Names That Mean Dragon
Dragons mean very different things depending on where you are. In Europe they were hoard-guarding monsters, so the Greek drakōn gave us fierce names like Draco and Drake. In China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam the dragon is a lucky, noble creature, which is why Long (龙) and Ryū (竜) appear in so many everyday given names — Bruce Lee’s Chinese name, Xiaolong, means “little dragon.”
This page gathers over 90 names that genuinely mean dragon, followed by dragons from mythology, the heroes who fought them and the famous dragons of books and film. Need something invented? Try our dragon names list or the dragonborn name generator. Or explore more name meanings.
Names that literally mean dragon
Most European dragon names trace back to Greek drakōn. Wales, whose flag carries a red dragon, has its own word: draig.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Drake | Dragon (Old English draca) | English |
| Draco | Dragon; also a northern constellation | Latin / Greek |
| Drakon | Dragon, serpent | Greek |
| Drakaina | She-dragon | Greek |
| Dracaena | Female dragon; also the dragon tree plant | Latin / Greek |
| Drago | Dragon (Italian); “dear” in Slavic languages | Italian / Slavic |
| Draig | Dragon | Welsh |
| Pendragon | Chief dragon, chief warrior | Welsh |
| Dracul | The dragon (Romanian) | Romanian |
| Dracula | Son of the dragon | Romanian |
| Orm | Serpent, dragon | Old Norse |
| Ejder | Dragon | Turkish |
| Naga | Serpent, dragon-like snake being | Sanskrit |
| Nagini | Female naga, serpent maiden | Sanskrit |
| Nagendra | Lord of the serpents | Sanskrit |
Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese dragon names
East Asian dragon names are hugely popular because the dragon stands for strength, success and good luck — especially for children born in a Year of the Dragon. See our Chinese boy names and Japanese boy names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Long | Dragon (龙) | Chinese / Vietnamese |
| Xiaolong | Little dragon (小龙) | Chinese |
| Yunlong | Cloud dragon (云龙) | Chinese |
| Tianlong | Heavenly dragon (天龙) | Chinese |
| Feilong | Flying dragon (飞龙) | Chinese |
| Jinlong | Golden dragon (金龙) | Chinese |
| Hailong | Sea dragon (海龙) | Chinese |
| Longwei | Dragon’s might (龙威) | Chinese |
| Zilong | Child dragon (子龙); courtesy name of general Zhao Yun | Chinese |
| Wolong | Crouching dragon (卧龙); nickname of strategist Zhuge Liang | Chinese |
| Hoàng Long | Golden or imperial dragon | Vietnamese |
| Ryū | Dragon (竜 / 龍) | Japanese |
| Ryūji | Second dragon (竜二) | Japanese |
| Ryūta | Great dragon (竜太) | Japanese |
| Ryūsuke | Dragon helper (竜介) | Japanese |
| Ryūnosuke | Dragon’s helper (龍之介) | Japanese |
| Ryūko | Dragon child (竜子) | Japanese |
| Tatsu | Dragon (竜) | Japanese |
| Tatsuya | Dragon (竜也) | Japanese |
| Tatsuo | Dragon man (竜男) | Japanese |
| Tatsuki | Shining dragon (竜輝) | Japanese |
| Yong | Dragon (龍) | Korean |
| Mireu | Dragon (native Korean word 미르) | Korean |
Dragons from world mythology
Legendary dragons make powerful names for pets, characters and even boats. Many are tied to real religious traditions, so use them thoughtfully.
| Name | Who they are | Tradition |
|---|---|---|
| Fafnir | Dwarf turned dragon who guards a cursed hoard | Norse |
| Nidhogg | “Malice striker”; gnaws the roots of Yggdrasil | Norse |
| Jörmungandr | The world serpent; “huge monster” | Norse |
| Ladon | Hundred-headed dragon guarding the golden apples | Greek |
| Python | Serpent-dragon of Delphi slain by Apollo | Greek |
| Delphyne | She-dragon of Delphi | Greek |
| Tiamat | Primordial sea goddess, often shown as a dragon | Babylonian |
| Apophis | Serpent enemy of the sun god Ra | Egyptian |
| Tannin | Sea dragon or monster (Genesis 1:21) | Hebrew |
| Leviathan | Great sea serpent of the Hebrew Bible | Hebrew |
| Quetzalcoatl | “Feathered serpent” god | Aztec |
| Kukulkan | Feathered serpent deity | Maya |
| Orochi | Eight-headed serpent Yamata no Orochi | Japanese |
| Ryūjin | Dragon god of the sea | Japanese |
| Bakunawa | Moon-eating sea dragon | Filipino |
| Vritra | “The enveloper”; drought serpent slain by Indra | Vedic |
| Zmey | Many-headed dragon Zmey Gorynych | Russian |
| Smok | “Dragon”; the Wawel Dragon of Kraków | Polish |
| Tarasque | River dragon tamed by Saint Martha | French (Provence) |
| Kulshedra | Female storm dragon | Albanian |
| Ouroboros | “Tail-devourer”; dragon eating its own tail | Greek / Egyptian |
| Bahamut | Cosmic fish of Arabic lore; a platinum dragon in modern fantasy | Arabic |
Dragon slayers and dragon-linked names
For a name with a dragon story but a gentler sound, borrow from the heroes and saints who faced them. Several are classic mythology boy names.
| Name | Dragon connection | Meaning of the name |
|---|---|---|
| George | Saint George slays the dragon to free a town | Farmer (Greek) |
| Sigurd | Slays Fafnir in the Völsunga saga | Victory guardian (Old Norse) |
| Siegfried | Kills the dragon Fafner in the Nibelungenlied | Victory and peace (German) |
| Beowulf | Dies killing a fire dragon | Bee-wolf, i.e. bear (Old English) |
| Michael | Defeats the dragon in Revelation 12 | Who is like God? (Hebrew) |
| Margaret | Saint who burst free from a dragon’s belly | Pearl (Greek) |
| Martha | Tamed the Tarasque in Provençal legend | Lady (Aramaic) |
| Cadmus | Killed the Ismenian dragon and sowed its teeth | Possibly “from the east” (Greek) |
| Susanoo | Storm god who slew Yamata no Orochi | Possibly “impetuous male” (Japanese) |
| Jason | Took the Golden Fleece from its dragon guardian | Healer (Greek) |
| Tristan | Kills a dragon in Ireland in the Tristan legend | Linked to French triste, “sad” |
| Uther | Father of King Arthur, called Pendragon | Possibly “terrible” (Welsh) |
Famous dragons from books, film and games
Well-known fictional dragons are popular for pets — especially bearded dragon names — and for fan characters. These names are trademarks of their creators; we list them for reference only. For female-coded options see female dragon names.
| Name | Where it’s from | Type of dragon |
|---|---|---|
| Smaug | The Hobbit (J.R.R. Tolkien) | Greedy fire-drake of the Lonely Mountain |
| Glaurung | The Silmarillion (Tolkien) | First of the fire-drakes |
| Ancalagon | The Silmarillion (Tolkien) | The greatest winged dragon |
| Falkor | The NeverEnding Story | Friendly luckdragon |
| Toothless | How to Train Your Dragon | Night Fury |
| Saphira | Eragon (Christopher Paolini) | Blue dragon, loyal companion |
| Drogon | Game of Thrones | Black-and-red dragon of Daenerys |
| Rhaegal | Game of Thrones | Green dragon |
| Viserion | Game of Thrones | Cream-and-gold dragon |
| Balerion | A Song of Ice and Fire | “The Black Dread” |
| Vermithrax | Dragonslayer (1981 film) | Fearsome dragon Vermithrax Pejorative |
| Mushu | Mulan (Disney) | Small, wisecracking guardian dragon |
| Haku | Spirited Away | River spirit in dragon form |
| Puff | “Puff, the Magic Dragon” (song) | Gentle dragon of Honalee |
| Norbert | Harry Potter | Hagrid’s Norwegian Ridgeback |
| Elliott | Pete’s Dragon | Shy green dragon |
| Spyro | Spyro the Dragon (video games) | Young purple dragon hero |
| Alduin | The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim | World-eater dragon |
| Temeraire | Temeraire series (Naomi Novik) | Rare Chinese Celestial dragon |
How to choose a dragon name
- Decide on fierce or lucky. Western names (Drake, Draco, Fafnir) feel menacing; East Asian names (Long, Ryū, Tatsuya) carry good fortune.
- For a baby, keep it wearable. Drake, Orm, Ryu and Long are real names; Jörmungandr is better for a pet snake. Our snake names have more reptile-friendly ideas.
- Mind the characters. Chinese and Japanese names can be written with many characters; confirm the dragon character (龙, 竜 or 龍) is the one used.
- Borrow a slayer’s name. George, Margaret and Michael give you a dragon story with a classic, everyday sound.
- Check the constellation. Draco is a real star pattern near the North Star — a bonus for space fans, who’ll also enjoy our constellation names.
Frequently asked questions
What name means dragon?
Drake and Draco are the best-known in English. Other names meaning dragon include Draig (Welsh), Orm (Old Norse), Ejder (Turkish), Long (Chinese), Ryū and Tatsu (Japanese) and Yong (Korean).
What girl name means dragon?
Dracaena and Drakaina (Greek, “she-dragon”) and Ryūko (Japanese, “dragon child”) are the most direct. Delphyne and Tiamat come from female dragons in myth.
What Japanese name means dragon?
Ryū (竜 or 龍) and Tatsu both mean dragon, and they appear in names like Ryūji, Ryūnosuke, Ryūko, Tatsuya and Tatsuo.
Does Drake mean dragon?
Yes. Drake comes from Old English draca, meaning “dragon,” which in turn comes from Latin draco. In modern English “drake” also means a male duck.
What is the Welsh word for dragon?
The Welsh word is draig. The red dragon on the Welsh flag is called Y Ddraig Goch, and Pendragon (“chief dragon”) was the title of King Arthur’s father, Uther.