250 Best Last Names for Vampires (and How to Choose One)

Vampire media has seen a resurgence in recent years, and if you’re writing your own vampire story, it’s important to pick the perfect name for your creature of the night. If you need help coming up with a fitting surname, we’ve got you covered! We’ve compiled a list of 250 popular last names for male and female vampires, and we’ll also give you some tips on how to choose the best name for your character.

Last Name Ideas for Vampires

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Vampire last names tend to be dark, regal, and gothic. Their meanings are often associated with darkness, blood, night, or the occult. Example names include:

Popular: Ambrosia, D’Arcy, Nightshade, Ravencroft, Thorne
Famous: Bathory, Cullen, Lioncourt, Mikaelson, Salvatore
Royal: Ashborne, Athalaric, DuPont, Oakhurt, Thornfield
Cool: Arcana, Cimetiére, Esmeray, Noctis, Somnia
Edgy: Blade, Crimson, Diabolos, Mortem, Nyx

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Section 1 of 11:

Popular Vampire Last Names

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Choose a dark, gothic name perfect for a vampire. Some popular vampire surnames make it obvious the character is undead, while others are more subtle. No matter which route you take, research the meaning of different names to find one that fits. In general, look for names that mean things like “blood,” “dark,” or “night,” to really get that vampire vibe. Here are some examples:
- Aisling (Irish for “dream, vision”)
- Ambrosia (Greek for “immortal, food for the gods”)^{[1]
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- Blackhart (English for “black heart”)
- Blackthorne (English for “thorny tree, black thorn”)
- Bloodworth (English for “from Blidworth”)
- D’Arcy (French for “dark”)^{[2]
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- Darkholme (English for “dark or shadowy home”)
- Darkmoore (English for “dark marshland”)
- Moonfall (English for “the setting of the moon”)
- Moonstone (The English name for the hecatolite gemstone)
- Nightshade (English for “shadow of the night,” a poisonous plant)
- Nocturne (Latin for “night”)
- Noir (French for “black”)
- Orpheus (Greek for “darkness of night”)
- Ravencroft (English for “raven enclosure”)
- Ravenna (Italian for “raven”)
- Ravenswood (English for “forest with ravens”)
- Roşu (Romanian for “red”)
- Sangre (Spanish for “blood”)
- Sanguine (French and Latin for “blood”)
- Sebastian (Greek and Latin for “venerable, revered”)
- Tenebris (Latin for “darkness”)
- Thorne (English for “thorn bush”)
- Vodrak (Russian and Slavic for “vampire”)
- Wolff (German for “wolf”)

Section 2 of 11:

Royal & Elegant Vampire Last Names

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Give a regal vampire a sophisticated name. In many vampire stories, vampires are depicted as wealthy. They sometimes even have their own governments and royal families. If your character comes from an important bloodline, give them a timeless, elegant name to match. Here are some examples:
- Aldridge (English for “old, wise ruler; alder farmstead”)
- Ashborne (English for “born of the ash tree”)
- Athalaric (Gothic-era name for “royal leader”)^{[3]
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- Bloodstone (The English name for the heliotrope gemstone)
- Carlisle (English for “fortress, stronghold”)
- DeLacroix (French for “of the cross”)
- Devereux (French for “from Evereux”)
- Draconis (Latin for “dragon, serpent”)
- Drozdov (Slavic for “thrush, blackbird”)
- DuPont (French for “of the bridge”)
- Ebenholz (German for “ebony”)
- Fairmont (English for “beautiful mountain”)
- Fitzroy (Anglo-Norman for “son of the king”)
- Hollingsworth (English for “holly enclosure”)
- Ironwood (English for “a tree with exceptionally hard wood”)
- Larkspur (The English name for a delphinium flower)
- Melchior (Polish for “city of the king, king of light”)
- Moreau (French for “dark-skinned”)
- Mortimer (French for “dead sea”)
- Oakhurst (English for “home in the oaks”)
- Stephanos (Greek and Latin for “crown”)
- Thornfield (English for “field of thorns”)
- Underwood (English for “below the wood, below the trees”)
- Valoire (French for “to have value”)
- Vandermeer (Dutch for “from the lake”)

Section 3 of 11:

Famous Vampire Last Names

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Get inspiration from a famous vampire. Vampire legends have been around for centuries, and there have even been several “real” vampires throughout history. Pay homage to some of your favorite tales by naming your character after another vampire. Here are some examples:
- Bathory (Hungarian for “good hero,” after “The Blood Countess” Elizabeth Bathory)^{[4]
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- Belcourt (French for “beautiful court,” after Camille Belcourt from The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare)
- Belikov (Russian for “son of Belik,” after Dimitri Belikov from Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead)
- Collins (Gaelic for “young hound,” after Barnabas Collins from Dark Shadows)
- Compton (English for “settlement in a valley,” after Bill Compton from True Blood)
- Cullen (Gaelic for “handsome,” after Edward Cullen from Twilight)^{[5]
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- Desmodus (the scientific name for a genus of vampire bats, after Joel Desmodus from Desmodus by Melanie Tem)
- Dracula (Romanian for “son of the dragon,” after Vlad Dracul and Count Dracula)
- Dragomir (Slavic for “to whom peace is precious,” after Lissa Dragomir from Vampire Academy)
- DuCharme (French for “someone who lives by a hornbeam,” after Cassandra DuCharme from Women of the Otherworld by Kelley Armstrong)
- Hale (English for “someone who lives in a hollow,” after Jasper and Rosalie Hale from Twilight)
- Ivashkov (Slavic for “son of Ivashko,” after Tatiana Ivashkov from Vampire Academy)
- Karnstein (Germanic for “stone, rocky terrain,” after Carmilla Karnstein from Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu)
- Lioncourt (French for “court of lions,” after Lestat de Lioncourt from Interview With the Vampire by Anne Rice)^{[6]
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- Mikaelson (Scandinavian for “son of Mikael,” after Klaus Mikaelson from The Vampire Diaries)
- Night (Germanic for “the period of time between sunset and sunrise,” after Erik Night from House of Night by P.C. Cast)
- Northman (Scandinavian for “man from the north,” after Eric Northman from True Blood)
- Orlok (Dutch for “war,” after Count Orlok from Nosferatu)
- Redfern (English for “place with red ferns,” after the Redfern family from Nightworld by L.J. Smith)
- Ruthven (Scottish for “dun uplands,” after Lord Ruthven from “The Vampyre” by John William Polidori)
- Salvatore (Italian for “savior,” after Stefan and Damon Salvator from The Vampire Diaries)
- Santiago (Spanish and Latin for “Saint James,” after Raphael Santiago from The Mortal Instruments)
- Solderini (Italian for “to soothe, calm,” after Bianca Solderini from The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice)
- St. Claire (Latin for “bright, clear,” after Bianca St. Claire from The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher
- Westenra (Irish for “descendant of Iarfhlatha,” after Lucy Westenra from Dracula by Bram Stoker)

Section 4 of 11:

Female Vampire Last Names

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Opt for a feminine surname if your character is a woman. While not all surnames are gender-specific, some naming traditions have different variations for men and women. Keep this in mind when naming your character, especially if they’re centuries old. Or, feel free to choose a feminine-sounding surname simply because you like it! Here are some examples:
- Asphodel (Greek for “lily”)
- Athanasia (Greek for “immortal, eternal life”)
- Belladonna (Italian for “beautiful woman,” also a poisonous plant)
- Camelia (Latin for “helper to the priest, flower”)
- Celeste (Latin for “heavenly”)
- Constantia (Latin for “constant”)
- Corvina (Latin for “raven”)
- Duskmire (English for “a marsh at twilight”)
- Lovelace (English for “loveless, free from love”)
- Mercy (French and English for “compassion”)
- Nectaria (Greek for “nectar, drink of the gods”)
- Nezera (Latin and Slavic for “darkness”)
- Nightingale (English for “night singer”)
- Noctiluna (Latin for “night shiner”)
- Obscura (Latin for “obscured”)
- Ravette (English for “raven-like”)
- Sapphira (Hebrew and Greek for “blue sapphire”)^{[7]
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- Selene (Greek for “moon”)
- Shadowweaver (English for “weaver of shadows”)
- Silverstone (English for “silversmith, Saewulf’s farm”)
- Strzyga (a female demon from Slavic folklore)
- Thana (Arabic for “death”)
- Vaduva (Romanian for “widow”)
- Vespera (Latin for “evening star”)
- Zamfir (Romanian for “to sing, to chant, sapphire”)

Section 5 of 11:

Male Vampire Last Names

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Choose a masculine surname for a male vampire. Even if a surname isn’t technically gender-specific, some sound more masculine than others. If you want your male vampire to seem super tough and strong, consider choosing a masculine last name, like one of these:
- Alnwick (English for “dwelling place on the River Aln”)
- Bleakwood (English for “bleak wood”)
- Cromwell (English for “winding stream”)
- Crowe (English for “crow”)
- Crowley (English and Irish for “crow’s clearing”)
- Darkstone (English for “a dark or black stone”)
- Darkwood (English for “dark wood, dark forest”)
- Draven (Gaelic for “hunter”)
- Grimshaw (English for “dark woods, Grim’s woods”)
- Griswold (English and German for “from the gray forest”)
- Hargreaves (English for “grove of hares”)
- Hemlock (English for “to conceal;” a poisonous plant)
- Lazarescu (Romanian for “son of Lazar”)
- Nightflame (English for “flame in the night”)
- Obscurum (Latin for “dark, dim, obscure”)
- Orfeo (Italian and Greek for “darkness of night”)
- Renwick (British for “raven village”)
- Serafino (Italian and Hebrew for “burning ones”)
- Severin (Latin for “stern”)
- Sterling (English for “of high quality, valuable”)
- Strathmore (Gaelic for “broad valley”)
- Umbriel (Latin for “shadow”)
- Vale (Latin for “valley”)
- Valmont (French for “valley of the mountain”)
- Wolfsbane (English for “wolf-killer,” a poisonous plant)

Section 6 of 11:

Last Names for Good Vampires

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Go for a name with a lighter meaning if your vampire is good. Many stories pit “good” vampires against “evil” vampires. If your vampire is a protagonist, consider choosing a lighter or softer-sounding name to set them apart from the others. Here are some examples:
- Angelis (Greek and Latin for “angel”)
- Bancroft (English for “from the bean field”)
- Bellamy (French for “good friend, beautiful friend”)
- Blutmond (German for “blood moon”)
- Calix (Greek for “very beautiful, wonderful”)
- Corvinus (Latin for “raven”)
- Cristian (Romanian for “a Christian”)
- Donahue (Irish for “dark warrior”)
- Everhart (English and German for “brave boar”)
- Fairhaven (English for “a safe or sheltered harbor”)
- Floarea (Romanian for “flower”)
- Forsythe (English and Irish for “man of peace”)
- Lockwood (Anglo-Saxon for “forest near a fortified place”)
- Luminita (Romanian for “little light, illuminating”)
- Lunaris (Latin for “of the moon”)
- Requiem (Latin for “rest, repose”)
- Rodante (Greek for “rose”)
- Rosewood (English for “rosewood tree”)
- Sångare (Swedish for “singer”)
- Solace (English for “comfort, consolation”)
- Starlight (English for “light from the stars”)
- Vérfehér (Hungarian for “blood-white”)
- Veritas (Latin for “truth”)
- Vesper (Latin for “evening”)
- Vigilare (Latin for “to watch”)

Section 7 of 11:

Cool Vampire Last Names

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Pick a cool surname if you want something unique. Some vampiric last names are more common than others, so if you want your character to stand out, choose a cool name you don’t hear very often. Take inspiration from different languages, or combine multiple words to create a brand new name. Here are some examples:
- Arcana (Latin for “secrets”)
- Bloodstorm (English for “storm of blood”)
- Cimetiére (French for “graveyard”)
- Darkling (English for “one who dwells in the dark”)
- Draken (Greek for “dragon, to see clearly”)
- Eldritch (English for “strange, eerie, otherworldly”)
- Esmeray (Turkish for “dark moon”)^{[8]
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- Karayan (Armenian for “dark”)
- Kryptos (Greek for “hidden, secret”)
- Lefu (South African for “death”)
- Lorcan (Irish for “little fierce one”)
- Luca (Latin and Italian for “bringer of light, man from Lucania”)
- Lupu (Romanian for “wolf”)
- Mortifer (Latin for “deadly, fatal, death-bringing”)
- Nachtwandler (German for “sleepwalker, night walker”)
- Nightsinger (English for “someone who sings at night”)
- Noctis (Latin for “of the night, nocturnal”)
- Nox (Latin for “night”)
- Onyx (a black gemstone linked to mystery and power)
- Sangreoscura (Spanish for “dark blood”)
- Soleilnoir (French for “black sun”)
- Somnia (Latin for “dream”)
- Upír (Slavic for “vampire”)
- Vulpe (Latin for “fox”)
- Zephyr (Greek for “west wind”)

Section 8 of 11:

Ancient Vampire Last Names

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Choose an ancient name for a vampire that’s really old. If your vampire is hundreds or thousands of years old, make sure your name fits the century they were born in. For older vampires, turn to ancient languages like Latin or Greek. Avoid names that are commonly used today so your readers really feel like your vampire is immortal. Here are some examples:
- Aamon (Egyptian for “the hidden one”)
- Abaddon (Hebrew for “destruction, destroyer”)^{[9]
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- Acerbus (Latin for “harsh, bitter”)
- Acheron (Greek for “river of sorrows”)
- Aeturnus (Latin for “eternal”)
- Aion (Greek for “eternity”)
- Anastasius (Greek for “to rise again”)^{[10]
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- Anselm (Germanic for “divine protection”)
- Athan (Greek for “immortal, eternal life”)
- Carpathian (Romanian for “from the Carpathian mountains”)
- Cimmerian (Greek for “dark, gloomy, shrouded in perpetual darkness”)
- Corvus (Latin for “raven”)
- Crepusculum (Latin for “twilight”)
- Daedalus (Greek for “craftsman, skilled worker”)
- Eleazar (Hebrew for “God has helped”)
- Erasmus (Latin and Greek for “beloved, desired”)
- Exanimus (Latin for “lifeless, dead”)
- Krvopijac (Bulgarian for “vampire”)
- Moroi (a type of vampire from Romanian folklore)
- Morsus (Latin for “bite, sting, pain”)
- Samael (Hebrew for “venom of God”)
- Sluagh (Gaelic for “host, army”)
- Stygian (Greek for “a river in the underworld, extremely dark, forbidding”)
- Vitiosus (Latin for “vicious, corrupt, bad”)
- Vrykolakas (a vampire-like creature from Greek mythology)

Section 9 of 11:

Edgy Vampire Last Names

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Pick an edgy last name for a brooding vampire. While many vampires are ancient and powerful, some people prefer a more comedic approach and create vampires that are broody and emo. If you’re looking for a name that doesn’t take itself too seriously, try one of these edge options:
- Akuji (Yoruba for “dead and awake”)
- Bane (English for “cause of death or ruin”)
- Blade (English for “knife, sword”)
- Bloodfang (English for “fang of blood”)
- Bloodrose (English for “rose of blood”)
- Crimson (English for “dark red color”)
- Dagger (French for “small, sharp, pointed weapon”)
- Diabolos (Greek for “devil”)
- Diablo (Spanish for “devil”)
- Drago (Slavic and Latin for “dragon”)
- Graves (English for “bailiff, steward”)
- Grimm (German for “stern, severe”)
- Hannibal (Carthaginian for “grace of Baal”)
- Infernalis (Latin for “hellish”)
- Izcacus (Hungarian for “blood-drinker”)^{[11]
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- Lazarus (Hebrew for “God has helped”)
- Mortem (Latin for “death”)
- Mortis (Latin for “death”)
- Nachtmahr (German for “nightmare”)
- Nattblod (Swedish for “night blood”)
- Nyx (Greek for “night”)
- Serpentis (Latin for “snake, serpent”)
- Styx (Greek for “shuddering, hateful, the river of the underworld”)
- Tempest (Latin for “violent storm”)
- Wraith (English for “ghost, spirit”)

Section 10 of 11:

Powerful Vampire Last Names

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Emphasize your vampire’s power with a strong surname. Vampires are often depicted as powerful creatures who rule over others or wreak havoc on unsuspecting humans. If you want your other characters to be fearful, give your vampire a powerful, evil-sounding name. Here are some examples:
- Alastor (Greek for “avenging spirit”)
- Aurelius (Latin for “golden”)
- Balor (Irish for “the deadly one”)
- Bellator (Latin for “warrior, fighter”)
- Bhuta (Sanskrit for “being, creature, spirit”)
- Bloodspire (English for “tower of blood”)
- Blutgraf (German for “blood count”)
- Blutrache (German for “blood revenge”)
- Carnifex (Latin for “butcher, executioner”)
- Casimir (Slavic for “destroyer of peace, proclaimer of peace”)
- Cruor (Latin for “blood, bloodshed”)
- Fayez (Arabic for “victorious”)
- Feralis (Latin for “deadly, fatal, funereal”)
- Gauthier (French and German for “powerful ruler”)
- Hypatia (Greek for “highest, supreme”)
- Maleficarum (Latin for “of evil deeds, of harmful magic”)
- Nachzehrer (German for “one who devours after”)
- Nicolescu (Romanian for “son of Nicolae”)
- Olarescu (Romanian for “son of Olaru”)
- Sanguinarius (Latin for “bloodthirsty”)
- Sovran (English for “supreme in power or authority”)
- Strife (French and German for “struggle, conflict”)
- Thanatos (Greek for “death”)
- Umbraticus (Latin for “of or belonging to the shade”)
- Vorago (Latin for “abyss, chasm”)

Section 11 of 11:

How to Choose a Vampiric Last Name

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1
Research the name’s meaning. While a name’s meaning doesn’t have to reflect a character’s traits, it’s a good way to choose a name that fits. Choose a name that means something related to vampires, like “blood” or “night,” or opt for something that reflects your vampire’s personality. If your character has special powers, consider choosing a name based on those powers, as well.
2
Decide on your vampire’s cultural background. There are vampire myths from all over the world, so decide which stories you want to use to create your character. Then, choose a name from that culture. For example, if you’re writing about a jiangshi, the Chinese hopping vampire, it probably wouldn’t make sense to give them a German last name.
3
Determine how old your vampire is. Surnames evolve through generations, so some last names sound ancient while others sound modern. Decide how old you want your vampire to be, then research names that were common around the time they were born. For example, a vampire born in the 1800s likely wouldn’t have the last name “Blade,” but they might have a name like “Cromwell.”
4
Match the name’s tone to your story. What kind of story are you writing—serious Gothic fiction or a fun Halloween story for kids? If you want your vampire’s name to be believable, it’s important that the name fits the overall mood of your story. For example, a last name like “Bloodfang” might be a little too on-the-nose for an eerie Gothic horror, but it might make sense for a villain in a children’s book.

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