Part gothic, part prep, dark academia is an aesthetic subculture trend that heavily emphasizes literature, education, and mystery. It’s moody, endlessly cool, and has a traditional academic vibe with a gothic edge—picture Gothic architecture, vintage tweed, a leather satchel full of books, and historical libraries. So if you find yourself drawn to the preppy New England look with a touch of goth, dark academia may be a subgenre for you to draw baby name inspiration. Check out our list of dark academia aesthetic names for baby girls and boys to find the perfect name.
Adeline
Girl. French origin, meaning: Noble
Similar names: Adamaris, Auden, Adalinda
Adira
Girl. Hebrew origin, meaning: Strong
Similar names: Afric, Amirah, Ariadne
Aeneas
Boy. Greek origin, meaning: Praiseworthy
Similar names: Apollo, Atlas, Aurelian
Agatha
Girl. Greek origin, meaning: Good, honorable
Similar names: Althea, Audrey, Augusta
Agnes
Girl. Greek origin, meaning: Pure, holy
Similar names: Anais, Arete, Astrid
Alastair
Boy. Scottish origin, meaning: Defender of the people
Similar names: Augustine, Atticus, Amadeus
Alban
Boy. Latin origin, meaning: White
Similar names: Auburn, Aspen, Alaric
Alice
Girl. French and English origin, meaning: Noble
Similar names: Avice, Alisa, Annabeth
Alienor
Girl. French origin, meaning: Unknown
Similar names: Andromeda, Aurelia, Apollonia
Ambrose
Boy. English origin, meaning: Immortal
Similar names: Alexander, Archibald, Auberon
Amorette
Girl. English, literary name
Similar names: Amana, Anemone, Athena
Arabelle
Girl. Latin origin, meaning: Yielding to prayer
Similar names: Allegra, Alexandria, Annabelle
Arcadia
Girl. English from ancient Greek origin, meaning: Place of peace and contentment
Similar names: Antigone, Acacia, Athene
Arden
Gender-neutral. English origin, meaning: Eagle valley
Similar names: Adair, Adrian, Anna
Astoria
Girl. English origin, meaning: Place name
Similar names: Aurora, Alexandria, Anastasia
Azrael
Boy. Hebrew origin, meaning: Help of God
Similar names: Alastor, Augustus, Achille
Bellatrix
Girl. Latin origin, meaning: Female warrior
Similar names: Beatrice, Blythe, Beatrix
Beowulf
Boy. English origin, meaning: Beewolf
Similar names: Balthazar, Bastian, Benoit
Blair
Gender-neutral. Scottish origin, meaning: Plain or field
Similar names: Basil, Bryon, Beau
Briar
Gender-neutral. English origin, meaning: Thorn
Similar names: Bellamy, Bram, Bryony
Bronte
Girl. Greek origin, meaning: Thunder
Similar names: Belen, Bridget, Brielle
Bronwyn
Girl. Irish origin, meaning: White breast
Similar names: Belphoebe, Bianca, Baldwin
Calanthe
Girl. Greek origin, meaning: Christmas orchid, beautiful flower
Similar names: Cypress, Collette, Chantelle
Calliope
Girl. Greek origin, meaning: Beautiful voice
Similar names: Camille, Cosima, Cassiopeia
Callista
Girl. Greek and Latin origin, meaning: Fairest, most beautiful, chalice
Similar names: Claudette, Cassia, Corliss
Caspian
Boy. English origin, meaning: Place name
Similar names: Clive, Cyril, Cymbeline
Cassander
Boy. Greek origin, meaning: Shining or excelling man
Similar names: Crimson, Corentyn, Charles
Cassandra
Girl. Greek origin, meaning: Prophetess
Similar names: Camilla, Clemency, Cicely
Circe
Girl. Greek origin, meaning: Bird
Similar names: Celeste, Celine, Cadence
Constantine
Boy. Latin origin, meaning: Constant
Similar names: Clementine, Cornelius, Cosmo
Coraline
Girl. Literary name, diminutive of Caroline
Similar names: Cleo, Clothilde, Claire
Cordelia
Girl. Latin and Celtic origin, meaning: Heart, Jewel of the sea
Similar names: Cecilia, Catriona, Constance
Corisande
Girl. Greek origin, meaning: Chorus-singer
Similar names: Clio, Clarimond, Calluna
Cressida
Girl. Greek origin, meaning: Golden
Similar names: Charlotte, Coletta, Claudia
Damiana
Girl. Greek origin, meaning: Tamed, domesticated
Similar names: Drusilla, Delphine, Dahlia
Demeter
Boy. Greek origin, meaning: Earth mother
Similar names: Damien, Draco, Desmond
Dorian
Gender-neutral. Greek origin, meaning: Tribe
Similar names: Darius, Darcy, Dove
Dorothea
Girl. Greek origin, meaning: Gift of God
Similar names: Diantha, Druella, Dulcinea
Edward
Boy. English origin, meaning: Wealthy guardian
Similar names: Edison, Edwin, Edmund
Elwin
Boy. English origin, meaning: Elf
Similar names: Evgeny, Emery, Eugene
Emilian
Boy. Slavic, Romanian origin, meaning: Rival
Similar names: Ellis, Emrys, Emerson
Eponine
Girl. French literary name
Similar names: Endellion, Enola, Eleanor
Esme
Girl. French and Persian origin, meaning: Esteemed, beloved; emerald
Similar names: Elodie, Evanthe, Eden
Evander
Boy. Latin origin, meaning: Good man
Similar names: Endymion, Ezra, Ernest
Evangeline
Girl. Latin origin, meaning: Gospel
Similar names: Eleanora, Eliza, Esmeralda
Fabian
Boy. Latin origin, meaning: Bean grower
Similar names: Frederick, Ferris, Fern
Faustine
Girl. French origin, meaning: Fortunate one
Similar names: Francesca, Freya, Florence
Florian
Boy. German origin, meaning: Flowery
Similar names: Faramond, Ferdinand, Foster
Gabriel
Boy. Hebrew origin, meaning: Strength from God
Similar names: Gaius, Gale, Graham
Gideon
Boy. Hebrew origin, meaning: Hewer
Similar names: George, Gustaf, Goldie
Griffin
Boy. Latin origin, meaning: Strong lord
Similar names: Gavyn, Galen, Gadriel
Guinevere
Girl. Welsh origin, meaning: White fairy; fair one
Similar names: Grace, Greer, Gwen
Hawthorne
Boy. English origin, meaning: Lives near the hedge
Similar names: Henry, Haven, Hades
Hermione
Girl. Greek origin, meaning: Messanger of God
Similar names: Hestia, Hecate, Hester
Honora
Girl. Latin origin, meaning: Honor
Similar names: Helena, Heloise, Hera
Hugo
Boy. German origin, meaning: Bright in mind
Similar names: Hadrian, Horus, Huxley
Immanuel
Boy. Hebrew origin, meaning: God is with us
Similar names: Ignatius, Imber, Ivan
Isadora
Girl. Greek origin, meaning: Gift of Isis
Similar names: Imogen, Ingrid, Ivy
Isidore
Boy. English origin, meaning: Gift of Isis
Similar names: Inder, Ignis, Inigo
Julian
Boy. English, Latin origin, meaning: Youthful, downy-bearded, or sky father
Similar names: Jasper, Jack, James
Keats
Boy. English origin, meaning: Kite
Similar names: Kastiel, Klaus, Kenneth
Killian
Boy. Gaelic origin, meaning: Little church
Similar names: Kasper, Kingsley, Kaplen
Lavinia
Girl. Latin origin, meaning: From Lavinium
Similar names: Livia, Lavender, Lousia
Leander
Boy. Latin origin, meaning: Lion man
Similar names: Lazarus, Lysander, Laertes
Leontine
Girl. French origin, meaning: Lion
Similar names: Leonora, Leocadia, Lenore
Lilith
Girl. Hebrew origin, meaning: Of the night, demon in Hebrew mythology
Similar names: Lilia, Lani, Lillibeth
Lucian
Boy. Latin origin, meaning: Light
Similar names: Lorcan, Lux, Lucretius
Lysandra
Girl. Greek origin, meaning: Liberator
Similar names: Luna, Lucretia, Lucasta
Malachi
Boy. Hebrew origin, meaning: My messenger
Similar names: Mercury, Maximilian, Marius
Mallory
Gender-neutral. English via French origin, meaning: Unfortunate
Similar names: Margaux, Morgana, Magnus
Maude
Girl. German origin, meaning: Battle mighty
Similar names: Mavis, Mathilde, Marceline
Melusine
Girl. French origin, folkloric name meaning: Strong in work, the female spirit of fresh water
Similar names: Matilda, Margot, Myrtle
Mordecai
Boy. Persian origin, meaning: Servant of Marduk
Similar names: Maxence, Montague, Mallow
Morwenna
Girl. Cornish and Welsh origin, meaning: Maiden
Similar names: Minerva, Millicent, Melisande
Nigel
Boy. Irish origin, meaning: Champion, dark, black-haired
Similar names: Neo, Nathanial, Nori
Octavia
Girl. Latin origin, meaning: Eighth
Similar names: Ottoline, Odeya, Orla
Octavian
Boy. English via Latin origin, meaning: Eighth
Similar names: Orest, Ossian, Ottavio
Oliver
Boy. Latin origin, meaning: Olve tree
Similar names: Olwen, Ollivander, Oberon
Onyx
Gender-neutral. Greek origin, meaning: Gemstone, claw, fingernail
Similar names: Oscar, Orion, Ostara
Ophelia
Girl. Greek origin, meaning: Help
Similar names: Odessa, Odette, Olympia
Othello
Boy. The name of a Shakespearian tragedy. Italian diminutive of OTHO.
Similar names: Osiris, Onegin, Odin
Penrose
Boy. Welsh and Cornish origin, meaning: Top of the heath
Similar names: Percy, Peregrine, Prospero
Persephone
Girl. Greek mythology origin, meaning: Bringer of destruction
Similar names: Phoebe, Penelope, Priscilla
Phaedra
Girl. Greek origin, meaning: Bright
Similar names: Pilar, Philippa, Pandora
Poe
Gender neutral. English origin, meaning: Peacock
Similar names: Pallas, Petra, Percival
Prudence
Girl. English origin, meaning: Provident
Similar names: Proserpine, Pomona, Palma
Quenby
Gender neutral. English origin, meaning: Queen’s settlement
Similar names: Quinn, Quentin, Quintessa
Raphael
Boy. Hebrew name, meaning: God has healed
Similar names: Romeo, Rhodes, Rhett
Rosenwyn
Girl. Cornish origin, a combination of Rosen and wyn meaning: White rose
Similar names: Roma, Rowena, Ravenna
Stellan
Boy. Swedish origin, meaning: Calm, or peaceful one
Similar names: Sebastian, Stefan, Severin
Sylvester
Boy. Latin origin, meaning: Woodland
Similar names: Sylvain, Siro, Salvador
Theodoric
Boy. Germanic origin, meaning: People’s ruler
Similar names: Thaddeus, Theodore, Tallis
Theodosia
Girl. Greek origin, meaning: God’s gift
Similar names: Thisbe, Thomasin, Theodora
Thoreau
Gender neutral. French origin, meaning: Strength of a bull
Similar names: Taliesin, Trevelyan, Torquil
Thorin
Boy. Norse origin, meaning: Brave, daring one
Similar names: Tobias, Tolliver, Tarquin
Valentine
Boy. English origin, meaning: Healthy, strong
Similar names: Vander, Veryan, Vidar
Valeria
Girl. Latin origin, meaning: Strength, valor
Similar names: Violeta, Véronique, Vianne
Venetia
Girl. Italian place name
Similar names: Valentina, Violet, Victoria
Vesper
Gender-neutral. Latin origin, meaning: Evening star
Similar names: Vespertine, Vesta, Viggo
Victor
Boy. Latin origin, meaning: Conquer
Similar names: Vincent, Virgil, Viridius
Xavier
Boy. Baque origin, meaning: New house
Similar names: Xerxes, Xanthos, Xoan
Zenobia
Girl. Greek origin, meaning: Life of Zeus
Similar names: Zephyrine, Zelda, Zosime
