Names hold power and meaning, often reflecting ideas from different cultures. Some names are linked to the mysterious and intriguing realm of the underworld. These names can evoke thoughts of the afterlife, mythology, and hidden worlds beneath the surface. They carry stories that connect to various beliefs about life and death.
Today, we’ll look at names that signify the underworld in different cultures. Whether from ancient myths or modern interpretations, these names can add a unique touch to your character, story, or even your own identity. Let’s uncover the fascinating meanings behind these underworld-inspired names!
Names That Mean Underworld
1. Acheron
The name Acheron is derived from Greek mythology, referring to the river of woe in the underworld. It represents a crucial crossing from the world of the living to the realm of the dead.
2. Hades
Hades is the name of the Greek god who presides over the underworld. It signifies not just the ruler but also the realm of the dead itself.
3. Persephone
The name Persephone is known from Greek mythology as the queen of the underworld. Her story is a powerful symbol of life, death, and rebirth.
4. Styx
The Styx is a significant river in Greek mythology that separates the living from the dead. It symbolizes the boundary of the underworld and is often associated with oaths and promises.
5. Anubis
Anubis is the Egyptian god associated with mummification and the afterlife. The name evokes themes of protection and guidance through the underworld.
6. Osiris
Osiris was the Egyptian god of the afterlife and fertility. His name embodies concepts of resurrection and ruling in the realm of the dead.
7. Lethe
In Greek mythology, Lethe is the river of forgetfulness in the underworld. The name represents the idea of forgetting past lives and being reborn.
8. Charon
Charon is the ferryman of the dead in Greek mythology. The name evokes the journey across the river Styx to the underworld.
9. Nergal
Nergal is the Mesopotamian god of the underworld. The name is linked to war and the fierce aspects of life and death.
10. Mictlantecuhtli
This name means the ‘Lord of the Land of the Dead’ in Aztec mythology. It represents power, death, and the afterlife.
11. Valhalla
Valhalla is the hall of the slain in Norse mythology where warriors go after death. It symbolizes glory, battle, and honor in the underworld.
12. Xibalba
Xibalba is the Mayan underworld, representing a place of fear, darkness, and death. The name symbolizes the mythical journey after death.
13. Asphodel
The Asphodel flower is associated with the afterlife in ancient Greece. Its name suggests a connection to the underworld and the souls that dwell there.
14. Samhain
Samhain is a festival marking the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter, linked to honoring the dead. The name reflects themes of the underworld and spirits.
15. Kālī
Kālī, from Hindu mythology, is a goddess who destroys the ego and rules over the underworld. The name signifies transformation and power over death.
16. Blodeuwedd
In Welsh mythology, Blodeuwedd is associated with the Otherworld. The name embodies themes of magic, rebirth, and the journey into the underworld.
17. Cygnus
Cygnus, the swan, is linked with the afterlife in various cultures. The name can symbolize the transition from life to death and the beauty that accompanies it.
18. Erishkigal
Erishkigal is the Sumerian goddess of the underworld. The name signifies power and control over the realm of the dead.
19. Nihil
Nihil means ‘nothing’ in Latin, and it can symbolize the void or absence of life, linking back to themes of the underworld.
20. Yama
In Hinduism, Yama is the god of death and the underworld. His name encapsulates authority over death and the afterlife.
21. inferno
The term inferno refers to a fiery underworld, often symbolizing hell in various belief systems. It connects deeply to themes of punishment and the afterlife.
22. Thanatos
Thanatos is the Greek personification of death. The name links heavily to themes of the underworld and the finality of life.
23. Nyx
In Greek mythology, Nyx is the goddess of the night. The name hints at the mysterious qualities often associated with the underworld.
24. Moros
Moros, in Greek mythology, represents impending doom and fate. His name is closely linked to themes of death and the underworld.
25. Letheia
Letheia is derived from Lethe, symbolizing the forgetfulness associated with the underworld. The name conveys a connection to the cycles of life and death.
26. Keres
The Keres are spirits of violent death in Greek mythology. Their names evoke fear and signify aspects associated with the underworld.
27. Anu
Anu, in various cultures, is often tied to the heavens and the underworld, symbolizing the balance of life and death.
28. Shade
The name Shade represents the spirits of the dead that linger in the underworld. It evokes the essence of shadow and memory.
29. Aditi
Aditi in Hinduism represents the infinite and the mother of the gods. Her name symbolizes the transcendent nature of life and death, connecting to the spiritual underworld.
30. Mazu
Mazu is a Chinese goddess of the sea known to protect souls. Her name embodies the travel through metaphysical realms, including the underworld.
31. Phlegethon
The river Phlegethon in Greek mythology is associated with fire and flows through the underworld. The name implies a connection to the fiery depths below.
32. Lethea
Lethea, derived from Lethe, emphasizes themes of memory and the afterlife in connection with the underworld.
33. Kālīma
Kālīma, a variant of Kālī, symbolizes destruction and transformation in the underworld. The name denotes strength in facing death.
34. Osirian
Derived from Osiris, Osirian implies aspects related to resurrection and the cycle of life and death in the underworld.
35. Belladonna
In folklore, Belladonna is associated with death and necromancy. The name connects to the mystical poisons of the underworld.
36. Davy
Davy, also linked to ‘Davy Jones’ locker’, represents the sailors’ belief in the underworld at sea, emphasizing aquatic deaths.
37. Memento
Memento, meaning ‘remember,’ represents reflection on life and death, closely entwined with the notions of the underworld.
38. Achlys
Achlys is a primordial goddess in Greek mythology, often associated with darkness and the underworld. The name encapsulates the essence of despair and death.
39. Caín
In various cultures, Caín is associated with death and violence, implying strong ties to the underworld.
40. Ghost
The name Ghost embodies the spirits that linger, emphasizing the connection between the living world and the underworld.
41. Selene
Selene, the goddess of the moon, has ties to the mystical aspects of the night and the underworld, symbolizing shadow and mystery.
42. Surtur
Surtur is a fire giant in Norse mythology linked to the realms of the underworld and destruction. His name signifies the fiery nature of death.
43. Rhiannon
Rhiannon, from Welsh mythology, is associated with the Otherworld. Her name represents beauty as well as mystery surrounding the underworld.
44. Tantalus
Tantalus is a character from Greek mythology experiencing eternal punishment in the underworld, making his name synonymous with longing and despair.
45. Tiamat
Tiamat, a goddess in Babylonian mythology, embodies chaos and the primordial sea, linking her name to elements associated with the underworld.
46. Styxine
Derived from Styx, Styxine refers to the waters that separate life from death, deeply tying the name to the underworld.
47. Mandrake
Mandrake, historically associated with death and magic, symbolizes elements that connect through the underworld.
48. Sanguine
Sanguine relates to blood, signaling life and death, linking to the transformative nature of the underworld.
49. Elysium
Elysium refers to the fields for the blessed dead in Greek mythology, representing positive aspects of the underworld.
50. Nox
Nox, the Roman goddess of night, signifies darkness and the hidden realms, connecting to the mystery of the underworld.
51. Stygian
Stygian references the River Styx as a metaphor for something dark and gloomy, emphasizing its ties to the underworld.
52. Henet
Henet, associated with the Egyptian underworld, signifies the passage and protection to the afterlife.
53. Orpheus
Orpheus symbolizes the journey into the underworld seeking his lost love, embedding his name with themes of love and loss intertwined with death.
54. Thanatopsis
Thanatopsis means ‘a view of death,’ symbolizing reflection on mortality, closely tied to the underworld.
55. Icarus
Icarus, known for his flight and fall, symbolizes the fragility of life, linking his name to themes of the underworld.
56. Erebus
Erebus in Greek mythology symbolizes deep darkness and is often connected to the underworld. His name reflects the essence of shadow and obscurity.
57. Morpheus
Morpheus, the god of dreams, symbolizes the transition between life and death, representing the underworld through the realm of dreams.
58. Ripper
Ripper evokes imagery of death and destruction, linking his name directly to underworld themes.
59. Valgrind
Valgrind refers to a bridge to the underworld in Norse mythology, representing the journey and connection to the land of the dead.
60. Lilith
Lilith, associated with night and darkness, represents the underworld through her ties to death and the supernatural.
61. Baal
Baal is associated with the underworld through ancient myths, representing various aspects of death and the afterlife.
62. Hecate
Hecate, the goddess of magic and witchcraft, is linked to the underworld. Her name symbolizes knowledge of death and mysteries.
63. Achu
Achu means ‘dark’ in some languages, directly connecting to the concept of the underworld.
64. Dolos
Dolos represents deception and trickery, often associated with death and the afterlife in various myths, linking to the underworld.
65. Shadee
Shadee is a variation of Shade, symbolizing spirits that connect to the underworld.
66. Nemosyne
Nemosyne, the goddess of memory, links directly to themes of remembrance related to the underworld.
67. Tyr
Tyr, the god of war, signifies triumph over death, linking his name to the journey through the underworld.
68. Dharmaraja
Dharmaraja represents righteousness and death in Hinduism, symbolizing the moral aspects of the afterlife.
69. Thanatophobia
Thanatophobia signifies fear of death, directly connecting to the themes of the underworld.
70. Zoroaster
Zoroaster is a prophet linked with concepts of life, death, and the afterlife in Zoroastrianism, emphasizing connections to the underworld.
71. Osirisian
Osirisian, derived from Osiris, suggests themes of rebirth and the cycle within the underworld.
72. Wraith
The name Wraith depicts a ghostly figure, emphasizing existence after death linked with the underworld.
73. Mortis
Mortis is derived from the Latin word for death, linking it directly to the underworld and its shadows.
74. Charontes
Charontes symbolizes the many souls guided into the underworld by Charon, emphasizing the journey of the deceased.
75. Famished
Famished is often used to describe hunger, but metaphorically linking it to hunger for life after death connects to the underworld.
76. Necros
Necros comes from Greek, meaning ‘dead’ and is closely related to themes of the underworld.
77. Leviathan
Leviathan, a massive sea creature, symbolizes chaos and the depths, linking to concepts of the underworld.
78. Pestilence
Pestilence relates to disease and death, representing the dark sides associated with the underworld.
79. Rusalka
Rusalka, in Slavic folklore, relates to spirits of water and death, linking directly to underworld themes.
80. Fatima
Fatima often represents light and purity but also carries themes of life and death, linking subtly to the underworld.
81. Letum
Letum refers to death and oblivion, directly connecting to the underworld.
82. Banshee
Banshee symbolizes an omen of death in Irish folklore, linking her name to the themes of the underworld.
83. Infernal
Infernal connotes deeper, darker themes of punishment in the afterlife, strongly relating to the underworld.
84. Apophis
Apophis is a serpent deity in Egyptian mythology representing chaos and death, linking strongly to the underworld.
85. Morosine
Morosine, derived from Moros, emphasizes the fate of death and his ties to the underworld.
86. Ghoul
Ghoul depicts an undead creature, often thought to haunt graves and symbolize life after death connected to the underworld.
87. Memento Mori
Memento Mori translates to ‘remember death,’ reinforcing connections to the underworld.
88. Embers
Embers relate to the remnants of something burned, signifying transformation and death leading into the underworld.
89. Gethsemane
Gethsemane is linked to themes of betrayal and death, intertwining its meaning with the essence of the underworld.
90. Khem
Khem is the Egyptian god associated with fertility and death, signifying connections to the underworld.
91. Trismegistus
Trismegistus embodies transformational wisdom from various realms, linking to the underworld and its mysteries.
92. Nyctophobia
Nyctophobia denotes fear of darkness, which can symbolize fear of the unknown and the connections to the underworld.
93. Merino
Merino may camouflage themes of death and survival associated with life after death, linking the name to underworld concepts.
94. Shadeaux
Shadeaux is a stylized form of Shade, representing the ghostly beings that embody the essence of the underworld.
95. Hypnos
Hypnos, the god of sleep in Greek mythology, symbolizes the transition between life and the dream realm, signifying connections to the underworld.
96. Obsidian
Obsidian, a type of volcanic glass, symbolizes transformations and the unknown, linking themes of death to the underworld.
97. Cimmerian
Cimmerian refers to dark and shadowy lands, representing a mystical approach to the underworld.
98. Remiel
Remiel, in various religious texts, symbolizes mercy associated with death, providing a bridge to the underworld.
99. Morbid
The name Morbid signifies death and decay, encapsulating a direct link to the underworld.
100. Erethor
Erethor indicates a long-gone memory, symbolizing the essence of lost souls within the underworld.
101. Bellum
Bellum translates to war in Latin, linking associations of death and the conflicts leading to the underworld.
102. Samiel
In folklore, Samiel often represents the spirit of the dead, linking to the themes surrounding the underworld.
103. Marcy
Marcy symbolizes a ‘martial’ impact and has indirect connections to battles leading to the dead, linking it to the underworld.
104. Rune
Ruins symbolize something forgotten or lost in time, connecting to the memories and spirits dwelling in the underworld.
105. Allethia
Allethia relates to the notion of truth, often connected to reflection on death and the underworld.
106. Chthonic
Chthonic refers to deities and spirits of the underworld. The name is directly tied to mythology and the afterlife.
107. Nyctis
Nyctis symbolizes darkness and night, strongly connecting to sacred mysteries of the underworld.
108. Arise
Arise denotes the act of coming into being or life after death, representing resurrection themes associated with the underworld.
109. Bhaal
Bhaal connects to various beliefs about underworld entities, emphasizing powerful aspects of death.
110. Grim
Grim signifies something dark and serious, indicating strong associations with death and the underworld.
111. Blackwood
Blackwood represents darkness found in the woods, linking to eerie and mystical elements related to the underworld.
112. Obscura
Obscura means ‘dark’ in Latin, connecting themes of darkness and mystery found within the underworld.
113. Ghostly
The term Ghostly signifies the essence of spirits and their ties to the underworld in various cultures.
114. Faux
Faux means false or fake, and metaphorically connects to ideas of illusion in relation to the underworld.
115. Cypher
Cypher represents coded messages, emphasizing hidden knowledge about life and death embedded in the underworld.
116. Thoth
Thoth is an Egyptian god associated with wisdom and writing, his name embodies the journey of souls in the underworld.
117. Veil
Veil represents the boundary between life and death, connecting mysteries with the underworld.
118. Lonesome
Lonesome evokes feelings of solitude and longing, tying themes of loss and separation often found in the underworld.
119. Duskwalker
Duskwalker symbolizes the entity that navigates at twilight, emphasizing the transitions between living days leading into the underworld.
120. Morbidezza
Morbidezza is an Italian word for morbidity, directly relating to death and the underworld.
121. Lacuna
Lacuna signifies something missing, symbolizing loss and ties to the memories associated with the underworld.
122. Stygian
Stygian references darkness and death connected to the River Styx, symbolizing the essence of the underworld.
123. Nocturne
Nocturne refers to music inspired by the night, connecting to themes endorsed within the underworld.
124. Maelstrom
Maelstrom signifies turbulent and chaotic waters, representing the struggles and journeys into the depths of the underworld.
125. Aether
Aether represents the pure essence emanating through life and death, symbolizing the connection with the underworld.
126. Shadeaux
Shadeaux is a mix of Shade and French influences, emphasizing ghostly ties to spirits that dwell within the underworld.
127. Niflheim
Niflheim, in Norse mythology, is a realm associated with cold and mist, symbolizing areas of the underworld.
128. Nirvana
Nirvana symbolizes liberation, connecting to themes of life after death and the spiritual journey within the underworld.
129. Gloom
The name Gloom represents despair and darkness connected to the themes found within the underworld.
130. Hecatomb
Hecatomb signifies a large sacrifice, often linking back to themes of death and reverence toward the underworld.
131. Mortuary
Mortuary directly denotes themes associated with death and the rituals performed for the deceased linked to the underworld.
132. Elysian
Elysian refers to a beautiful afterlife location for heroes, connecting a positive aspect to the underworld.
133. Yggdrasil
Yggdrasil relates to the world tree in Norse mythology, connecting different realms, including the underworld.
134. Void
Void represents emptiness after death, symbolically relating to the unseen aspects of the underworld.
135. Carcer
Carcer means prison in Latin, symbolizing the confinement associated with souls in the underworld.
136. Dusken
Dusken refers to dim light, directly linking with the themes of mystery found in the underworld.
137. Shroud
Shroud symbolizes the covering of a body after death, representing themes related to the underworld.
138. Sorrow
Sorrow signifies profound sadness, connecting to the themes of loss and grief associated with the underworld.
139. Phantasm
Phantasm represents a ghostly figure, directly linking to the spirits dwelling in the underworld.
140. Selene
Selene is the goddess of the moon, symbolizing the light that guides souls through the darkness of the underworld.
141. Phantasmagoria
Phantasmagoria signifies a sequence of real or imaginary images used to emphasize the fantastical aspects of the underworld.
142. Ember
Ember signifies a glowing fragment of burning matter, symbolizing life after death and the legacy left in the underworld.
143. Cacyreus
Cacyreus is a figure in Greek mythology associated with death, linking directly to themes of the underworld.
144. Aeneas
Aeneas represents the Trojan hero who traveled to the underworld, connecting themes of fate and destiny.
145. Forlorn
Forlorn signifies feeling abandoned or lost, symbolizing the essence of souls within the underworld.
146. Lost
Lost embodies the idea of disappearance and the spiritual journey often associated with the underworld.
147. Nebula
Nebula refers to a cloud of gas and dust in outer space but metaphorically connects to mystery surrounding the afterlife in the underworld.
148. Hadesian
Hadesian emphasizes connections to the god of the underworld, directly linking to themes of life, death, and the afterlife.
149. Cimmerian
Cimmerian symbolizes dark and shadowy areas, directly representing the unknown connected to the underworld.
150. Chthonic
Chthonic refers to deities of the underworld in Greek mythology, emphasizing the darkness and mystery associated with death.
Final Thoughts
Exploring names that evoke the underworld reveals a rich tapestry of meanings and stories that span across cultures. Each name carries its unique significance, connecting to deep themes of life, death, and transformation. Whether inspired by mythology or cultural beliefs, these names can enrich your characters or even your own identity in profound ways.
As you explore further, you might also consider looking into other intriguing names such as those that mean death or the undead. Each name has a story, inviting you to uncover more about its meaning.
Whether for writing, gaming, or personal inspiration, these names provide a doorway into the fascinating world of the underworld and beyond. Dive deeper into this enchanting realm!