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Names meaning "dark" appear across multiple cultural traditions — from ancient Hebrew and Greek to modern English coinages. Each carries this meaning in a distinct cultural context.

Names meaning "dark" — key facts

  • 428 names contain the meaning "dark"
  • 240 gender-specific names, plus 65 gender-neutral
  • Names meaning "dark" appear in Hebrew, Latin, Greek, Arabic, and Sanskrit traditions
  • Meaning-based name searches have grown 45% year-over-year as parents seek intentional names

Girl Names Meaning "Dark"

195 girl names with this meaning

#501
American
Dark-haired
#505
Greek
The one who is dark; a sea monster
#506
Scotland
Dark
#514
American
dark beauty
#517
American
A modern variation of the name Ciara, meaning 'dark' or 'black'.
#517
American
A diminutive form of Orpheus, meaning 'the dark one'
#537
English
dark meadow
#550
American
Dark-haired or the one who comes from the dark.
#575
Spanish
Black, dark
#586
Ireland
Little dark one.
#591
Unknown
Possibly derived from Adriana, which means 'dark' or 'from Hadria'.
#597
American
Dark one / rich
#606
Irish
little dark one
#622
English
dark or ebony
#633
American
little dark one or little darling
#637
English
A creative variation, possibly derived from the name Kiera meaning 'little dark one'
#666
American
Dark or black-haired
#669
English
Little, dark one
#703
American
variation of 'Mélanie', meaning 'dark' or 'black'
#727
Middle Eastern countries
darkness
#730
French
Dark-skinned, dark-haired
#756
American
Likely a variation of Delaney, meaning 'dark, hidden'.
#759
English
Dark-haired
#764
American
a variation of Kiera or Kira, meaning 'little dark one'
#780
American
A variant of the name Laila, meaning 'night' or 'dark beauty'.
#788
Ireland
dark-haired
#840
Ireland
descendant of Dineen, meaning 'little black one' or 'dark.'
#841
Latin
Dark
#848
English
from Hadria, meaning dark
#852
American
Possibly derived from the name Kiera, meaning 'little dark one'.
#854
India
कृष्णा - dark, black
#873
Italian
From Hadria; dark one or wealthy
#873
American
dark and strong
#880
American
often interpreted as a variant of 'Keira' which means 'little dark one' or 'black' in Irish
#891
American
A variant of Lailah, meaning 'night' or 'darkness'.
#897
Latin
dark-skinned, swarthy
#907
African
Derived from ebony, a dark, rich wood
#908
Samoa
to emerge from darkness, to become bright
#914
Mexico
the light in the darkness
#927
American
little dark one
#974
Ireland
dark, black
#974
American
Black, dark; a form of Kiera
#1000
American
An alternative spelling of the name 'Kira', which is often derived from the Gaelic name 'Ciara', meaning 'dark' or 'blac
#1012
American
Black; dark one
#1022
American
Dark and mysterious
#1030
American
A variant spelling of Layla, meaning 'night' or 'dark beauty'.
#1063
USA
a form of Keira, meaning 'dark-haired'
#1069
Ireland
Little dark one
#1079
Ireland
Dark-haired beauty
#1087
American
dark skinned
#1095
American
Derived from the word 'ebony', representing dark or black.
#1097
American
From the dark house
#1099
USA
dark-haired
#1102
American
A variant of Melanie, meaning 'black, dark skinned'
#1137
American
a variation of Delaney; from the dark grove
#1171
Latin
dark one
#1177
American
Deriving from 'Adriana,' meaning 'dark' or 'of the Adriatic Sea'
#1181
Greek
dark, black, or dark-colored
#1218
American
Dark, night
#1230
American
Dark or black
#1230
English
dark and beautiful rose
#1258
American
A variant of Adrienne, meaning 'dark one' or 'from Hadria'.
#1274
Ireland
dark, black
#1275
American
From the Dark One
#1281
Australian
a combination of Keira and Lee, implying 'dark-haired' or 'from the dark/black one'
#1282
Ireland
Little dark one or dark-haired.
#1312
English
World ruler; dark and proud
#1313
American
darkness; night
#1387
American
from Hadria; dark one
#1394
English
A variant of Melanie, meaning 'black, dark'.
#1395
American
A modern variant of 'Keira', meaning 'little dark one'.
#1396
Greek
dark flower
#1400
American
blackness, the one who is dark
#1417
American
Little dark one; a variant of Kiera.
#1419
French
dark
#1443
American
Variant of Delaney, meaning 'descendant of the warrior' or 'from the dark place'
#1449
Irish
It means 'little and dark one'.
#1465
Cuba
Dark beauty
#1472
American
Dark one
#1487
Greek
dark, black
#1501
Latvia
Dark, black; common in references to darkness.
#1508
American
A variant spelling of Kiera, meaning 'dark'.
#1553
English
Derived from 'Morrissey', which may mean 'dark' or 'river'.
#1564
English
Dark, black; a variant of the name Keri
#1571
Latin
Dark one
#1578
American
A modern variation of the name 'Kerry' or 'Keri', often associated with 'dark' or 'black'.
#1582
English
A modern name possibly derived from Kieran, meaning 'little dark one'.
#1586
American
An Americanized variant of the name Adriana, often associated with dark or rich
#1628
Ireland
Dark or obscure
#1632
American
the dark-haired one
#1655
American↑ Rising
dark or black stream
#1679
American
Dark-skinned.
#1694
Ireland
a variant of Ciara, meaning 'dark' or 'black'
#1728
Ireland
The female version of Ciarán, meaning 'dark' or 'black'.
#1741
Ireland
Variant of Ciara, meaning dark or black.
#1754
American
A descendant of Ciaran or dark-skinned.
#1776
American
dark
#1785
American
dark
#1792
American
An invented name, possibly derived from 'Blake', meaning 'black' or 'dark'
#1795
American
from the dark valley
#1802
American
a variant of Raven, which refers to a dark bird known for intelligence
#1808
France
Delanne is a variant of the name 'Delaney', which originally means 'dark' or 'descendant of the challenger'.
#1817
English
From the dark pool
#1834
American
Possibly a variation of the name Kiera, meaning dark-haired or black.
#1836
USA
a variant of the name Ciara, meaning 'dark' or 'black'
#1846
American
A modern elaboration and variant of the name Kiera, possibly meaning 'dark-haired'.
#1863
Hawaii
The color black; a term for a dark or black person
#1875
Ireland
darkness, night
#1877
American
a variant of Melanie, meaning 'dark' or 'black'.
#1891
American
derived from the Gaelic 'Ciara', meaning 'dark' or 'black'
#1898
American
Variant of Ebony; dark-skinned, beautiful
#1903
USA
Derived from the name 'Leila', meaning 'night' or 'dark'.
#1923
American
dark; sullen
#1926
American
Dark-haired
#1931
India
dark blue
#1943
American
a variation of Ciara; dark or black.
#1949
Irish
Dark-haired or black.
#1950
American
Dark-haired or dark-skinned
#1959
American
a modern creation, possibly a variation of 'Keira' or ‘Cora’, meaning 'dark-haired' or 'maiden’.
#1974
English
the dark-haired one

Boy Names Meaning "Dark"

168 boy names with this meaning

#518
American
from the dark town
#541
American
derived from Adrian, meaning dark one
#570
United Kingdom
Thedark river
#575
USA
descended from the 'Dark' or 'Black'.
#578
English
Dark-skinned or black
#583
England
From the dark town; coal town
#614
American
Of the dark, hidden places
#621
American
Dark, from the bay
#624
Ireland
Dark warrior
#652
American
Duskin can be interpreted as 'little dusk' or 'dark', derived from the English word 'dusk'.
#693
Scottish
Dark and proud.
#698
USA
a variation of Colby, meaning 'from the dark village' or 'victory'
#706
English
Variant of Dwayne, meaning 'dark or swarthy'
#744
American
a form of the name Darius or derived from the word 'dark'
#754
American
dark-haired
#765
Norway
Coal or dark-skinned
#768
Ireland
Dark, black, or a descendant of the dark-haired one
#801
American
Of darkness or dark
#806
Ireland
dark, brown
#811
United Kingdom
the dark-skinned one
#868
American
Darkness
#884
American
Variant of Duane, meaning 'dark, swarthy'.
#909
English
dark-haired
#911
France
Dark-skinned
#918
USA
Modern variation of 'Dwayne', meaning 'swarthy' or 'dark'.
#924
American
From the dark town
#924
Latin
dark-skinned
#952
Ireland
Little and dark
#954
Spain
Brown-skinned or dark-haired
#955
Sweden
Dark-skinned, Moorish.
#973
American
A modern name derived from the word Kohl, which refers to a type of eye makeup; by extension, it can imply 'the dark one
#1014
Ireland
descendant of Donncha, meaning 'brown-haired' or 'dark'
#1043
American
A derivative of Dwayne (swarthy, dark)
#1047
Netherlands
Noble, dark
#1049
American
Variant of the name Maury, which means 'dark-skinned'.
#1062
American
Of uncertain origins, possibly related to the Latin 'maur' meaning dark or Moorish
#1078
English
Dark-skinned, Moorish
#1079
Scottish
derived from a surname; means 'from the swarthy or dark land'
#1099
American
dark-skinned
#1124
American
Variation of 'Dwayne', possibly from Irish meaning 'dark'
#1125
American
Combination of initials of Dwyane, meaning 'dark' or 'swarthy'
#1148
English
dark-skinned or dark-haired
#1155
American
Dark, swarthy; the dark one
#1156
American
Variant of Duane, meaning 'swarthy or dark'.
#1168
Latin
Dark-skinned, Moorish
#1170
Irish
Meaning 'son of the dark, tall one'
#1176
USA
Dark-skinned, Moorish.
#1178
American
a variant of Kieran meaning 'little dark one'
#1179
American
the dark one or black
#1208
American
dark
#1212
American
a variant of the name Colton, meaning 'from the coal or dark town'.
#1223
Scotland
a dark or muddy place
#1229
English
dark, swarthy
#1231
USA
A variant of 'Dwayne', meaning 'from the dark'.
#1245
American
Derived from the name Dwayne, often interpreted as 'swarthy' or 'dark'.
#1246
United Kingdom
from the dark valley
#1252
Germanic
The one who is dark-skinned or Moorish.
#1261
American
dark or wise one
#1270
American
Dark or black one
#1282
American
Derived from 'Dwayne', likely meaning 'swarthy' or 'dark'.
#1289
India
Black, dark
#1291
English
dark-skinned
#1324
American
From a surname meaning 'dark' in Turkish
#1332
American
Dark one or descendent of the dark
#1342
Greece
the darkness of the night
#1365
American
A variant of the name Dwayne, meaning 'swarthy' or 'dark'.
#1372
Ireland
Dark or swarthy.
#1387
American
A modern name that incorporates the name 'Donovan,' which means 'dark' or 'black'.
#1409
American
Swarthy, dark-skinned
#1415
Ireland
Little dark one
#1423
Italian↑ Rising
dark-skinned
#1465
American
Swarthy, dark
#1466
France
from Hadria, dark-haired
#1470
American
dark skinned
#1477
American
dark-skinned
#1493
American
the dark one
#1500
American
Dark or swarthy
#1519
English
Possibly a variation of Dwayne, meaning 'dark' or 'swarthy'
#1529
English
A variant of Kieran, meaning 'little dark one'
#1534
American
dark-haired
#1545
Ireland
dark, black-haired
#1549
India
Derived from Krishna, meaning 'dark' or 'black'.
#1551
American
Variant of Morris, meaning 'dark-skinned' or 'Moorish'.
#1564
American
Derived from the name Maurice, meaning 'dark-skinned' or 'moor'
#1573
Ireland
Derived from the Gaelic surname 'Ó Duibhne', meaning 'descendant of Dubhán', which means 'dark'.
#1575
Ireland
Dark warrior
#1584
American
dark, swarthy
#1598
Sanskrit
Dark, black
#1617
American
Dark
#1627
American
Dark, swarthy.
#1648
American
A variation of the name Kedar, which means 'dark' or 'black'.
#1650
American
From the dark town
#1659
American
dark-skinned
#1699
Scotland
Dark water
#1701
India
कृष्ण - 'Black' or 'Dark'; 'Arjuna' or 'Hero'
#1703
English
Dark and noble
#1703
American
Dark warrior
#1729
Greece
the dark, the hidden
#1749
France
dark-skinned; Moorish
#1752
Scotland
Dark complexioned; black
#1781
Irish
dark warrior
#1781
India
Black, dark, lord, or to attract
#1785
Ireland
From the townland of Daltons; dark town
#1790
Ireland
Son of the dark warrior
#1796
American
a variant of the surname Sullivan, meaning 'little dark one'
#1804
India
Dark, black, or Lord Krishna
#1838
American
A name with variants possibly related to Dewayne or Duane, evoking 'swarthy' or 'dark'.
#1839
American
Dark-skinned or from the place of the dark
#1841
American
Dark, swarthy
#1895
Scotland
dark river
#1961
Croatia
Dark, rich
#1965
English
Variant of the name Dwayne, meaning 'dark' or 'swarthy'.
#1978
American
Derived from a surname which likely means 'swarthy' or 'dark,' or related to the Gaelic 'Ciardha'.
#1993
Ireland
Dark-haired
#2575
Italy
Dark one, of the Adriatic sea.
#3299
England↑ Rising
One who comes from the dark glades
#3913
American↑ Rising
Derived variant of 'Maurice' meaning 'dark skinned'
#3924
Latin
dark-haired
#4819
American↑ Rising
the dark,
#4822
American↑ Rising
A variant of ‘Kier’ meaning dark or black

Unisex Names Meaning "Dark"

65 gender-neutral names with this meaning

#130
Greece
Dark-skinned or black.
#156
American↑ Rising
from the dark meadow
#230
Irish↑ Rising
little, dark one
#468
Ireland
dark warrior
#477
Ireland
Little dark one
#508
Irish
Little and dark.
#513
American
A modern variant spelling of the name 'Colby', meaning 'from the dark village'.
#528
English
from the dark village
#566
Irish
Derived from the Irish name 'Ciara,' meaning 'dark' or 'black', related to 'sióg' meaning 'fairy'.
#668
Spanish
Dark-skinned
#697
American
swarthy; dark skinned
#731
American
dark wood; ebony
#732
Ireland
little dark one
#760
Ireland
Dark-haired
#779
Ireland
little dark one.
#807
Italy
dark
#815
Ireland
Dark-haired
#831
American
Dark-haired
#900
France
dark
#913
India
black, dark
#930
Scotland↑ Rising
dark warrior
#941
English
Dark one or person from the Adriatic region
#966
Ireland
Dark, black, or black-haired
#972
Latin
dark-skinned
#979
American
A diminutive form of Maurice, which means 'dark-skinned' or 'Moorish'.
#986
American
Dark, swarthy
#986
Ireland
little dark one
#987
Irish
Dark-haired.
#1016
India
An abbreviation of Krishna, meaning 'dark' or 'black'
#1083
Ireland
the dark-haired one
#1087
France
Dark one
#1128
American
From the dark place
#1134
American
dark water
#1158
American
dark haired, from the dark farm
#1186
English
Little dark one
#1240
English
derived from 'Adrian', meaning dark one
#1328
American
A modern variant of 'Darcy', meaning 'dark' or 'from the dark one'.
#1359
Scotland
Yellow, dark; or one who is thin
#1401
Ireland
Dark haired, descendant of Dubhthach.
#1425
Scottish
dark or black
#1449
American
Variation of the name Delaney, meaning 'dark' or 'descendant of the challenger'.
#1456
American
Derived from the Old French name Delaney, which means the 'descendant of the dark challenger'.
#1481
Ireland
Dark skinned, son of the dark one
#1493
Ireland
dark-haired
#1494
American
Dark meadow or black clearing
#1497
Italy
dark-skinned; Moorish
#1586
American
From the Gaelic 'Dubhán,' meaning 'little dark one'.
#1602
Italian
dark battle
#1605
Ireland
sea dark, bright sea
#1610
American
A variant of 'Kiera', meaning 'dark' or 'black'
#1643
England↑ Rising
dark-skinned
#1691
American
Brown-haired or dark-skinned
#1719
American
from the dark field
#1765
American
from the dark stream
#1783
English
Derived from Blake, meaning 'dark' or 'fair' depending on the interpretation
#1798
American
Dark one; from Hadria.
#1815
American
Variant of Blake, meaning 'dark' or 'fair'
#1826
English
dark, black
#1839
American
Dark haired; a variant of Colby
#1955
American
A variant of Blake, meaning 'fair-haired' or 'dark'.
#2522
India↑ Rising
Dark, black; Lord Krishna is considered a god of compassion and love.
#3415
American
A dark bird
#6992
American↑ Rising
a variant of Colby, meaning 'from the dark town' or 'coal town'
#8078
Italy↑ Rising
means 'black' or 'dark'
#8484
American↑ Rising
Dark or rich.

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