#threads; with cassius; no twilight stereotypes

[letsbenditlikebennett]

TIMING: Current-ish PARTIES: @singdreamchild & @letsbenditlikebennett SUMMARY: Both Alex and Cassius find themselves on a late night stroll in the woods. The two catch up briefly when they run into each other. CONTENT: Homophobia mentions

He found himself getting more contemplative after the sun had gone down recently. And instead of continuing to hide like he had been, he had gone out more. Of course, trails closed after the sun went down, but it wasn’t his fault that his skin would start to burn if he tried to hike during daylight hours. That’s how Cassius found himself walking along the trail at sundown. His hands shoved in his pockets as he looked around at the nature around him. It gave him a sort of inspiration. Writing had been hard for him lately, and he had found himself branching out from poetry to writing a novel. It had reinvigorated him and left him with more to say than poetry ever could. So, to get ideas, he often walked around in settings he wanted to portray in his book, like the woods. 

Walking along the trail, he heard a twig snap behind him. Cassius stopped, spinning around to come face-to-face with Alex. “Oh! Hello.” He spoke with a friendly smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes, no matter how hard he tried. It was an odd sight, a goth hiking. He was wearing something straight out of a Victorian mourning scene, suitable for a nighttime stroll through the streets of London in the 1800s more than it was the woods as the sun went down in the 21st century. 

“Don’t tell me you’re here to tell me to go home,” he spoke with a frown, knowing that she worked with the park rangers. “Some of us can’t get out while the sun is up for one reason or another.” Usually, he’d make up an excuse for why he couldn’t do things during the day, but he found, lately, that he just didn’t care anymore. So what if someone knew he was a vampire? The worst they could do was kill him. He found that the idea of such a fate didn’t really bother him much, either. It was a strange feeling.

The most recent full moon had made a world of a difference when it came to the restless feelings Alex had been battling, but it had also done wonders on healing up the last of the gunshot wound she got courtesy of one of maman's old friends. The thought held more bitterness than it had previously, but the werewolf was pleased that she could get out and about again without experiencing a significant amount of pain. Even before she'd become a creature of the forest herself, she'd always found peace in nature. Maybe it was because it was everything the basement wasn't— moving, filled with life, open. 

Or maybe she was just a gay girlie who really fucking loved trees and flowers. Alex figured it didn't matter that much either way. She was trying to let go of the idea of 'soft' being a bad thing and that meant whatever the reason was for the whole plant love thing didn't actually matter. It didn't have to be some guise to work as a park ranger and protect people, it could just be. She could just be. 

Alex was doing decidedly doing pretty damn good at the whole just existing thing as she walked through one of her favorite patches of the forest. The fir trees ahead had clusters of honey mushrooms growing overhead that lit up patches of the trail with the most beautiful green glow. It was decidedly a peaceful little nighttime hike that pleased the werewolf's need for a bit of movement though she found herself caught off guard when she ran into someone... her high school history teacher in full goth? Sure, that was his aesthetic normally, but it was a little jarring to see in the middle of the forest, especially considering she hadn't even heard him approach. 

“Oh hey,” she waved with a smile despite her confusion. Alex was nothing if not polite to her teachers, former and current alike. The idea of even a past teacher not liking her was enough to send her into a spiral, so she just avoided that likelihood altogether. But then, he mentioned something about her telling him to leave and not being able to get out during the day.

Alex raised a suspicious eyebrow and found herself listening for a heartbeat that wasn't there. The steady thrum of her own heart was the only one making a sound on the trail. “Huh,” she shrugged, “I wasn't gonna say shit actually. I'm still on leave from my internship so I'm out here enjoying the trail just like you.” 

If she wanted her old teacher to continue liking her, maybe brushing over the vampire suspicion would have been a better move, but her best friend was a zombie and she hung out at a farm staffed by zombies like all the time. Alex even manned their instagram account. Plus, Aria was a mare. She was like totally a friend to the undead. For once, it brought her some satisfaction knowing how much her parents would hate that. 

“So no getting out when the sun's shining...,” Alex hummed, “And no heartbeat.” She offered a smirk to show it didn't matter much to her. It wasn't like she was gonna pull that rosary out that Emilio had given her when that lapir decided she looked like lunch. “I'm guessing I shouldn't break out the garlic bread,” she asked jokingly, “Wait? Is that actually a thing?” She'd probably feel pretty murderous if she couldn't eat garlic bread either, to be fair. 

“Or is it like one of those weird media twists... like Twilight and all the werewolves wearing jorts,” she asked, half serious, “We don't wear jorts... Well, at least not all of us. I much prefer hiking pants or joggers myself. Though I've been known to rock some Daisy Dukes when the theme calls for it.” 

Like when Cass introduced her to the hoedown throwdown from Hannah Montana. That was an occasion that called for Daisy Dukes 100%. Somehow, she had the feeling her history teacher understood the importance of doing something for the aesthetic. 

—

The vampire raised a brow at Alex as she confessed she was in the woods for the same reason. He adjusted his satchel, which held the journal where he had written his ideas down. It was nice to know he wasn’t the only one out walking at night. It was nicer still that it was someone Cassius recognized as a former student. Alex had always been one of the better students, smart and memorable enough that she stuck out in his mind. Of course, it was weird to connect with a student after graduation, but it wasn’t unwelcome either. Plenty of students had reached out to him over social media over the years. He may be old, but he wasn’t a curmudgeon hiding from the internet.

He froze as soon as she started to list the things that made him a vampire. It was weird to be called out on it, but it was also nice not to hide it. Sometimes it was good to be seen for what he truly was, minus the slayer who wanted nothing more than his head to be stuck on a pike. “Caught me,” Cassius muttered with an amused smirk. “Some of us hide in plain sight, I will admit.” He crossed his arms over his chest as she spoke. “Garlic forces my fangs out, but doesn’t make me break out in a rash or anything.” He waved a hand in dismissal. “I still avoid it where I can. Some people freak out at the sudden appearance of fangs and red eyes.” He wiggled his fingers dramatically. 

“Call me a twilight vampire, and I’ll leave.” He threatened, pointing a finger in her direction accusatorily. No, the only thing he had in common with Twilight was that one actor that looked spookily like him. “A werewolf?” He cocked his head to the side, brow raised. “Sharp wit, a temper to match…” he trailed off, looking over the girl’s face. “Yeah, that tracks.” He gave a soft smile. He didn’t care what she was. She had always been a good person. “One of us reps a more stereotypical look than the other, but there’s still time for you.” He gave a toothy grin. “You’re still young, after all.” He raised his brows, almost as if he was issuing a challenge.

He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, more of a habit to appear human than an actual need to do so. “Obviously, I hide in plain sight.” He shot back, gesturing to what he had on in all its Victorian glory. “Only gotten me caught once in all my years, so I’m doing something right.” Of course, he had also been careless, traipsing around a graveyard that he knew slayers liked to frequent. 

Hiding in plain sight. Part of her had to wonder just how old the vampire was and if he would understand the Taylor Swift reference in his own words. Alex figured she may have already been pushing her luck with being one of his favorite alumni students by asking the whole 'bones or boobs' thing. She wasn't sure dropping a pop culture lesson was the move here, especially considering he looked like he listened to whatever the Edgar Allan Poe of music was which was decidedly not Taylor Swift even if Dear Reader was decidedly a bop and a half. A bop squared even. And... It was pretty emo. 

Instead, Alex laughed. “The curse of having hearing that is just... way too good.” She shrugged. Most of the time it was more of a curse than a gift, but it helped sometimes. What was a little sensory overload in the big scheme of things anyway? “You're doing a pretty good job... wouldn't have guessed before,” she gestured, “Even if the outfit is kind of giving vibes. I just always thought you had a really good sense of fashion. But hey... garlic forces my fangs out too, but probably a very different deal.”

She just loved eating food with garlic in it. Garlic bread, garlic chicken, garlic dip— it was all delicious in her book. Then again, Alex also thought a whole moose unseasoned was delicious depending on the day of the month, so she probably wasn't anyone's go-to culinary expert. Kaden would probably laugh at her name and the phrase even being used in the same sentence considering she was more than content to eat Chefboyardee straight from the can and call it dinner. 

Alex did find herself relaxing into the easier banter. Ah the one thing that connected the supernatural together—- fucking hating Twilight. She leaned against one of the firs and chortled a bit. “Duly noted, teach.” The confirmation of her own species did leave her feeling a bit uneasy, but it was getting easier to say the words at least. “Yep, I'm a werewolf... have been this whole time actually,” she shrugged, “Got bitten when I was 7 so the moon and I have been vibing for a long time.“ 

Vibing was nicer than the truth of it, but the full moon didn't fill Alex with as much dread now that she had a taste of it outside of her bunker. Her bones didn't still carry that same antsy feeling in them the following morning. Even the jokes felt a little easier to lean into and it was a change... that she was pretty sure she welcomed. ”I don't know,“ she retorted playfully, ”I think granola gay is pretty on brand for werewolf... even if it's not on brand for Twilight werewolves, but like--- what is? Twilight got most shit wrong... and had that ugly CGI baby.“ 

She didn't actually know that for sure, but Thea had mentioned it and she trusted that bit. Alex had only seen the first two movies with Cass when it was explained the role the films played in pop culture. They were kind of fun to laugh at. 

”So you've been a vampire the whole time then too,” Alex mused, “Huh. How long has it been for you? Are you like... old enough to have been there for some of the history you taught?” Getting caught only once meant he probably wasn't out eating people left and right... which was a good thing. Not that he had given her the vibe she needed to be afraid of him when he was her teacher. All in all, he was pretty chill as far as teachers went. 

Something in him getting caught did make her own stomach turn. Alex refused to acknowledge that feeling too deeply and instead joked, “Can't say I've been as lucky on that front, but part of the fun of becoming what the family kills or whatever.“ Because somehow every attempt on her life always came back to that. Her aunt, her mother's friend.... hopefully there weren't anymore coming out of the woodwork, but she wasn't sure how much she trusted her own luck.  

Cassius couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness for Alex. The idea of being a little girl and suddenly going through trying to understand being a werewolf on top of everything else sounded awful. “Vibing is one word to use,” he muttered, though mostly to himself. “I’ve been thirty-three for one hundred and seventy-three years.” He confessed, raising his hands above his head as if to say, what can you do?

He had to take a moment to process the phrase ‘granola gay,’ he felt as if time was finally catching up to him, as he had no idea what that could mean. “What is granola gay?” He asked, face a mix of weirded out and confused. “Twilight made people think that vampires sparkled in the sun. I wish all the sun did was make me sparkle.” Cassius frowned, as if disappointed in his person's lack of sparkling skin. 

“I’ve been thirty-three for one hundred and seventy-three years.” He confessed, raising his hands above his head as if to say, what can you do? “I was born in 1817, turned in 1851.” He let out a sigh through his nose. It was weird to talk about his true age out loud. Let’s say my knowledge of Victorian England and onward is more of a lived experience than something I read about.” 

He gave a thoughtful look for a moment. “My sire was born in the 1500s. He was a plague doctor. I got much of my history knowledge from someone who lived it rather than the written variety. I became a history teacher because it was an easy gig.” He smiled wryly, knowing he had taken a lazy way out. But hey, someone had to teach it.

“The only reason I have avoided being hunted for sport for as long as I have is because I was taught to have no connections. And when I overstayed my welcome, I moved to the next place.” He shrugged a shoulder, a faraway look in his eyes as he talked about it. “My sire made sure that we put survival first.” The faraway gaze turned sad, and he shook his head as if willing the thoughts out of his mind. “I don’t recommend living your life that way. Better to learn self-defense than run away from your problems whenever the winds turn against your favor.”

Of all the crazy things Alex could expect to find in the woods, finding herself explaining what granola gay meant to her high school history definitely wasn't one of them. It was far less nefarious than most of the things that lurked in the woods. Cassius always had possessed a certain bravado that seemed to pair well with his classic vampire style. With all the kitschy stuff in Wicked's Rest, the vampire was easy to look over. He practically blended in here. She realized that maybe Wicked's Rest, with all its terrifying faults, was the kind of place where people like them could carve out a life for themselves. Hadn't they both done just that? 

“Granola gay... is like your outdoorsy gay stereotype. Lots of flannel, lots of hiking boots, hydroflasks.” Alex grinned wickedly. “I stole mine. The hydroflask that is... Actually some of the boots and flannel too. But those fucking water bottles are like $60? Capitalism has got me fucked up on that one.” She gestured to the beanie on her head. “But like beanies, other weather friendly hats and outerwear. Backpacks instead of purses. General gist of it.” 

The whole granola aesthetic did seem fitting for what werewolves actually were, or at least, who Alex was as a werewolf. She wasn't sure her experience spoke to all werewolves, but she'd found the forest was a place her and Alan both seemed to enjoy. She'd felt her most free on the full moon weaving through the trees alongside Gael. Who knew. All she knew is it fit her. 

“Yeah, sparkling does seem more fun than catching fire,” Alex joked with a cynical laugh, ”With the way people are using highlighter these days, no one would even know the difference.“ 

How old her former history teacher was didn't surprise Alex as much as she expected. It was like pieces of a puzzle fitting together perfectly. ”And here I was going to say you don't look a day over 140,“ she quipped. “That's pretty neat though... Teaching stuff you've actually lived. And hey, you're good at it.” 

That much was true. Cassius did have a way of making the subject fun even though it wasn't normally her favorite. Alex nodded along as he spoke and found herself frowning. She'd spent a long time running and she wasn't sure she could do it again. Both she and Andy had finally started to place roots and build actual lives. Her stomach turned with guilt, she knew that was worth fighting for. It was still hard to think she shouldn't have made Andy to be the one to fight. 

“Yeah... I moved around a lot when I was younger before we settled here,” Alex explained, “Always me and my sister.” There were a lot of good memories in all the places they called home, however temporarily. “Survival is good,” she noted, “But I think you're right. It's not... living. Or unliving? It's not a life might be the better way to say that. Connections, getting to experience all that is worth fighting for, I think.” 

Cassius couldn’t stop the amused smile that broke over his features, and he shook his head and let out a soft laugh. “Definitely not me, then.” He murmured, that same smile on his features as he shoved his hands into his pockets. “Guess that makes me the confused gay.” He pointed to himself with a sage nod. “If I had to choose, of course.” He tacked on, now stuck thinking about ridiculously priced water bottles. His smile turned into an annoyed frown. “Good on you for stealing it. Take capitalists down a peg.” He decided with a smirk in her direction.

“It was strange to talk about these things with a former student. Then again, Alex had already crossed a few boundaries when she dared ask him about his preferences for bones or boobs. He shuddered at the memory. He made it a habit to be polite with his former students but kindly shut down any further acts of friendship on the student’s part. He wasn’t sure why. It just never ceased to make him feel a little bit uncomfortable. Still, being friendly wasn’t that terrible. 

The vampire thought for a moment. He had lived through quite a few historical events, hadn’t he? “You want to know something kind of cool?” He asked her, the corner of his lips quirking upwards. “I may or may not have been in the stonewall riots.” He explained with a shrug of his shoulder. He remembered the pure and unbridled rage he had felt that day. He was so damn tired of hiding who he was at that point—repressing one’s sexuality since the 1800s? He could only take so much. “That’s one piece of history I was present for, anyway.” He waved a hand as if it wasn’t that important. He remembered the look on Richard’s face when he had gotten home before sunrise. He was pissed, but he was also a little proud. 

“Between you and me,” he began, letting his hands fall from his pockets. “I’m still trying to learn to make connections.” He frowned, kicking at the dirt beneath his boot. “Spent so long being taught to avoid everyone and everything at all costs makes unlearning it a bit hard.” He sighed, looking around at his surroundings momentarily before gazing back at the young werewolf. “I’m glad to see that you’re doing well, Alex. Truly.” He shuffled his feet, as if getting ready to leave.

It was a strange chance meeting, but one Alex found she didn't quite mind. Of everything and everyone she could have run into in the forest in the middle of the night, her high school history teacher was hardly even close to the worst. Running into him had actually been nice and she didn't even feel weird about the whole him being a vampire thing. That had to be progress or something, she decided. 

“Confused gay, classical gothic gay,” Alex shrugged, “Kind of go hand in hand anyway. And taking capitalists down apeg is like my favorite hobby.” She smiled proudly at that one. Maybe she couldn't actually be Robin Hood, but embracing the spirit felt right. 

When Cassius shared a bit of history with her, Alex's eyes widened with  amazement. “Really,“ she asked incredulously, ”That's... I mean it's terrible that it had to happen, but pretty fucking awesome you were out there fighting for our right to exist and all.“ It made her pretty proud to call the vampire her teacher even if she couldn't necessarily advertise that part of his history. Cass would at least appreciate it, she thought. 

Part of her understood where Cassius was coming from. Had Alex not staved off making connections outside of Andy for most of her life? It'd been easier that way, but then they found a place they could actually call home... and well, their world got bigger. ”Connections have a way of sneaking up on you in a town like this,“ she smiled wistfully as she thought of the friends she'd made, ”It's hard to unlearn, but... people can surprise you.“  She saw him moving to leave and offered a friendly wave. “Good seeing you... and take care,” she called out. 

[nyxshadowhawk]

Nyx’s Complete List of Goth Names

Abaddon: From Greek, means "destruction" or "demon of the pit."

Acheron: The River of Woe in the Greek underworld.

Achlys: Greek primordial goddess of poison, misery, and sadness, personification of the death-mist.

Adonis: Means "lord" (as in Adonai). In Greek mythology, the most beautiful youth in the world, loved by both Persephone and Aphrodite. Died tragically.

Adrian/Adrienne: English, from Latin; means "from Hadria" (the Adriatic Sea). I've heard sources saying it means "dark one," but I haven't been able to confirm this. It's still a really cool, kind of gothy name. (Also the real name of Alucard from Castlevania.)

Ahriman: The Zoroastrian devil/evil god.

Akeldama: Means "field of blood," a place in Jerusalem associated with Judas.

Alastor: Greek, means "avenging spirit."

Alcmene: (Female) Means "might of the moon," Heracles' mother in mythology.

Alecto: One of the Erinyes (Furies), the goddesses of vengeance. Means "unceasing."

Altair: The brightest star in the constellation Aquila (the Eagle), from Arabic, meaning "the bird."

Amaranth: (Female) Greek; a mythical purple flower that never fades, a symbol of immortality.

Amethyst: A dark purple crystal, associated with wine and preventing drunkenness.

Andromeda: Greek, means "thinks like a man," the name of a princess in mythology, a constellation, and a galaxy.

Anubis: Jackal-headed Egyptian god of death and embalming.

Arcana: From Latin "hidden, secret" (literally "to shut in a chest"), refers to secrets or mysteries. Also refers to the groups of cards in a tarot deck (the major and minor arcana).

Arianrhod: Means "silver wheel," Welsh goddess of the moon, stars, and the flow of time.

Artemis/Diana: Greco-Roman goddess of the hunt, the moon, and virginity

Asmodeus: Means "wrath-demon," a Goetic demon appearing in a number of texts, representing luxury, sensuality, and lust. (Also Asmodai)

Asphodel: A white flower planted on graves, said to grow in the Greek underworld, and therefore heavily connected with death.

Astaroth: (Unisex) A demon in the Ars Goetia (from the Lesser Key of Solomon), described as a male demon and a Duke of Hell, but the name likely comes from the Phoenician goddess Astarte (or Ashtoreth), who is a version of Ishtar (Babylonian) and Inanna (Sumerian).

Astor: A French and German name from Occitan, meaning "goshawk." A goshawk is a bird of prey. I've read on naming sites that this name was originally a derogatory term for young men with hawk-like, predatory characteristics, but I haven't found anything to confirm this. This is the name of my alter-ego and one of the main protagonists of Shadowbook.

Astra/Astrid/Asteria: From Greek, "star." In Greek mythology, Asteria was a Titaness of astrology and prophecy, the mother of Hecate. An aster is also a star-shaped flower.

Atropos: The last of the Moirai (Fates), who cuts the thread at the end of life.

Autumn: The darkening part of the year, when everything is dying, and Halloween happens.

Azrael: The name of the Angel of Death, means "whom god helps." (Also Asriel)

Azazel: A Watcher's name, means "scapegoat." Taught humanity the arts of weaponry and cosmetics. Commonly associated with demons and evil.

Baphomet: A goat-headed, winged deity associated with Satanism; obscure etymology.

Bastet: Egyptian goddess of cats.

Belial: A Hebrew name meaning "worthless," a name of the devil or a demon.

Belladonna: Also called "deadly nightshade," an extremely poisonous plant that causes hallucinations and death.

Bellona: Roman goddess of war

Bezaliel: Means "shadow of God" or "damaged," a Watcher's name.

Blodeuwedd: Pronounced "bluh-DIE-weth," means "flower-face." A Welsh goddess who was turned into an owl.

Bram/Brom: Technically short for Abraham ("father of a multitude"), the author of Dracula, Abraham "Bram" Stoker.

Bran: Welsh, "raven." The name of Bran the Blessed, a giant and king of Britain in Welsh mythology.

Branwen: (Female) Welsh, means "white raven" or "fair raven."

Breksta: Lithuanian goddess of night, dreams, and twilight.

Caligo: Latin word for “mist,” “gloom,” and “darkness.” (Calignes is the plural, which could also work) (feminine)

Calypso: Greek, "she who conceals." The nymph who kept Odysseus imprisoned on her island.

Carmilla: A lesbian vampire from the gothic novel of the same name, predating Dracula. The name seems to have been invented by the author.

Cassius: Roman, "empty, hollow."

Ceridwen: Welsh enchantress or goddess who stirs the cauldron of poetic inspiration.

Cernunnos: Celtic forest god depicted as having a stag's antlers.

Chiroptera: Literally means "hand wing," the order of bats in taxonomy.

Circe: Means "circle." In Greek mythology, a sorceress who turned Odysseus' men into pigs (and later helped them).

Cora: From the Greek name Kore, meaning "maiden." A name for Persephone. (Also, Coraline.)

Cornix: A princess transformed into a crow by Athena in Ovid's Metamorphosis.

Corvus/Corax: Corvus corax is the scientific name of the common raven.

Crimson: Dark, rich red, the color of wine or blood. One of the Gothiest colors that isn't black. It's very easy for this to sound banal or cringey, especially if it's a character's given name, so use with caution. Scarlet works, too, if you want something easier to use as a given name.

Damian: From Greek, means "to tame," tends to be associated with demons or vampires, a bit cliche at this point.

Dantalion: A Goetic demon, the name is particularly cool.

Desdemona: A tragic character in Othello, comes from Greek and means "ill-fated." Can be shortened to "Mona."

Desmodus: The genus of common vampire bats. (D. rotundus)

Devana: Slavic version of Artemis/Diana, goddess of the hunt.

Dorian: The corrupt, depraved, nearly immortal and astonishingly beautiful protagonist from The Picture of Dorian Gray. (Turns out Oscar Wilde invented the name; it did not exist before the book was written.)

Dracul: Romanian, "devil" or "dragon." What really needs to be said?

Ebony: A very dark wood.

Echo: In Greek mythology, a nymph who was cursed so she would only repeat the names of others; died while pining after Narcissus.

Edgar: Anglo-Saxon, "rich spear." The name of the one and only Edgar Allen Poe (also, my cat).

Eidolon: A type of spirit or ghost in Greek liteature. Also a genus of bats.

Eirlys: Welsh, "snowflake."

Elatha: An Irish god, described as the "beautiful Miltonic prince of darkness with golden hair." Not sure what the source for that is, but cool!

Elvira: Spanish, means "foreign true," a stereotypical Goth name (and the name of the Mistress of the Dark!). Actually, I first ran across the name in reference to a vengeful ghost called Elvira Blood in New England folk legend. Spooky!

Empusa: A kind of Greek female demon (similar to Lamia) that served Hecate.

Endora: Comes from the Witch of Endor, a Biblical sorceress.

Endymion: In Greek mythology, a handsome shepherd whom Selene fell in love with. Zeus granted him eternal sleep so he would never age. Means "to dive, to enter."

Erebus: Greek primordial god and personification of darkness.

Esmeralda: Spanish name meaning "emerald." (Also, the heroine in The Hunchback of Notre Dame.)

Ethelinda: Anglo-Saxon, means "little serpent."

Euryale: Greek, means "far-roming," the middle Gorgon sister.

Eurynomos: Greek chthonic spirit of corpses.

Eventide: It could work as a name.

Fenrir: A wolf demon in Norse mythology, the son of Loki.

Finvarra: Irish, King of the Fairies (and sometimes King of the Dead), a benevolent entity that ensures a good harvest and abundance.

Gabriel: The angel. Means "warrior of god." Gabrielle also works (and is the name of Lestat's mother).

Gehenna: A Hebrew name for Tartarus or Hell.

Golgotha: From Hebrew, "skull," the place where Jesus was crucified.

Grimm: The surname of two German brothers who recorded a classic collection of oral folklore and fairy tales, many of which are very... well, grim.

Habundia: A Celtic name for the queen of witches and night creatures, possibly another name for Nicnevan. Etymology uncertain.

Hades: The Lord of the Underworld in Greek mythology (also the name of the Underworld itself).

Hawthorn: A type of shrub steeped in folklore, associated with fairies and with Beltane (1st May).

Hecate: Greek goddess of witchcraft, magic, the occult, the moon, necromancy, the Underworld, and the crossroads. Means "worker from far off."

Hellebore: A type of evergreen flower, some species of which are poisonous. Believed to summon demons, also believed to cure madness.

Hemlock: A plant used to poison people.

Herne: "the Hunter," a ghost that haunts Windsor Forest (sometimes identified with The Horned God).

Hesperos/ia: The evening star.

Hypnos: The Greek god of sleep.

Iblis: Satan in Islamic lore.

Idris: Welsh, "ardent (passionate, fiery) lord."

Igor: Russian, "bow-warrior." Became famous as the name of Frankenstein's hunchbacked assistant, even though he doesn't exist in the book and his name in the original Universal film was Fritz.

Ingram: Swedish name meaning "Ing's raven."

Iolanthe: Greek, means "violet flower." (eye-oh-LAHN-thay)

Iseult/Isolde/Isolt: A tragic lover in Arthurian legend.

Jasmine: A type of flower, in this case referring to Cestrum nocturnum, or night-blooming jasmine.

Kali: Hindu goddess of destruction, name means "the black one."

Kasdaye: Means "hidden power," the name of a Watcher (another name for Tamiel). (Unisex)

Kiara/n: Gaelic, means "little black one."

Kimaris: A Goetic demon. (Male)

Kokabiel: Means "angel of the stars," a Watcher.

Lacrimae: Latin word for tears.

Lamia: A female demon in Greek folklore who devours children. The name of the witch in the film version of Stardust.

Lenore: A variant of Eleanor (also a good name), means "foreign," the lost love of the protagonist of "The Raven," also has her own poem.

Leshii: A Russian god of hunting, similar to Veles

Lethe: River of Forgetfulness in the Greek Underworld.

Leviathan: From Hebrew, "twisted in folds," a Biblical sea monster. Sometimes associated with Midgard's Serpent.

Libitina: A Roman goddess of corpses, funerals, and the dead.

Ligeia: Greek, the name of a Siren, also the subject of a Poe story of the same name.

Lilah: Comes from the Arabic Leila, meaning "night."

Lilith: Means "of the night" or "screech owl." In Hebrew mythology, Adam's first wife and the Queen of Demons. She refused to submit to Adam, so she left Eden and began screwing around with demons. Often considered a succubus or vampire, or a champion of feminism. A lilim is also a succubus or incubus.

Loki: Trickster god in Norse mythology with ambiguous morals.

Lorelei: German, means "murmuring rock," the name of a German Siren.

Lucius/Lucifer/Lucien: All mean "light" or "light-bringer," a name associated with Satan.

Lucy: From Dracula, also could be a shortening/feminization of Lucifer. (Still means "light.")

Luna: The Roman personification of the moon.

Lycoris: A Greek word that means "twilight," the name of an Asian red flower, associated with death and the underworld (much like Asphodel).

Maeve: Comes from Gaelic, means "the intoxicating one." Associated with the Fairy Queen Mab.

Makaria: Greek goddess of blessed death, a daughter of Hades and Persephone.

Mania: Etruscan/Roman goddess of the undead, ghosts, and underworld spirits, goddess of madness. Also a modern medical term referring to a specific mental illness.

Mara: A name steeped in darkness, referring to a nightmare spirit (nightmare), a (benevolent) goddess of death in Latvian mythology, a (male) demon in Buddhist mythology, and a Sanskrit word meaning "death."

Medea: In Greek mythology, the sorceress who helped Jason, but then went on a murderous rampage when he left her. Considered to be a priestess (or, rarely, daughter) of Hecate.

Megaera: One of the Erinyes (Furies), the goddesses of vengeance. Means "grudge."

Melanie: Greek, "black" or "dark."

Melantha: Greek, "dark flower."

Melinda/Mindy: English, "black serpent."

Melinoe: Greek goddess of ghosts, nightmares, and madness, a daughter of Hades and Persephone.

Mephistopheles: The name of the devil in the Faust legend, could be from Hebrew and mean "disperser of lies," or from Greek and mean "does not love the light."

Merle: (Unisex) from French, "blackbird."

Mina: From Dracula. Short for Wilhelmina, a German name meaning "will-helmet."

Morana/Marzanna: Slavic goddess of winter and death.

Morgan/Morgana: From Welsh, means "sea-circle," the name of Morgan le Fay, a sorceress in Arthurian Legend (who may be good or evil, depending on your interpretation).

Morpheus: The Greek god of dreams, the main protagonist of Neil Gaiman's Sandman comics. (Also, The Matrix.)

Morrigan: An Irish goddess of death, battle, and ravens, name means "great queen."

Morwenna: A Welsh name meaning "maiden." ("Morwanneg" is the name of the witch in Stardust.)

Nepenthe: A magical drug from the Odyssey that cures sorrow and causes forgetfulness.

Nephthys: Means "lady of the temple," the Egyptian goddess of the dead, mate of Seth and mother of Anubis.

Nergal: Mesopotamian god of death, war, and destruction.

Nicnevan: Queen of the Fairies in Scottish folklore. She is the Scottish version of Hecate.

Nightshade: A family of plants including tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplants, but also the notorious deadly nightshade.

Nisha/nt: A Hindi name meaning "night."

Nocturne: Self-explanatory. Refers to a night prayer, a musical composition evoking night, or a night scene in art.

Nyctala/Nyctea: Two obsolete genera of owls. Nyctala is the genus of Boreal owls before it was changed to Aegolius, and Nyctea was the genus of Snowy owls before it was changed to Bubo. Both probably mean or are related to "night."

Nyctalus: A genus of bats.

Nyctimene: A princess from Ovid's Metamorphoses who was so ashamed at having been molested by her father, she refused to show her face in daylight. Out of pity, Minerva (Athena) turned her into an owl. Also a genus of bats.

Nyx: A Greek primordial goddess and personification of the Night. (also Nox)

Oberon: From French, means "elf-ruler," the name of the Fairy King in A Midsummer Night's Dream (Referred to in one scene as the "king of shadows").

Obsidian: A shiny black volcanic stone.

Onyx: A type of banded stone, most famously black. (The word comes from the Greek for "fingernail.")

Ophelia: A tragic character in Hamlet, which probably comes from Greek and means "help."

Orcus: A Latin word for Hell, and a Roman god who punished the dead (possibly an epithet of Hades/Pluto).

Orion: A hunter in Greek mythology, and the famous constellation.

Orlok: The name of the ugly-looking vampire from Nosferatu.

Orpheus: Greek name, possibly comes from the word orphe, "darkness." The name of a demigod with an impossibly beautiful singing voice who attempted to rescue his love from the underworld, failed, and then died tragically.

Pan: Greek goat-horned god of nature, herds, and lust, induces "panic."

Pandora: Name means "all-gifted." In Greek mythology, the name of the first woman, who opened a box that unleashed evil upon the world.

Pandemonium: The capital city of Hell in Paradise Lost, name literally means "all demons."

Persephone: Greek Queen of the Underworld, wife of Hades, and goddess of springtime. You probably know her story. Her name might mean "thrasher of grain" (which would make sense for an agricultural goddess), but could also mean "slayer."

Phaenon: Means "shining" in Greek, refers to the planet Saturn (which has long been associated with darkness in mythology, being the furthest planet from the sun that is observable with the naked eye).

Pluto: Hades' Roman name, also the ninth planet, or what was the ninth planet.

Ransley: An English name meaning "raven's meadow."

Raven: This is by far the most cliche Goth name there is (I originally created this list to provide alternatives to the name “Raven”), but it’s classic, it’s simple, it’s unisex, and it’s undeniably Goth. 

Ravenna: Self-explanatory, also an Italian city.

Renwick: Scottish surname meaning "raven settlement."

Sable: A word referring to the color black.

Salome: From Hebrew shalom, "peace." The daughter of Herod and Herodias, unnamed in the Bible, who requested the head of John the Baptist and danced the Dance of the Seven Veils.

Samael: Means "venom of God," a vicious angel of death, the mate of Lilith. He is not technically a fallen angel, but a servant of God who does the dirty work.

Sekhmet: Egyptian goddess of war and destruction, with the head of a lioness. Her name means "power" or "might." Her epithets included "Mistress of Dread," "Lady of Slaughter," and "She Who Mauls." Ra had to stop her from killing people by getting her drunk on beer that was dyed to look like blood.

Selene: Greek personification of the moon. (Includes "Selena" and variants.")

Senka: Basque name meaning "shadow."

Seren: (Unisex) Welsh name meaning "star."

Seth: A name of Set or Sutekh, the Egyptian god of evil, chaos, and storms. He killed his brother Osiris and cut his body into pieces, and then was defeated by Horus. His head is that of an animal that looks kind of like an aardvark but is not an actual existing creature (at least not anymore). He was associated with the color red and the desert. His name possibly means "one who dazzles."

Shadow: Self-explanatory.

Silas: From Greek, means "from the forest." In The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, it's the name of a [spoiler]vampire.

Silver: The color of the moon, and it looks nice with black.

Sinistra: Technically, it's Latin for "left," but it obviously has "sinister" connotations.

Skiá: Greek word for "shadow" or "shade."

Skotos: Ancient Greek word for "darkness," especially the darkness of death or the netherworld, or obscurity.

Skuld: The last of the Norns (Fates), representing death. Means "debt."

Sombra: The Spanish word for "shadow."

Somnus: Roman name for Hypnos, sleep.

Spyridon: Greek name referring to wicker baskets, which implies wealth. Could also be connected to the Latin spiritus, which means breath or spirit. Usually shortened to Spyro.

Stella: The Latin word for "star."

Stheno: Greek, means "forceful." The eldest of the Gorgon sisters.

Styx: The River of Hate in the Greek Underworld, the most famous of its rivers. The souls of the dead are ferried across it by Charon, and the gods (foolishly, if you ask me, seeing as they always regret it) swear on the Styx to make unbreakable oaths. The word "Stygian" means "of the River Styx" and refers to something very dark or abyssal.

Summanus: Roman god of nocturnal thunder.

Sylvia​​​​​​/Sylvana: Latin, "from the forest."

Tanith: Phoenician, "serpent lady."

Tartarus: The deepest hell-pit of the Greek Underworld, where evildoers are punished.

Tempest: A wild storm, from the Latin for "time."

Thanatos: The Greek personification of Death.

Tiamat: Babylonian primordial dragon goddess.

Tisiphone: One of the Erinyes (Furies), the goddesses of vengeance. Means "murder-retribution."

Tristan: Welsh, "riot, tumult." (Although it sounds like the Latin tristis, which means "sad.") The name of Isolt's lover in Arthurian Legend, and the name of the protagonist in Stardust.

Valerian: Roman, means "strength" or "valiant," also the name of an herb.

Vega: (Unisex) Latin from Arabic, means "falling" or "swooping," a star in the constellation Lyra. It is one of the brightest stars in the entire sky.

Veles: Slavic horned god of cattle, forests, magic, and the underworld.

Veliona: Slavic goddess of death

Velvet: A fabric that most goths love to wear.

Vervain: An herb (verbena), meaning "sacred bough," considered a magical or holy herb in multiple cultures.

Vesperus: (or just Vesper), a Roman name meaning "evening." (Vespera for a girl)

Vespertilio: A genus of bats.

Victor: The first of the trio of gothy male "V" names, means "conqueror," as in "victory." Frankenstein's first name. (Victoria also works for a girl.)

Vincent: The second of the trio of gothy male "V" names, also meaning "conquering," from Latin.

Vivian: The Lady of the Lake in Arthurian legend. From French, means "lively."  (Another name for the Lady is Nimue, which is Welsh and may be related to the Greek word for "memory." She sealed Merlin in a tree.)

Vlad: The third of the trio of gothy male "V" names, the name of Vlad Tepes or "Vlad the Impaler," the real-life Romanian prince who inspired Count Dracula. It's Slavic and means "ruler."

Willow: A beautiful and mournful-looking tree.

Winter: The dark, cold season. Unisex!

Yvaine: Scottish, means "evening star," the name of the star in Stardust.

Zagreus: The name of a chthonic Greek god who was potentially a son of Hades and Persephone or Zeus and Persephone, considered in Orphic lore to be Dionysus before he was dismembered and reincarnated.

Zillah: Hebrew name meaning "shadow."