Mythology, Magic & Legend Names

Myths are where many of our most dramatic names come from. Gods, angels, dragons and witches sit side by side in this hub, which collects every guide we have on names linked to mythology, magic and legend: angel, demon, dragon, fallen, ghost, god, heaven, illusion, immortal, magic, phoenix, siren, werewolf and witch.

Mythological names travel far. Angela and Angelo come from the Greek word for messenger, the same idea behind our guide to names that mean messenger. Phoenix is the Greek name of the bird that rises from its own ashes, while dragon names such as Draco (Latin) and Tatsu (Japanese) show how one creature appears in cultures on opposite sides of the world. Norse, Greek, Celtic, Egyptian and Japanese mythologies each supply gods, heroes and spirits that families continue to use as first names.

Names from religion and folklore deserve a little extra care. Some belong to living faiths, and others, such as demon and ghost names, may have negative associations in one culture and none in another. Read the background in each guide, and where a name is tied to a deity, consider how members of that tradition might feel about it. Names from fantasy and legend, on the other hand, are usually a matter of taste.

Because myth is shared across cultures, comparing lists is useful. Our Japanese names guides include kanji for dragon and spirit-related names, while the baby names guides cover the Greek, Roman, Norse and Celtic figures behind them. Each guide is split into girl, boy and unisex lists and names by culture, with pronunciation and origin notes to help you decide.

Where to start: if you want a widely recognized name, begin with the angel and god guides; for something rarer, the fallen, illusion and immortal guides hold unusual choices; and for creature names, look at dragon, phoenix, siren and werewolf. Each guide also lists cross-cultural options, so you can compare how Greek, Norse, Celtic and Japanese traditions describe the same being.