When it comes to baby names, poetic darkness isn't a quality most parents are looking for.
Nevertheless, the world abounds with deliciously enigmatic and ghostly names, whether they
hail from Gothic literature or from the kind of classical mythology that's always fraught
with memorable drama.
In any case, dark names can be every bit as poetically beautiful as light and angelic
ones, and these are the gems that just might be perfect for your little one.
Ligeia
Edgar Allan Poe's heroine Ligeia is a brilliant and beautiful woman.
Though she succumbs to consumption, her lust for life is so intense that she eventually
succeeds in coming back to life, with all her beauty and vitality intact.
Or at least that's what the story implies.
Ligeia was also one the Sirens who tried to lure Odysseus and his men to a seductive death
at sea in Homer's The Odyssey — by way, of course, of her mesmerizing voice.
Her name translates to "clear-voiced" and "whistling."
Fans of cheesy horror movies might enjoy the fact that she's the subject of Roger Corman's
fun camp classic The Tomb of Ligeia, in which she takes the form of a sleek black cat who's
none too pleased with the fact that her tormented widower has taken it upon himself to acquire
another bride.
So if you're looking for a beautiful Gothic baby name that also denotes determination
and longevity, Ligeia might be for you.
Hecate
In mythology, Hecate was a goddess who was associated with witchcraft, magic, doorways,
creatures of the night, and the moon itself.
However, she was also a guardian of crossroads.
Hecate also notably appears in Shakespeare's Macbeth, brimming with ominous tidings, and
fans of the Showtime series Penny Dreadful will also be familiar with Hecate Poole, the
shapeshifting witchy seductress who falls in love with Josh Hartnett's Ethan Chandler.
With its Shakespearean, mythological, and pop culture associations, Hecate is a sure
winner.
And you can pretty much rest assured that no other kid in the school is going to have
the name, so if it's uniqueness you're after, Hecate might just be the perfect moniker for
your own adorable little witchy goddess.
"Come!
We fly!"
Nyx
No, it's not just the name of one of the world's most beloved cult cosmetics brands.
Nyx is also the goddess of the night.
She was an integral part of the dawn of creation itself, being the child of Chaos; but, interestingly
and paradoxically enough, her union with Darkness ended up producing Light and Day.
Nyx also has some pretty impressive astronomy associations to her credit.
In 2005, NASA discovered a series of small moons dancing around Pluto, and named one
of them after the goddess.
Young readers might also know the name Nyx from the popular Goddess Girls series: in
Nyx the Mysterious, the plucky queen of the night enrolls at Mount Olympus Academy, where
all sorts of adventures ensue.
The name can also be unisex, as in the case of Final Fantasy protagonist Nyx Ulric.
If you were planning on going with a more standard baby name like John or Mary, you
might want to "nix" that idea and go with something epic and mythological instead.
Callum
In addition to being the name of actor Kyle MacLachlan's son, this wonderful Scottish
baby name, which translates to "dove," is starting to become vogue on American shores.
Originally, Callum was a Latin name, and it references the good Saint Columba.
So if you consider being haunted by a saint a good thing, then the name would certainly
count as "haunting," in the most benevolent of ways.
Just think of it as having a Casper the friendly ghost kind of a vibe.
Salem
If you're looking for a witchy, evocative, autumnal name that packs a profound punch,
Salem is a great choice.
Yes, the name evokes images of the Salem Witch Trials, which were obviously a tragedy of
epic proportion.
But there's more to it than that.
Today, the women who were accused are now considered to be martyrs and symbols of innocents
wronged.
Nowadays, Salem is mostly associated with Halloween and the excitement of autumn and
all the crunching leaves, candy corn, and hayrides that come with it.
In other words, it's a name that has historical significance, and that's also a nod to the
joys of life in picturesque New England.
Pangur
This wonderful Irish baby name comes to us from cats, and particularly from the famous
Irish poem Pangur-Ban, which was written by a monk about his beloved white feline.
But the name is also great for a baby for another reason.
The legend of the monk and his cherished cat has been adapted into an acclaimed children's
picture book, which is designed for preschool-aged children.
Pangur-Ban also features in the 2009 children's film The Secret of Kells.
And as far as "haunting" goes, what ghost can be better than the ghost of an angelic
white cat?
"Come here little kitty kitty kitty."
Freya
The mythological Freya was a revered Norse
goddess who presided over love, fertility, battle, and death.
She also had a fabulous mode of transportation in the form of a chariot drawn by cats.
Fierce as she was, she was also sentimental, and was known to weep tears of gold.
And as far as death went, her privileges were indeed profound.
She decided which fallen soldiers would enter her particular segment of heaven after their
heroic deaths.
She was also revered for her beauty.
The name Freya literally translates to "a noble woman," and as the daughter of a sea
god, that's certainly fitting, and perfect for your little noble warrior.
Plus, Norse warriors?
Totally hip right now.
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