Name List: Apotropaic Names

Names meant to protect the bearer, or refer to their birth in some way.
Standard view
Name M/F Remark
Zvidzai m "despise, look down upon" (shona)
Zeyde m "grandfather"
Zbywoj m
Zaviša m see Zavida
Zavida m "to envy" - prevent spirits from envying (Serbian)
Yurena f "evil spirit" (Guanche)
Yue f / m supposedly "tragic accident" in Japanese, given to infants who die soon after birth [http://bewitchingnames.blogspot.com/2012/11/name-round-up-last-airbender-and-legend.html?m=1]
Yibanathi m / f "be with us"
Yeggul-ngon m / f "s/he has not reached the afternoon" (Wolof) [death prevention name]
Waibodei m / f "has returned again"
Vopiscus m unknown; pos. given to a child whose twin was stillborn (Latin)
Vinevyt f "deceased"
Vakona f "unwanted"
Ultuar f
Úfeigr m "not fey, not doomed to die" (Old Norse)
Tygrynkeev m
Tursynbek m "let it live" + "chieftain, master" (Karakalpak)
Tursyn m "let him live" (Karakalpak)
Tursun m
Turar m / f "will live" - given to child not expected to live (Kazakh)
Tsiafoy m / f
Trajko m "to last" (Macedonian)
Towera f "beauty, beautiful" - given to a child born after death(s) of a preceding sibling (Tumbuka)
Torevei m / f
Tolegen m "paid” - after death of male family member (Kazakh)
Toktar m "let it stay" (Kazakh)
Tokin'aina m / f
Todini m / f
Ti-sái m "hog manure" (Taiwanese) [given to ward off evil spirits]
Tin m / f
Tichaona m "we will see" (Shona)
Terbish m / f "not that one" (Mongolian)
Tenabaabi m / f
Tekena f / m
Taymaskhan m
Tatadzeiko f
Tanyaradzwa f
Tangman m
Tambudzai f "make trouble, frustrate" (Shona)
Taiwo m / f "taste the world, taste life" (Yoruba) for first of twins
Stemma f "to stop" (Judeo-Greek) hoping to stop having daughters
Staniša m
Sorghaghtani f "pox girl" (Mongolian)
Skyldfri f "innocent, guiltless" - foundlings/girls born out of wedlock (Danish)
Sinh m / f
Sharmaarke m "see no evil" or "protect from evil" (Somali)
Shaka m stomach cramp caused by an intestinal parasite
Saubar m
Satılmış m
Safe-on-highe m 'Often given to children expected to perish. References the safety of a child in Heaven versus earth'
Safe-on-high m / f given to children expected to die (Puritan)
Rytkheu m
Rytgėv m
Rron m
Relictus m
Regai m
Prodana f "sold" (Serbian)
Prodan m
Preserved m / f child spared from certain death during childbirth (Puritan)
Pomare m / f "night cough" - changed name after death of child (Tahitian)
Piran m
Phila m / f
Pheko m
Pausilypos m
Panji m / f “maybe” (Tumbuka) as in “maybe he will grow”
Owo m
Owiti m
Otaiku m "a hard stone can not die" (Yoruba)
Orvo m
Orshikh m / f
Oresanwo m
Oprea f "to stop" (Romanian) hoping this is the last child born into a family
Onwutalobi m
Onwuegbunam m / f
Ondiek m determined to survive; lit. "hyena" (Luo)
Omotunde m "the child has returned" (Yoruba)
Ombana m / f
Ojwang m
Ojo m child born with umbilical cord around neck (Yoruba)
Ogtbish f / m "not at all" (Mongolian)
Oghul Qaimish f "next time a boy" (Mongolian)
Ogbodo m / f
Ochan m
Obulor m
Nymandus m "nobody" - given to orphans as given or byname (Germanic) see also Nemo
Nyamayarwo m / f
Nugai m "dog" (Mongolian)
Nonhelema f "not a man" (Shawnee)
Nnyeyam m / f
Nkhumbwizhya m / f “admire for a while” (Nsenga), given after death of older siblings
Niftyuk f
Netsai f "trouble, annoy, bother" (Shona)
Nergüi m / f "no name" (Mongolian)
Nemo m "nobody" (Latin)
Nekras
Nekhii m / f "sheepskin" (Mongolian)
Nduefuna m / f
Nayden m "found" (Bulgarian)
Nawoj m
Nasqida m
Nakusha f
Muunokhoi m "vicious dog" (Mongolian)
Mutunga m "to return, replace, put back" - replacement for the departed (Kamba) see also Katunga, Mutungwa, Musyoka
Muneyinazvo f / m
Motlagomang f / m
Meshullam m
Merkado m
Merkada f
Medekhgüi f / m "I don't know" (Mongolian)
Matla f
Masiye m / f
Majekodunmi m / f
Maidei f
Mabayoje m / f
Lífgjarn m
Lepădat m
Kwento m
Kutuna "favorite; intimate" OR "amulet [to ward off evil/evil eye]" (Basque)
Kudzoka f
Kuchinei m
Kokumo m / f "he will not die anymore" (Yoruba) [Abiku name]
Khünbish m / f "not human" (Mongolian)
Khivchuk f
Khenbish f / m "nobody" (Mongolian)
Khasar m "a fearsome dog" - refers to stone guard dog/lion OR "archer" (Mongolian)
Ketugay m / f "die till you get tired of it" (Jola)
Kéehu m / f "the one who dies" or "the dead one" (Manjak) [death prevention name]
Kaya 1 m "carrier of load" (Akan) [death prevention name]*
Katuma m "to send" - last-born of triplets, not to be sent on errands (Luba)
Kamenko m
Kambondoo m
Joy-againe m / f birth after previous loss (Puritan)
Joy-again f birth after previous loss (Puritan)
Joli f
Jilele m
Jelda f
Izbylut m
Isazo m / f
Iredia m "stay" (Esan)
Hok'ee m
Hazviperi m / f
Have-mercy f / m prayer for mercy if mother and/or child’s life is in danger (Puritan)
Hamunyari f
Hai m
Gvozden m
Guyyah m "graves" - short form [Ammenguyyah] (Bandial)
Gurias m
Guondibo m / f "they inter you there" (Banjal/Bandial) [death prevention name]
Grímr m
Gorgonios m
God-help m / f prayer for help if mother and/or child’s life is in danger (Puritan)
Gnendel f
Genubath m
Genendel f
Fundin m
Felagha f / m "death has not reached me" (Ijaw)
Fedude m / f "death has ended" - marks end of premature death in family (Ijaw)
Eutychus m
Erşi m / f
Enebish f / m "not this one" (Mongolian)
Diotallevi m
Dinkyene m / f "eat salt" - symbolises being alive (Akan)
Dikaya m / f "is going nowhere" (Manjak) [death prevention name]
Deulegard m
Dambuzgho f
Creature f / m infants who survived birth just long enough to be baptised (Medieval English)
Consolat m "consoled, comforted" (Latin) often given to a child born after the death of another
Confortata f “comforted” (Latin) augurative name, given after death of previous child
Choćka m
Chiwa f
Chimika f / m herb used to carry pregnancy to term (Tumbuka)
Chilufya m / f
Child-of-God m / f Given to child expected to die at/soon after birth (Puritan)
Chaćko m
Çetulo f "died coming" (Banjal/Bandial) [death prevention name]
Cawil m
Burul f
Botagoz f "[baby] camel eye" - evil eye? (Kazakh)
Bompaka m / f
Bodisere f
Bobe f
Beninye f / m
Bēl-bullissu m
Beduna m "is it bad?" (uncertain source)
Bayenkhu f
Balijekwao f
Bafiske f
Azmaveth m
Awuor f
Awiti f "thrown away" (Luo)
Awiti f
Auma f
Astruc m
Aselom m "enough men" (Haitian Creole)
Asefi f "enough girls" (Haitian Creole)
Asabi f
Asaaseasa m / f "the land is finished" - no more land for burials, stay here (Akan)
Antobam f
Angerlarneq f "she who has returned home" after dead family member (South Greenlandic)
Amul-yaakaar m / f "s/he has no hope" (Wolof) [death prevention name]
Amran m
Amr m
Ammenguyyah m
Amadi 2 m "seemed destined to die at birth" (Yoruba)
Alter m "old" (Yiddish)
Alabrah m
Akpomofa f / m
Akpoebi f / m
Ajani m
Aina f
Aimut m "may he not die" (Amharic)
Ahmicqui f / m "something that does not die" (Nahuatl)
Ahamefuna m / f
Agyegyesεm m / f "trouble making"
Afogori m / f "s/he gets buried around" (Banjal/Bandial) [death prevention name]
Aduke f
Adisoda f
Achaje m "stranger"
Abiba f
Abeke f "one begged to care for"
Abayomi m / f
Abaskantos m "protected against enchantments, free from harm"
Ababuo f