260+ Names That Mean Sorrow (Girls, Boys, Unisex)

The concept of sorrow runs deep through human experience, touching every culture and civilization.

Names carrying this meaning often reflect profound emotional depth, wisdom gained through hardship, and the bittersweet nature of life itself.

Many parents choose such names to honor past struggles or acknowledge life’s dual nature – joy intertwined with sadness.

These names pack powerful meanings and rich histories, spanning diverse cultures from ancient civilizations to modern times.

Boy Names That Mean Sorrow

Achad – Hebrew origin, meaning “sorrowful testimony”
Dalton – English origin, meaning “from the valley of sorrow”
Tristam – Celtic origin, meaning “filled with sadness”
Demetrius – Greek origin, meaning “born of sorrow’s earth”
Kiro – Japanese origin, meaning “sorrowful son”
Blake – Old English origin, meaning “dark sorrow”
Dexter – Latin origin, meaning “one who carries sadness”
Linden – English origin, meaning “sorrowful hill”
Maurice – Latin origin, meaning “dark melancholy”
Odell – Old English origin, meaning “valley of woe”
Roran – Celtic origin, meaning “little sorrowful one”
Soren – Danish origin, meaning “stern, severe, sorrowful”
Thane – Scottish origin, meaning “grief-bearer”
Wilfred – Anglo-Saxon origin, meaning “desires peace through sorrow”
Zorion – Basque origin, meaning “one who has known sorrow”

Girl Names That Mean Sorrow

Adelia – Greek origin, meaning “sorrowful nobility”
Bellona – Latin origin, meaning “war and sorrow”
Cordelia – Latin origin, meaning “daughter of the sea’s sorrow”
Dolores – Spanish origin, meaning “sorrows”
Elegra – Greek origin, meaning “mournful song”
Farah – Arabic origin, meaning “beauty in sadness”
Griselda – Germanic origin, meaning “dark battle, sorrowful warrior”
Hela – Norse origin, meaning “death and sorrow”
Iolanta – Greek origin, meaning “violet flower of sorrow”
Katrina – Greek origin, meaning “pure sorrow”
Lyra – Greek origin, meaning “mournful song”
Melanie – Greek origin, meaning “dark, sorrowful”
Nina – Hebrew origin, meaning “grace in sadness”
Ophelia – Greek origin, meaning “help in sorrow”
Pia – Latin origin, meaning “pious sorrow”

Gender-Neutral Names That Mean Sorrow

Addis – Ethiopian origin, meaning “new sorrow”
Blair – Scottish origin, meaning “field of sorrows”
Cam – Vietnamese origin, meaning “deep feeling, melancholy”
Drew – Greek origin, meaning “sorrowful messenger”
Eden – Hebrew origin, meaning “place of lost paradise”
Frost – English origin, meaning “frozen sorrow”
Gray – English origin, meaning “melancholy shade”
Haven – English origin, meaning “refuge from sorrow”
Indigo – Greek origin, meaning “deep blue sorrow”
Jordan – Hebrew origin, meaning “flowing down with grief”
Kishi – Japanese origin, meaning “one who knows sorrow”
Morgan – Welsh origin, meaning “sea-born sorrow”
Rain – English origin, meaning “tears from heaven”
Storm – English origin, meaning “tempest of emotions”
Winter – English origin, meaning “time of melancholy”

Popular Names That Mean Sorrow

Aaliyah – Arabic origin, meaning “rising through sadness”
Caleb – Hebrew origin, meaning “faithful in suffering”
Daphne – Greek origin, meaning “laurel tree of tears”
Ethan – Hebrew origin, meaning “enduring sorrow”
Freya – Norse origin, meaning “noble sadness”
Gabriel – Hebrew origin, meaning “God’s strength in grief”
Helena – Greek origin, meaning “torch of sorrow”
Isaiah – Hebrew origin, meaning “salvation through suffering”
James – Hebrew origin, meaning “supplanter of grief”
Kira – Russian origin, meaning “dark mistress”
Luna – Latin origin, meaning “moon of melancholy”
Malcolm – Scottish origin, meaning “disciple of sorrow”
Noah – Hebrew origin, meaning “rest in grief”
Oliver – Latin origin, meaning “olive tree of peace after sorrow”
Sophia – Greek origin, meaning “wisdom through suffering”

Vibrant Names That Mean Sorrow

Aurora – Latin origin, meaning “dawn after darkness”
Blaze – English origin, meaning “burning sorrow”
Crimson – English origin, meaning “deep red grief”
Dawn – English origin, meaning “first light after sorrow”
Echo – Greek origin, meaning “reflected grief”
Flame – English origin, meaning “burning melancholy”
Golden – English origin, meaning “precious sorrow”
Horizon – Greek origin, meaning “boundary of grief”
Iris – Greek origin, meaning “rainbow in tears”
Jasper – Persian origin, meaning “treasurer of sorrows”
Kindle – English origin, meaning “ignite through pain”
Maple – English origin, meaning “autumn’s sorrow”
Nova – Latin origin, meaning “new star born of grief”
Phoenix – Greek origin, meaning “reborn from ashes of sorrow”
Ruby – Latin origin, meaning “red stone of grief”

Unique Names That Mean Sorrow

Achlys – Greek origin, meaning “mist of sorrow, eternal night”
Belladonna – Italian origin, meaning “beautiful lady of mourning”
Cypress – Greek origin, meaning “tree of mourning”
Darya – Persian origin, meaning “sea of tears”
Ephemera – Greek origin, meaning “passing sorrow”
Forlorn – English origin, meaning “utterly lost”
Galatea – Greek origin, meaning “she who weeps milk”
Hiraeth – Welsh origin, meaning “homesick melancholy”
Isolde – Celtic origin, meaning “ice ruler of grief”
Keening – Irish origin, meaning “crying in lamentation”
Lachrymose – Latin origin, meaning “tearful one”
Malvolia – Latin origin, meaning “ill-wished sorrow”
Niobe – Greek origin, meaning “weeping stone”
Querencia – Spanish origin, meaning “place of sorrow”
Rue – English origin, meaning “regret and sorrow”

Beautiful Names That Mean Sorrow

Anastasia – Greek origin, meaning “resurrection from grief”
Belinda – Germanic origin, meaning “beautiful serpent of sorrow”
Celeste – Latin origin, meaning “heavenly sorrow”
Desdemona – Greek origin, meaning “ill-fated one”
Elowen – Cornish origin, meaning “elm tree of sorrow”
Fiorenza – Italian origin, meaning “flowering in sadness”
Galadriel – Fictional origin, meaning “maiden crowned with radiant garland of grief”
Hinata – Japanese origin, meaning “facing the sun through tears”
Illyria – Latin origin, meaning “land of beautiful sorrows”
Juniper – Latin origin, meaning “evergreen through sadness”
Kalista – Greek origin, meaning “most beautiful grief”
Lucia – Latin origin, meaning “light in darkness”
Melora – Greek origin, meaning “golden sorrow”
Naomi – Hebrew origin, meaning “pleasantness in grief”
Ottilie – German origin, meaning “prosperous in sorrow”

Top Names That Mean Sorrow

Aidan – Irish origin, meaning “little fire of suffering”
Branna – Irish origin, meaning “raven of sorrow”
Connor – Irish origin, meaning “lover of hounds and melancholy”
Deirdre – Irish origin, meaning “sorrowful one”
Esther – Persian origin, meaning “star of sadness”
Felix – Latin origin, meaning “happy despite sorrow”
Grace – Latin origin, meaning “favor through suffering”
Hugo – Germanic origin, meaning “mind, spirit in grief”
Iris – Greek origin, meaning “rainbow after tears”
Julian – Latin origin, meaning “youthful in sorrow”
Katherine – Greek origin, meaning “pure sorrow”
Lucas – Latin origin, meaning “light in darkness”
Mara – Hebrew origin, meaning “bitter”
Nathan – Hebrew origin, meaning “given in sadness”
Olivia – Latin origin, meaning “peace after grief”

Traditional Names That Mean Sorrow

Abraham – Hebrew origin, meaning “father of multitudes who bore grief”
Bridget – Celtic origin, meaning “strength through sorrow”
Catherine – Greek origin, meaning “pure in suffering”
David – Hebrew origin, meaning “beloved in sadness”
Elizabeth – Hebrew origin, meaning “God’s promise through sorrow”
Francis – Latin origin, meaning “free man who carries grief”
George – Greek origin, meaning “farmer of sorrows”
Hannah – Hebrew origin, meaning “grace in suffering”
Isaac – Hebrew origin, meaning “laughter through tears”
Joseph – Hebrew origin, meaning “God will add to those who grieve”
Margaret – Greek origin, meaning “pearl formed through suffering”
Patrick – Latin origin, meaning “nobleman of sorrow”
Rachel – Hebrew origin, meaning “ewe who weeps”
Samuel – Hebrew origin, meaning “heard by God in grief”
Thomas – Aramaic origin, meaning “twin of sorrow”

Mythological Names That Mean Sorrow

Ajax – Greek origin, meaning “mourning warrior”
Calypso – Greek origin, meaning “she who conceals grief”
Daedalus – Greek origin, meaning “cunningly wrought in sorrow”
Eurydice – Greek origin, meaning “wide justice through loss”
Freyja – Norse origin, meaning “lady of sorrowful beauty”
Gilgamesh – Sumerian origin, meaning “hero who knew grief”
Hecate – Greek origin, meaning “she who works from afar in darkness”
Inanna – Sumerian origin, meaning “lady of sorrow’s heaven”
Juno – Roman origin, meaning “queen of heavenly grief”
Kalliope – Greek origin, meaning “beautiful voice of lament”
Loki – Norse origin, meaning “trickster of sorrows”
Medusa – Greek origin, meaning “guardian of grief”
Narcissus – Greek origin, meaning “sleep of sorrow”
Orpheus – Greek origin, meaning “darkness of loss”
Persephone – Greek origin, meaning “bringer of destruction”

Literature-Inspired Names That Mean Sorrow

Aeneas – From “The Aeneid”, meaning “praised through suffering”
Beatrice – From “Divine Comedy”, meaning “she who blesses in sorrow”
Cordelia – From “King Lear”, meaning “heart of sorrow”
Dorian – From “The Picture of Dorian Gray”, meaning “of sorrow’s sea”
Edgar – From Edgar Allan Poe’s works, meaning “wealthy guardian of grief”
Fantine – From “Les Misérables”, meaning “childlike in suffering”
Gatsby – From “The Great Gatsby”, meaning “from the sorrowful north”
Heathcliff – From “Wuthering Heights”, meaning “cliff of sorrow”
Isolde – From “Tristan and Isolde”, meaning “ice ruler of grief”
Jane – From “Jane Eyre”, meaning “God is gracious through sorrow”
Kafka – From Franz Kafka’s works, meaning “crow of melancholy”
Lenore – From “The Raven”, meaning “light in darkness”
Macbeth – From Shakespeare’s work, meaning “son of life and death”
Ophelia – From “Hamlet”, meaning “help in sorrow”
Poe – From Edgar Allan Poe, meaning “peacock of darkness”

Adorable Names That Mean Sorrow

Aiko – Japanese origin, meaning “beloved child of grief”
Bunny – English origin, meaning “small one who hops through sadness”
Coco – French origin, meaning “helping through dark times”
Daisy – English origin, meaning “day’s eye in sorrow”
Elfie – German origin, meaning “noble in grief”
Finn – Irish origin, meaning “fair one who knows pain”
Gigi – French origin, meaning “trustworthy through sadness”
Honey – English origin, meaning “sweet despite sorrow”
Izzy – Hebrew origin, meaning “God’s promise in grief”
Kitty – English origin, meaning “pure sorrowful one”
Lily – English origin, meaning “pure flower of grief”
Mimi – French origin, meaning “beloved in sadness”
Pip – English origin, meaning “lover of horses and melancholy”
Rosie – Latin origin, meaning “rose born of tears”
Sunny – English origin, meaning “light through darkness”

Japanese Names That Mean Sorrow

Ai (哀) – meaning “sorrow, grief”
Chikako (悲子) – meaning “child of melancholy”
Fumiko (不美子) – meaning “child of sorrowful beauty”
Hisoka (密) – meaning “reserved sadness”
Kanashimi (悲しみ) – meaning “sorrow”
Kurushimi (苦しみ) – meaning “suffering”
Michiko (道子) – meaning “child of sorrowful wisdom”
Nageki (嘆き) – meaning “lamentation”
Reiko (怜子) – meaning “child of sorrow”
Sachiko (幸子) – meaning “child of fortunate sorrow”
Takako (隆子) – meaning “noble child of grief”
Urei (憂い) – meaning “grief, distress”
Wabisabi (侘寂) – meaning “beautiful sorrow”
Yurei (幽霊) – meaning “sorrowful spirit”
Zurui (ずるい) – meaning “painful cunning”

Names That Mean Sorrow in Different Languages

Germanic Origins

Adalhard – “noble sorrow”
Kummer – “grief”
Leiden – “suffering”
Trauer – “mourning”
Wehmut – “melancholy”

Celtic Origins

Brón – “sorrow”
Dubhachas – “melancholy”
Mulad – “sadness”
Tursach – “sorrowful”
Uaigneas – “loneliness”

Latin Origins

Dolens – “grieving”
Luctus – “mourning”
Maestitia – “sadness”
Tristis – “sad”
Vagitus – “wailing”

Names That Mean Sorrow – Cultural Categories

Ancient World Names

Aegeus – Greek, meaning “protector who lost his son”
Cassandra – Greek, meaning “prophetess of doom”
Darius – Persian, meaning “possessor of sorrow”
Electra – Greek, meaning “shining but grief-stricken”
Flavius – Roman, meaning “golden sorrow”

Medieval Names

Aldred – Anglo-Saxon, meaning “wise in suffering”
Constance – Latin, meaning “steadfast through sorrow”
Eldred – English, meaning “aged wisdom through grief”
Millicent – Germanic, meaning “strong in work and sorrow”
Roland – Frankish, meaning “famous land of grief”

Modern Names

Ash – English, meaning “remnants of sorrow”
Blake – English, meaning “dark or pale with grief”
Dylan – Welsh, meaning “son of the sea and sorrow”
River – English, meaning “flowing tears”
Sky – English, meaning “heavenly sorrow”

Chinese Names That Mean Sorrow

Āi (哀) – meaning “grief, sorrow”
Bēi (悲) – meaning “sadness”
Chóu (愁) – meaning “melancholy, worry”
Dāi (呆) – meaning “dazed with sorrow”
Hèn (恨) – meaning “regret, hatred born of sorrow”
Kǔ (苦) – meaning “bitter, suffering”
Lèi (泪) – meaning “tears”
Mèn (闷) – meaning “depressed, melancholy”
Qī (凄) – meaning “sorrowful, miserable”
Shāng (伤) – meaning “wounded, grieved”
Tòng (痛) – meaning “painful sorrow”
Wān (惋) – meaning “regretful”
Xīn (心) – meaning “heart filled with sorrow”
Yōu (忧) – meaning “worry, melancholy”
Zhēn (悋) – meaning “deep sorrow”

Final Thoughts

Names that mean sorrow carry profound significance across cultures and times. They remind us that acknowledging grief and sadness is part of the human experience.

These names often hold deeper meanings of resilience, transformation, and the beauty found in melancholy.

Whether chosen to honor past struggles or embrace life’s full emotional spectrum, they represent strength through adversity.

Many of these names have evolved beyond their sorrowful origins to symbolize wisdom gained through hardship.

They tell stories of mythological figures, historical events, and personal journeys through darkness toward light.

In choosing such a name, parents often seek to acknowledge life’s challenges while inspiring hope for transcendence.

Understanding these names helps us appreciate how different cultures process and express difficult emotions.

They serve as powerful reminders that sorrow, though universal, takes unique forms across the world’s languages and traditions.