270+ Unpopular Or ‘Ugly’ Names With Negative Meanings & Connotations

Overview

Many parents want to choose rare boy names or unique girl names to help their kids stand out from the rest instead of choosing popular names.

Some unique names or meanings might actually have negative or unintended connotations. Below we’ve compiled this list to help you steer clear of potentially unflattering ‘bad’ names or meanings.

Why Do Some Parents Choose Embarrassing Names For Their Babies?

Some parents might think these names are beautiful or cool, even if the rest of the world disagrees.

At times, some names become popular on social media because they might sound cool but they eventually become “ugly” (or aren’t just fit for use as baby names).

And other times, parents just aren’t aware of negative meanings.

The Importance Of Choosing The Right Name & Avoiding Unpleasant Ones

To avoid embarrassment, teasing, or bullying
To avoid names with cultural or religious significance that might offend
To avoid choosing taboo names you probably haven’t heard about
To avoid association with ‘evil’ characters in movies, the Bible, literature, or pop culture

Names You Might Want To Avoid

The ‘Ugliest’ Baby Names

Ahimoth (Latin and Hebrew; boy) – “Brother of death”

Arioch (Hebrew; boy) – One of the fallen angels

Azazel (Hebrew; boy) – Leader of the fallen angels in the Bible

Corona (Latin; boy) – Associated with the coronavirus

Denim (French name) – Type of cloth used for jeans

Dracul (Latin) – “Dragon” or “the devil”

Gaylord (French boy name) – Associated with being “gay”

Hades (Greek boy name) – God of the underworld in Greek mythology

Jihad (Arabic boy name) – Associated with terrorism

Judas (Greek name; boy) – Associated with Judas Iscariot (disciple who betrayed Jesus)

Lucifer (Latin and Old English boy name) – Associated with Satan (fallen angel)

Satan (Hebrew; boy) – “The accuser,” “adversary,” or “to oppose”

Vladimir (Slavic and Russian boy name) – Associated with Russian President Vladimir Putin

Voldemort (French; boy) – “Thief of death” or “flight of death”; villain in the “Harry Potter” series

Creepy Or Scary Names

Azrael (Hebrew; boy) – Angel of death

Bolverkr (Old Norse and Norwegian name; boy) – “Evil doer”

Demogorgon (Greek; nonbinary name) – Demon of the underworld

Jilaiya (Indian – Sanskrit; boy) – “Demon” or “vampire”

Lilith (Hebrew; girl) – “Night monster”

Mammon (Hebrew; boy) – “Demon of wealth and money”

Names That Mean Death

Ajal (Arabic; boy) – “Death,” “a specific period and hour of death,” or “destiny”

Akuji (African; boy) – “Dead and awake”

Anpu (Ancient Egyptian; boy) – “God of the dead”

Anubis (Egyptian; boy) – “God of death”

Bashemath (Hebrew; girl) – “Confusion of death”

Claeg (Old English; boy) – “One subjected to death”

Dainn (Old Norse; boy) – “Dead” or “deceased”

Dearil (Scottish and German boy name) – “Call of death” or “red-haired”

Kaliya (Indian; boy) – “Of death”

Mort (Latin; boy) – “Death”

Sephtis (Persian and Iranian; boy) – “Eternal death”

Thanatos (ancient Greek name) – Greek god and personification of death

Tuwile (Kenyan – African; boy) – “Death is invincible”

Demon Names

Agares (Latin; boy) – “Demon”

Ahriman (Persian; boy) – “Evil spirit” or “destructive force”

Andras (Greek and Hungarian; boy) – Demonic spirit King Solomon summoned in the Bible

Apep (ancient Egyptian; boy) – Demon of chaos

Baal (Hebrew and Semitic; boy) – “King of demons”

Ipos (Latin; boy) – “Demon”

Melchom (Ammonite; boy) – “Demon paymaster in hell”

Radna (Latin; boy) – Demon of greed and envy

Ugly Baby Names That Don’t Require Explanations

Adolf (German; boy) – “Noble wolf”; associated with Adolf Hitler

Colgate (OId English; boy) – “Dark gate”; associated with toothpaste

Crash

Danger

Donald (Celtic and Scottish; boy) – “Proud chief” or “world power”; associated with Former US President Donald Trump and Donald Duck (a Disney name)

Facebook – Social media term

Hashtag – Social media term

Hitler (German; boy) – “One who lives in a hut”; associated with Adolf Hitler

Osama (Arabic; boy) – Powerful boy name that means “lion”; associated with terrorist Osama Bin Laden

‘Ugly’ Female Names Based On Cool Male Names

Derfla – Reverse spelling of “Alfred,” an elf boy name that means “elf counsel”

Semaj – Reverse spelling of “James,” a biblical boy name meaning “supplanter”

Strange-Sounding Names

Dagon (Hebrew; boy) – “Be cut open”

Devland (Irish boy name) – “Misfortune”; might sound like a short form of “devil land”

Ennis (Irish name; gender-neutral) – “One choice”; sounds similar to “penis”

Keeler (Gaelic; girl) – Name that means “graceful” (she’s full of grace and beauty); sounds similar to “killer”

Phelony (English; unisex) – “Open-minded”; sounds similar to “felony”

Phyllis (Greek girl name) – “Green leaf”; sounds like a short form of “syphilis” (an STD or sexually transmitted disease)

‘Ugly’ Nature-Based Names

Acheron (Greek; boy) – “River of sorrow”

Cougar (English; nonbinary) – Slang term for an older woman having sexual relations with a much younger man

Fox (English; nonbinary) – Known for their sly nature

Giles (Greek; boy) – “Small goat”

Jolon (Native American name; gender-neutral) – “Valley of the dead oaks”

Kyd (English boy name) – “Baby goat”

Oleander (Greek) – Toxic plant that can kill an adult (1)

Weasel (English; boy) – Slang for “treacherous or deceitful person”

‘Bad’ Names From Literature, Movies, & Pop Culture

Draco (Greek and Latin; boy) – “Dragon” or “serpent”; associated with Satan and also with Harry’s cowardly rival in the “Harry Potter” series

Eustace (Greek; boy) – Grumpy old man in “Courage the Cowardly Dog”

Freddy (German and English; boy) – Bogeyman Freddy Krueger in “A Nightmare On Elm Street”

Gollum (Old Norse; boy) – Murderous but pitiful character in the “The Lord of the Rings”

Gotham (Old English and Anglo-Saxon; boy) – “Goat’s town”; fictional city in “Batman”

Hannibal (Hebrew and Carthaginian; boy) – Cannibal character Hannibal Lecter in “The Silence Of The Lambs”

Pinocchio (Italian boy name) – Wooden puppet whose nose would grow when he’s lying

Sauron (Quenya, a language invented by J.R.R. Tolkien; boy) – “The abhorred”; main villain in “Lord Of The Rings”

Shrek (German) – “Terror”; ogre (man-eating giant) in the “Shrek” series

Unique Baby Names That Might Invite Teasing (Or Bullying)

Angus (Celtic and Scottish Gaelic; boy) – Associated with “Angus beef”

Archibald (Old German and Old English; boy) – Prince name whose “bald” part can lead to teasing

Colon (Portuguese and Spanish; gender-neutral) – Hispanic name that means “dove”; associated with the large intestines in English

Dorcas (Greek; girl) – “Gazelle”; “dorc” sounds like “dork”

Thuong (Vietnamese name; unisex) – “One who loves tenderly”; similar spelling to “thong”

Rare Names With Bad Or Negative Meanings

Agrona (Celtic, Old English, and Welsh; girl) – Goddess of strife and slaughter

Angerona (Latin; girl) – Roman goddess of death, silence, and the winter solstice

Anous (ancient Greek; boy) – “Foolish” or “stupid”

Ares (Greek; boy) – Greek god of war and ruin

Baladan (Hebrew; boy) – “Evil”

Beigaldi (Norse; boy) – “Weak” or “lame”

Belial (Hebrew; boy) – “Worthless”

Osiris (Egyptian and Latin; boy) – Ancient Egyptian god of the underworld

Phobos (ancient Greek; boy) – Greek god of fear and panic

Gender-Based Unattractive Names

Possible ‘Ugly’ Names For Little Girls

Again, naming your child is a highly personal choice. Just because some or many think a name is “ugly” it might still sound beautiful to you. You do you mama!

Bela (Hebrew; girl) – “Destruction” or “devouring”

Bertha (German girl name) – “Famous” or “the bright one”; the first syllable sounds like “birth”

Brumhilda (German, Scandinavian, and Norse; girl) – Warrior name meaning “armed for battle”; the first syllable sounds like “broom”

Deyanira (Greek; girl) – “Man destroyer”

Ermengarde (German; girl) – “Universal protection”; the last syllable sounds like “guard”

Helga (German; girl) – “Blessed,” “sacred,” or “holy”; ironically, the first part sounds like “hell”

I’munique (invented name; girl) – “I’m unique”

Revlon (French girl name) – “Beautiful” and “amazing”; name of a makeup brand

‘Ugly’ Baby Boy Names

Abner (Hebrew; boy) – Classic boy name meaning “father of light”; might sound like a short form of “abnormal”

Anous (ancient Greek name; boy) – “Foolish”; also sounds similar to “anus”

Armaros (Aramaic and Greek name; boy) – “Cursed one” or “fallen angel”

Brennan (Irish boy name) – “Sorrow”

Chiwa (African; boy) – Name that means “death”

Dick (German boy name) – Common English slang for the penis

‘Ugly’ Gender-Neutral Baby Names

Abstinence (English; unisex) – Linked to restraining one’s self from sex or alcohol

Aeron (Welsh and Celtic; unisex) – Celtic goddess of war and death often portrayed as a male figure

Camera (Latin and English; unisex) – “Dark room” or “device for taking photos”

Chimera (Greek; unisex) – “Monster made of different parts (e.g., lion, snake, and goat)”

Dweezil (American; unisex) – “Treacherous” or “deceitful person”

Lefu (African; gender-neutral) – “Death”

Loan (Vietnamese name; unisex) – “Mythological bird”; pronounced as “lwan” in Vietnamese but looks like “loan” (debt) in English

Other ‘Annoying’ Names To Steer Clear Of

What Are Dark Names?

Afghan (Persian; boy) – “The loser”

Doyle (Irish name; boy) – “Dark stranger”

Dugal (Celtic; boy) – “Dark stranger”

Ephai (Hebrew; boy) – “Gloomy”

Cute Names With Negative Connotations

Chip (German and English boy name) – “Broken part”; also a cute boy name relating to the idiom “chip off the old block” (one who resembles their parents)

Boss (English and French boy name) – “Leader” or “hunchback”; associated with a gang or mafia leader

Brick (English; boy) – “Strong” or “reliable”; also has negative meanings as an unintelligent person or a large quantity of drugs (2)

Cannon (English; boy) – “Discipline”; also a weapon used in warfare

Drystan (Welsh; boy) – “Full of sorrow”

Elmo (Greek, Latin, and Italian name; boy) – “To love”; associated with “Sesame Street” character Elmo

Nemo (Latin; boy) – “Nobody”

Tristan (Celtic; unisex) – “Melancholy” or “sad”

Powerful Names With Bad Meanings Or Associations

Alastor (Scottish and Greek boy name) – “Avenger” or “man’s defender”; epithet (by-name) of Greek god Zeus as the tormenter and avenger of evil deeds

Amon (Ancient Egyptian; boy) – “The obscure god” or “the hidden one”; also spelled as “Amun”

Chernobog (Slavic; boy) – “Black god”; Slavic god of evil, darkness, and grief

Darwin (Old English boy name) – “Dear friend”; associated with the satirical “Darwin Awards” given to people who do things with sheer stupidity

Elon (Hebrew; unisex) – “Oak tree”; associated with controversial billionaire Elon Musk

Ernest (German; boy) – “Battle to the death” or “sincere”

Loki (Norse; boy) – “Airy”; trickster god in Norse mythology

Morrigan (Irish girl name) – Celtic goddess of death and eternal warfare

Viggo (Scandinavian; boy) – “War”

Names That Might Actually Be Cute (But With Questionable Meanings)

Calvin (French name; boy) – “Little bald one”

Cameron (Gaelic; unisex) – “Crooked nose”

Guy (English and German name; boy) – Might be too generic as a first name

Jinx (Latin; unisex) – “Spell or charm that brings bad luck”

Nevaeh (invented name) – Reverse spelling of “heaven”

Pyro (Greek; boy) – Name that means “fire”

Rebel (English; unisex) – “Defiant person”

Names That Are Best Used For Pets

Bear
Baxter
Brutus
Buster
Dash
Diablo (Spanish; boy) – “Devil”
Fifi
Frozen
Hunter
Monster
Pirate
Polly
Ransom
Spike

‘Ugly’ Names From A To Z

Names Starting With A

Abcde

Abdeel (Arabic boy name) – “Vapor of” or “servant of”

Anwir (Welsh; boy) – “Liar”

Asmodeus (Avestan – Old Iranian; boy) – “Demon of wrath”

Atropos (Greek; girl) – “Inflexible” or “inevitable”; Greek goddess who cuts humans’ life thread

Audio

Names Starting With B

Banjo (American; boy) – “Musical instrument”; sounds like “ban Joe”

Barbie (Greek; girl) – “Foreign woman”; a doll name

Birsha (Hebrew; boy) – “Evil” or “a son who beholds”

Bogart (Old French and Old German; boy) – “Orchard” or “bow strength”; sounds like “boggart,” a shape-shifting non-being that takes the form of someone’s fears in the “Harry Potter” series

Brone (Irish; boy) – “Sorrowful”

Names Starting With C

Cain (Hebrew; boy) – “Spearer” or “acquired”; biblical boy name after Adam and Eve’s son who killed his own brother in the Bible

Campbell (Scottish; boy) – “Crooked mouth”

Candy (English; girl) – “Sweets”; might be better suited as a pet name for a loved one

Casimir (Slavic; boy) – “Destroyer of peace”

Cessair (Irish; boy) – “One with sorrow”

Christmas (English; unisex) – “Christ feast”

Cihuateteo (Aztec name; girl) – “Evil spirits of women who died during childbirth” or “divine women”

Coffee

Crimefighter – Might be better used as a moniker

Names Starting With D

Dabria (English; boy) – “Angel of death”

Das (Sanskrit; boy) – “Servant” or “devotee”

Davor (Slavic; boy) – “Sorrow” or “god of war”

Desdemona (Greek; girl) – “Ill-fated one,” “of the devil,” or “misery”

Diva (Latin and Italian girl name) – “Goddess”; also means a self-important, temperamental person

Domain

Drusilla (Greek, Celtic, and Latin) – “Courageous” or “strong”; also sounds like “Drosophila,” a genus of flies

Names Starting With E

Eligor (Hebrew; boy) – “Great duke of hell”

Ereshkigal (Sumerian; girl) – “Lady of the great earth”; goddess of death and the underworld

Erysichthon (Greek; boy) – “Cursed with insatiable hunger that leads to death”

Names Starting With F

Fachnan (Irish; boy) – “Malicious”

Faqad (Arabic; boy) – “Loser”

Foley (Irish; boy) – “Plunderer”

Furfur (Latin; boy) – “Bran” (another term for dandruff)

Names Starting With G

Genius (English; nonbinary) – Can put pressure on a child to excel

Gershon (Hebrew; boy) – “Exile”

Gorgonzola (Italian; girl) – “Veined Italian blue cheese”; also similar to “gorgon”

Names Starting With H

Hadeon (Ukrainian; boy) – “Destroyer”

Head

Hel (Norse; girl) – Goddess of death; also sounds like “hell”

Hellzel (invented name) – Tribute to “Hell’s Angels” (international outlaw motorcycle club of Harley-Davidson riders)

Names Starting With I

I’adorher (invented name) – “I adore her”

Iblis (Arabic; boy) – “Remain in grief”

Names Starting With J

Jabez (Hebrew; boy) – “Borne in pain” or “sorrowful”

Jammy (Hebrew; girl) – “Supplanter”; variant of “James” but also similar to “jammies”

Javaraya (Hindu; boy) – “God of death”

Jisei (Japanese; nonbinary) – “Death poem”

Names Starting With K

Kalakuta (Indian and Sanskrit; boy) – “Potion of death”

Kalaraja (Sanskrit; boy) – “Lord of death”

Kalayavan (Indian and Sanskrit; boy) – “As horrible as death”

Kal-El (invented name; boy) – Kryptonian birth name of Superman

Kek (Egyptian; boy) – “God of darkness”

Keres (Greek girl name) – “Female spirits drawn to violent deaths”

Kritanta (Indian and Sanskrit; boy) – “God of death”

Names Starting With L

Lasagna – Might be better as a pet name

Leviathan (Hebrew) – “Sea serpent”

Like – Social media term

Lol – Social media term

Louhi (Finnish; girl) – “Goddess of death”

Love Child (English; unisex) – “Child of unmarried parents”

Names Starting With M

Mabuz (Scottish; boy) – “Ruler of death castle”

Malacoda (Italian boy name) – “Evil tail” or “ bad tail”

Mallory (Old French; boy) – “Bad luck” or “unfortunate”

Malvolio (Italian name; boy) – “Ill will”

Manes (Latin and Roman; nonbinary) – “Spirits of dead loved ones”

Mars (Latin; boy) – Roman god of war

Maude (French; girl) – “Mighty in battle”; similar to “mud”

Merripen (English; boy) – “Life or death”

Millicent (German; unisex) – “Strong worker”

Minecraft – Game

Mode (Anglo-Saxon; nonbinary) – “Violence” or “force”

Mortimer (Latin; boy) – “Dead sea”

Mrithun (Indian and Sanskrit; boy) – “Lord of death”

Names Starting with N

Naenia (Latin; girl) – Roman goddess of funerals

Nali (Hawaiian girl name) – “To bite often”

Name Starting With O

Orobas (Latin; boy) – “Fallen angel appearing as a horse”

Names Starting With P

Pejman (Persian) – “Sad” or “desire”

Perseus (Greek) – “Destroyer”

Pilot

Polyester

Prudence (Latin; girl) – “Discretion”; associated with being prudent

Names Starting With Q

Quasimodo (Latin) – “Almost merely”; hunchback in “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”

Queen

Names Starting With R

Raasi (Hindu; girl) – “The loser”

Radiant

Rage

Runihura (Rwanda – African; girl) – “Destroyer”

Names Starting With S

Salami

Samael (Hebrew; boy) – “Angel of death”

Satchel

Scar

Science

Seaman

Shinigami (Japanese name) – “Evil spirits who encourage people to seek death”

Sloan (Irish; unisex) – “Warrior”; sounds like “loan”

Sssst

Names Starting With T

Tavarious (Greek; boy) – “Misfortune”

Teivel (Greek; boy) – “Devil”

Thana (Greek and Arabic girl name) – “Death”

Thermopylae (Greek; nonbinary) – “Hot gates”

Time

Turbo

Names Starting With U

Ubel (German; nonbinary) – “Evil”

Unknown

Names Starting With V

Valdis (Old Norse; girl) – “Goddess of the dead”

Vendetta (Italian girl name) – “Blood feud”

Vlad (Slavic and Russian boy name) – “Glorious rule”; associated with brutal Romanian leader Vlad the Impaler

Names Starting With W

Weegee (Latin; nonbinary) – Phonetic form of “Ouija” (spirit board)

Wolfgang (German; boy) – “Traveling wolf”; appears like “a gang of wolf”

Names Starting With X

Xayide (invented name) – Evil sorceress in “The Neverending Story”

Xic (Greek; nonbinary) – “Number of the beast”

Names Starting With Y

Yetzel (invented name) – Unknown meaning

Ylva (Swedish and Norwegian name; girl) – “She-wolf”

Names Starting With Z

Zagan (Polish name) – “Demon”

Zuma (Arabic and Aztec name; unisex) – “Peace”; computer game

Bonus: Alternatives To The Ugly Baby Names

What Are Some Girl Names That Aren’t Annoying?

Charlotte
Emma
Hannah
Isabella
Olivia
Rose
Sofia

What Are Unusual But Beautiful Names?

Amiah
Dana
Iohanna
Xanthe

What Are The Rarest Names?

Rare names for boys:

Bayard
Everett
Silas

Rare names for girls:

Aella
Layana
Novalie

FAQs

Can Cultural Or Historical Factors Affect A Name’s Perception As ‘Ugly’ Or Not?

Yes. Many names may have started as powerful or great choices but turned negative due to their association with evil people in history, literature, or pop culture.

Some names are also “evil” or “ugly” in some cultures or languages but mean different things in others.

Can ‘Ugly’ Names Affect My Child’s Personality Or Life?

Yes. These names can lead to bullying and teasing, which can affect your little one’s self-esteem.

You can also find ideas from the top 15 baby name generators.

Baby Name Lists By Letter

Pet Names To Try

References

(1) https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/poison/oleander-poisoning#:~:text=Oleander%20(Nerium%20oleander)%20is%20a,leaf%20may%20kill%20an%20adult.

(2) https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Brick