135 Most Famous Names That Mean Bad Luck or Unlucky
Some names carry more than just sound they come with histories of misfortune, tragedy, and dark legacies.
Names that mean bad luck are often tied to ancient tales, superstitions, or infamous figures whose lives were marked by hardship.
While many names symbolize strength or joy, some are forever linked to bad omens or untold sorrow. From mythological characters to real-life misfortunes, certain names hold a shadow that lingers.
Exploring their meanings not only uncovers hidden stories but also reveals why they’re considered unlucky.
Dive into the world of names shaped by fate, doom, and mystery.
Reasons to Choose a Name with a Dark Twist
- Unique and Unconventional: A name linked to bad luck stands out, breaking away from traditional choices and creating a memorable identity.
- Cultural or Historical Significance: Some people are drawn to names with rich stories, even if they come with a darker edge, embracing their historical or mythological roots.
- Fascination with Superstition: For those intrigued by the supernatural, a name associated with bad luck can be a conversation starter or a way to explore mysterious tales.
- Symbolism of Overcoming Struggles: Names tied to misfortune can symbolize resilience or the power to rise above challenges, transforming a negative into a strength.
- Breaking Norms and Creating Curiosity: Choosing an unlucky name can spark intrigue and defy societal norms, making a bold statement about individuality.
Some names carry darker connotations or superstitions linked to bad luck.
These names may be rooted in myths or historical events that bring misfortune, so they may not always be ideal choices for those who want a more positive vibe.
Girl Names That Mean Bad Luck
Name: Astarte Meaning: Goddess of chaos Origin: Phoenician |
Name: Tempest Meaning: Storm Origin: English |
Name: Bellatrix Meaning: Warrior, destructive Origin: Latin |
Name: Lavinia Meaning: Tied to tragedy Origin: Latin |
Name: Calypso Meaning: Hidden Origin: Greek |
Name: Persephone Meaning: Queen of the underworld Origin: Greek |
Name: Tristana Meaning: Sorrowful Origin: Latin |
Name: Isolde Meaning: Tragic love Origin: Welsh |
Name: Desdemona Meaning: Ill-starred Origin: Greek |
Name: Niobe Meaning: Grief-stricken Origin: Greek |
Name: Electra Meaning: Vengeance Origin: Greek |
Name: Medea Meaning: Cunning and vengeful Origin: Greek |
Name: Jocasta Meaning: Tragic fate Origin: Greek |
Name: Morwenna Meaning: Doomed Origin: Cornish |
Name: Leila Meaning: Night, mystery Origin: Arabic |
Names associated with bad luck often stem from myths, dark history, or unfortunate events.
These boy names have been historically connected with negativity or bad fate, either due to their meanings or associations.
Boy Names That Mean Bad Luck
Name: Dorian Meaning: Moral decline Origin: Greek |
Name: Thaddeus Meaning: Betrayal Origin: Aramaic |
Name: Hades Meaning: God of death Origin: Greek |
Name: Romulus Meaning: Brother’s murderer Origin: Latin |
Name: Cain Meaning: Murderer Origin: Hebrew |
Name: Nero Meaning: Tyrant Origin: Latin |
Name: Judas Meaning: Betrayal Origin: Hebrew |
Name: Loki Meaning: Trickster Origin: Norse |
Name: Achilles Meaning: Pain, death Origin: Greek |
Name: Ragnar Meaning: Warrior, destruction Origin: Old Norse |
Name: Faust Meaning: Sold his soul Origin: German |
Name: Enoch Meaning: Misfortune Origin: Hebrew |
Name: Caliban Meaning: Monster, chaos Origin: English |
Name: Vlad Meaning: Cruel ruler Origin: Slavic |
Name: Ozymandias Meaning: Fallen king Origin: Greek |
Many parents avoid names with negative associations, but some baby names come with a history of misfortune or bad luck due to cultural or mythical ties.
Here are a few such names to be aware of.
Baby Names That Mean Bad Luck
Name: Malachai Meaning: Painful Origin: Hebrew |
Name: Xerxes Meaning: Ruler, downfall Origin: Persian |
Name: Zorro Meaning: Fox, trickery Origin: Spanish |
Name: Oedipus Meaning: Fated to tragedy Origin: Greek |
Name: Jabez Meaning: Painful birth Origin: Hebrew |
Name: Azrael Meaning: Angel of death Origin: Hebrew |
Name: Balthazar Meaning: King, doomed Origin: Hebrew |
Name: Enid Meaning: Soul, hardship Origin: Welsh |
Name: Ophelia Meaning: Tragic death Origin: Greek |
Name: Thor Meaning: God of Destruction Origin: Norse |
Name: Pandora Meaning: Released evil Origin: Greek |
Name: Helga Meaning: Holy, misfortune Origin: Scandinavian |
Name: Calista Meaning: Beautiful, tragic Origin: Greek |
Name: Icarus Meaning: Fall from grace Origin: Greek |
Name: Lyra Meaning: Lament Origin: Greek |
Nicknames often stem from a person’s character or traits, but some may have unfortunate meanings linked to misfortune or dark associations.
Here are some nicknames tied to bad luck.
Nicknames That Mean Bad Luck
Name: Grim Meaning: Ominous Origin: English |
Name: Spook Meaning: Ghost Origin: English |
Name: Curse Meaning: Misfortune Origin: English |
Name: Phantom Meaning: Ghostly presence Origin: Greek |
Name: Shadow Meaning: Dark figure Origin: Old English |
Name: Hex Meaning: Magical curse Origin: German |
Name: Jinx Meaning: Bad luck Origin: English |
Name: Bane Meaning: Harmful Origin: Old English |
Name: Doom Meaning: Disaster Origin: Old English |
Name: Raven Meaning: Dark omen Origin: Old English |
Name: Fang Meaning: Danger Origin: Old English |
Name: Pox Meaning: Disease Origin: English |
Name: Specter Meaning: Ghost Origin: Latin |
Name: Snare Meaning: Trap Origin: Old English |
Name: Mudge Meaning: Dirt Origin: Old English |
Certain famous names have been historically linked to bad luck, often through tragic events or dark associations.
These names are often connected to well-known figures in history, literature, or mythology.
Famous Names That Mean Bad Luck
Name: Cleopatra Meaning: Queen, betrayal Origin: Greek |
Name: Macbeth Meaning: Murder, destruction Origin: Scottish |
Name: Hamlet Meaning: Tragic fate Origin: Old English |
Name: Vincent Meaning: Conqueror, misfortune Origin: Latin |
Name: Judas Meaning: Betrayal Origin: Hebrew |
Name: Nero Meaning: Tyrant, cruelty Origin: Latin |
Name: Oedipus Meaning: Tragic prophecy Origin: Greek |
Name: Faustus Meaning: Pact with devil Origin: Latin |
Name: Romeo Meaning: Tragic lover Origin: Italian |
Name: Antigone Meaning: Tragic end Origin: Greek |
Name: Achilles Meaning: Hero’s death Origin: Greek |
Name: Julius Meaning: Betrayed ruler Origin: Latin |
Name: Faust Meaning: Cursed Origin: German |
Name: Joan Meaning: Martyr Origin: Hebrew |
Name: Paris Meaning: Destroyed Troy Origin: Greek |
- Also, check out: 259+ Interesting Names That Mean Void
Some surnames are linked to negative events, misfortune, or misdeeds in history, and may carry dark associations.
These surnames have been passed down through generations but are often connected to negative circumstances.
Surnames That Mean Bad Luck
Name: Blackwood Meaning: Dark Forest Origin: English |
Name: Graves Meaning: Burial place Origin: English |
Name: Forsaken Meaning: Abandoned Origin: English |
Name: Dread Meaning: Fear Origin: English |
Name: Holloway Meaning: Dark path Origin: English |
Name: Bloodworth Meaning: Dark bloodline Origin: English |
Name: Crowe Meaning: Omen bird Origin: English |
Name: Foulkes Meaning: Bad fate Origin: Welsh |
Name: Doomford Meaning: Valley of doom Origin: Old English |
Name: Deathridge Meaning: High place of death Origin: Old English |
Name: Malice Meaning: Harmful Intent Origin: English |
Name: Gravesend Meaning: End of grave Origin: English |
Name: Stark Meaning: Harsh fate Origin: Old English |
Name: Haggard Meaning: Untamed, tragic Origin: English |
Name: Sorrow Meaning: Grief Origin: English |
While it’s tempting to pick names based on their meanings, some names carry the paradox of being associated with good qualities but also having unfortunate connotations or bad luck.
These names might sound positive, but their historical or mythological connections give them an air of misfortune.
Let’s explore such names that can be seen as good, but still carry a weight of bad luck.
Good Names That Mean Bad Luck
Name: Felix Meaning: Lucky, but falsely so Origin: Latin |
Name: Seraphina Meaning: Fiery, tragic Origin: Hebrew |
Name: Gideon Meaning: Strong, yet fated to loss Origin: Hebrew |
Name: Apollo Meaning: Sun god, tied to misfortune Origin: Greek |
Name: Victor Meaning: Winner, yet linked to downfall Origin: Latin |
Name: Diana Meaning: Divine, vengeful Origin: Latin |
Name: Solomon Meaning: Peaceful, but lost kingdom Origin: Hebrew |
Name: Stella Meaning: Star, fleeting beauty Origin: Latin |
Name: Joy Meaning: Happiness, short-lived Origin: English |
Name: Hope Meaning: Optimism, often dashed Origin: English |
Name: Alexander Meaning: Defender, but met a tragic end Origin: Greek |
Name: Daphne Meaning: Laurel, tragic transformation Origin: Greek |
Name: Emory Meaning: Brave, yet destructive Origin: Old English |
Name: Nadia Meaning: Hope, tied to hardship Origin: Russian |
Name: Beatrix Meaning: Bringer of happiness, but loss follows Origin: Latin |
Cats have been tied to superstitions for centuries, with many names carrying associations of misfortune or ominous connotations.
Some names come from folklore or dark history, and may not be the best choice if you’re looking for a pet name that doesn’t carry bad luck.
Cat Names That Mean Bad Luck
Name: Grimalkin Meaning: Old cat, witchy Origin: English |
Name: Sable Meaning: Dark, linked to death Origin: French |
Name: Jinx Meaning: Curse, bad luck Origin: English |
Name: Tempest Meaning: Storm, chaos Origin: Latin |
Name: Shadow Meaning: Darkness, mystery Origin: English |
Name: Hex Meaning: Magical curse Origin: German |
Name: Jinx Meaning: Bad luck Origin: English |
Name: Phantom Meaning: Ghostly, haunting Origin: Greek |
Name: Midnight Meaning: Dark hour Origin: English |
Name: Cinder Meaning: Ashes, destruction Origin: English |
Name: Voodoo Meaning: Magic, curse Origin: African |
Name: Mortis Meaning: Death Origin: Latin |
Name: Banshee Meaning: Death omen Origin: Irish |
Name: Specter Meaning: Ghost Origin: Latin |
Name: Misery Meaning: Sadness, sorrow Origin: English |
Traditional names can carry a heavy cultural or historical significance, and some are tied to bad luck or misfortune.
The following names often come with long-standing legends or tragic events attached to them, making them symbolic of hardship or misfortune.
Traditional Names That Mean Bad Luck
Name: Tristan Meaning: Tragic Origin: Celtic |
Name: Brutus Meaning: Betrayal Origin: Latin |
Name: Medea Meaning: Revenge Origin: Greek |
Name: Hector Meaning: Fallen hero Origin: Greek |
Name: Oedipus Meaning: Fateful tragedy Origin: Greek |
Name: Cassandra Meaning: Doomed prophet Origin: Greek |
Name: Calypso Meaning: Hidden fate Origin: Greek |
Name: Hades Meaning: God of death Origin: Greek |
Name: Arachne Meaning: Web, transformation Origin: Greek |
Name: Electra Meaning: Vengeance Origin: Greek |
Name: Antigone Meaning: Defied fate Origin: Greek |
Name: Narcissus Meaning: Self-destructive love Origin: Greek |
Name: Tantalus Meaning: Eternal suffering Origin: Greek |
Name: Atalanta Meaning: Speed, but tragic end Origin: Greek |
Name: Persephone Meaning: Queen of Darkness Origin: Greek |
Final Conclusion
Names hold power, whether they are tied to fate, history, or culture. Some names carry a shadow of misfortune, associated with tragic events or ancient myths.
While many of these names might be seen as beautiful or strong, they come with histories that tie them to bad luck or ill omens.
If you’re seeking a name for a baby, pet, or character that has an interesting backstory and unique meaning, be mindful of these associations.
Choosing a name that resonates positively and brings good vibes might be the way to go after all, names can shape destiny.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do names that mean bad luck really bring misfortune?
While names with ties to bad luck are often linked to superstitions, there is no concrete evidence that they influence a person’s fate. However, cultural beliefs and traditions may shape how people perceive such names.
Q: Can naming a child a bad luck name affect their life?
A name doesn’t define a person’s future. The most important factor is how a person is raised and their choices in life. While some may feel connected to their name’s meaning, others may find strength in its unique story.
Q: Can bad luck names be used for positive symbolism?
Yes, many people choose unlucky names to symbolize resilience. For instance, Victor (meaning “winner”) can be seen as someone who overcomes misfortune despite its association with challenges.
Q: Can I name my child after a character known for bad luck?
Yes, many parents name their children after characters known for bad luck, like Cassandra (a prophetess doomed to never be believed) or Tristan, as a way to connect to those stories or create a unique identity.