Shadow Name Generator

Names for shades, shadow beings and dusk-touched characters

FantasyPart of: fantasy name generators500 names

0 of 500 seen

This or that?

7 picks, 1 winner

Tap the name you like more.

Tap a name to copy it. The arrows swap one name.

Or browse all 500 names, A to Z

Generate shadow names for fantasy fiction and games: whispery names for shades and shadow creatures, words for shadow from twenty languages, titles like She Who Walks Behind, shadow-touched character names such as Corvin Duskmere, and umbral dragons, orders and realms.

About shadow names

Shadow names sound different from void or demon names because a shadow is quiet. The convincing ones lean on sibilants, soft th and sh, and liquid l and r: Vhessa, Sylth, Nyrrhen, Ssathiel, Ythrae. They slip rather than strike, the way a shade moves along a wall. Writers and game designers reinforce that with the vocabulary of half-light: umbra and penumbra, gloaming and dusk, murk and vesper, all of which make good names in their own right or strong building blocks for compounds like Duskmere, Gloamwood and Shadewraith.

The second great source is language itself. Latin umbra, Spanish sombra, Italian ombra, German Schatten, Old Norse skuggi, Finnish varjo, Japanese kage, Hindi chhaya, Hebrew tsel, Arabic zill and Greek skia all mean shadow, and each carries a different texture. Mythology adds personified darkness: Nyx and Erebus, Achlys and Melinoe, Nott, Ratri, Kek and Kauket, Tezcatlipoca the smoking mirror. These work for shadow gods, ancient shades and anyone who wants a name that literally means what the character is.

For shadow-touched people who still need a name a party can say, pair an ordinary first name with a dusk-flavored surname, and for beings too old for names use a title built on following, hiding or the absence of light: She Who Walks Behind, The Thing Beneath the Lamp, Thief of Noon.

How to choose shadow names

  • Keep shadow names whispery: favor s, sh, th, v and l over hard k and x, which push a name toward void or demon territory.
  • Use a real word for shadow (Umbra, Sombra, Kage, Skia, Varjo) when you want the meaning to be legible; use a constructed name like Vhessa or Ythrae when you want mystery.
  • Titles should describe behavior, not just darkness: following, lengthening at dusk, living in corners, eating lamplight. She Who Walks Behind is scarier than The Dark One.
  • For a playable shadow-touched character, keep the given name human (Corvin, Selene, Maren) and put the shadow in the surname so the name still works at the tavern table.
  • If you are naming a whole species of shadow creatures, pick one sound family and one naming habit, for example -ling diminutives for minor shades and long titles for their elders.

Frequently asked questions

What names mean shadow?

Umbra (Latin), Sombra (Spanish), Ombra (Italian), Schatten (German), Skuggi (Old Norse), Varjo (Finnish), Kage (Japanese), Ying (Chinese), Chhaya and Saya (Hindi and Persian), Tsel (Hebrew), Zill (Arabic) and Skia (Greek) all mean shadow. Penumbra and Antumbra name the partial shadows of an eclipse, and Vesper, Gloaming and Dusk name the shadowed hours of the day.

What is a good name for a shadow creature or shade?

Short sibilant names such as Sylth, Vhessa, Shaeth, Ossryn or Nyrrhen suit individual shades and shadow stalkers; compound names like Shadewraith, Inkwraith and Mothshade work for species; and diminutives ending in -ling (Shadeling, Duskling, Darkling) fit small or swarming shadows.

Who are the shadow gods in mythology?

Nyx and Erebus are the Greek night and darkness, with Achlys as the death-mist and Melinoe as the ghost-bringer. Nott is the Norse night, Ratri the Vedic night, Kek and Kauket the Egyptian primordial darkness, and Tezcatlipoca the Aztec smoking mirror. Hecate, Chernobog, Ahriman and Erlik are often used in fiction for shadow-aligned deities.

How is a shadow name different from a void or dark name?

Shadow names are quiet and attached to light: they imply a lamp, a sun or a body casting them, so they use soft sounds and words like dusk, gloaming and silhouette. Void names are about total absence and favor harsh consonants and negation; dark or demonic names are about evil and menace. A shadow can be gentle or eerie without being either.

Related generators

More like this

Browse category

All 500 shadow names

This is the complete list the generator above draws its random batches from, sorted A to Z and grouped by first letter.

Plain text, one name per line.

A: 24 names

  • Achlys
  • Achlyssa
  • Achlysse
  • Aeshyl
  • Ahriman
  • Ahrimane
  • Alaric Ravenhollow
  • Aldous Dimmerick
  • Amranth
  • Anino
  • Annis Gloamsley
  • Ansel Shadowcombe
  • Antumbra
  • Antumbrix
  • Anwen Dusklaw
  • Apep
  • Apephis
  • Arnyek
  • Ashgrave
  • Ashkaleth
  • Ashvelle
  • Ashwisp
  • Atarangi
  • Aurelio Sombra

B: 9 names

  • Bastian Duskfall
  • Bayang
  • Beatrix Umbermoor
  • Blackmere
  • Bram Unlitten
  • Breath of the Snuffed Wick
  • Bride of the Black Candle
  • Brisa Umbrell
  • Brotherhood of the Unlit

C: 21 names

  • Caedryl
  • Caelan Greylumen
  • Caelshade
  • Caius Lowlantern
  • Calla Murkhaven
  • Caspian Dimhall
  • Cassius Darkhollow
  • Chernobog
  • Chhaya
  • Chhayal
  • Chhayana
  • Children of Penumbra
  • Cien
  • Cienna
  • Cinderveil
  • Clemency Murkstone
  • Cordelia Dimwell
  • Corvin Duskmere
  • Crowshade
  • Cult of the Quiet Wound
  • Cysgod

D: 23 names

  • Dagny Skugga
  • Darkhollow
  • Darkling
  • Delphine Obscure
  • Dimhall
  • Dimlumen
  • Dimrael
  • Dorian Lowlight
  • Draumir
  • Dravenne
  • Drinker of Lanterns
  • Dusk
  • Dusk Archon
  • Duskara
  • Dusken
  • Duskin
  • Duskling
  • Duskmere
  • Duskoryn
  • Duskrath
  • Duskwick
  • Duskwing
  • Dworra

E: 24 names

  • Eamon Gloamheart
  • Eater of Light
  • Echo of the Eclipse
  • Eclipsa
  • Eclipse
  • Eclipsion
  • Elara Umbervale
  • Elspeth Grimshade
  • Embershadow
  • Emrys Dimsby
  • Erebane
  • Erebessa
  • Ereboth
  • Erebrax
  • Erebus
  • Erlik
  • Eshrae
  • Ethelwisp
  • Ethrisse
  • Evander Sunless
  • Evenfall
  • Evenshade
  • Eventail
  • Eventide

F: 4 names

  • Faelumbra
  • Fenwick Shadowmere
  • Ferris Nightlowe
  • Fitzgerald Murkhall

G: 13 names

  • Ghessalyn
  • Gideon Greyveil
  • Gloam
  • Gloaming
  • Gloamrath
  • Gloamwood
  • Gloamyn
  • Gloamyr
  • Golge
  • Greylumen
  • Greyshade
  • Greyveil
  • Guest of the Guttering Flame

H: 18 names

  • Hadrian Vespertine
  • Halflumen
  • Halfshade
  • Hallowyn
  • Hana Kagemori
  • Hathrynne
  • He Who Follows at Noon
  • He Who Lives in Corners
  • Hecate
  • Hel
  • Hela
  • Helryn
  • Hester Gloamspire
  • Hije
  • Hijen
  • Hollis Umberly
  • Hugo Lampless
  • Hushara

I: 14 names

  • Idris Shadefell
  • Ilario Ombra
  • Ilse Lanternless
  • Ilvesh
  • Imogen Shadewell
  • Inkling
  • Inkshade
  • Inkwraith
  • Iriveth
  • Ishkar
  • Isithunzi
  • Isolde Nightwell
  • Ivaleth
  • Ivrasque

J: 1 name

  • Jory Halflight

K: 19 names

  • Kage
  • Kageboshi
  • Kagehime
  • Kagemaru
  • Kagero
  • Kagetora
  • Kagetsuki
  • Kauket
  • Kauketra
  • Keeper of Lost Silhouettes
  • Keeper of the Eclipse
  • Keepers of the Cast
  • Kek
  • Keket
  • Kester Palewater
  • Ketu
  • Khessrin
  • Kivuli
  • Kuragari

L: 19 names

  • Lady of the Half-Light
  • Lanternless
  • Last Shape Before Night
  • Lazarus Nightgale
  • Leoric Blackveil
  • Lettice Nightwarren
  • Lhoth
  • Liriel Blackmere
  • Lissyr
  • Llanthu
  • Loomvane
  • Lorcan Shadowleigh
  • Lord of the Long Shadows
  • Lorvessa
  • Lowlight
  • Lucan Greyshade
  • Lucius Noctilune
  • Lunumbra
  • Lysandra Nox

M: 23 names

  • Maren Shadebrook
  • Marisol Penumbre
  • Marroweth
  • Melinoe
  • Melinora
  • Mirabel Nightshade
  • Mirquell
  • Mirren Halflumen
  • Mistress of the Umbral Court
  • Moonless
  • Moonshade
  • Moonshadow
  • Morvessa
  • Morwen Hollowlight
  • Mother of Moths
  • Mothshade
  • Mothwraith
  • Murk
  • Murkessa
  • Murkhail
  • Murkoth
  • Murkwater
  • Myrrhil

N: 32 names

  • Naelith
  • Nerys Sablewood
  • Nessaveth
  • Ngao
  • Nightfall
  • Nightshade
  • Nightveiled
  • Nightwell
  • Nimbrel
  • Noctavia
  • Nocthelion
  • Nocthryl
  • Noctiel
  • Noctilune
  • Noctis
  • Noctivar
  • Nocturion
  • Nocturna
  • Nocturne
  • Noonshade
  • Nott
  • Nottara
  • Nox
  • Noxaria
  • Noxxar
  • Nyctaroth
  • Nyctessa
  • Nyrrhen
  • Nyssathar
  • Nyx
  • Nyxara
  • Nyxazar

O: 18 names

  • Obscura
  • Obscurine
  • Odette Halfmoon
  • Ombra
  • Ombreline
  • Ombrelle
  • Ombrien
  • Ombro
  • Ophelia Duskara
  • Order of the Long Shadow
  • Oriel Nightcross
  • Orrin Shadowend
  • Orrish
  • Orrsyl
  • Oshenvail
  • Oskyrr
  • Ossryn
  • Oswin Duskbourne

P: 8 names

  • Pale Behind the Curtain
  • Pellucis
  • Penumbra
  • Penumbral
  • Penumbriel
  • Percival Nightmoor
  • Pilgrims of the Eclipse
  • Prince of the Unlit Hour

Q: 3 names

  • Queen of the Moonless Road
  • Quessyl
  • Quoryss

R: 12 names

  • Rahu
  • Ratri
  • Ravenhollow
  • Ravenshade
  • Ravesh
  • Renji Kagehara
  • Rhaskell
  • Rhoswen Evenshade
  • Ronan Duskhallow
  • Rook Vesperlyn
  • Rowena Ashveil
  • Rupert Dimshaw

S: 88 names

  • Sabine Duskwick
  • Sable
  • Sablewood
  • Saethric
  • Saya
  • Sayeh
  • Sayeth
  • Scáil
  • Scath
  • Scathach
  • Sceadu
  • Schaduw
  • Schatten
  • Schattyn
  • Selene Ashgrave
  • Senka
  • Seraphine Darkwater
  • Šešėlis
  • Sethryn
  • Seviath
  • Shade
  • Shadebrook
  • Shadecaller
  • Shadekin
  • Shadeling
  • Shademoth
  • Shadewalker
  • Shadewraith
  • Shadowend
  • Shadowgrave
  • Shadowhusk
  • Shadowmaw
  • Shadowmere
  • Shadowthorn
  • Shadowveil
  • Shadrael
  • Shadrazar
  • Shadrine
  • Shaedra
  • Shaeth
  • Shape Without Owner
  • Shayde
  • She Who Is Longest at Evening
  • She Who Walks Behind

S, continued

  • Shepherd of Shades
  • Shessa
  • Sibyl Lowmoor
  • Silas Nightveil
  • Silhouetta
  • Silhouette
  • Sister of the Sundial
  • Sisters of the Second Self
  • Sivrane
  • Sjena
  • Skadus
  • Skeud
  • Skeus
  • Skia
  • Skiara
  • Skiaryn
  • Skiathor
  • Skiavel
  • Skotia
  • Skotos
  • Skugga
  • Skuggi
  • Skygge
  • Skymning
  • Smokeshade
  • Society of Silhouettes
  • Solumbra
  • Sombra
  • Sombrael
  • Sombraxis
  • Sombriel
  • Sombrine
  • Sombrith
  • Sootwisp
  • Sora Kageno
  • Sovereign of Snuffed Candles
  • Ssathiel
  • Stealer of Outlines
  • Stin
  • Sunless
  • Sussurah
  • Sylth
  • Sylvesh
  • Syrrah

T: 68 names

  • Takeshi Kagetsu
  • Tamas
  • Tamasi
  • Tamasyn
  • Tamsin Halfshade
  • Tenant of the Blind Spot
  • Tenebrae
  • Tenebrax
  • Tenebrielle
  • Tenebrine
  • Tenebrion
  • Tenebris
  • Tessamir
  • Tezcatlipoca
  • Thalessine
  • The Cast of No Light
  • The Dark Behind the Door
  • The Dark the Moon Casts
  • The Dimming
  • The Dimming Hall
  • The Dusk Courier
  • The Dusk Ledger
  • The Eclipse Made Flesh
  • The Gloaming Court
  • The Gloaming King
  • The Half-Light Circle
  • The Hand That Dims the Hall
  • The Hollow Twin
  • The Hour Without Sun
  • The Hushed Hand
  • The Hushed One
  • The Ink That Moves
  • The Lamp Eater
  • The Lampsnuffers

T, continued

  • The Lanternless
  • The Lightless Pilgrim
  • The Long Shape at Dusk
  • The Moonless Company
  • The Murmuring Dark
  • The Nightfall Herald
  • The Nine O'Clock Stranger
  • The Patient Dark
  • The Quiet Wound
  • The Second Self
  • The Second Silhouette
  • The Shade That Remembers
  • The Shadefold
  • The Shape Under the Stair
  • The Silhouette That Stayed
  • The Snuffed Wick
  • The Step That Makes No Sound
  • The Tall Unlit
  • The Thing Beneath the Lamp
  • The Unlit Door
  • The Unlit Half
  • The Unseen Footman
  • The Walker Between Lamps
  • Thea Gloamsworth
  • Theron Gloamwood
  • Thessyl
  • Thief of Noon
  • Tirvesh
  • Tobiah Shadowell
  • Tobias Eveningfall
  • Tobin Shadrael
  • Tsel
  • Tselith
  • Twilyte

U: 16 names

  • Ulthaire
  • Ulveth
  • Umbervale
  • Umbra
  • Umbracy
  • Umbrael
  • Umbrakin
  • Umbrakoth
  • Umbral Choir
  • Umbral Matron
  • Umbranox
  • Umbraveil
  • Umbrazar
  • Umbriel
  • Umbrix
  • Umbrynne

V: 18 names

  • Vaelshar
  • Varjo
  • Varjoth
  • Vashti Umbrynne
  • Velloquin
  • Velshade
  • Verity Nightborne
  • Vesk
  • Vesper
  • Vespera
  • Vesperax
  • Vesperine
  • Vesperlyn
  • Vespertine
  • Vhessa
  • Vivienne Sableveil
  • Vollis
  • Vrennith

W: 10 names

  • Warden of the Gloaming
  • Wardens of the Gloam
  • Weaver of Dusk
  • What the Candle Hides
  • Whisper of the Lantern
  • Whisperyn
  • Widow of the Sun
  • Wilhelmina Duskridge
  • Wisp
  • Wren Moonless

Y: 12 names

  • Yami
  • Yamiko
  • Ying
  • Yinglong
  • Yingmei
  • Yingyue
  • Yingzi
  • Ysolde Murkwater
  • Ysvara
  • Ythrae
  • Yuki Kageyama
  • Yvesh

Z: 3 names

  • Zhaesa
  • Zill
  • Zillah