Names That Mean Eclipse
Eclipse is the most direct name that means eclipse. Other languages have their own words, including Kusuf (Arabic), Grahan (Sanskrit), Nisshoku (Japanese), Tutulma (Turkish) and Myrkvi (Icelandic). Most are everyday words rather than traditional baby names, so many parents choose names like Umbra, Corona, Sol or Luna to evoke an eclipse.
Direct Names
- Eclipse: English, from the Greek ekleipsis, meaning “failure to appear”
- Ekleipsis: Greek, the root of the English word
- Eclisse: Italian, “eclipse”
- Eclipsi: Catalan, “eclipse”
- Eklips: Albanian, “eclipse”
- Myrkvi: Icelandic, “eclipse” or “darkness”
- Grahan: Hindi and Sanskrit, “eclipse”
Girl Names
- Eclipse
- Umbra: Latin, “shadow,” the darkest part of an eclipse shadow
- Selene: Greek moon goddess
- Luna: Latin, “moon”
- Hecate: Greek goddess linked with darkness and thresholds
- Nyx: Greek goddess of night
- Chhaya: Sanskrit, “shadow”
- Corona: Latin, “crown,” the glowing halo seen during a total eclipse
Boy Names
- Eclipse
- Sol: Latin and Spanish, “sun”
- Helios: Greek sun god
- Rahu: Sanskrit, the shadow planet blamed for eclipses
- Ketu: Sanskrit, the other shadow planet
- Skoll: Norse wolf who chases the sun
- Apep: Egyptian serpent who tried to swallow the sun
- Umbriel: a moon of Uranus, from the Latin for shadow
Unisex Names
- Eclipse
- Umbra
- Halo: the ring of light around the sun or moon
- Corona
- Shade
- Kage: Japanese, “shadow”
Names by Language
| Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| English | Eclipse | Eclipse |
| Greek | Ekleipsis | Eclipse |
| Italian | Eclisse | Eclipse |
| French | Éclipse | Eclipse |
| Arabic | Kusuf, Khusuf | Solar, lunar eclipse |
| Sanskrit | Grahana | Seizing, eclipse |
| Turkish | Tutulma | Eclipse |
| Icelandic | Myrkvi | Eclipse, darkness |
| Japanese | Nisshoku, Gesshoku | Solar, lunar eclipse |
| Korean | Ilsik, Wolsik | Solar, lunar eclipse |
Most of these are words rather than established first names. Check how your family and community will react before using one.
Arabic and Urdu
In Arabic, kusuf usually refers to a solar eclipse and khusuf to a lunar eclipse. Islamic tradition includes a special prayer called Salat al-Kusuf, performed during an eclipse.
Kusuf is rarely used as a given name in Pakistan. Parents usually choose celestial names instead.
- Qamar: “moon”
- Shams: “sun”
- Mah: Persian, “moon”
- Mahtab: Persian, “moonlight”
- Saya: Urdu, “shadow”
- Badr: “full moon”
Sanskrit and Hindi
- Grahan: “eclipse”
- Rahu: the demon head whose myth explains solar and lunar eclipses
- Ketu: the demon’s body, the other shadow planet
- Chhaya: “shadow,” also the name of a Hindu goddess
- Chandra: “moon”
- Surya: “sun”
Japanese Names
- Nisshoku: “solar eclipse”
- Gesshoku: “lunar eclipse”
- Kage: “shadow”
- Yami: “darkness”
- Tsukikage: “moonlight shadow”
- Hikage: “sun shadow”
Greek and Latin
- Ekleipsis: “eclipse”
- Umbra: “shadow”
- Penumbra: “partial shadow”
- Corona: “crown”
- Selene: “moon”
- Helios: “sun”
- Erebus: Greek god of darkness
Norse Names
- Skoll: the wolf that chases the sun
- Hati: the wolf that chases the moon
- Sol: Norse sun goddess
- Mani: Norse moon god
In Norse myth, an eclipse happens when these wolves catch their prey.
Mythology Names
Almost every culture invented a story to explain eclipses.
- Rahu and Ketu: Hindu shadow planets
- Apep: Egyptian serpent of chaos
- Skoll and Hati: Norse wolves
- Hecate: Greek goddess of darkness and witchcraft
- Selene: Greek moon goddess
- Helios: Greek sun god
Shadow Names
- Umbra
- Shade
- Nyx
- Kage
- Onyx
- Sable
- Raven
Sun and Moon Pairs
An eclipse happens when the sun and moon meet, so sun and moon names work well together.
- Sol and Luna
- Helios and Selene
- Shams and Qamar
- Surya and Chandra
- Soleil and Lune
Siblings or twins with paired names can share the eclipse theme.
Astronomy Names
- Saros: the cycle of repeating eclipses
- Corona: the sun’s outer atmosphere
- Totality: the full phase of an eclipse
- Umbra and Penumbra: the shadow zones
- Orion
- Astra
Short Names
- Sol
- Luna
- Nyx
- Kage
- Umbra
- Halo
- Rahu
How to Choose
- Decide how literal to be. Eclipse is direct, while Umbra or Corona is subtler.
- Check the meaning. Many lists include invented names, so confirm a real root.
- Respect mythology. Names like Rahu and Apep come from religious stories, so consider their context.
- Think about the pronunciation. Words like Kusuf or Myrkvi may need explaining.
- Say it with your surname. Short names like Sol and Nyx suit long surnames.
FAQs
What name means eclipse?
Eclipse is the most direct name. Grahan in Sanskrit, Kusuf in Arabic and Myrkvi in Icelandic are other words meaning eclipse.
Is Eclipse a real baby name?
Yes, though it is rare. It is used as a unisex name in English speaking countries.
What is an Arabic word for eclipse?
Kusuf usually means a solar eclipse and khusuf means a lunar eclipse. They are words, not common given names.
What is a girl name that means eclipse?
Eclipse, Umbra, Chhaya and Selene all suit a daughter. Chhaya and Umbra mean shadow, while Selene is the moon goddess.
What is a boy name that means eclipse?
Eclipse is the direct choice. Rahu, Ketu, Skoll and Helios are mythological names tied to eclipse legends.
What is a unique name that means eclipse?
Myrkvi from Icelandic, Grahan from Sanskrit and Umbriel from astronomy are uncommon. Each has a clear link to eclipses or shadow.