I don’t think you should choose the baby name Lucifer.
And yet, it’s easy to understand the appeal, and so this dark-light choice is our Baby Name of the Day.
BEFORE THE FALL
It’s not easy to talk about evil personified. I’d always dismissed Lucifer as just another name for the devil.
And yet that’s a vast oversimplification.
Lucifer comes from the Latin lux – light and ferre – carry. Poetically, the meaning is given as shining one, light bringer, or bringer of dawn. It’s also a term used to refer to the morning star, or the planet Venus.
In ancient myth the dawn gives birth to the morning star. Eos and Phosphorous in the Greek; Aurora and Lucifer in the Latin.
Even before the Greeks, Canaanite myth had a story about Attar, god of the morning star.
And there are some places where the image of the morning star is associated with Jesus.
The King James version of the Bible refers to Lucifer by name in Isaiah 14:12, but plenty of other translations do not.
Dante’s Inferno and Milton’s Paradise Lost also called the devil by name.
I suspect that prior to Milton and the King James Bible – both products of the early 1600s – Lucifer might not have been widely used in English to refer to the devil.
SINNER AND SAINTS
More proof that the devil came late to the party?
The first bishop of Siena wore the name, sometimes around 300. Saint Lucifer of Cagliari lived in the fourth century. A second bishop of Cagliari took the name a century later, presumably in homage.
In the early seventeenth century, a Dutch-born pirate named Hendrick Jacobszonn acquired this name as a nickname. Fitting, right? Not so fast. Jacobszonn was known for using fire and smoke to surprise his enemies. It seems that was the source of his nickname – a very literal description.
COMICS
We’d expect Lucifer to cameo as a bad guy in comic books, and he doesn’t disappoint.
Neil Gaiman borrowed him for his comic books series The Sandman. It was based on an earlier DC Comics character, but Gaiman made the story all his own. The series debuted in 1988. Eventually, Gaiman’s version of Lucifer Morningstar was spun off into a separate series.
SMALL SCREEN
The comic inspired a television series with an irresistible premise: what if the devil got bored? He leaves Hell and relocates to Los Angeles to run a nightclub called Lux. But then tragedy hits close to home, and he finds himself helping the LAPD solve a murder case.
And then another. And another.
After all, Mr. Morningstar can’t be killed. He can prompt others to reveal their deepest desires – and sometimes force them to admit their crimes. The show is entering its fifth season, now on Netflix. The character has continued to evolve, doing far more good than you might expect.
Tom Ellis plays the title role, and he’s wickedly charming. But Ellis wasn’t the first small screen version of the Prince of Darkness. Supernatural introduced their version of the character in 2009.
But it’s the Netflix series that’s pushing the baby name Lucifer up the popularity charts. After all, we’re watching the character behave in ways that might be called heroic. It certainly reinforces the idea that the name isn’t all bad, and could be worthy of reconsideration.
BABY NAME LUCIFER?
Let me clear: television series aside, I don’t think you should consider the baby name Lucifer. It’s just too darn polarizing.
And yet, I’ve been wrong about bold names before. Messiah and Maverick are mainstream. And we do love a good Luc/Luke name.
A record high of 26 boys received the name in 2018.
Still, regardless of your personal beliefs, I think it’s just too big, too shocking a name to consider. Not because it will offend others – but because it would make your child’s experience of his name needlessly awkward.
What do you think of the baby name Lucifer? Am I too quick to dismiss it?
First published on February 23, 2016, this post was updated on August 29, 2020.
It’s a good name for a cat…baby, not so much.
I think Lucifer just sounds too evil. I would never name a little baby Lucifer!
I kind of like it.
I’m looking for a less Christ-y way to honor a Kristopher. Ha. Maybe a Lucifer. I wonder if it could be respelled Lucipher or something to lessen the impact? It looks gross with the “ph” though.
Perhaps the Scottish form Kester?
Perhaps even Lucivar like the character from Anne Bishop’s the Black Jewel Trilogy.
That’s an interesting thought …
Oh I have never heard of Kester before and I really like it! Thank you. I can probably sell that to other half who is bound and determined to name one after his brother (Kristopher) because the brother named one after him. And I hate the names Kristopher, Christopher, and every variant I’d ever heard before today. (Kris’s mn is just as bad: Leeroy.)
Not only is Kester a form of Kristopher, but you can spell it using the letters of Kristopher Leeroy. Win-win, IMO. 😉
Some other names you can spell using the letter of Kristopher Leeroy:
Telesphore, Telesphoro, Terpsikoro, Theokleios, Ethelrikr, Heithrekr, Perikleos, Reyrketil, Skerthirr, Telesphor, Teokleios, Teophilos, Theokleio, Theokleos, Ethelrik, Heithrek, Heitrekr, Herrothr, Hesekiel, Hroerekr, Kristhor, Perikleo, Perikles, Persilek, Philetos, Pretioso, Prokleos, Rosketil, Rothrekr, Skerthir, Teokleio, Teokleos, Teophilo, Theokleo, Theresio, Eilerts, Elektro, Elieser, Ephesio, Esekiel, Heitrek, Herperi, Herrero, Herriot, Herroth, Hersirr, Heskeli, Hespero, Hroerek, Hrorikr, Hyperio, Isrothr, Kepheos, Kestrel, Kishore, Kistler, Kleitos, Kloeter, Krester, Krister, Kyrilos, Lyrikos, Okropir, Oleksei, Oleksey, Oleksiy, Ophelio, Ophelos, Orestio, Orpheos, Peeters, Perlito, Pertile, Phileto, Photios, Phrikso, Pierrik, Preslee, Presley, Preslie, Prokhor, Prokleo, Proklos, Proteos, Pyrrhos, Pythios, Roerekr, Roopert, Rothrek, Sethorr, Sherlok, Sherrie, Shirlee, Shirley, Soterio, Sporthi, Stephek, Stephey, Stephie, Storker, Teokleo, Teophil, Teresio, Thereso, Therkel, Therkil, Thorkel, Thorkil, Thorlee, Thorlek, Thorley, Thorlie, Throkil, Tresler, Tryphos, Yoshiro, Ehlert, Eilert, Eleseo, Eliseo, Eliser, Erekle, Eriker, Eskeli, Eylert, Heitor, Hektor, Helios, Herekr, Herser, Hersir, Heseli, Hesper, Hierro, Hiortr, Hiroto, Hlothr, Hooper, Horthr, Hother, Hristo, Hroirr, Hrokrr, Hrorik, Iephet, Ioseph, Iserel, Isroth, Keerti, Kelsey, Kelsie, Kepheo, Kerper, Kerrie, Kersey, Keshet, Kester, Kilroy, Kishor, Kleito, Kletos, Klitos, Kloter, Klytos, Kohler, Koresh, Korprr, Koysti, Kreios, Kristo, Kristy, Kyrilo, Leeor, Lehrer, Leikrr, Lester, Lister, Lokert, Loreto, Lorito, Lorrie, Lyriko, Oleksi, Oleksy, Olrekr, Olrikr, Ophelo, Oreste, Oriole, Orpheo, Otelio, Othelo, Othere, Othkil, Otylio, Peeter, Peiter, Perrie, Perseo, Persey, Persie, Peters, Pether, Pethes, Petros, Pherik, Phesto, Philet, Philos, Photio, Photos, Phriks, Pierre, Pieter, Pietro, Porter, Preeri, Preeti, Prekti, Presli, Prisko, Proklo, Prokor, Proteo, Protos, Pyrhos, Pyrrho, Pyrros, Pythio, Reiher, Reistr, Reiter, Rekori, Rether, Riplee, Ripley, Roeper, Roerek, Rokert, Rorikr, Roselo, Roseto, Rosito, Rother, Rotker, Seeley, Seelie, Serekr, Serhei, Serhey, Serhiy, Seriph, Sethor, Sherie, Sherri, Sherry, Sholto, Sierro, Skopti, Skorri, Skyler, Slothi, Soheil, Sophio, Sorkel, Sorlee, Sorley, Sorlie, Sorrel, Sphoro, Spiker, Sproti, Steele, Stelio, Stephi, Stephy, Sterki, Styles, Syrkel, Tereso, Terkel, Terkil, Terrey, Terrie, Therir, Thorer, Thorir, Thorli, Thorpe, Thorry, Tolirr, Tolkrr, Topher, Torils, Torkel, Torkil, Torlek, Torres, Torris, Troels, Trypho, Tyreek, Tyrese, Tyrils, Tyrrel, Yehiel, Yephet, Yoseph, Yosiph
I know a lot of those aren’t very common, but I only listed the names that were six or more letters long here. Let me know if you’d like to see the names that are three-five letters long, if you’d like me to search for more, or if you need any more info on any of them. 🙂
There is a compelling argument to be made that Isiah’s prophecy is referring to the king of Babylon (as stated in the preceeding verses). Having said that, Lucifer still reads “villian”. With so many better options for a boy’s name meaning ‘light’ , this one is best left on Cinderella’s evil cat.
I might consider it as a middle name… there are plenty of other names I love more, but it does have a lovely meaning and a certain edgy appeal.
I find the thought of naming a baby Lucifer shocking! Poor baby…
Lucifer has an extremely appealing sound and literal meaning, I’ll admit. But I agree with everyone else on it’s total un-wearability. This one would be so hard to live with…the questions, the assumptions, etc. I’d sooner bestow Calcifer than Lucifer (hey, now there’s an idea!)
Jezebel is becoming more mainstream.. As far as that’s even possible with that name. I don’t think this name will ever become popular, but why not…
I know what you mean … and yet, I cannot imagine going through life with the name!
Neither can I. But that’s also because in the Netherlands Lucifer has a dubble meaning. It’s also how dutch people refer to matches. Sooo… not a good name! 🙂
So I had to go and check — he’s also explicitly named Lucifer in the Wycliffite translation of 1395, and in Jerome’s Vulgate of 405. It looks like it’s only modern translations that eschew the term.
Now that IS interesting, Sara – thank you!
As I’ve mentioned before, my father wanted to name me Lucifer, and call me Lucy. His second choice? Trinity.
[If I’d have been a boy, I’d have been a Jr, so my parents didn’t discuss names for boys.]
I do really like the sound and meaning of Lucifer, and the mythology is intriguing, but sadly, yeah, bad idea to actually give it to a child.
I’d forgotten that, Panya! That has to be the best the-name-I-was-almost-named story ever.