Dark Elegance Meets Wild West With These ‘Western Gothic’ Baby Names

Zeb

Who says a Western Gothic name needs to be long and elaborate? If you want it to be a nickname for a longer name, Zeb is most often seen as a nickname for Zebulon (meaning “exalted house”) — but its sharp sounds at the beginning and end make it a punchy standalone name too. Per the U.S. Social Security Administration’s data, Zeb hit the top 1000 most popular names at the turn of the century, peaking in 1903 at #695.

Desdemona

If you’re looking for a Western Gothic baby name that’s heavy on the “gothic,” look no further than Desdemona: this elegant and refined-sounding name comes from the Greek word dysdaimon, meaning “ill-fated.”

Dorian

Dorian is a traditionally-male name that likely comes from the Dorian tribe of ancient Greece, who are said to have conquered the Peloponnese and invented the iron slashing sword. The name was used in the supernatural novel The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, about a man who stayed young while his portrait aged — a dark and cautionary tale about the dangers of vanity and the importance of living a life guided by moral principles.

Ophelia

The name Ophelia comes from the Greek opheleia, meaning “advantage” or “help”. Ophelia is a tragically beautiful central character in Shakespeare’s Hamlet. If the full name isn’t your Ophelia’s vibe, you could shorten it to a cute nickname like Ophie or Phee.

Victor

The meaning of the name Victor isn’t hard to guess, since it’s a literal word meaning “winner” or “conquerer”. Its gothic ties come from Victor Frankenstein, the protagonist of Mary Shelley’s gothic novel Frankenstein. His name suggests ambition, obsession, and the crossing of boundaries, all themes prevalent in gothic literature.

Lenore

A short form of Eleanor, which is said to have come from the 12th-century queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, who was named Aenor at birth, after her mother — but the Occitan people called her alia Aenor, “the other Aenor”, to distinguish the two. Both Eleanor and Lenore were popular names at the turn of the 20th century, and Lenore is the name of the narrator’s departed love interest in Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven. An alternative is Eleonore, which is also the name of a Poe character!

Shiloh

Once used exclusively as a male name, Shiloh is now a perfect example of a unisex baby name choice. The name, of Hebrew origin and meaning “tranquil”, gained popularity in the 19th century, overlapping with the era of Western expansion. It’s the name of a famous Civil War battle, and the name of a fictional Wyoming ranch in The Virginian, one of the longest-running television Westerns. 

Phineas

With ancient Hebrew roots, Phineas is said to mean “serpent’s mouth” — which adds deliciously to its darkness factor. Like Lenore, it’s also the name of a character in Edgar Allan Poe’s writings.

Cordelia

Firmly in the top 400 most popular baby names at the turn of the 20th century, Cordelia has a Victorian vibe — but its use is much older. It’s said that the name comes from Creidylat, a beautiful female character in an ancient Welsh legend. And Criedylat is said to be derived from two Middle Welsh elements: crau, meaning “blood”, and dylad, meaning “flood”.

Malachi

From the Hebrew mal’akh, meaning “messenger”, Malachi was an Old Testament character who foretold the coming of Christ. But though Biblical baby names have always been popular, Malachi’s boost in popularity may have come from a surprisingly darker source: horror master Stephen King, who gave the name to a central figure in his short-story-turned-motion-picture The Children of the Corn in the 1980s.

Genevieve

Another vintage pick (with an unknown meaning), Genevieve has a soft and feminine-sounding vibe — but don’t let the softness fool you. Saint Geneviève is the patron saint of Paris, credited with successfully encouraging the city to hold fast in the face of the 5th century invasion of the Huns. It can be pronounced the French way, zhan vee ehv, or the more Americanized jenna-veev. And it has the potential for some very cute nicknames, lest your little Genevieve not fit the Western Gothic aesthetic, like Gen, Viv, and Evie.

Thorn

This word name can perfectly encapsulate that Western Gothic vibe. Thorns are a natural element of the rugged Western landscape, symbolizing resilience and survival in a harsh environment. They can also be seen as a beautiful, albeit dangerous, form of decay. This aligns with the gothic appreciation for crumbling beauty and the elegance of the macabre.

Delilah

This beguiling beauty of a name means “to weaken” and is associated with the Biblical temptress who betrays Samson by cutting his hair. But even despite that association, it’s still in the top 60 most popular baby names, per the U.S. Social Security Administration!

Cain

In the Bible, Cain was the first son of Adam and Eve — and the first murderer, having killed his brother Abel. He was then banished to become a wanderer, which evokes the same sense as the lone cowboy riding the desolate plains. Which makes Cain a perfect Western Gothic baby name!

Vesper

Meaning “evening”, Vesper is the name of the personification of the evening star in Greek mythology. Its twilight connotations evoke a sense of mystery and the solitude of a lone rider on the Western plains. It’s a unisex name, but it was used as a female name in the James Bond novel (and film adaptations) Casino Royale.

Remington

Remington is a transferred surname — meaning a last name that came into use as a first. Sources say it’s a place name, indicating someone from a settlement by the Riming Stream. Its surname characteristics (mainly the ‘-ton’ ending) give it an upper-crust feel, but it’s also the name of Eliphalet Remington, who created one of the most frequently-used revolvers in the Old West.

Scarlett

When we think of Scarlett, we tend to think of Scarlett O’Hara — the main character in Gone With the Wind, which was set in the 1860s and ’70s. But we also think of the color scarlet, which is a bold and deep blood-red — and then there’s the association with the phrase “scarlet letter,” which means a scandalous misdeed. Combine all of those, and you’ve got the perfect Western Gothic name!

Silas

The roots of the name Silas are literally roots — it’s from the Latin silva, meaning “forest”. It’s a popular turn-of-the-century favorite that, like many of its counterparts, is getting another run of popularity thanks to the Hundred-Year Rule — a pattern in which popular names fall out of vogue and then become “in” again almost exactly 100 years later.

Eudora

A popular name at the turn of the 20th century, Eudora is once again appearing on people’s radars as the vintage craze heats up. Of Greek origin and meaning “good gift”, it has the option of cute nicknames like Dory and Eudie if Eudora is a little too formal-sounding.

Daemon

An alternative spelling to regular old Damon — which means “to tame” — Daemon gives a bit more of a Goth edge to this Western Gothic baby name. The name has a rugged feel to begin with, and the spelling “darkens” it just enough.

Minerva

Minerva means “wise”; in Roman mythology, she was the goddess of war and wisdom (the goddess Athena is her Greek counterpart). The name isn’t one you hear everywhere, but it ranked among the top 1000 most popular girl names from the 1880s to the 1970s. And its dark, dramatic vibe is bolstered by the magical wizard Professor Minerva McGonagall in Harry Potter.

Deacon

The word “deacon” means someone who serves in the Christian church; it’s derived from the Greek word diakonos, meaning “servant.” It’s not uncommon for goth names to tie in closely to religion. The name Deacon also has a simple, almost stern feel to it. This kind of name was common during the settlement of the American West, as many settlers came from religious backgrounds and chose biblical names for their children. Additionally, there was a real-life outlaw named James Brown Miller, who was known by the alias “Deacon Jim” due to his seemingly devout habits — he attended church regularly and didn’t drink or smoke, in a stark contrast to the typical rough-and-tumble image of an outlaw.

Lucretia

From the Latin lucrum, meaning “wealth”, Lucretia has an air of Victorian sophistication — which is no wonder, considering it was in the top 300 most popular girl names as far back as 1880, when the U.S. Social Security Administration began keeping track. It has a Goth vibe thanks to a couple things: the tragic story of the Roman maiden Lucretia, and the 1985 song “Lucretia My Reflection” by The Sisters of Mercy. And its cute nickname, Lucy, brings to mind a girl who’s not afraid to get her hands dirty, making it the perfect Western Gothic baby name.

Esau

In the Old Testament, Esau was one of twin sons born to Isaac and Rebecca. Esau’s biblical portrayal as a skilled hunter and outdoorsman translates well to the Western context — the name evokes images of a person who’s rugged and at home in the harsh frontier, adept at survival and unafraid of hardship. And to appeal to the gothic part of Western Gothic, Esau’s character arc in the Bible is rather tragic, tinged with a simmering resentment between him and his twin, Jacob. One caveat: the meaning. It comes from the Hebrew עֵשָׂו, meaning “hairy” — but don’t worry, there are a lot of great names with less-than-desirable meanings.

Emmeline

Emmeline comes from the German root word amal, meaning “hardworking, industrious, unceasing” — and if that’s not an Old West trait, we don’t know what is. It evokes an image of a woman with tenacity and grit, but at the same time, it has an elegant edge. The similar Emeline, with one M, was within the top 1000 most popular names for at least a decade at the turn of the 20th century.

Cassian

The name Cassian is ancient, rooted in the Latin cassus, meaning “vain”. Handsome cowboy? Check. Old West-y sounding nickname Cash? Check. Rebel vibe thanks to Star Wars’ Cassian Andor? Check. Gothy association with tragic saints, including a 3rd-century martyr and a 5th-century mystic? Check.

Prudence

Prudence is a virtue name meaning — you guessed it — prudent, which itself means cautious and rational. The name suggests someone with a measured approach to danger, calculating their moves and taking precautions against the challenges of the frontier. And in modern times, it’s often associated with the witchy vibe of Prudence “Prue” Halliwell — one of the three witch sisters in the hit TV series Charmed.

Ira

Ira means “watchful”, suggesting a vigilant type navigating the dangers of the frontier — the self-reliant loner, always alert and ready to face challenges. But it could also be short for the Latin iratus, which is where we get the modern words “ire” and “irate”, which lends a certain darkness to the name.

Evangeline

At the turn of the 20th century, Evangeline was in the top 400 most popular names for girls, giving it a vintage flavor. But a stronger-sounding nickname like Vangie or Ev give it an edge. And of course, you can’t spell Evangeline without both “evil” and “angel” … which lends the undeniably dark flair that gothic fans are looking for.

Ezekiel

Ezekiel comes from the harder-to-pronounce Hebrew name Yechezqel, meaning “God will strengthen”. Where Ezekiel has the same feel as “gothier” names like Azriel, the nickname Zeke naturally evokes images of weathered cowboys and the rough-and-tumble nature of frontier life.

Isadora

The name Isadora, meaning “gift of Isis,” was at its most popular at the turn of the 20th century. Its sound fits right in with other Western Gothic-sounding names like Cordelia and Lenore.

Gideon

Gideon, a name with Hebrew roots meaning “hewer,” has a strong and imposing sound — and aligns with the biblical names that were popular in the American West.

Ginevra

Ginevra is the Italian version of the name Guinevere — which has possibly one of the coolest meanings ever: “white phantom.” It has an old-fashioned sound similar to Geneva or Genevieve, both of which were popular at the turn of the century. 

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