100 Baby Names Inspired By Halloween For Spooky Season Lovers

If your baby is due at a prolific time of year, there's no reason why you can't infuse a little seasonal flavor into your naming strategy. Holly is the perfect choice for a Christmas baby, Blossom is synonymous with spring, and Summer is pretty self-explanatory. So naturally, fall is high time to embrace your love of Halloween and choose a moniker that pays a fitting tribute to the spooky season.

There's a lot of scope if you're planning on a baby name inspired by the scariest night of the year. Sure, you could go with an obvious choice like Jack, or even the less common October, but don't settle on a name until you've considered all the creative and unexpected Halloween-inspired options out there. And they don't have to be scary, scary. Horror fans might look to classic movie villains for inspiration, but pop culture is also flourishing with less terrifying spooky figures. There are just as many ghastly yet lovable characters as there are mask-wearing dream killers, evil clowns, and devil-possessed children. Meanwhile, history buffs might want to pay homage to the centuries-old traditions behind the holiday. And then there are those names which aren't spooky at all, instead honoring the natural beauty of the season that is so often forgotten in the wake of all the ghouls and ghosts. 

Whatever kind of Halloween-coded baby name you're looking for, we have your back with the following suggestions. Some are baby names inspired by classic TV shows and other popular media, while others have a much longer history behind them, but they're all just begging to be used for a baby born around All Hallows Eve!

To be honest, witchy names work any time of the year, but they absolutely pop for babies born around Halloween. Witches have traditionally been allocated the role of villain in popular culture, but there are several famous fictional witches that are definitely worthy of inspiring your child's name — yes, even the evil ones! One of the most iconic witches that comes to mind is Sabrina, from the eponymous '90s TV series. But if you wanted something less obvious, you could go for Hilda or Zelda after her aunts, or for a boy, Spellman, after her last name. 

On the topic of TV show witches, a vintage option is Samantha from "Bewitched," or her daughter Tabitha. Again, you could adapt this classic show for baby boys by taking inspiration from her last name, Stephens. More modern TV witches include the Halliwell sisters of cult classic "Charmed." Halliwell works as a gender-neutral name, while Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige will always nod to these demon-vanquishing sisters. Moving to movie witches, there are the Sanderson sisters (Sanderson absolutely works for a boy!) from "Hocus Pocus." Mary and Sarah are cute and classic, but Bette Midler's Winifred is the most iconic. For a more glamorous and contemporary feel, there are the "Wicked" witches: Galinda (call her Glinda), Elphaba (call her Elfie), and Nessarose. 

Disney is full of witches, of course, but only a few have names worth taking. There's Ursula from "The Little Mermaid," and Odie after "The Princess and the Frog" character Mama Odie (who's technically more of a voodoo priestess). In "Snow White and the Huntsman," Charlize Theron's Evil Queen is called Ravenna, which is superbly regal. If you want a more low-key witchy name, try Wendy, famously played by Hilary Duff in 1998's "Casper Meets Wendy."

Witches may rule Halloween, but other ghoulish figures embody this time of year, too. Given the innocence and purity of a newborn baby, you might want to look for inspiration in media that is more "fun" spooky rather than bloodcurdling horror. "The Addams Family" has enthralled generations, and there's no better way to pay tribute than by naming your baby girl Wednesday or Morticia. For boys, you could go with Casper, as in the Friendly Ghost, or even a character from the angsty teen series "Twilight." Edward, Jacob, and Carlisle all work, but you could also simply go with Cullen. Meanwhile, Rosalie, Esme, and of course Bella nod to vampires without getting too gory.

That said, perhaps you do want to evoke scarier characters with your name choice. Horror fans might go for Blair after "The Blair Witch Project," which can work for boys and girls. If you're looking for baby boys specifically, one of the most prolific horror names has to be Freddy, which can also be sweet — people probably won't make the connection with Freddy Krueger! Jason, the central villain in "Friday the 13th," is also a top choice if you prefer classic names, but for something a little less common, you could go for Helsing. 

Horror movies and their villains really shine when it comes to girl names. One of the most unforgettable scary movie characters has to be Regan from "The Exorcist," but there are also plenty of names that have friendlier sounds: Annie (Wilkes), Carrie, and Penny (-wise) are all wholesome and perfect for little girls, despite their origins. For something that feels glamorous, there's Clarice from "The Silence of the Lambs," and for an even more vintage-sounding name, consider Annabel (just don't buy her a doll!).

With links to the Celtic harvest festival known as Samhain, Halloween is heavily rooted in tradition. The history books won't disappoint if you're looking for a spooky-season baby name that has centuries of meaning behind it. Pagan mythologies are a good place to start, offering up names like Morrigan, the Irish goddess of death. As the sorceress in Arthurian lore, Morgan is a similar-sounding alternative. Another deity-inspired girls' name is Freya, a fitting choice since she was the Norse goddess of magic. Then there's Persephone from Greek mythology, or Prosperina in the Roman tradition, who was taken to the underworld and became its queen. 

While the Greek god Hades is probably too commonly associated with modern ideas of hell, you could go for his Roman equivalent, Pluto. Hecate, the Greek goddess of magic, is another seasonally appropriate choice, as is the similar-sounding Heka, her Egyptian equivalent. And the Welsh god of the "Otherworld" Arawn, or the Irish god of the dead Donn, are both unique. Want something gender-neutral? Try Styx, after the fiery river in the Greco-Roman underworld.

While witches are a fun part of Halloween today, there's a lot of tragic history surrounding the global witch trials. You can pay tribute to the women who suffered during these dark periods by naming your baby in their honor. Agnes Sampson was executed in Scotland, and Alice Kyteler was the first person convicted of witchcraft in Ireland. Bridget Bishop was the first woman executed in Salem, Massachusetts, and Geillis Duncan remains one of the most famous victims of the witch hunts. As a nod to them all, you could consider a place name that was prominent in the witch trials; Salem or Paisley (the Scottish town) are both good choices. 

Repeat: Halloween-inspired baby names do not need to be dark or scary! You have an array of options for monikers that are sweet, cozy, and wholesome, and many can be found by simply looking to nature. The spooky season takes place in fall, so Autumn is the perfect name, suiting both girls and boys. You might take inspiration from the orangey palette of the season; think Ruby, Scarlett, Honey, Amber, Marigold, and Crimson. An alternative for boys is Jasper, after the red jasper gemstone. There's also Opal, which is one of the official October birthstones. Ginger is a gorgeous name when paying tribute to the fall color scheme, but it's also just the beginning of the seasonal botanicals and edible delights that double as baby names.

"Pumpkin Spice" might get your child in trouble on the playground, but you can evoke the same toasty feeling with a name like Maple, which is a seasonal twist on the increasingly popular Mabel. You might like the pine-scented Sage, which also means "wise," along with Saffron. With Arabic and Persian origins, Saffron also refers to the yellow flower — another win for the fall color palette! Otherwise, draw inspo from the trees that fall is known for: Cedar is equally strong and approachable for a baby boy, and for girls, there's Willow, Hazel, and Aspen. A gender-neutral option could be Juniper, since this evergreen tree and its berries are ready to harvest in autumn. 

Now, fall isn't generally a source of the same groundbreaking flower names that spring is, but there are a few stunning perennials that bloom at this time of year. To nail an unexpected autumn-floral name, try Aster, Dahlia, or Camellia.

For parents-to-be who find themselves drawn to all things gothic and elegantly dark, Halloween is an ideal opportunity to indulge yourself. Flipping through suspenseful 19th-century fiction will turn up names that seem like they belong in a lavish but spooky countryside manor. Bram Stoker, the "Dracula" author, is perhaps the ultimate nod to this aesthetic, but you could go the more unexpected route and choose Whitby, the Yorkshire town where he wrote it. 

Raven is a deliciously dark gender-neutral name, but the Edgar Allan Poe poem also features a character called Lenore — beautiful, feminine, and literary. This a perfect vintage baby name you can make feel fresh in 2026. Other old-world-sounding names for girls that fit into this opulent yet mysterious aesthetic include Cecilia, Thora, Selina, and Dolores, the latter of which means "sorrows." Meanwhile, fitting boys' names are Victor, Mortimer, or even Vlad, who was the Transylvanian prince said to be behind the legend of "Dracula." Moving away from the vintage vibe, there are modern-sounding and less common alternatives that also fit the refined yet foreboding aesthetic. Try the gender-neutral Briar, which means "thorny bush of wild roses," or for boys, Storm, Wolfe, and Onyx. 

For boys and girls, you might also choose a floral name with ominous properties (read: poison). Hemlock is widely regarded as the most toxic plant in North America, and it fits the aesthetic like a glove. Also consider Hyacinth for a girl — only poisonous if ingested! — or the classic but lethal nightshade Belladonna. And if you're expecting later in the year, you might want to check out the baby name trends that are set to rule in 2027.