Nickname help!
We want to name our baby Penelope but we can’t decide on a nickname? Help!
Check out these baby names that mean night or are related to night or the night sky.
Our list also includes the origins and their meanings.
What does the nighttime conjure for you?
Mystery and magic, starry skies, and the phases of the moon?
How about dreams and mythical beings?
There are many reasons to consider a name that means night.
Whether you’re drawn to night skies or you want your brand-new baby’s name to reflect their nighttime birth, night names have so much to offer.
Let’s dive into our list of enchanting nocturnal names.
In this article: 📝
- What is a name that means night?
- What is a girl name that means night?
- What is a boy name that means night?
- What are gender-neutral names that mean night or darkness?
- What Greek name means night?
- What are names that mean midnight?
- What names mean twilight?
What is a name that means night?
Names that mean nighttime are common all over the world.
Our list features names from places as far-flung as Japan, Turkey, India, Hawaii, Polynesia, and different parts of Africa.
There are also a few options inspired by the mythology of the ancient world.
While many of the names on our list refer to the nighttime, others are related to the night sky.
There is a variety of astral names that talk about the stars and moon, names about flowers that bloom at night, and names that speak of the night rain.
Navigating the night reveals so much possibility when it comes to naming your little one.
What is a girl name that means night?
- Ajambo: (African, Luo) Ajambo means “born at night.”
- Amaris: (Spanish) Meaning “child of the moon”
- Amaya: (Japanese) This name, which means “night rain,” has been increasing in popularity in recent years. Amaya shortens to the sweet Maya.
- Ankareeda: (Indian) A name you’re not likely to hear often, Ankareeda is an Indian name meaning “night star.”
- Anniki: (Finnish) The name of the goddess of the night in Finnish mythology, Anniki is often shortened to Nikki.
- Artemis: (Ancient Greek) One of the most-loved Greek deities, Artemis is the goddess of the hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, nature, vegetation, childbirth, the moon, and chastity.
- Asra: (Arabic) This name, which means “travels at night,” can also be spelled with an “I”: Isra.
- Astra: (Greek) Meaning “star”.
- Aylin: (Turkish) This name refers to the halo around the moon.
- Bellatrix: Any Harry Potter fans out there? You might associate this with the wild and powerful witch Bellatrix Lestrange. Bellatrix is one of the stars in the Orion constellation.
- Celeste: (Latin) Meaning “heavenly.”
- Ciara: (Irish) This Gaelic name means “night.”
- Cynthia: (Greek) Cynthia is another name for the moon goddess Artemis in Greek mythology.
- Danica: (Slavic) This Slavic-origin name means “morning star.”
- Deva: (Hindi) A Hindi moon goddess, Deva also means “divine” and “godlike.”
- Diana: (Latin) Belonging to the much-loved Princess Diana, this girls’ name refers to a Roman goddess associated with hunting and virginity and, in later literature, the moon.
- Estelle: (French) Estelle means “star,” and is often shortened to Stella or Elle.
- Esther: (Hebrew) A Biblical name, Esther also means “star.”
- Hesper: (Ancient Greek) Another star name, Hesper means “evening star.”
- Ilta: (Finnish) Meaning “night”
- Jaci: (Native American) Meaning “moon”
- Jemisha: (Sanskrit) A powerful name, Jemisha means “queen of the midnight darkness.”
- Layla: (Arabic) An Arabic name that has long been popular in English, Layla can also be spelled Leila or Laila. It means “night” and originally comes from the Persian and Arabic story of Layla and Majnun.
- Luna: (Ancient Roman) Luna is the Roman goddess of the moon, and a popular girls’ name — with good reason. It’s lyrical and gentle while still boasting a snappy two-syllable sound.
- Lyra: (Ancient Greek) Ed Sheeran recently named his baby girl Lyra, which is bound to give it a popularity boost. It refers to a constellation that is named after the lyre of Orpheus.
- Liviana: (Hebrew) A popular Hebrew name, Livinia means “white moon.”
- Lulana: (African) Lulana means “shining moon.”
- Koko: (Native American) A short and punchy name, Koko means “night.”
- Miyako: (Japanese) Depending on the kanji used, Japanese names can have different meanings. If spelled with a certain way, Miyako means “beautiful night child.”
- Nisa: (Arabic) This name has Arabic and Hebrew origins and means “night.”
- Nisha: (Sanskrit) A Sanskrit name, Nisha means “night.”
- Nova: (Latin) Nova is an astrological term that refers to a star that increases in brightness and then fades. It also means “new.”
- Nyx: (Greek) A Greek name that means “night,” Nyx looks and sounds like a snazzy, modern name. Its male version is Nox.
- Ratree: (Thai) Ratree refers to night jasmine.
- Rhiannon: (Welsh) Rhiannon is the goddess of the moon in Welsh mythology.
- Selena: (Greek) A variant name for the moon goddess Artemis
- Shirina: (Hindi) An Indian name, Shirina means “night.”
- Yvaine: (Scottish) A traditional Scottish name, Yvaine means “evening star.”
What is a boy name that means night?
- Aibek: (Turkish) Aibek means “master of the moon.”
- Altair: (Arabic) This name means “falcon” and also refers to the eleventh brightest star in the sky.
- Budde: (African, Ganda) Meaning “night”
- Chandra: (Indian) This name refers to the moon god in Hindu mythology.
- Ciaran: (Irish Gaelic) Ciaran means “dark,” which could be perfect for your dark-haired, born-at-night baby boy.
- Darcel: (French) Meaning “dark”
- Gau: (Basque) Meaning “night”
- Hoku: (Hawaiian) This name refers to the full moon.
- Izar: (Basque) Izar means “star”
- Jiemba: (Wiradjuri) Jiemba refers to the laughing star, which is another name for Venus.
- Luan: (Portuguese) This Portuguese name means “moon.”
- Mani: (Old Norse) Mani means “moon.” It refers to Máni, the god of the moon in Old Norse mythology, and the brother of Sól, the goddess of the sun.
- Namid: (Ojibwa) This Native American name means “star dancer.”
- Nash: (English) Nash refers to a star in the constellation Sagittarius.
- Nishant: (Sanskrit) This name points to the hours before dawn, it means “end of night.”
- Orion: (Ancient Greek) Orion is one of the most popular night names for boys right now. It refers to one of the brightest constellations in the sky, which is named after Orion, the huntsman in Greek mythology.
- Orpheus: (Ancient Greek) A name many will associate with Laurence Fishburne’s character in the enormously popular Matrix series, Orpheus means the “darkness of night.”
- Otieno: (African) Otieno means “born at night.” It’s common among the Luo people of Kenya and Tanzania.
- Ponui: (Tahitian, Polynesian) Ponui means “the great night.”
- Qamar: (Arabic) Meaning “moon”
- Rajnish: (Sanskrit) Meaning “the lord of the night,” which is what the moon is called in Hindi.
- Raka: (Sanskrit) A Sanskrit name, Raka means “full moon.”
- Samir: (Arabic) A gentle name with a beautiful meaning, Samir is an Arabic name that means “a friend to talk with in the evening.”
- Sterling: (Old English) Sterling means “little star.”
- Tarek: (Arabic) This Arabic name means “morning star.”
- Tynan: (Irish) In Gaelic, Tynan means “dark.”
- Yiska: (Native American, Navajo) Another reference to the start of a new day, YIska means “night is over.”
What are gender-neutral names that mean night or darkness?
- Arrats: (Basque) A gender-neutral name, Arrats means “dusk.”
- Blake: (Old English) This name means “dark.”
- Hunapo: (Maori) This Polynesian name, which means “hidden darkness,” can be used for both girls and boys.
- Nadir: (Arabic) Nadir refers to the sun’s lowest point, which is also called solar midnight.
- Samar: (Arabic) This name means “evening conversation.”
- Vesper: (Latin) Vesper means “evening,” and while a James Bond character made it common among girls, it’s actually a gender-neutral name.
What Greek name means night?
Looking for Greek names in particular?
What about Luna or Nyx for a girl? Or Artemis and its related names, Cynthia and Selena?
And if you’re looking for Greek boys’ names that are associated with the night, Orion and Nox are great options.
What are names that mean midnight?
- Aumoe: Meaning “midnight” in Hawaiian.
- Jajeong: Meaning “midnight” in Korean.
- Kesariya: Meaning “midnight blue” in Hindi.
- Mesnata: Meaning “midnight” in Albanian.
- Mesánychta: Meaning “midnight” in Greek.
- Midnight: Why not?
- Minuit: Meaning “midnight” in French.
- Noktomezo: Meaning “midnight” in Esperanto.
- Wǔyè: Meaning “midnight” in Chinese.
- Yonaka: Meaning “midnight” in Japanese.
What names mean twilight?
- Cyfnos: Meaning “twilight” in Welsh.
- Feasgar: Meaning “twilight” in Scottish Gaelic.
- Iltahämärä: Meaning “twilight” in Finnish.
- Jioni: Meaning “twilight” in Swahili.
- Kaulaula: Meaning “twilight” in Hawaiian.
- Senja: Meaning “twilight” in Indonesian.
- Sumrak: Meaning “twilight” in Croatian.
- Towairaito: Meaning “twilight” in Japanese.
- Twilight: For a baby born at dusk.
- Twyla: (American) Schitt’s Creek fans will know this one. Twyla is a modern name that means “twilight.”
- Ụyọkọ: Meaning “twilight” in Igbo.
And there you have it, mama-to-be!
The ultimate list of baby names that mean night or are associated with the dark and mysterious beauty of the night sky.
These nocturnal names will surely add a touch of enchantment and intrigue to your babe’s life.
So, if you’re a night owl, a lover of stargazing, or simply in search of a unique and meaningful name for your little bundle of joy, we know you’ll find the perfect moniker among these names that mean night!
Whether you opt for a name meaning night like Layla or a name that means night sky like Orion, you’re sure to find the perfect name that captures the magic of the night.
Until next time, try not to stay up late during your baby name search!
(And if you want a second, third, or fourth opinion, why not ask our other moms-to-be on Peanut? You might even find your Bump Buddy!)