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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

  • 498 names contain the meaning "dark"
  • 240 gender-specific names, plus 58 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"

242 girl names with this meaning

#142
Greece
Dark-skinned or black.
#191
American
from the dark meadow
#229
Irish↑ Rising
little, dark one
#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
#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
#622
Irish
Derived from the Irish name 'Ciara,' meaning 'dark' or 'black', related to 'sióg' meaning 'fairy'.
#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
#703
American
variation of 'Mélanie', meaning 'dark' or 'black'
#727
Middle Eastern countries
darkness
#730
French
Dark-skinned, dark-haired
#731
American
dark wood; ebony
#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
#815
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
#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
#913
India
black, dark
#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
Modern coinage
noble, dark — from Adriana
#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'
#1128
American
From the dark place
#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
#1328
American
A modern variant of 'Darcy', meaning 'dark' or 'from the dark one'.
#1387
American
from Hadria; dark one
#1391
Turkey↑ Rising
dark moon
#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
#1408
Ireland
Dark, black, or black-haired
#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
#1596
American
dark or black stream
#1628
Ireland
Dark or obscure
#1632
American
the dark-haired one
#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.
#1754
India
dark blue
#1776
American
dark
#1802
American
a variant of Raven, which refers to a dark bird known for intelligence
#1804
Irish
dark, black — from Dún
#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
#1819
Dutch
dark, rich — from Adriana
#1819
Italian
dark, gloomy
#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'
#1839
Modern coinage
dark, black — from Ciara
#1840
Modern coinage
dark, black — from Ciara
#1846
American
A modern elaboration and variant of the name Kiera, possibly meaning 'dark-haired'.
#1849
Irish
dark or black
#1857
Arabic
dark, black — from Asmar

Boy Names Meaning "Dark"

198 boy names with this meaning

#389
Ireland↑ Rising
Little dark one
#496
Ireland↑ Rising
dark warrior
#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
#594
American
from the dark 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'.
#664
Spanish
Dark-skinned
#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'.
#888
English
A modern invented name possibly inspired by the name Kieran, which means 'little dark one'.
#909
English
dark-haired
#911
France
Dark-skinned
#918
USA
Modern variation of 'Dwayne', meaning 'swarthy' or 'dark'.
#924
Latin
dark-skinned
#952
Ireland
Little and dark
#954
Spain
Brown-skinned or dark-haired
#955
Sweden
Dark-skinned, Moorish.
#966
American
From the dark town
#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'
#1020
Latin
dark-skinned
#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
Scotland
dark warrior
#1124
American
Variation of 'Dwayne', possibly from Irish meaning 'dark'
#1125
American
Combination of initials of Dwyane, meaning 'dark' or 'swarthy'
#1134
American
dark water
#1148
English
dark-skinned or dark-haired
#1155
American
Dark, swarthy; the dark one
#1156
American
Variant of Duane, meaning 'swarthy or dark'.
#1158
American
dark haired, from the dark farm
#1159
France↑ Rising
Dark one
#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
#1261
American
dark or wise one
#1270
American
Dark or black one
#1277
India↑ Rising
An abbreviation of Krishna, meaning 'dark' or 'black'
#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
#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'.
#1401
Ireland
Dark haired, descendant of Dubhthach.
#1409
American
Swarthy, dark-skinned
#1415
Ireland
Little dark one
#1425
Scottish
dark or black
#1465
American
Swarthy, dark
#1466
France
from Hadria, dark-haired
#1470
American
dark skinned
#1477
American
dark-skinned
#1490
Italian
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'
#1565
American
Dark, swarthy
#1573
Ireland
Derived from the Gaelic surname 'Ó Duibhne', meaning 'descendant of Dubhán', which means 'dark'.
#1584
American
dark, swarthy
#1598
Sanskrit
Dark, black
#1601
Scottish Gaelic
dark stranger
#1609
Ireland↑ Rising
little dark one.
#1609
Sanskrit
the one who dispels darkness
#1617
American
Dark
#1618
Sanskrit
dark blue, black — from Shyam
#1619
Sanskrit
dark or black — from Shyam
#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
#1762
England↑ Rising
dark-skinned
#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'

Unisex Names Meaning "Dark"

58 gender-neutral names with this meaning

#1240
English
derived from 'Adrian', meaning dark one
#1449
American
Variation of the name Delaney, meaning 'dark' or 'descendant of the challenger'.
#1493
Ireland
dark-haired
#1497
Italy
dark-skinned; Moorish
#1500
Modern coinage
dark warrior — from Duncan
#1501
Scottish
dark warrior — from Duncan
#1505
Scottish
dark warrior — from Duncan
#1518
Slavic
dark, dark-haired
#1588
Welsh
swarthy, dark-skinned
#1611
Scottish
dark water — from Dougal
#1613
Modern coinage
dark stream — from Douglas
#1614
Scottish
dark or gloomy — from Dougray
#1652
Ireland
little dark one
#1686
Modern American
swarthy, dark — from Dwayne
#1705
Irish
little dark one
#1717
Scottish Gaelic
dark, black — from Dochas
#1719
American
from the dark field
#1750
Old Norse
brown-haired or dark
#1760
French
dark-haired or brown
#1830
Scottish Gaelic
dark, swarthy
#1838
Irish
dark or black
#1842
Irish-English blend
little dark one — from Ciarán
#1843
Irish-English
little dark one — from Ciaran
#1844
Irish
dark or black
#1844
Modern American
dark, swarthy — from Duane
#1845
Irish
little dark one
#1846
Modern coinage
little dark one — from Ciaran
#1851
Irish
little dark one
#1852
Irish
dark or black — from Ciar
#1859
Scottish Gaelic
dark stream or black water
#1860
Irish
black, dark — from Dubh
#1867
Modern American
dark or black
#1868
Modern coinage
dark, handsome — from Blake and defender — from Alexander
#1869
Modern American
dark, fair — from Blake
#1892
Irish
little dark one
#1909
Irish
dark or black
#1916
Scottish
dark stranger
#1923
Irish
little dark one
#1933
Modern American
dark wood — from ebony
#1934
Modern coinage
dark wood — from Ebony
#1935
Modern coinage
dark wood and grace
#1936
Irish
little dark one
#1940
Modern coinage
dark wood — from Ebony
#1941
Modern coinage
dark wood — from Ebony
#1943
Modern coinage
dark wood and flower
#1965
Irish
dark or black
#1989
Modern coinage
dark one — from Darcy
#1999
Scottish
dark warrior — from Duncan
#2080
American↑ Rising
Variant of Blake, meaning 'dark' or 'fair'
#5736
Ireland↑ Rising
Little dark one
#6995
India↑ Rising
Dark, black; Lord Krishna is considered a god of compassion and love.
#8214
American
A modern variant spelling of the name 'Colby', meaning 'from the dark village'.
#8596
Ireland↑ Rising
Dark-haired
American↑ Rising
A variant of Blake, meaning 'fair-haired' or 'dark'.
Celtic↑ Rising
little dark one
Italy↑ Rising
means 'black' or 'dark'
English
from the dark village
Ireland↑ Rising
little dark one

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