The Age of Gothic Names

Gothic, or dangerous, names are those with creepy or dangerous connections. For example, the name Scarlett connects to the disease scarlet fever. Likewise, Phoenix connects to a bird that rises from the dead every 500 years. 

Apparently, many Gothic names are more popular now than ever before. This makes sense considering our growing secular world. Here are some examples:

GIRLS' NAMES:

Anastasia

Anastasia doesn't just mean "resurrection." It also connects to the Russian princess whose family was executed in 1918. Anastasia was also a saint's name. Despite this, Anastasia is completely new to the top 200. 

Coraline

Coraline is the titular character of Neil Gailman's horror novel along with the accompanying movie. It sounds old-fashioned even though it never ranked before the 2010s. 

Delilah

In the Bible, Delilah betrayed the Philistines by cutting the hair of her lover, Samson. It rarely ranked in the top 500 until the twenty-first century. Delilah is now solidly in the top 100. 

Evangeline

Evangeline doesn't just connect to the tragic Evangeline "Eva" St. Clair from Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin. It also connects to the controversial religion of evangelism. This name has steadily ranked in the 2000s this past decade. A century ago, it never ranked above the top 350. 

Ivory

Ivory is the white color connected to elephant tusks. The illegal practice of ivory trading gives this mostly modern name a dark vibe. 

Ivy

Ivy, connecting to poison ivy, was popular elsewhere in the English-speaking world a century ago. That gives the name a vintage vibe. Yet, it wasn't a top 100 hit here until recently. 

Juliet

Juliet is famously known as Romeo's lover in Shakespeare's play. Juliet's suicide at the end of the play makes this name sound tragic. It ranked most years since 1880, but it only recently made the top 400. 

Lilith

In Assyrian myth, Lilith was a demon. In Jewish context, Lilith and Adam gave birth to evil spirits. This dark spin on classic Lily never ranked before the 2010s. 

Lorelei

Clemens Brentano's tale tells of a maiden named Lorelei who kills boaters by singing. This creepy name ranked a handful of times during the mid-twentieth century, but it ranks near its peak now. 

Luna

Luna means "moon" in Latin. The moon has some dark connotations, such as "dark moon". Regarding usage, Luna ranked a century ago but was never common until this past decade. 

Mara

Mara was the name taken by Naomi in the Bible after the loss of her two sons. It means "bitter", too. Mara has ranked in the top 1000 since the early 1950s and has never made the top 500. 

Persephone

This Greek name connects to the goddess who was abducted into the underworld by Hades. While she eventually returned to Earth, it's still creepy that she lived underground for some time. Persephone has only ranked since the late 2010s. 

Scarlett

As stated above, Scarlett connects to a disease along with a controversial book character. It has been used in the United States since the late 1930s. However, it was never popular until the twenty-first century. 

Stormi

Stormi connects with Kylie Jenner's daughter. That helped bring this violent and dark name into wider use. Perhaps it just entered the top 1000. 

BOYS' NAMES:

Abel

Abel was killed by Cain in the Bible. That gives this Biblical name a tragic image. While it feels timeless, Abel reached its peak within the last decade. 

Cain

As described above, Cain killed Abel in the Bible. Afterward, God forced him to wander the Earth. Surprisingly, though, this name didn't rank before the 1990s and peaked in 2014. 

Caspian

Prince Caspian from C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia series was driven into exile by his uncle. This slightly dark name ranked since 2017 and has risen slowly in use since then. 

Gunner

Gunner has "gun" in it, so it has to be Gothic. This name peaked in the middle of this past decade. 

Onyx

Onyx means "fingernail" along with connection to the black gemstone. It first entered the top 1000 in 2018. 

Orion

Orion connects to both a constellation and a mythological character. He was a hunter who was killed by a scorpion. These make this name double Gothic. Orion reached its peak a few years ago. 

Osiris

In Egyptian mythology, Osiris connected to the god of the underworld who was slain by his brother. Osiris is currently new to the charts. 

Rhett

Rhett sounds similar to the disease rett syndrome. That gives this southern name a dark vibe. Rhett has ranked since the mid 1950s and now ranks in the 100s. 

Romeo

Romeo feels as tragic as Juliet as he killed himself before Juliet at the end of Shakespeare's play. Romeo has ranked in the 300s for the first time this past decade. 

Samson

In the Bible, Delilah's lover Samson was captured and blinded by the Philistines. While it was common elsewhere in the world before, Samson barely ranked here until recently. It ranked once in 1892 but never entered again until the late 1970s. 

UNISEX NAMES:

Briar

Briar connects to a thorny plants. It has been rising for both genders recently, but its association with Briar Rose, the original sleeping beauty, makes it sound more feminine. 

Phoenix

As stated above, Phoenix connects to a mythological bird that rose from the dead every 500 years. For both genders, Phoenix has been rising steadily within the past few decades. 

Which of these Gothic names are your favorites?