Witchy Names
Witchy names sit somewhere between the herb garden and the midnight sky. They borrow from plants used in folk remedies, from moon goddesses and enchantresses of myth, and from the witches of fiction who made magic feel real. We’ve gathered more than 95 of them here, with meanings and origins, for babies, characters, pets and your own magical alter ego.
Starting a circle with friends? Our witch coven names are made for groups. For kindred spirits, try fairy names, druid names or our list of herb names.
Witchy Names: browse all lists
Legendary witches from myth, history and fiction
The enchantresses who define the archetype, from Homer to Hocus Pocus.
| Name | Who she is | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Circe | Enchantress who turned Odysseus’s men into pigs | Homer’s Odyssey |
| Hecate | Goddess of witchcraft, crossroads and the night | Greek mythology |
| Medea | Sorceress-princess who helped Jason win the Golden Fleece | Greek mythology |
| Morgan le Fay | King Arthur’s half-sister, a powerful enchantress | Arthurian legend |
| Baba Yaga | Forest witch whose hut stands on chicken legs | Slavic folklore |
| Witch of Endor | Summons the spirit of Samuel for King Saul | 1 Samuel 28 |
| Aradia | Legendary daughter of Diana who teaches witchcraft | Leland’s Aradia (1899) |
| Tituba | Enslaved woman at the center of the Salem trials | Salem, 1692 |
| Marie Laveau | Celebrated Voodoo priestess of New Orleans | 19th-century Louisiana |
| Glinda | The Good Witch | L. Frank Baum’s Oz books |
| Elphaba | The Wicked Witch of the West, named after L. Frank Baum’s initials | Gregory Maguire’s Wicked |
| Samantha | Suburban witch with a famous nose twitch | Bewitched (1964–72) |
| Sabrina | Teenage half-witch with a talking cat | Archie Comics |
| Winifred | Eldest Sanderson sister | Hocus Pocus (1993) |
| Hermione | Brilliant young witch at Hogwarts | Harry Potter |
| Minerva | Transfiguration professor McGonagall | Harry Potter |
| Willow | Shy hacker turned powerful witch | Buffy the Vampire Slayer |
| Piper | One of the Halliwell sisters | Charmed |
| Nancy | The most dangerous member of the coven | The Craft (1996) |
| Yennefer | Sorceress of Vengerberg | The Witcher |
| Agatha | Agatha Harkness, scheming witch | Marvel Comics |
Witchy girl names with magical meanings
Pretty, real names with a spellbound feel. Many of them also appear on our lists of boho girl names and mythology girl names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Luna | “Moon” | Latin |
| Selene | “Moon”; the Greek moon goddess | Greek |
| Morgana | Possibly “sea-born” or “sea circle” | Welsh |
| Sybil | “Prophetess” | Greek |
| Thea | “Goddess” | Greek |
| Freya | “Lady”; Norse goddess of love and seiðr magic | Old Norse |
| Maeve | “She who intoxicates” | Irish |
| Isadora | “Gift of Isis” | Greek |
| Nyx | “Night” | Greek |
| Raven | The raven, bird of omens | English |
| Ember | A glowing coal | English |
| Wren | The small songbird, sacred to druids | English |
| Delphine | “Of Delphi,” home of the oracle | French |
| Lilith | Night demon of Jewish folklore | Hebrew |
| Endora | Samantha’s mother in Bewitched, echoing Endor | Modern |
| Amara | “Eternal” (Greek) or “grace” (Igbo) | Various |
| Seraphina | “Fiery ones” | Hebrew |
| Cassia | A cinnamon-like spice tree | Latin |
Herb, plant and flower names for green witches
Plants have always been at the heart of hedge and kitchen witchcraft. Several of these were used in folk medicine — some, like belladonna and mandrake, are highly poisonous, which is exactly why they sound so witchy. More ideas: plant names and flower names for girls.
| Name | The plant | Folklore link |
|---|---|---|
| Hazel | Hazel tree | Hazel wood is traditional for wands and divining rods |
| Rowan | Mountain ash | Hung over doors in Britain to ward off witches and evil |
| Sage | Salvia herb | Burned for cleansing; name means “wise” |
| Juniper | Evergreen shrub | Burned to purify homes in Scottish folk custom |
| Wormwood | Artemisia absinthium | Bitter herb of absinthe and old charms |
| Belladonna | Deadly nightshade | “Beautiful lady” in Italian; highly toxic |
| Mandrake | Mandragora root | Said to scream when pulled from the ground |
| Yarrow | Achillea | Used in folk healing and divination |
| Vervain | Verbena | Called the “enchanter’s plant” in European lore |
| Rosemary | Aromatic herb | “Rosemary is for remembrance” (Hamlet) |
| Thyme | Kitchen herb | Associated with courage in medieval Europe |
| Angelica | Tall herb | Believed to protect against evil and plague |
| Aconite | Wolfsbane | Legendary poison linked to Hecate |
| Elder | Elderberry tree | Home of the “Elder Mother” in folklore |
| Hemlock | Poison hemlock | The poison of Socrates |
| Clover | Trifolium | Four-leaf clovers bring luck |
| Poppy | Papaver flower | Symbol of sleep and dreams |
| Lavender | Lavandula | Used for calm, sleep and love spells |
| Mugwort | Artemisia vulgaris | Traditionally tied to dreams |
| Nightshade | Solanum family | Dark and dangerous — perfect for a villain |
Crystal and gemstone names
Crystals are a favorite of modern witches. See our full list of gemstone names for more.
| Name | The stone | Why it feels witchy |
|---|---|---|
| Onyx | Black banded chalcedony | Dark, protective, sleek |
| Obsidian | Black volcanic glass | Used for scrying mirrors |
| Amethyst | Purple quartz | Greek for “not drunk” |
| Opal | Iridescent mineraloid | Shifting colors like a spell |
| Jet | Fossilized wood | Popular in Victorian mourning jewelry |
| Moonstone | Feldspar with a blue sheen | Tied to the moon |
| Garnet | Deep red gem | Birthstone of January |
| Jade | Green gemstone | Symbol of luck and protection |
| Beryl | Mineral family including emerald | Used in medieval crystal balls |
| Citrine | Yellow quartz | Bright, sunny energy |
| Selenite | Translucent gypsum | Named after Selene, the moon |
Warlock and wizard names for boys
Male witches are often simply called witches, but these names carry the same spellbinding feel. For more, see our wizard names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Merlin | From Myrddin, possibly “sea fortress” | Welsh |
| Salem | “Peace”; forever linked to the 1692 witch trials | Hebrew |
| Balthazar | “Baal protect the king”; one of the Magi | Babylonian |
| Corbin | “Raven” | Old French |
| Caspian | The Caspian Sea | English |
| Alistair | “Defender of men” | Scottish |
| Lucius | “Light” | Latin |
| Silas | “Of the forest” | Latin |
| Thorne | “Thorn bush” | English |
| Ash | The ash tree, the World Tree Yggdrasil | English |
| Bran | “Raven”; a legendary Welsh king | Welsh / Irish |
| Magnus | “Great” | Latin |
| Gideon | “Hewer, feller” | Hebrew |
| Edric | “Rich ruler” | Old English |
| Orion | The hunter constellation | Greek |
| Felix | “Lucky”; a classic black cat name | Latin |
Spooky witch last names
Great for fiction and character sheets. The Sanderson and Halliwell families proved a surname can be as iconic as the witch.
| Surname | Meaning | Feel |
|---|---|---|
| Blackthorn | A thorny shrub used for “black” walking sticks | Dark, rural |
| Hollowell | “Holy well” | Old-village mystic |
| Nightingale | The night-singing bird | Soft, nocturnal |
| Wildwood | Untamed forest | Free-spirited |
| Ashgrove | “Grove of ash trees” | Earthy |
| Moonfield | Invented, moonlit meadow | Whimsical |
| Crowley | Irish Ó Cruadhlaoich, or English “crow clearing” | Occult echo |
| Mather | English, “mower”; the family of Cotton Mather | Salem history |
| Proctor | “Steward”; John Proctor of Salem | Historical |
| Corey | Giles and Martha Corey, victims at Salem | Historical |
| Goode | Sarah Goode, accused at Salem | Historical |
Tips for picking your witch name
- Pick your path. Green witches lean toward herbs and trees, sea witches toward water names, cosmic witches toward moon and star names — see names that mean moon.
- Check the meaning. A name like Rowan (protection) or Sage (wisdom) carries intention; a poison plant name carries a sharper edge.
- Combine a first name and an element. Hazel Moonfield or Onyx Blackthorn sounds more complete than a single word.
- Say it out loud. Witch names often feel best with soft sounds (Luna, Willow) or crisp consonants (Hex, Onyx) — choose the mood you want.
- Respect living traditions. Voodoo, Hoodoo and indigenous practices are real religions; borrow names thoughtfully and learn their background.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good witch name?
Popular witch names include Hazel, Luna, Circe, Morgana, Willow, Rowan and Sabrina. They mix nature, mythology and famous fictional witches.
What is a male witch called?
In modern Wicca and paganism, a male practitioner is usually just called a witch. “Warlock” comes from Old English wǣrloga, “oath-breaker,” so many practitioners avoid it, though it’s common in fiction.
What are witchy last names?
Blackthorn, Hollowell, Nightingale, Crowley and Wildwood feel witchy. Surnames from the Salem trials, such as Proctor, Corey and Goode, carry real historical weight.
Is Hazel a witchy name?
Yes. Hazel wood has long been used for wands and divining rods, and the hazel tree is linked to wisdom in Celtic lore.
What is a good witchy name for a cat?
Salem, Onyx, Hex, Luna, Circe, Binx and Belladonna are all perfect for a witch’s familiar — especially a black cat.