I am just wondering if anyone has any suggestions of usable names that mean “snake” or “serpent”? It is the Year of the Water Snake, and I am pondering possible middle names that would reflect this. Preferably the name would have a positive meaning or association with the snake, and not something reflecting negative qualities. Options need to be usable, but can be a bit daring since it would be in the middle name spot. It’s just an idea I am toying with. Most likely I will be using the mn to honor someone, but I am interested in exploring other names as well.
*[name]Drake[/name] or *[name]Draco[/name] - dragon/serpent, the constellation
*Kundalini - serpent energy coiled at the base of the spine
Naga - [name]Indian[/name] serpent there’s also Nagaina, but she’s a villainess in [name]Rikki[/name] Tikki [name]Tavi[/name]
Ourobouro - the snake who eats its tail, a symbol of infinity
Shesha - a serpent in Hindu mythology
Aidophedo - a [name]West[/name] African demigod (an ourobouro)
Wadjet - an Egyptian diety who takes the form of a cobra (her earlier incarnation was Renenutet)
Serpens - another constellation of a snake tamed by Ophiuchus, the healer (also a potential snake name, as he is associated with the caduceus)
Mucalinda - a serpent who protected the Buddha from a storm by coiling around him for seven days so as not to break him out of his enlightened state
Atum - “he who completes and perfects”. the “counter-[name]Ra[/name]” in Egyptian mythology, whose earlier incarnation, Nehebkau (“he who harnesses the souls”) was the serpentine guardian of the door to the underworld
*[name]Basil[/name] or Basilisk - a serpentine creature with Medusa-like powers. T’kaa the basilisk is one of my favorite characters in [name]Tamora[/name] [name]Pierce[/name]'s stories
*Ophion - a serpent in archaic Greek myths who ruled the world with Eurynome (most other Greek serpents are hideous monsters, and thus not included in this list )
*[name]Adelina[/name] - [name]German[/name] supposedly meaning “noble serpent” although usually just listed as “noble and sweet”. Likewise, [name]Belinda[/name] supposedly means “beautiful serpent” but is mostly listed as “beautiful”
Chumana - Hopi name meaning “snake maidden.” Chua is “snake” and Chusi “snake flower” (although the latter could sound like “choosey”)
Ormrarr - Old Norse meaning “serpent army”
Pachua - supposedly this is Hopi for “feathered water snake”
*[name]Phineas[/name] - means “mouth of a serpent” in Hebrew
*[name]Tanith[/name] - Phoenician meaning “serpent lady”
Apalala - Hindu mythological water dragon
*Vasuki - a Naga king, also called Nilakanta
[name]Ryu[/name] - Japanese for dragon
*Tiamat - Babylonian name meaning “mother of life”, refers to a primeval sea dragon goddess, personification of Chaos and mother of the first gods
I’ve starred the ones I think are the most usable. Good luck, and congratulations on your unique inspiration, I love it!
In Greek mythology, [name]Apollo[/name], [name]Hermes[/name] ([name]Mercury[/name]) and Asclepius have associations with the serpent, and [name]Cassandra[/name] of [name]Troy[/name] was one of [name]Apollo[/name]'s temple priestesses. Also there was an earth dragon (Python, slain by [name]Apollo[/name]) who lived at [name]Delphi[/name]. [name]Iris[/name], the personification of the rainbow and the messenger of the gods, is sometimes depicted with a staff entertwined by two serpents (known as a caduceus, also carried by [name]Hermes[/name]).
The Germanic element “lind” means serpent, so there’s [name]Rosalind[/name], Ethelind, [name]Belinda[/name], [name]Adelind[/name], Amalind, [name]Linda[/name]…
Thank you soooo much. This list is great. I love the idea of [name]Drake[/name] or [name]Draco[/name]. It’s a name I would have most definitely used last year for the Dragon year. I noticed another berry named her son [name]Drake[/name], he was born last year. Naga is another great one, however, I think of Nagini from HP, and that makes it a rough one to use.
Ophion, [name]Tanith[/name], and [name]Phineas[/name] could be real contenders if they fit with the right first name.
Thank you again. It’s fun to read through them all.
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