100+ Names That Mean Bat: Rare, Cute & Mysterious Picks

Bats are the most misunderstood creatures of the night, and their names are just as surprising. If you are looking for names that mean bat, you have come to the right place.

This guide covers words that truly translate to bat in many languages, clearly labelled, alongside names from bat myths and night folklore. Some names here are inspired by wings, caves and darkness rather than the animal itself, and we say so honestly, so you always know what a name really means.

Use these ideas for a baby, a pet, a character or a username. Start with the literal names, then explore the girl, boy and gender-neutral lists, the mythological and dark picks, and the cute, funny and fantasy names that fit your style.

Names That Mean Bat Generator

Pick a first name and a surname from this guide, or use a ready-made pair below. Each one blends a bat-inspired first name with a shadowy last name.

• Vesper Blackwood
• Echo Holloway
• Nox Ravenscroft
• Luna Thorne
• Corvus Grimshaw
• Pip Hawthorne
• Kage Stark
• Selene Doyle
• Alcithoe Crowe
• Zotz Voss
• Nyx Blackthorn
• Noctis Morrow
• Lenore Fenwick
• Hesper Gray
• Raven Mortimer
• Onyx Delacroix
• Sable Ashcroft
• Dusk Wolfe
• Umbra Cross
• Twilight Crane
• Bram Leroux
• Orpheus Blackstone
• Lilith Winters
• Layla Blackmore
• Bran Mallory
• Dorian Morgenstern
• Wren Radcliffe
• Rowan Corbett
• Sage Rooke
• Flit Marlowe
• Serotine Voss
• Myotis Hale
• Alula Nightingale
• Penna Moriarty
• Ala Dupin
• Hunahpu Gray
• Minyas Crowe
• Nycteus Blackburn
• Carmilla Winters
• Alucard Thorne

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What Names Mean Bat?

A name that means bat is a word for “bat” in some language. Zotz in Maya and Vespertilio in Latin are good examples. Very few of these are common first names, so most are rare and unusual.

A bat-inspired name is different. It does not mean “bat.” It simply feels like one, because of night, wings, caves, or myth. Cultures also see bats differently. Many Western stories link bats to spooky nights. In Chinese culture, bats are lucky because the word sounds like “fortune.”

Names That Literally Mean Bat

Very few words for bat are used as personal names. The table starts with the most relevant and name-friendly picks. Pronunciations are simple English respellings.

Girl Names That Mean Bat

Bat Words With a Soft, Feminine Sound

These are real words for bat. They are not common girl names, but they sound gentle and can be used creatively.

• Nychterida (Greek): “bat”
• Shabpareh (Persian): “bat,” literally “night wing”
• Ialtóg (Irish): “bat”
• Pekapeka (Māori): “bat”
• Paniki (Tagalog): “bat”
• ʻŌpeʻapeʻa (Hawaiian): Hawaiian hoary bat
• Ystlum (Welsh): “bat”

Feminine Names Inspired by Bats, Night, or Mythology

• Luna (Latin): “moon”
• Selene (Greek): “moon”; moon goddess
• Nyx (Greek): goddess of night
• Vesper (Latin): “evening”; the root of the Latin word for bat
• Hespera (Greek): “evening”
• Lilith (Hebrew folklore): night spirit
• Alcithoe (Greek): princess turned into a bat in myth
• Leucippe (Greek): sister turned into a bat in the same myth
• Arsippe (Greek): sister turned into a bat in the same myth
• Ala (Latin): “wing”
• Alula (Latin): “little wing”
• Penna (Latin): “feather, wing”
• Layla (Arabic): “night”
• Nisha (Sanskrit): “night”
• Ratri (Sanskrit): “night”
• Echo (Greek): “sound”; bats use echoes to see
• Nocturna: modern feminine form of “night”
• Ebony (Greek): dark, black wood
• Sable (English): “black”
• Raven (English): dark bird of the night
• Morgana (Arthurian): sorceress
• Carmilla (Literary): vampire in an 1872 novella
• Mina (Literary): heroine of Dracula
• Ligeia (Greek): “clear-voiced”; a siren
• Lenore (Literary): haunting heroine of a Poe poem
• Hecate (Greek): goddess of magic and the night
• Persephone (Greek): queen of the underworld
• Elara (Greek): nymph hidden in a cave by Zeus
• Circe (Greek): enchantress of myth
• Medea (Greek): sorceress of myth
• Ophelia (Greek): “help”; a haunting Shakespeare heroine
• Eurydice (Greek): lost to the underworld in myth
• Bathilda (Germanic): “battle maid”; it only begins with “Bat” (not a bat name)

Read More: 80+ Beautiful Spiritual Names With Deep Meanings for Boys, Girls & Unisex Use

Boy Names That Mean Bat

Bat Words and Genuine Bat Meanings

• Zotz (Maya): “bat”
• Camazotz (K’iche’ Maya): “death bat”
• Vespertilio (Latin): “bat”
• Kōmori (Japanese): “bat”
• Atalef (Hebrew): “bat”
• Tzinacan (Nahuatl): “bat”
• Yarasa (Turkish): “bat”
• Popo (Swahili): “bat”

Masculine Names Inspired by Bats and Nocturnal Creatures

• Corvus (Latin): “raven”
• Bran (Welsh, Irish): “raven”
• Nox (Latin): “night”
• Noctis (Latin): “of the night”
• Erebus (Greek): “darkness”
• Kage (Japanese): “shadow”
• Yoru (Japanese): “night”
• Hesperus (Greek): “evening star”
• Lupus (Latin): “wolf”
• Fenrir (Norse): giant wolf of myth
• Reynard (French): the clever fox of medieval fables
• Orpheus (Greek): musician who entered the underworld
• Charon (Greek): ferryman of the dead
• Anubis (Egyptian): jackal-headed god of the dead
• Hunahpu (K’iche’ Maya): hero twin who faced Camazotz
• Xbalanque (K’iche’ Maya): the other hero twin
• Nycteus (Greek): legendary king; name tied to nyx, “night”
• Minyas (Greek): king whose daughters became bats
• Dracula (Romanian): “son of the dragon”
• Alucard (Literary): “Dracula” spelled backward
• Vlad (Slavic): “rule”
• Lestat (Literary): vampire in Anne Rice’s novels
• Damien (Greek): “to tame”
• Dorian (Greek): Oscar Wilde’s Dorian Gray
• Bram (Hebrew): short for Abraham; first name of the author of Dracula
• Merlin (Welsh): enchanter of legend
• Odin (Norse): god of wisdom and magic
• Loki (Norse): trickster god
• Morpheus (Greek): god of dreams
• Draven (Modern): invented name popularized by The Crow
• Azrael (Hebrew): angel of death in folklore
• Mordred (Arthurian): the knight who betrayed Arthur

Gender-Neutral Bat-Inspired Names

Everyday Word-Names Linked to Night and Wings

• Echo (Greek): “sound”
• Raven (English): dark bird of the night
• Onyx: black stone
• Sable (English): “black”
• Ash (English): the tree; also what remains after fire
• Wren (English): small songbird
• Dusk: the fading light of evening
• Twilight: the dim light after sunset
• Nocturne: a dreamy night piece in music
• Shade: shadow
• Shadow: a dark shape
• Midnight: the darkest hour
• Hollow: an empty, echoing space
• Haze: soft, unclear air
• Eclipse: when light is hidden
• Rowan (Gaelic): “little red one”; a protective tree
• Vesper (Latin): “evening”
• Rune (Old Norse): “secret”
• Zephyr (Greek): the west wind
• Grotto (Italian): a small cave
• Cavern: a large cave
• Gloam: poetic word for twilight
• Umber: dark brown shade; from Latin umbra, “shadow”
• Slate: dark grey stone
• Cinder: a glowing piece of burnt wood
• Wisp: a thin, light strand
• Nova: a star that flares suddenly
• Orion: a night-sky hunter and constellation
• Quill: a feather pen

Bat Species and Scientific Words Used as Names (Modern Word-Names)

• Pipistrelle: small bat; from the Italian word for bat
• Noctule: large bat; from an Italian word linked to night
• Serotine: evening bat; from Latin serotinus, “of the evening”
• Myotis: “mouse-eared” in Greek; a large group of bats
• Barbastelle: dark bat with a flat face
• Pteropus: “winged foot” in Greek; the flying foxes
• Kalong: Indonesian word for large fruit bats
• Plecotus: “twisted ear” in Greek; long-eared bats
• Nyctalus: genus of noctule bats; from Greek word for night
• Flit: to dart quickly, like a bat in flight
• Pip: short and cute; from pipistrelle

Names That Mean Bat in Different Languages

Pronunciations are approximate English respellings.

• Latin: Vespertilio (wes-per-TEE-lee-oh)
• Greek: Nychterida (nikh-teh-REE-dha)
• Spanish: Murciélago (moor-SYEH-lah-go)
• Portuguese: Morcego (mor-SEH-goo)
• French: Chauve-souris (shohv-soo-REE), “bald mouse”
• Italian: Pipistrello (pee-pee-STREL-loh)
• German: Fledermaus (FLAY-der-mows), “flutter mouse”
• Dutch: Vleermuis (VLAIR-mowss)
• Swedish: Fladdermus (FLAH-der-moos)
• Norwegian: Flaggermus (FLAH-ger-moos)
• Danish: Flagermus (FLAH-ger-moos)
• Icelandic: Leðurblaka (LETH-ur-BLAH-ka)
• Finnish: Lepakko (LEH-pahk-ko)
• Estonian: Nahkhiir (NAHK-heer), “leather mouse”
• Hungarian: Denevér (DEH-neh-vayr)
• Polish: Nietoperz (nyeh-TOH-pesh)
• Czech: Netopýr (NEH-toh-peer)
• Russian: Letuchaya mysh (leh-TOO-chah-yah MISH), “flying mouse”
• Ukrainian: Kazhan (kah-ZHAHN)
• Turkish: Yarasa (yah-rah-SAH)
• Arabic: Khuffash (khuf-FASH)
• Hebrew: Atalef (ah-tah-LEF)
• Persian: Shabpareh (shab-pah-REH), “night wing”
• Hindi: Chamgadar (CHUM-gah-dur)
• Bengali: Badur (BAH-dur)
• Japanese: Kōmori (KOH-moh-ree)
• Mandarin Chinese: Biānfú (bee-EN-foo)
• Korean: Bakjwi (BAHK-jwee)
• Vietnamese: Dơi (ZUH-ee, approximate)
• Thai: Khang Khao (kahng-KOW)
• Indonesian and Malay: Kelelawar (keh-leh-LAH-wahr)
• Tagalog: Paniki (pah-nee-KEE)
• Swahili: Popo (POH-poh)
• Māori: Pekapeka (PEH-kah-PEH-kah)
• Hawaiian: ʻŌpeʻapeʻa (OH-peh-AH-peh-AH)
• Irish: Ialtóg (ee-ahl-TOHG)
• Scottish Gaelic: Ialtag (EE-al-tak)
• Welsh: Ystlum (UST-lum)
• Maya: Zotz (SOTS)
• Nahuatl: Tzinacan (tsee-nah-KAHN)

Mythological and Folklore Bat Names

Maya and Aztec Names

• Camazotz (K’iche’ Maya): “death bat”; lives in the House of Bats in the Popol Vuh
• Zotz (Maya): “bat”; also a month name in the Maya calendar
• Zotzilaha (K’iche’ Maya): the “House of Bats” in the underworld
• Tzotzil (Maya): a people of Chiapas; the name is said to mean “people of the bat”
• Tzinacan (Nahuatl): “bat”
• Tzinacantlan (Nahuatl): “place of bats”
• Xibalba (K’iche’ Maya): the underworld, “place of fright”
• Hunahpu (K’iche’ Maya): hero twin who lost his head to Camazotz
• Xbalanque (K’iche’ Maya): hero twin and brother of Hunahpu
• Hun-Camé (K’iche’ Maya): “One Death,” lord of Xibalba
• Vucub-Camé (K’iche’ Maya): “Seven Death,” lord of Xibalba
• Ah Puch (Yucatec Maya): god of death
• Cizin (Yucatec Maya): god of death
• Mictlantecuhtli (Aztec): lord of the land of the dead
• Mictecacihuatl (Aztec): lady of the dead

Greek and Near Eastern Names

• Alcithoe (Greek): turned into a bat for refusing Dionysus
• Leucippe (Greek): sister of Alcithoe, also turned into a bat
• Arsippe (Greek): sister of Alcithoe, also turned into a bat
• Minyas (Greek): the king, father of the three sisters
• Nycteus (Greek): legendary king; name tied to “night”
• Empusa (Greek): shape-shifting night spirit
• Mormo (Greek): spirit used to frighten children
• Hecate (Greek): goddess of magic and the night
• Nyx (Greek): goddess of night
• Lilitu (Mesopotamian): winged night spirit
• Lilith (Hebrew folklore): night spirit
• Pazuzu (Mesopotamian): winged wind demon

Chinese Symbolism

• Fú (Chinese): “good fortune”; sounds like the word for bat
• Wufu (Chinese): “five blessings,” often shown as five bats

Vampire and Night Folklore (Linked to Bats by Later Legend)

• Dracula (Gothic fiction): vampire count who turns into a bat
• Carmilla (Gothic fiction): vampire in an 1872 novella
• Varney (Gothic fiction): Varney the Vampire, a Victorian tale
• Nosferatu (Film): vampire film of 1922
• Orlok (Film): the count in Nosferatu
• Strix (Roman): night bird of ill omen
• Lamia (Greek): child-stealing monster of myth
• Vlad (Historical): name linked to the real figure behind Dracula’s legend
• Morrigan (Irish): shape-shifting goddess of fate and war

Bat-Like Creatures of Folklore

• Ahool (Java): giant bat-like creature, named for its call
• Kongamato (Zambia): “breaker of boats”; a winged creature of local tales

Dark and Mysterious Bat Names

• Noctis (Latin): “of the night”
• Nox (Latin): “night”
• Umbra (Latin): “shadow”
• Tenebris (Latin): “darkness”
• Gloom: deep, heavy darkness
• Gloaming (Old English): evening twilight
• Obsidian: black volcanic glass
• Onyx: black stone
• Ebon: poetic word for black
• Sable (English): “black”
• Midnight: the darkest hour
• Nightfall: when the dark arrives
• Dusk: the fading light of evening
• Eclipse: when light is hidden
• Shade: shadow
• Wraith: a ghostly figure
• Phantom: a ghostly presence
• Banshee (Irish): wailing spirit of folklore
• Grotto (Italian): a small cave
• Cavern: a large cave
• Hollow: an empty, echoing space
• Alar (Latin): “of the wing”
• Nocturne: a dreamy night piece in music
• Requiem (Latin): “rest”; a funeral mass
• Lenore: haunting heroine of a Poe poem
• Raven: dark bird of the night
• Thorne: “thorn”
• Blackwood: “dark wood”
• Ravenscroft: “raven’s enclosure”
• Grimm: “grim, fierce”
• Nyx (Greek): goddess of night
• Erebus (Greek): “darkness”
• Vesper (Latin): “evening”
• Draven: modern invented name from The Crow
• Sombra (Spanish): “shadow”
• Ombra (Italian): “shadow”
• Caligo (Latin): “mist, darkness”
• Corvina (Latin): “raven-like”
• Noir (French): “black”
• Umbriel: gloomy spirit; from Latin umbra

Names That Mean Bat With Meaning (Table)

Cute Names for Pet Bats

Many places limit keeping bats as pets. Wild bats should never be handled. These names also work well for stuffed animals, cartoon bats, and story characters.

• Pip
• Pippin
• Flit
• Flutter
• Batsy
• Bitsy
• Boo
• Biscuit
• Cocoa
• Mocha
• Nibbles
• Mango
• Papaya
• Guava
• Kiwi
• Peach
• Fig
• Mochi
• Pebble
• Pixie
• Sprout
• Wisp
• Zippy
• Dot
• Pudding
• Poppy
• Squeak
• Echo
• Ziggy
• Button
• Pumpkin
• Cookie
• Jelly
• Stardust
• Twinkle
• Moonbeam
• Bean
• Truffle
• Muffin
• Cricket

Funny and Creative Bat Names

These are playful puns, not traditional names. They work best for pets, mascots, and cartoon characters.

• Batty McBatface
• Batholomew
• Batticus
• Batricia
• Batrick
• Batzilla
• Batatouille
• Batnana
• Battina
• Count Flapula
• Sir Flaps-a-Lot
• Dr. Squeakenstein
• Squeakers
• Flapjack
• Flappy
• Wingman
• Wing Nut
• Pipsqueak
• Chirpy
• Guano
• Echo Chamber
• Sonar
• Night Shift
• Battery
• Bat-a-Roo
• Batterfly
• Fangtastic
• Vampurr
• Flutterbug
• Hang Ten
• Mr. Hangry
• Bite-Size
• Big Ears
• Fruity
• Captain Cave
• Cavey
• Flapper
• Lady Fangsalot
• Nocturnal Nancy
• Upside Down

Halloween and Pop-Culture Bat Names

These names come from fiction and seasonal themes. They do not literally mean bat.

• Dracula (Gothic novel): the famous vampire count
• Nosferatu (Film): classic silent vampire film
• Orlok (Film): the count in Nosferatu
• Lestat (Novels): vampire in Anne Rice’s books
• Alucard (Video games): “Dracula” spelled backward
• Carmilla (Novella): early vampire story
• Renfield (Gothic novel): Dracula’s servant
• Van Helsing (Gothic novel): the vampire hunter
• Mina (Gothic novel): heroine of Dracula
• Barnabas (TV): Barnabas Collins in Dark Shadows
• Varney (Penny dreadful): Varney the Vampire
• Bartok (Film): the white bat in Anastasia
• Stellaluna (Children’s book): a young fruit bat
• Batty Koda (Film): the bat in FernGully
• Zubat (Video games): Pokémon bat
• Golbat (Video games): Pokémon bat
• Crobat (Video games): Pokémon bat
• Noibat (Video games): Pokémon bat
• Batman (Comics): the Dark Knight of Gotham
• Nightwing (Comics): hero in the Batman family
• Batgirl (Comics): hero in the Batman family
• Bruce Wayne (Comics): the hero’s secret identity
• Gotham (Comics): the city Batman protects
• Count Duckula (TV): vegetarian vampire duck
• Vampira (TV): classic horror host
• Blade (Comics): vampire hunter
• Morbius (Comics): “living vampire”
• Selene (Film): vampire in Underworld
• Boo: classic Halloween word
• Spook: a ghost
• Cobweb: spooky thread of spiders
• Hocus: from the magic phrase “hocus pocus”
• Pocus: the other half of the magic phrase
• Salem: a town linked to witch trials
• Hallow: from All Hallows’ Eve
• Cauldron: a witch’s pot
• Samhain (Irish): old festival said to be the root of Halloween
• Witchy: playful Halloween nickname
• Igor: classic lab assistant of horror films
• Jack-o’-Lantern: carved Halloween pumpkin

Unique and Fantasy Bat Names

These are original invented names. They are creative suggestions, not established names with historical meanings. Some borrow sounds from real words, like Zotz or Murciélago.

• Vespyr
• Noctiflux
• Umbravyn
• Skreeva
• Zotharra
• Camaryx
• Tzinaris
• Pipistra
• Echovyn
• Duskwing
• Nightveil
• Mirewing
• Gloamwing
• Cavewhisper
• Nyxflit
• Skarlith
• Velvara
• Draxwing
• Obsyra
• Moonflit
• Starflit
• Ashwing
• Hollowwing
• Silkwing
• Stormflit
• Ravenwing
• Thornwing
• Emberwing
• Voidflit
• Whisperwing
• Quillwing
• Shadeflit
• Nocturra
• Erevyn
• Vampyra
• Belfrey
• Fangrel
• Murciel
• Sotzwyn
• Aerivex

How to Choose the Perfect Bat-Inspired Name

Start with the purpose. A baby name should be easy to say and kind in meaning. A pet or character can be playful or dramatic. Know which type you need before you decide.

Next, check the meaning and culture. Some bat words come from living Indigenous languages. Learn the story behind the name and use it with respect. Also say it out loud. Hard-to-spell names can be tiring for a child.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are Some Names That Mean Bat?

Zotz is the Maya word for bat. Vespertilio is Latin. Nychterida is Greek. All are real words for bat, but they are rare as personal names.

Is There a Real Given Name That Means Bat?

Very few exist. Most words for bat are rarely used as given names. Most bat names are inspired by night, wings, or myth.

What Is the Mayan Word for Bat?

The Maya word for bat is Zotz. Camazotz means “death bat” in K’iche’ Maya and appears in the Popol Vuh.

What Is a Good Girl Name Inspired by Bats?

Vesper, Echo, and Alula are good picks. They suggest evening, sound, and wings.

What Is a Good Boy Name Inspired by Bats?

Nox, Corvus, and Zotz are strong choices. They link to night, ravens, and bats.

Does the Name Bat Mean Daughter in Hebrew?

Yes. In Hebrew, “bat” means “daughter,” as in Batya. It has no link to the flying animal, which is atalef in Hebrew.

What Is the Latin Word for Bat?

The Latin word for bat is vespertilio. It comes from vesper, meaning “evening.”

What Is the Mayan Bat God Called?

The Maya bat god is Camazotz. His name means “death bat.”

What Is a Cute Name for a Pet Bat?

Pip, Mango, and Echo are cute options. Fruit names like Kiwi and Fig also suit fruit bats.

Conclusion

Bat names come from many languages and stories, and knowing the difference between them is what makes a good choice.

Some, like Zotz and Vespertilio, are real words for bat. Others are inspired by night, wings, caves or myth, including Camazotz, the Maya bat god whose name means death bat. Cute pet picks like Pip, Mango and Echo show the softer side of the night.

Pick the category that fits your goal: gentle night names like Vesper or Echo for a baby, cute, funny or fantasy names for a pet or a story. Whatever you choose, let the meaning be honest and the name feel right.