250 Names That Mean Fear

Names often carry deep meanings and can reflect various emotions, qualities, or characteristics.

One interesting category is names that mean fear. While fear is typically viewed as a negative feeling, it can also represent strength, survival, and the human experience.

Below are some compelling names associated with fear, encompassing both boy and girl options, as well as an extensive list categorized for your exploration.

Boy Names That Mean Fear

Armand – French origin, meaning ‘soldier’, but associated with bravery in the face of fear.
Alvah – Hebrew origin, meaning ‘his highness’, linked with someone who may instill fear in others.
Drystan – Derived from Tristan, meaning ‘sorrowful’ or ‘full of fear’.
Azazel – Hebrew origin, associated with a scapegoat, symbolizing the fears we cast away.
Malik – Arabic origin, meaning ‘king’, often seen as someone who evokes fear amongst enemies.
Saul – Hebrew origin, meaning ‘asked for, prayed for’, linked to the fear associated with seeking divine help.
Acheron – Greek origin, associated with the ‘river of sorrow’, symbolizing the fear of loss.
Devlin – Irish origin, meaning ‘unlucky’, reflecting the fear of misfortune.
Jabez – Hebrew origin, meaning ‘sorrow’, hinting at the fear tied to pain and suffering.
Fenris – Norse mythology origin, a wolf that signifies terror and fear.
Vesper – Latin origin, meaning ‘evening’ – often seen as a fearful time of day before nightfall.
Revenant – French origin, pointing to someone who returns from the dead, invoking fear and intrigue.
Phobos – Greek origin meaning ‘fear’, directly connected with the personification of fear.
Hades – Greek origin, recognized as the god of the underworld, representing fears associated with death.
Loki – Norse mythology, often creates chaos and fear with his trickery.

Girl Names That Mean Fear

Bailee – English origin, meaning ‘deliverer’, which can imply the fear associated with seeking help.
Ruth – Hebrew origin meaning ‘friend’, reflects fear associated with betrayal.
Malaya – Arabic origin, symbolizing ‘freedom’, yet carries the fear of losing it.
Lenore – Greek origin, meaning ‘light’, can evoke the fear of darkness.
Shiloh – Hebrew origin, meaning ‘peace’, but reflects fear of war.
Calypso – Greek origin, a nymph who represents the fear of being forgotten.
Isolde – Welsh origin, linked to the fear of loss in tragic love stories.
Nyx – Greek origin, meaning ‘night’, often associated with the fears that come with dark.
Selene – Greek origin meaning ‘moon’, can allude to the fears found in night’s shadows.
Hecate – Greek origin meaning ‘worker from afar’, associated with witchcraft and the fear of the unknown.
Desdemona – Greek origin, meaning ‘ill-fated’, alluding to fear in doomed love.
Nemesis – Greek origin meaning ‘retribution’, symbolizing the fear of unavoidable consequences.
Nyssa – Greek origin meaning ‘beginning’, reflects fear in new ventures.
Maleficent – Latin origin meaning ‘evil doer’, representing fears of treachery.
Keres – Greek origin, a spirit of violent death, invoking the fear of mortality.

Check Out: 250 Names That Mean Broken Soul

Names That Mean Fear

Mythological Names

Phobos – Greek – ‘fear’
Hades – Greek – God of the underworld
Fenris – Norse mythology – wolf of terror
Hecate – Greek – goddess of night and witchcraft
Nyx – Greek – personification of night

Names Indicating Strength in Fear

Armand – French – ‘soldier’
Malik – Arabic – ‘king’
Azazel – Hebrew – scapegoat
Bailie – English – deliverer
Malaya – Arabic – freedom

Names Related to Loss and Pain

Drystan – Celtic – ‘sorrowful’
Jabez – Hebrew – ‘sorrow’
Ruth – Hebrew – ‘friend’
Desdemona – Greek – ‘ill-fated’
Isolde – Welsh – associated with tragic love

Names Linked to Night and Darkness

Vesper – Latin – ‘evening’
Selene – Greek – ‘moon’
Nyssa – Greek – ‘beginning’
Calypso – Greek – associated with nightfall
Lenore – Greek – meaning ‘light’

Names from Literature and Folktales

Maleficent – Latin – represents fears of treachery
Revenant – French – one who returns, invoking fear
Loki – Norse – god of mischief
Keres – Greek – spirits of violent death
Selene – Greek – evocative of night

Names Indicating Bravery

Saul – Hebrew – one who asks for divine help
Devlin – Irish – ‘unlucky’
Malik – Arabic – ‘king’
Shiloh – Hebrew – ‘peace’
Acheron – Greek – ‘river of sorrow’

Check Out: 220+ Names That Mean Gold

Gender-Neutral Names That Mean Fear

Acheron – Derived from Greek mythology, meaning “river of woe.”
Mara – Sanskrit origin, meaning “death” or “nightmare.”
Keres – Greek origin, meaning “evil spirits of death.”
Phobos – Greek origin, meaning “fear” or “panic.”
Zilla – Hebrew origin, meaning “shadow.”
Levana – Latin origin, meaning “to lift,” associated with the goddess of the moon and nightmares.
Jinx – Latin origin, meaning “spell” or “curse.”
Drake – Old English origin, meaning “dragon” (symbolic of fearsome creatures).
Rune – Old Norse origin, meaning “mystery” or “secret.”
Shade – English origin, representing darkness or shadow.

Check Out: 220 Names That Mean Destruction – A Guide to Powerful Meanings

Mythological Names That Mean Fear

Phobos – Greek mythology, personification of fear.
Deimos – Greek mythology, twin of Phobos, representing terror.
Medusa – Greek mythology, whose gaze turned people to stone in fear.
Lilith – Hebrew mythology, often associated with night demons and fear.
Alecto – Greek mythology, one of the Furies, representing unceasing anger and fear.
Moros – Greek mythology, personification of impending doom.
Baba Yaga – Slavic mythology, a fearsome witch.
Hecate – Greek mythology, goddess of witchcraft and fear of the unknown.
Fenrir – Norse mythology, a monstrous wolf feared by the gods.
Erebus – Greek mythology, personification of darkness and shadow.

Check Out: 240 Names That Mean Electric – Bright Choices for Your Baby

Literature-Inspired Names That Mean Fear

Poe – After Edgar Allan Poe, famous for his tales of horror.
Ichabod – From Washington Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” symbolizing fear.
Dorian – From “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde, representing fear of time and aging.
Raven – Inspired by Poe’s “The Raven,” symbolizing dark omens.
Hyde – From “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” by Robert Louis Stevenson, representing the fear of one’s darker side.
Victor – From Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein,” representing the fear of playing god.
Salem – From “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller, symbolizing the fear of witchcraft and hysteria.
Draco – From the “Harry Potter” series, representing fearsome qualities.
Gollum – From J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings,” representing fear and obsession.
Lestat – From Anne Rice’s “The Vampire Chronicles,” symbolizing fear and immortality.

Check Out: 240 Names That Mean Evil – A Guide to Sinister Significance

Popular Names That Mean Fear

Drake – English origin, meaning “dragon.”
Luna – Latin origin, often associated with fear of the night.
Damien – Greek origin, often linked with dark, fearsome connotations.
Lilith – Hebrew origin, representing night demons.
Raven – English origin, symbolizing dark omens.
Salem – Hebrew origin, with a historical connection to witch trials.
Aiden – Irish origin, meaning “little fire,” symbolic of fearsome energy.
Mara – Hebrew and Sanskrit origin, meaning “bitter” or “nightmare.”
Freya – Norse origin, associated with fearsome battle goddesses.
Phoenix – Greek origin, symbolizing rebirth from fear and destruction.

Check Out: 240 Names That Mean Hunter – Discover Unique Options for Your Little Explorer

Vibrant Names That Mean Fear

Scarlett – Symbolizes vibrant red, often associated with danger and fear.
Blaze – Represents a fierce and fearsome fire.
Storm – Symbolic of powerful and fearsome natural forces.
Ember – A glowing coal, symbolizing a smoldering fear.
Crimson – A deep red, often associated with blood and fear.
Onyx – A black gemstone, symbolizing darkness and fear.
Vesper – Latin origin, associated with the evening star, representing fear of the dark.
Ash – Represents the remnants of something fearsome, like a fire.
Zephyr – A strong wind, symbolic of nature’s fearsome power.
Tempest – A violent storm, representing fearsome weather.

Check Out: 220 Names That Mean Change

Unique Names That Mean Fear

Dolion – Greek origin, meaning “deceit” or “treachery.”
Frea – Old English origin, related to fear.
Ortrun – Germanic origin, meaning “fear of serpents.”
Morwen – Welsh origin, meaning “maiden,” with a dark, mysterious undertone.
Zillah – Hebrew origin, meaning “shade” or “shadow.”
Rune – Norse origin, meaning “secret” or “mystery.”
Nyx – Greek origin, personification of the night, associated with fear.
Zagan – Demonology, a great king and president of Hell, instilling fear.
Vritra – Sanskrit origin, a dragon or serpent who personifies fear.
Thana – Greek origin, meaning “death,” symbolizing fear.

Check Out: 200 Names That Mean Warrior

Traditional Names That Mean Fear

Arachne – Greek origin, meaning “spider,” symbolic of fear.
Basilisk – Greek origin, a serpent that induces fear.
Kali – Hindu origin, goddess associated with destruction and fear.
Lamia – Greek origin, a monster that causes fear.
Thanatos – Greek origin, personification of death and fear.
Erebus – Greek origin, meaning “deep darkness” or “shadow.”
Achlys – Greek origin, meaning “mist” or “darkness.”
Helle – Greek origin, associated with the tragic myth of Phrixus and Helle.
Jörmungandr – Norse origin, the world serpent that instills fear.
Banshee – Irish origin, a spirit that foretells death with a fearsome wail.

Check Out: 240 Names That Mean Envy and Jealousy

Beautiful Names That Mean Fear

Seraphina – Hebrew origin, meaning “fiery,” with a fearsome and divine association.
Calista – Greek origin, meaning “most beautiful,” but with a tragic undertone of fear.
Noir – French origin, meaning “black,” symbolizing fear of the dark.
Lilith – Hebrew origin, representing a beautiful but fearsome night demon.
Isolde – Welsh origin, associated with tragic love and fear.
Vespera – Latin origin, meaning “evening star,” associated with fear of the night.
Eris – Greek origin, goddess of discord, fearsome and beautiful.
Selene – Greek origin, goddess of the moon, often associated with fear of the unknown.
Aurora – Latin origin, goddess of dawn, representing the fearsome beauty of the morning.
Belladonna – Italian origin, meaning “beautiful lady,” but also a deadly plant instilling fear.

Check Out: 200 Names That Mean Moon

Top Names That Mean Fear

Phobos – Greek origin, personification of fear.
Ares – Greek origin, god of war, representing fear in battle.
Mara – Sanskrit and Hebrew origin, meaning “nightmare.”
Draco – Latin origin, meaning “dragon,” symbolizing fear.
Luna – Latin origin, fear of the night and moon.
Salem – Hebrew origin, associated with witch trials and fear.
Raven – Symbolizes fearsome omens.
Damien – Greek origin, associated with the fearsome character in “The Omen.”
Lilith – Hebrew origin, a fearsome night demon.
Medusa – Greek origin, a monster whose gaze induces fear.

Check Out:

Final Thoughts

Exploring names that mean fear can lead to fascinating insights into the emotional experiences we share as humans.

While fear may often be perceived negatively, it can also symbolize strength, bravery, and the importance of facing challenges.

Whether you are looking for a unique name for your child or simply wish to explore the meanings behind names, this guide provides a rich selection of options that reflect various facets of fear.

Embrace the complexity of these names and what they signify in the tapestry of life.