Magical Baby Names: Meanings & Origins

Life with a new baby is a magical adventure and choosing the perfect name can feel magical, too, if only you could narrow down the choices. (Oh, and get everyone else on board with your picks.)

Are you looking for a name that is both strong and mysterious? Or what about something fantastical or quirky? Perhaps you'd like to capture some whimsy with the names of mythical creatures, mystical flowers, or energy-giving gemstones.

For some baby name inspiration, we turned to the tales of folklore and mythology, nature and pop-culture. From your favorite witches and wizards, warlocks and dragons, to present-day illusionists and magicians of the past, there are so many wondrous and enchanting names to choose from.

The following 50 names have been selected for their magical roots and meanings. Perhaps you'll find the perfect name for your baby, here. (And, who knows, maybe everyone else will magically concur.)

Popular Magical Baby Names for Girls

See below for some magical baby names for girls along with their meanings, origins, and other interesting information.

Magical Names

Calypso
Daenerys
Delilah
Faye
Hermione
Iris
Luna
Sabrina
Star
Tabitha

Althea

Origin: Greek
Meaning: with healing power; wholesome
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Allthea, Thea, Alphea (Old English)
Famous Namesakes: American tennis player, Althea Gibson; English sculptor, Althea Wynne
Peak Popularity: Althea is a rare name today in the U.S., having reached peak popularity in 1956 when 388 girls were given this name.

Fun Fact: The althea flower, commonly known as hibiscus or marshmallow, is believed to attract good spirits and to stimulate the senses of psychic perception.

Alvina

Origin: British (Old English)
Meaning: elf-friend; a magical being
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Alvyna, Elvina, Elvyna
Famous Namesakes: American drama teacher and director, Alvina Krause
Peak Popularity: Alvina was most popular in 1891 when 518 of every million babies were given this name.

Fun Fact: Alvin is the male version of Alvina. Speaking of Alvin, “The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late)” earned three Grammys and sold 25 million records.

Aura

Origin: Latin
Meaning: glowing light; soft breeze
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Aure, Auria, Auriana
Famous Namesakes: Danish singer, Aura Dione; Israeli social activist, Aura Herzog; South African singer, Aura Lewis
Peak Popularity: Aura reached peak popularity in 1888 when 16 people in the U.S. were given the name.

Fun Fact: Tai Chi and Yoga can help to strengthen and build one's aura.

Calypso

Origin: Greek
Meaning: she who hides
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Calipso, Cali, Caly
Famous Namesakes: In Greek mythology, Calypso was the goddess-nymph of the mythical island of Ogygia who fell in love with Odysseus.
Peak Popularity: 15 per one million babies were named Calypso in 2017, in the U.S.

Fun Fact: Calypso music was developed in Trinidad in the 17th century and was brought by African slaves imported to the Caribbean islands to work on sugar plantations.

Celestia

Origin: Latin
Meaning: heavenly; of the sky
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Celeste
Famous Namesakes: American educator, Celestia Susannah Parrish; Vietnamese religious leader, Celestia De Lamour
Peak Popularity: The name Celestia has been around since the early 1800s reaching peak popularity at 639th place in 1886.

Fun Fact: Princess Celestia is the most magical of all the ponies from the cartoon series My Little Pony. She is an alicorn; she has a unicorn horn and Pegasus wings.

Citrine

Origin: French
Meaning: the healing power of the sun; optimistic
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Citron
Famous Namesakes: There is yet to be a renowned Citrine but with such a magical name, it's only a matter of time.
Peak Popularity: In 1999, 8 of every 1 million girls in the U.S. were named Citrine.

Fun Fact: Citrine is the birthstone of November and is said to be an emotionally balancing stone.

Daenerys

Origin: Invented by Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin
Meaning: lady of light; lady of hope
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Daeny, Danie
Famous Namesakes: This Game of Thrones character's full name is Daenerys Stormborn Targaryen
Peak Popularity: 171 newborns were named Daenerys in 2018.

Fun Fact: Actress Emilia Clarke attempted to wear purple contacts for her role as Daenerys in Game of Thrones (to match the character's description in the book). But she found them uncomfortable so the on-screen character has blue eyes.

Delilah

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: a delight; a flirt; delicate
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Dalila, Delia, Dahlia, Lilah
Famous Namesakes: Puerto Rican-American actress, dancer, and model, Delilah Cotto; American author, Delilah S. Dawson.
Peak Popularity: At its peak of popularity, in 2019, Delilah was the 88th most popular name in the U.S.

Fun Fact: Delilah is a character in the book series, Shades of Magic.

Eira

Origin: Welsh
Meaning: snow
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Ayra, Eir, Eyr, Eyra,
Famous Namesakes: Finnish gymnast, Eira Lehtonen; Finnish playwright, Eira Stenberg
Peak Popularity: Eira is rare in the U.S., with only 29 girls given this name at its peak of popularity in 2019.

Fun Fact: Eira was the name of the Norse goddess of healing and medicine.

Evelina

Origin: Latin
Meaning: desired; water; island
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Eveline, Evalina, Evaleen, Aveline
Famous Namesakes: English Socialite, Evelina Gertrude de Rothschild; Lithuanian jazz singer, Evelina Sašenko-Statulevičienė
Peak Popularity: Evelina is a rare name in the U.S.; most popular in 1887 when 18 babies were given the name.

Fun Fact: Evelina is a magical water witch from the Evelina book series by Canadian author, R.A. Donnelly.

Faye

Origin: British (Old English)
Meaning: stems from the word ‘faie’, which means fairy
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Fay, Faie
Famous Namesakes: American actress, Faye Dunaway; rodeo star, Faye Blackstone; blues singer, Faye Adams; snowboarder, Faye Gulini
Peak Popularity: The name Faye was at its peak of popularity in 1940 when it ranked 153rd.

Fun Fact: Faye Dunaway starred in the 1990s Hollywood film version of Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale.

Hermione

Origin: Greek
Meaning: stone; earthly
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Hermiyonie
Famous Namesakes: Though fictional, Harry Potter's magical best friend is the most well-known Hermione. Also on the list are British actresses Hermione Baddeley and Hermione Corfield.
Peak Popularity: In 2018, Hermione reached peak popularity with 47 of every million babies being given this name.

Fun Fact: TV and film character Pee-Wee Herman (of 1980s fame) had a sister named Hermione.

Hero

Origin: Greek
Meaning: demi-god; heroic; brave one
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Hera
Famous Namesakes: English actor and model (nephew of Ralph Fiennes,) Hero Fiennes Tiffin; daughter of English singer/model Myleene Klass, Hero Quinn.
Peak Popularity: 28 babies were named Hero in the U.S. in 2015 at its peak of popularity.

Fun Fact: Shakespeare named one of his heroine's Hero in his play Much Ado About Nothing.

Iris

Origin: Greek
Meaning: flower name; Greek for rainbow
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Irita, Irissa, Irys, Iryssa
Famous Namesakes: British novelist and philosopher, Iris Murdoch; American journalist, Iris Chang
Peak Popularity: Iris was the 129th most popular baby girl name in 2019.

Fun Fact: In Greek mythology, Iris was the goddess of the rainbow (a messenger for Zeus and Hera) who rode the rainbow as a multicolored bridge from heaven to earth.

Luna

Origin: Latin
Meaning: moon
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Lou, Lulu, Lunette, Lunetta
Famous Namesakes: Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem named their daughter Luna in 2013; John Legend and Chrissy Teigen named their's Luna in 2016; Luna Lovegood is a well-loved character from the Harry Potter series
Peak Popularity: Luna is a trendy name in the U.S., sitting at 16th most popular in 2019.

Fun Fact: In Roman mythology, Luna was the goddess of the moon, a brave and adventurous spirit often depicted driving a white chariot across the sky.

Nixie

Origin: German
Meaning: water nymph
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Nixi, Nixy, Nyxie
Famous Namesakes: Nixie Nixie Lowe, daughter of American actor Chad Lowe; American ballerina and child-actress, Nixie Strazza.
Peak Popularity: In 2011, 28 baby girls were named Nixie.

Fun Fact: In German mythology, nixies are water nymphs with beautiful, spellbinding singing voices.

Nimue

Origin: Greek
Meaning: Lady of the lake; remembrance
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Nymue, Nimueh, Niniane
Famous Namesakes: Nimue is one of The Lady of the Lake's many names from The Legends of King Arthur and His Knights.
Peak Popularity: In 2001, 5 babies in every million were given this name.

Fun Fact: Nimue sealed Merlin into a cave and placed him under a spell.

Osha

Origin: Indian (Sanskrit), American
Meaning: shining; bear
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Occia, Oshia,
Famous Namesakes: To date, there aren't any well-known Oshas, though the name sounds similar to the acronym OSHA (the federal agency in charge of workplace safety).
Peak Popularity: Osha is a rare name in the U.S. with only 349 babies given the name since 1880.

Fun Fact: Osha is a powerful root that grows in the New Mexico desert.

Parisa

Origin: Persian
Meaning: like a fairy
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Pari, Parissa, Paryssa
Famous Namesakes: Persian classical singer, Parisa.
Peak Popularity: In 2017, 22 babies were given the name Parisa in the U.S.

Fun Fact: Parisa is a variation of Paris (a name from Greek mythology).

Pixie

Origin: Irish
Meaning: fairy
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Picksee, Pixee, Pixy, Pyxie
Famous Namesakes: English singer and song-writer, Pixie Lott; English singer and model, Pixie Geldof; American child-actress, Pixie Davis
Peak Popularity: 1955 was the peak of Pixie's popularity when 37 baby girls were given this name in the U.S.

Fun Fact: One of the earliest known pieces of literature depicting pixies was called A Peep at the Pixies, published in 1854 by Anna Eliza Bray.

Sabrina

Origin: Celtic
Meaning: From the River Severn
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Sabreena, Sabryna
Famous Namesakes: American actress, Sabrina Carpenter; Italian singer, Sabrina Solerno
Peak Popularity: The name Sabrina reached peak popularity in 1977 when it ranked 63rd in the U.S. It remained in and around the Top 100 until the late 90's when its popularity began to decline.

Fun Fact: The name Sabrina debuted on the US popularity charts in 1953. One year later, with the release of the Audrey Hepburn film Sabrina, it jumped up 550 places.

Shannara

Origin: Unknown
Meaning: magical; mystical
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Shanara, Shanna, Shan
Famous Namesakes: There aren't, yet, any current renowned Shannaras.
Peak Popularity: Shannara is a rare name in the U.S. with only 44 babies given the name in the past 100 years.

Fun Fact: The Shannara Chronicles is an American fantasy drama television series created by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar. It's based on the high fantasy novels by Terry Brooks.

Star

Origin: British or American
Meaning: star
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Starr, Starla, Starlet
Famous Namesakes: American TV personality and host of The View, Star Jones,
Peak Popularity: In 1997, 127 babies per million were named Star.

Fun Fact: Star colors vary because their temperatures are not all the same; hot stars appear as white or blue and cooler stars, orange or red.

Tabitha

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: graceful; gazelle
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Tabetha, Tabytha, Tabata, Tabatha, Tabi
Famous Namesakes: Tabitha Soren, MTV news reporter
Peak Popularity: The name Tabitha hit peak popularity in 1979 when it reached 126th place.

Fun Fact: Tabitha Stephens, a child witch on the 1960s TV show Bewitched, gave the name a boost in popularity.

Titania

Origin: Greek
Meaning: giant; great one
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Titanaya
Famous Namesakes: American model, Titania Lyn
Peak Popularity: In 1972, 33 baby girls were named Titania.

Fun Fact: Titania is the name of the queen of the fairies in A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Popular Magical Baby Names for Boys

See below for some magical baby names for boys along with their meanings, origins, and other interesting information.

Magical Names

Blaine
Caspian
Cullen
Dante
Easton
Finn
Flynn
Jasper
Odin
Skye

Alaric

Origin: German
Meaning: all-powerful ruler; noble; regal
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Alrick, Aleric
Famous Namesakes: In literature, Alaric was a noble character in P. G. Wodehouse's Blandings Castle novels.
Peak Popularity: In 2019, 189 baby boys were named Alaric.

Fun Fact: Alaric was a traditional name for the kings of the Ostrogoths, the most famous of whom was Alaric I who was King of the West Goths.

Atreyu

Origin: Greek
Meaning: fearless (from ancient Greek “atreus”).
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Atreju, Atreiu, Trey
Famous Namesakes: German author, Michael Ende named a ten-year-old character Atreyu, in his novel (and later film) The Neverending Story (1979).
Peak Popularity: In 2019 there were 129 baby boys named Atreyu.

Fun Fact: In The Neverending Story, Atreyu means “son of all” because he was an orphan, raised by all of the members of his village.

Arion

Origin: Greek
Meaning: musician; melodious
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Areion
Famous Namesakes: Arion was a famous poet in Ancient Greece (700 B.C.)
Peak Popularity: 47 babies per million born in 2017 were names Arion.

Fun Fact: In Greek mythological, Arion is a magical, talking horse born to Poseidon and Demeter

Bastian

Origin: Greek
Meaning: revered; venerable
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Bastien
Famous Namesakes: German former professional soccer player, Bastian Schweinsteiger
Peak Popularity: Bastien is a rare baby name in the U.S., with 91 per million babies named Bastian in 2018.

Fun Fact: Bastian was the young protagonist in the magical story and film, The Neverending Story.

Blaine

Origin: Irish
Meaning: slender; angular
Alternative Spellings & Variations:
Famous Namesakes: American Major League Baseball pitcher, Blaine Boyer, American former National Football League safety, Blaine Bishop.
Peak Popularity: The name Blaine reached peak popularity when it was 211th on the charts, in 1884.

Fun Fact: American illusionist David Blaine's first extreme stunt was in April 1999, when he spent seven days in an underground plastic box, located under a 3-ton water-filled tank.

Bruxo

Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: wizard, sorcerer, magician, warlock, witchdoctor
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Brukso, Brux
Famous Namesakes: There aren't any famous people by the name of Bruxo (yet...)
Peak Popularity: The name Bruxo is rare and not currently rated in the U.S.

Fun Fact: Located amid the Amazon rainforest in northern Brazil, Castelobruxo is a wizarding school, a fictional creation by J.K. Rowling.

Caspian

Origin: English
Meaning: from the city of Qazvin; of the sea
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Cas, Caspien, Casper
Famous Namesakes: Caspian Feild, son of actress Neve Campbell; Prince Caspian is a fictional character from C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia series
Peak Popularity: In 2019, Capsian ranked 791st in the U.S.

Fun Fact: The Caspian Sea is the home of caviar.

Cullen

Origin: Irish; Scottish
Meaning: holly tree; handsome
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Culen, Kullen
Famous Namesakes: Defensive tackle for Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles, Cullen Jenkins
Peak Popularity: Cullen reached peak popularity in 2011 when it reached 412th place.

Fun Fact: The vampire family from the popular novel series Twilight by Stephenie Meyers was the Cullen family.

Dante

Origin: Italian; Latin
Meaning: Enduring
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Durante, Dan
Famous Namesakes: English poet, illustrator, painter, Dante Gabriel Rossetti; Dante the Magician
Peak Popularity: 1997 was the peak year for babies named Dante in the U.S., placing it in 200th position.

Fun Fact: Harry August Jansen was a Danish-born entertainer who traveled the world as a professional magician under the name Dante the Magician. His stage trademark was to say: "Sim, Sala, Bim!"

Draco

Origin: Greek
Meaning: dragon
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Drako, Drake
Famous Namesakes: Draco Malfoy is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter book and film series.
Peak Popularity: Draco is a rare boy's name in the U.S. ranking 3533th in 2019.

Fun Fact: Draco Malfoy’s wand is made of unicorn hair and hawthorn; the unicorn hair represents the goodness in Draco's, often scheming, character.

Easton

Origin: Old English
Meaning: east-facing; magical power
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Eastin, Easten, Eston
Famous Namesakes: American country singer, Easton Corbin
Peak Popularity: 1,286 per million babies were named Finn in 2018

Fun Fact: In Feng Shui, the east represents health and family.

Finn

Origin: Irish
Meaning: fair
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Fionn, Fin, Finely
Famous Namesakes: American actor, Finn Wolfhard (Mike from Stranger Things)
Peak Popularity: 1,286 per million babies were named Finn in 2018

Fun Fact: Finn was the name of a mythical Irish folklore hero and warrior who protected the king.

Flynn

Origin: Irish
Meaning: son of the red-haired one
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Flyn, Flin, Flinton
Famous Namesakes: American professional basketball player, Flynn Robinson; Orlando Bloom's and Miranda's Kerr's son, Flynn Bloom
Peak Popularity: In 2014, Flynn ranked 659th in the U.S.

Fun Fact: Rapunzel and Flynn Rider make a cameo appearance in Frozen; they are part of the crowd when the palace gates open for Elsa’s coronation.

Jareth

Origin: English
Meaning: Jared (decent) + Gareth (gentle)
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Jerry, Jerith, Jer
Famous Namesakes: Jareth (played by David Bowie) is a science-fiction, goblin king character in the movie Labyrinth (1986).
Peak Popularity:

Fun Fact: David Bowie described how he felt playing the role of Jareth, in a 1987 Bravo interview. He said: "I loved the magic, the mystery."

Jasper

Origin: Persian
Meaning: treasurer; bringer of treasure
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Jas, Jazz,
Famous Namesakes: Jasper Hale, a fictional character from Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series; modern artist Jasper Johns
Peak Popularity: At peak popularity, Jasper was 136th in 2019, so close to its ranking in 1880 where it sat at 139th place.

Fun Fact: Jasper is also a gemstone that carries energy and vibrations of peace, calm, and tranquillity.

Magus

Origin: Latin
Meaning: sorcerer; magician
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Magas, Mag,
Famous Namesakes: Simon Magus was also known as Simon the Sorcerer or Simon the Magician in ancient Greek times.
Peak Popularity: The name Magus is rare and unranked in the U.S.

Fun Fact: Magus is a character from the video game Chrono Trigger which has a time-travel theme; characters hail from different eras ranging from prehistoric times to a post-apocalyptic future.

Merlin

Origin: Welsh
Meaning: sea fortress
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Myrlin, Merle,
Famous Namesakes: Merlin was the name of the famous mythological sorcerer and mentor of King Arthur.
Peak Popularity: The name Merlin ranked highest in the early 1900s when it was 611th.

Fun Fact: Merlin was said to have built Stonehenge (the Giant’s Dance) as a memorial to King Ambrosius. This was eventually proven to be untrue as the structure pre-dated the Dark Ages.

Nix

Origin: Greek
Meaning: Crimson
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Nicks, Nixon
Famous Namesakes:
Peak Popularity: Nix is a rare name in the U.S. with less than 5 babies given this name in 2019.

Fun Fact: A nix is a fictional creature from the television show American Dragon.

Oberon

Origin: English or German
Meaning: noble; bearlike; elf
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Auberon
Famous Namesakes: Oberon, King of the Fairies in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream
Peak Popularity: Oberon is a rare name with 13 per million babies given the name in 2018.

Fun Fact: Oberon is also the name of a moon. It's the second-largest moon out of all 27 known moons orbiting Uranus.

Odin

Origin: Scandanavian
Meaning: Inspiration; rage; frenzy
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Odan, Odinn, Odyn
Famous Namesakes: Mexican soccer player, Odin Patino,
Peak Popularity: Odin sat at 330th in 2019.

Fun Fact: In mythology, Odin was the highest (father) of all Norse gods. He presided over art, war, wisdom and death.

Penn

Origin: English
Meaning: enclosure
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Pen
Famous Namesakes: Comedian, Penn Jillette; actor, Penn Badgley
Peak Popularity: 41 per million babies were named Penn in 2014.

According to GQ Magazine, while Penn Badgley's dad viewed him on a sonogram screen, during an ultrasound, he was squeezing a tennis ball; the brand of the ball was Penn.

Skye

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: Scottish Isle of Skye;
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Sky
Famous Namesakes: Canadian singer, Skye Sweetnam
Peak Popularity: Skye was 368th most popular name in 2014 in the U.S.

Fun Fact: Skye is derived from the Norse word ski meaning ‘cloud’ and ey, ‘island’.

Taliesin

Origin: Welsh
Meaning: shining brow
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Taleesen, Taleesin, Taliesyn
Famous Namesakes: American actor, writer, director, Taliesin Jaffe; Taliesin
Ben Beirdd, 6th-century poet, minstrel, and bard at the court of King Arthur, and possibly two other Celtic (according to legend)
Peak Popularity: in 2007 Taliesin was in 2690th position, making it a rare name in the U.S.

Fun Fact: Taliesin is also the name of a house built in Wisconsin by famous American architect and writer, Frank Lloyd Wright.

Vanir

Origin: Norse; German
Meaning: mythical god of rain; wanderer
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Vann, Van, Vanyr
Famous Namesakes: There isn't a well-known Vanir (yet...)
Peak Popularity: Vanir is a rare baby name in the U.S., it hasn't yet ranked in the top 1000 names.

Fun Fact: In Norse mythology, the Vanir are a group of gods associated with health, fertility, wisdom, and the ability to see the future.

Zephyr

Origin: Greek
Meaning: west wind
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Zephir, Zeph, Zepp, Zep
Famous Namesakes: Actor Zephyr Benson, son of Robby Benson and Karla De Vito; Tech entrepreneur Sean Parker and his wife Alexandra Lenas named their baby boy Zephyr
Peak Popularity: In 2016, 69 babies per million were given the name Zephyr

Fun Fact: Zephyr was the mythological Greek god of the west wind in

1 Source

Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Social Security Administration. Popular baby names: beyond the top 1000 names. Updated 2021.

By Shannon Day
Shannon Day is a freelance writer specializing in parenting, lifestyle, and women's humor. She has been published in several online parenting and lifestyle sites as well as in print. Shannon is also the co-author of Martinis & Motherhood: Tales of Wonder, Woe & WTF?!

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