115 Mysterious Names That Mean Shadow, Darkness, or Night

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Plus, learn the symbolic meanings of each name

Co-authored by Sonya Prior and Maryana Lucia Vestic, MFA, M.Phil.

Last Updated: September 23, 2025 Fact Checked

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• Boy Names
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• Girl Names
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• Unisex Names
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• Names Meaning “Darkness”
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• Japanese Names

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Are you looking for cool, interesting names that mean “shadow”? Whether you want to celebrate all things dark with a shadowy name for a baby or a character you’re writing about, we’ve provided you with plenty of amazing choices ahead. Read on for 115 unique names that mean “shadow” for boys and girls, as well as unisex names meaning shadow, names that mean “darkness,” and more!

Examples of Names That Mean Shadow

Name consultant Sonya Prior recommends writing down 5 names you like and 5 names you don’t like when choosing names until one sticks. Here are some unique possibilities when choosing names that mean “shadow”:

• Erabus: Means “shadow” and “deep darkness” in Greek.
• Kage: Means “shadow” for boys.
• Kardama: A boy’s name meaning “shadow” in Sanskrit.
• Ombre: Means “shadow” in Latin.
• Zillah: A girl’s name meaning “shadow” in Hebrew.

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Section 1 of 5:

Boy Names That Mean “Shadow”

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1. 
   Consider names that are both dark and powerful. Boy names meaning “shadow” come from various cultures across the world, so pick one that sounds perfect to you. Whether referring to “shadow” or “darkness,” many of these names were once used to describe a boy or man’s hair, eyes, or complexion.

   • Aadhar: Means “shadow” and “darkness” in Hindi.
   • Aciel: Means “shadow of God” in Hebrew.
   • Beal: Means “shadow” in Gaelic.
   • Betzalel: Means “shadow of God” in Hebrew.
   • Blagdan: Means “from the shadowy valley” in Welsh.
   • Caligo: Means “darkness” or “shadow” in Latin.
   • Cethin: Means “resembling the shadow” in Celtic.
   • Chayin: Refers to “Krishna who has the color of shadow” in India.
   • Ciaran: Means “dark” in Irish.
   • Dell: Means “shadow” in Maltese.
   • Donovan: Means “dark-haired prince” in Gaelic.
   • Dougal: Means “dark stranger” in Scottish.
   • Draven: Means “one who emerges from the shadows” in Old English.
   • Dunnere: Means “dark brown” or “shadow” in Old English.
   • Hamutal: Means “the shadow of his heat” in Hebrew.
   • Kardama: Means “shadow” in Sanskrit.
   • Landong: Means “shade” in Indonesia.
   • Mohandas: Means “dark” or “shadowy” in Hindu.
   • Mohanjot: Means “the person always covered by shadows” in India.
   • Ohanzee: Means “shadow” in Sioux.
   • Paolo: Means “shadows” in Samoan.
   • Quirin: Means “dark” or “gloomy” in German.
   • Senka: Means “shadow” in Serbian.
   • Sullivan: Means “dark-haired” in Irish.
   • Tirich: Means “shadow” in Pashto.
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Section 2 of 5:

Girl Names That Mean “Shadow”

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1. 
   Find a beautiful name that’s also mysterious. When settling on girl names that mean shadow, think about whether you want religious connotations, like Bezalel, meaning “in the shadow of God” in Hebrew, spiritual names like Aolak, meaning “shadow” or “vision” in India and Africa, or a name that simply has a mysterious, shadowy vibe. Here are some examples:

   • Adrienne: Means “dark one” or “from Hadria.”
   • Akaula: Means “red shadow” in Hawaiian.
   • Aloka: Means “shadow” or “vision” in India and Africa.
   • Ayauhteotl (Ah-YAA-tae-Ote): Refers to the Aztec goddess of mist and smoke.
   • Bezalel: Means “in the shadow of God” in Hebrew.
   • Bruna: Means “shadow” and “one with dark hair” in Italian.
   • Ciara: Means “little dark one” in Irish.
   • Ebony: Means “dark wood” or “black” in Old English.
   • Eclipsa: A modern American name meaning “darkness” and “shadow.”
   • Ena: Means “black shadow” in Latvian.
   • Ginerva: Means “white shadow” in Italian.
   • Guinevere: Means “white shadow” in Welsh.
   • Jenna: Means “white shadow” in Cornish.
   • Kali: Means “dark goddess” in Sanskrit.
   • Leila: Means “night” in Arabic.
   • Melaina: Means “shadowy” in American English.
   • Melantha: Means “dark shadow” in Greek.
   • Pangari: Means “shadow” in Indigenous Australian.
   • Sayah: Means “shadow” in Arabic.
   • Shyama: Means “dark as the night” in Sanskrit.
   • Skadi: Means “shadow”; refers to the Old Norse goddess of hunting and winter.
   • Sombra: Means “shadow” in Spanish.
   • Tamara: Means “dark tree” in various African cultures.
   • Zeila: Means “shadow” in African cultures.
   • Zillah: Means “shadow” in Hebrew.

Section 3 of 5:

Unisex Names That Mean “Shadow”

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1. 
   Stand out with gender-neutral names that are worth remembering. Many of these names meaning shadow aren’t typical baby names; instead, they’re words used to describe “shadows” or “darkness” in other languages. Some of them also have a special spooky touch, like Nox, meaning “night,” in Latin, and Sable, meaning “black” in Old English.

   • Amalu: Means “darkness” or “shadow” in Hawaiian.
   • Antumbra: Refers to the “lighter part of the shadows” in an eclipse.
   • Atarangi: Means “shadows” in Maori.
   • Cary: Means “dweller by the dark stream” in Old English.
   • Devroop: Means “shadow of God” in Hindi.
   • Draven: Means “child of the shadows” in Old English.
   • Erembour: A demonic character from the role-playing game Exalted.
   • Eyphah: Means “dark and gloomy” in Hebrew.
   • Itzal: Means “shadow” in Basque.
   • Jett: Means “dark gemstone” in Old English.
   • Moriti: Means “shadow” in African cultures.
   • Nox: Means “night” in Latin.
   • Ombre: Means “shadow” in Latin; taken from “umbra.”
   • Ozul: A gothic name meaning “shadow.”
   • Raven: Means “dark bird” in Old English.
   • Sable: Means “black” in Old English.
   • Shadow: Means “shade from the sun” in English.
   • Silhouette: The French word meaning “shadow” or “outline.”
   • Tywyll: Means “dark” and “shadow” in Welsh.
   • Umbriel: Means “shadowy” or “dark” in Latin.
   • Varjo: Means “shadow” in Finnish.
   • Wingate: An English word derived from a Norse word for “dark shadow.”
   • Yinying: Means “shadow” in Chinese.
   • Zalaam: Means “shade” or “shadow” in Arabic.
   • Zalaph: A biblical name meaning “shadow.”
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Section 4 of 5:

Names That Mean “Darkness”

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1. 
   Pick one of these names if you want something that means “darkness.” The following names expand from simple shadows into absolute darkness, like Delaney, meaning “dark challenger” in Irish, or Layton, meaning “dark meadow” in Old English. Here are some of our favorite options:

   • Blake: Means “dark” in Old English.
   • Ciemny: A Polish word meaning “dark-haired.”
   • Delaney: Means “dark challenger” in Irish.
   • Duncan: Means “dark warrior” in Scottish.
   • Dunstan: Means “dark stone” in Old English.
   • Eodum: Means “darkness” in Korean.
   • Erabus: Means “shadow” and “deep darkness” in Greek.
   • Grimshaw: Refers to the “dark woods” out of a fairytale.
   • Layton: Means “dark meadow” in Old English.
   • Maura: Means “dark skinned” in Irish.
   • Mordred: Means “dark and renowned” in Arthurian legends.
   • Mrak: Means “darkness” in Bosnian.
   • Myrkur: Refers to “darkness” and “shadow” in Norse and Icelandic.
   • Nizhalgal: Means “shadow” in Hindi.
   • Sierra: Means “dark black” in Spanish.
   • Siyahi: Means “darkness” in Urdu.
   • Sullivan: Means “dark-eyed” in Irish.
   • Tenebris: Means “darkness” in Latin.
   • Terr: Means “darkness” in Albanian.
   • Zephyr: Means “darkness of the west wind” in Greek.

Section 5 of 5:

Japanese Names That Mean “Shadow”

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1. 
   Dive into the many Japanese names that celebrate all things shadowy. There are several Japanese names for boys and girls that mean “shadow,” as well as “shadow moon” (Kegetsu), “shadow flower” (Kagehana), and “clear shadow” (Seiryo). Here are all of our favorite picks:

   • Hikage: Means “sun shadow.”
   • Inei: Means “dark” and “shadow.”
   • Kage: Means “shadow” for boys.
   • Kagehana: Means “shadow flower.”
   • Kagehiko: Means “boy of shadows.”
   • Kagehisa: Means “eternal shadow.”
   • Kagetsu: Means “shadow moon.”
   • Kumori: Means “shadow.”
   • Kuragari: Means “dimness” or “gloom.”
   • Kuro: Means “black.”
   • Raito: Means “shadow” and “light.”
   • Revy: Means “shadowy,” “rebellious,” and “fierce.”
   • Rikuto: Means “land of shadows.”
   • Saiya: Means “shadow” and “strength” in Japanese.
   • Seiryo: Means “clear shadow.”
   • Sumaru: Means “to darken” or “shadow.”
   • Takane: Means “shadow of a high peak.”
   • Tsukikage: Means “moon shadow.”
   • Yami: Means “darkness.”
   • Yorikage: Means “reliable shadow.”
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