despair.”
- Ifrit – Ifrits were a class of infernal jinn in Arabic folklore known for being powerful and evil. Their name likely derives from “afara” meaning “to rub with dust.”
- Ghilan – In Persian myth, Ghilan was a tribe of half-human half-serpents associated with darkness and deceit.
- Ahriman – Ahriman was the Middle Persian name for Angra Mainyu, the god of evil and darkness and counterpart to Ahura Mazda.
Hindu and Buddhist Mythology
South Asian mythology contains demons and beings associated with darkness:
- Asura – In Hindu myth, the asuras were a race of demons who sought power and fought against the devas or gods.
- Rahu – Rahu was a demon in Vedic mythology that was said to cause eclipses by devouring the sun. His name means “the seizer.”
- Mara – In Buddhism, Mara is a tempter demon who distracts people from enlightenment through fear and desire. His name means “destruction.”
- Mahakala – Mahakala is a dharmapala or wrathful deity in Tibetan Buddhism. His name translates to “great black one.”
Aztec Mythology
The Aztecs had deities strongly linked to darkness, death, and sacrifice:
- Tezcatlipoca – Tezcatlipoca was an Aztec god strongly linked to sorcery and the night. His name means “smoking mirror.”
- Mictecacihuatl – The “Lady of the Dead” in Aztec myth was Mictecacihuatl. She presided over the afterlife and served as a psychopomp.
- Itzpapalotl – Itzpapalotl was a fearsome skeletal goddess of the stars and inspiration. Her name meant “obsidian butterfly.”
- Mictlantecuhtli – As god of the underworld Mictlan, Mictlantecuhtli was associated with death and darkness. His name meant “lord of Mictlan.”
African Mythology
African legends also contained dark gods and spirits:
- Anansi – Anansi the trickster spider is a popular figure in African folklore. One meaning of his name is “not at all.”
- Mamu – Mamu were shadowy bush spirits in Dagara mythology who could possess people.
- Abassi – In West African belief, Abassi was a creator god who ruled over shadows and spirits.
- Aziza – Aziza were West African deities associated with shadows, darkness, and nighttime.
Names from Fiction
Dark names have also emerged from modern fiction:
- Sauron – The main antagonist in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings was named Sauron, likely from the Greek “saur” meaning “lizard.”
- Voldemort – Voldemort, derived from French “vol de mort” or “flight from death,” was the main villain in the Harry Potter series.
- Saruman – Another corrupted wizard in Tolkien’s world was Saruman. His name comes from Old English words meaning “cunning man.”
- Melisandre – The shadow-wielding Red Priestess in Game of Thrones was called Melisandre, combining “melis” meaning “honey” with “sandre” meaning “defending men.”
- Morgoth – Morgoth was the first dark lord in Tolkien’s Silmarillion. His name combines Old English and Gothic words meaning “black foe.”
Key Features of Dark Names
Looking at these examples, some common features stand out when it comes to mythological names representing darkness, evil, or death:
- Names directly meaning “dark,” “night,” or “black” like Erebus, Nox, or Chernobog
- Terms meaning “death,” “dead,” or “underworld” like Thanatos or Mictlantecuhtli
- Creatures of darkness like Fenrir the wolf or Jormungand the serpent
- Words associating them with stealth and deception like “shadow” or “smoke”
- Terms linking them to harm, violence, or chaos
- Foreign or obscure words to seem more ominous
- Names contrasting with light, life, or order
These patterns occur across cultures and traditions throughout history. They reveal why certain names suit figures of darkness so well. The names encapsulate and symbolize their feared attributes using language itself.
Conclusion
In mythology and folklore, names like Erebus, Thanatos, Hel, Tezcatlipoca, Ahriman, and Sauron take on an eerie, foreboding quality. This stems from the meanings and associations behind them, drawing upon descriptive terms and figures representing darkness, evil, chaos, and death itself. Their names immediately conjure up their threatening nature. Through careful naming, mythology gives its dark characters and concepts deeper symbolic resonance.