175 Best Emo Baby Names for Boys and Girls To Avoid Being Mainstream

Emo music is like the ’90s rom com of metal. It’s emotional, it can be funny, everyone loves at least some aspect of it and it’s relatable. The “emotional hardcore” movement began in the 80’s and really started to gain popularity in the late 90’s and 00’s. Emo was not just a music scene anymore, it became an aesthetic, a way of life. You could tell if a person enjoyed the emo lifestyle by the way they dressed, the way they styled their hair or even the amount of eyeliner they wore. Every fiber of an emo person’s being needed to align with that aesthetic, to the point that they would give each other (or themselves!) nicknames to fit in. And now, emo baby names are on the rise.

The emo movement is still going strong with some who have been a part of it from the beginning even referring to themselves as “elder emos.” If you’re one of those elder emos and have a little one on the way, chances are you’re searching for the perfect name to bestow upon your offspring. And there are so many choices to go through! There are the gender neutral options that are, let’s face it, objectively cooler than the rest, trendy names, monikers inspired by your favorite musicians or bands, and even those from a TV show, movie or good book to choose from.

If you can’t decide on which name to go with for your soon to be rocker, then you’re in the right place! We have a list of 175 best emo names for boys and girls for you to sift through and choose your favorites. Continue reading to discover your little one’s perfect moniker!

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175 Best Emo Names

1. Byron — Lord Byron is a famous poet, and what’s more emo than poetry? The name is of English origins and means “from the barns” or “at the cowsheds.”
2. Edna — Meaning “delight” or “pleasure” in Hebrew, Edna Mode is certainly a delightful character in The Incredibles movies.
3. Dani — A shortened version of either Daniel or Danielle, Dani is primarily a Hebrew name and means “God is my judge.”
4. Jet — This name can either refer to a deep black gemstone, the Dutch word jetten meaning “to throw” or “to propel” or, of course, a sleek airplane.
5. Shadow — Derived from the Old English word sceadu or shadwe meaning “shade” or “darkness,” the name Shadow is a perfectly moody emo name.
6. Vincent — This Latin name means “conquering” or “victorious” and Vinnie Vincent from the band Kiss certainly has an emo style.
7. Emory — A German name meaning “industrious ruler” or “powerful ruler” that can also be spelled Emery, like the band.
8. Charlotte — This French name means “free man” and fits right in with the band Good Charlotte.
9. Derek — The lead singer of Mayday Parade, Derek means “ruler of the people.”
10. Rin — The main character of the anime “Blue Exorcist” is Rin Okumura. In Japanese, the name Rin means “dignified,” “severe” or “cold.”

1. Skyler — Of Dutch origins, Skyler can mean either “scholar” or “sky.”
2. Shane —Shane Told is the lead singer of Silverstein and this Irish name means “God is gracious” or “gift from God.”
3. Auden — This Old English name means “old friend” and is similar to the band name Aiden.
4. Sam — A main character of the animated series “Danny Phantom” is Sam Manson. The name is often a shortened version of Samuel and means “God has heard.”
5. Walt — Poets are always emo, and Walt Whitman was one famous poet. The name means “ruler of the army” or “commander of the army.”

1. Blaze — If you want an intense name for your little emo, Blaze would be a great choice. This name’s meaning is “bright flame” or “intense fire.”
2. Zaria — In Slavic, Zaria means “dawn” or “sunrise.” In Swahili this name means “flower” or “blossoming.”
3. Hayden — This name means “hay valley” or “hedged valley” in Old English, and is the name of the frontman for the band Hayday.
4. Jordan — Jordan Pundik is the lead singer of New Found Glory and this Hebrew name means “to flow down” or “to descend.”
5. Iggy — Stemming from the Latin name Ignatius, Iggy means “fiery one” or “energetic.”
6. Ramone — The Ramones were quintessential in the punk rock movement, and the name means “counsel” or “protection.”
7. Ember — This fiery name means either “spark” or “burning low.”
8. Echo — This Greek name means “reflected sound” and is a cool choice for an emo music loving family.
9. Langston — Langston Hughes is another famous poet, and the name means “long stone” or “tall stone.”
10. Sylvia — Of Latin origins, this name means “woods” or “forest.”

1. Kellin — Kellin Quinn is the lead singer of Sleeping With Sirens and the name means “warrior.”
2. Hughes — If Langston isn’t your cup of tea, maybe the surname Hughes is. This English name means “soul,” “mind” or “intellect.”
3. Dexter — This name means “skilled” in Latin and “dyer” in English. Dexter Holland is the lead singer of the band The Offspring.
4. Tom — Tom DeLonge is the lead singer of Blink 182, and the Hebrew name means “innocence” or “purity.”
5. Keats — John Keats fell in the same generation of poets as Lord Byron. Keats means “shed worker” in Old English.
6. Jagger — Mick Jagger is The Rolling Stones frontman, and the band’s pop, punk and blues sound easily made way for emo music to come. Jagger means “carrier” or “peddler.”
7. Ronnie — The lead singer of Red Jumpsuit Apparatus is Ronnie Winter. Ronnie can be a nickname of Ronald or Veronica and means “ruler’s counselor” or “powerful ruler.”
8. Rainer — A combination of the Germanic words ‘ragin’ meaning “counsel” and ‘heri’ meaning “army” or “warrior,” the name Rainer is interpreted to mean “wise army.”
9. Ezra — This Hebrew name means “help” or “helper” and Ezra Pound is the name of an emo band formed in Wisconsin.
10. Travis — Travis Clark is the lead singer for We the Kings, and the name means “to cross” or “to traverse” in Old French.

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Emo Boy Names

1. Aiden — This Irish name means “little fire.” Aiden is also the name of a punk rock band formed in Seattle, Washington.
2. Theodore — Meaning “God’s gift,” this name is often shortened to Theo.
3. Ethan — Of Hebrew origins, the name Ethan means “strong,” “enduring” or “constant.”
4. Hunter — Meaning “one who hunts,” Hunter is the name of the frontman for the band Moodring.
5. Miles — In Latin, Miles means “soldier” and in German and Slavic the name means “gracious” or “dear.”

1. Beckett — William Beckett is the lead vocalist for the band The Academy Is. Beckett is an English name meaning “beehive” or “little brook.”
2. Axel — Of Scandinavian origins, Axel means “father of peace.”
3. Atticus — This Latin name means “from Attica” or “man of Attica” and is similar to the band name Attica Riots.
4. Zane — Zane’s Arabic roots give the name a meaning of “handsome” or “beautiful,” while its Hebrew origins give it the meaning “God is gracious.”
5. Gavin — In Welsh this name means “white hawk” and is included in the band name Dance Gavin Dance.
6. Wilder — With Germanic and Old English roots, this name means “untamed” or “wild.”
7. Cullen — Surname of the Twilight series vampire family, Cullen means “handsome.”
8. Uriel — This Hebrew name means “flame of God.”

1. Lincoln — Meaning “settlement by the pool,” the name originated in Old English and was the name of an emo hardcore band from the early 90s.
2. Vaughn — With Welsh origins, this name means “small” or “little.”
3. Ryland — Ryland has English roots and means “from the rye land.”
4. Donovan — This Irish name means “brown-haired chieftain” or “little brown one” and is the name of drummer and lead vocalist for the band Hail The Sun.
5. Bastian — Meaning “venerable” or “revered,” Bastian is a German and Dutch name often shortened from Sebastian.
6. Silas — This name means “man of the forest” in Latin.
7. Zander — Primarily a shortened version of the Greek name Alexander, Zander (or Xander) means “protector of mankind.”
8. Drake — From the Old English ‘draca’ or Old Norse ‘draki,’ the name Drake means “dragon” or “serpent.”

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Emo Girl Names

1. Cambria — This Welsh name means “of the people” and is a part of the band name Coheed and Cambria.
2. Scarlett — Red is a favorite color among emo enthusiasts, and this French name means just that.
3. Juliet — This Latin name means “beautiful.”
4. Mae — An acronym meaning “Multisensory Aesthetic Experience” for the band Mae, the name itself means “beautiful” in Chinese.
5. Ivy — Stemming from the Old English word “ifig,” the name Ivy has the same meaning as the plant, a climbing vine.

1. Ebony — Of Latin origins, this name means “deep black wood.”
2. Luna — This popular girl’s name is Latin for “moon.”
3. Alice — Meaning “noble” or “exalted,” Alice is a German name.
4. Blythe — Originating from the Old English word “”bliþe,” this name means “happy,” “cheerful” or “joyous.”
5. Esme — This French name means “loved” or “esteemed,” and is the name of the Cullen family matriarch in the Twilight series.
6. Imogene — Imogene is a Latin name that means “maiden” or “innocent.”
7. Wren — Associated with freedom and natural beauty, this name means “small songbird.”
8. Zoe — Of Greek origins, this name means “life.”
9. Jade — Jade is both a Spanish and English name that means “precious gemstone” or “stone of the side.”
10. Willow — This Old English name means “freedom.”
11. Nessa — Associated with a powerful queen in Irish mythology, this name means “not gentle” or “rough.” As a diminutive of Vanessa, it can mean “miracle” in Hebrew, or “butterfly” in Greek.

1. Autumn — This Latin name means “fall” or “season of the harvest.”
2. Penelope — A Greek name that primarily means “weaver,” Penelope is the name of Odysseus’s cunning wife in Homer’s Odyssey.
3. Avril — If you love Avril Lavigne, this would be a perfect choice for your little one. This French name means “to open” or “to begin.”
4. Sadie — Often a diminutive or nickname of the name Sarah, this Hebrew name means “princess.”
5. Vera — Of Russian origins, Vera means “faith” or “belief.” In Latin, Vera means “true” or “genuine.”
6. Delilah — A name of Hebrew origin, Delilah means “delicate.”
7. Harper — This English name means “harp player” or “minstrel.”

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Emo Gender Neutral Names

1. Taylor — Guitarist for the band Paramore, the gender neutral name Taylor means “tailor” or “one who cuts cloth.”
2. Adrian — A Latin name that means “from Hadria” or “rich.”
3. Blake — Blake is of Old English origins and means “black,” “dark” or “swarthy” and “pale,” “white” or “fair.” Is there a more perfectly emo name for a pale skinned, dark haired kid?
4. Phoenix — This name is primarily of Greek origin and comes from the mythical bird that is reborn from its own ashes. How metal is that?
5. Fallon — An Irish name that means “descendant of the ruler” or “leader.”
6. Asher — This Hebrew name means “happy” or “blessed.”
7. Cameron — A Scottish Gaelic name meaning “crooked nose.”
8. Rory — Derived from the Irish Gaelic name Ruairi or Ruaidhri, Rory means “red king.”
9. Dakota — Dakota is a Native American name originating from the Sioux tribe and means “friend” or “ally.”
10. Harley — An Old English name that means either “the long field” or “hare meadow.”
11. Rain — Can also be spelled Reign, this name means “rule.”

1. Devin — This Irish name means “poet.”
2. Rowan — Both an Irish and Scottish name, Rowan is derived from the Irish name Ruadhán which means “little red one.”
3. Casey — An Irish Gaelic name that means “vigilant.”
4. Lark — A name with Old English origins, Lark refers to the songbird and has connotations of cheerful, early morning singing.
5. Maddox — Of Welsh origins, this name means “fortunate.”
6. Lennon — This Irish name means “lover.”

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Emo Names Inspired by Musicians

1. Gerard — Gerard Way is the lead vocalist of My Chemical Romance. The name means “brave spearman” or “strong spear.”
2. Helena — Meaning “light” or “shining light,” Helena is the name of a popular song from the band My Chemical Romance.
3. Patrick — The lead vocalist of Fall Out Boy, Patrick means “noble” or “patrician” in Latin and Irish, derived from the Latin Patricius which referred to members of Roman aristocracy.
4. Andy — Fall Out Boy’s drummer, Andy means “manly” or “brave.”
5. Adam — Adam Lazzara is the lead vocalist of Taking Back Sunday. The name means “man” or “mankind.”
6. Eddie — A guitarist in Taking Back Sunday, Eddie means “wealthy guardian” or “prosperous protector” and it is a diminutive of Edward, Edmund or Edgar.
7. Shaun — The bassist for Taking Back Sunday, Shaun is derived from the Hebrew John, (another member who plays keyboard for the same band!) and means “God is gracious.”
8. Oli — Frontman and lead vocalist of Bring Me The Horizon, Oli, (short for Oliver) means “olive tree” or “ancestor’s descendant” as the diminutive of Oliver, or “cliff” or “precipice” as the standalone name in Hawaiian culture.
9. Matt — Often the shortened version of Matthew, Matt is the name of both the bassist and drummer of Bring Me The Horizon and means “gift of God.”
10. Lee — A guitarist for Bring Me The Horizon, Lee means “pasture” or “meadow” and is derived from the Old English word “leah.”
11. Bert — Lead singer of The Used, Bert means “bright” or “shining.”
12. Quinn — Former member of The Used, Quinn means “wisdom” or “counsel” and is of Irish Gaelic origin.

1. Dan — Drummer for The Used, Dan is a primarily Hebrew name that means “judge” or “he judged.”
2. Branden — Another former member of The Used, Branden means “prince” in Old Welsh, and in either Old Norse or Old English means “fire” or “swordsmith.”
3. Hayley — Lead singer of Paramore, Hayley means “hay meadow” or “hay clearing” and is derived from Old English.
4. Josh — A shortened version of Joshua, this lead guitarist of Paramore’s name means “God is salvation.”
5. Zac — A drummer for Paramore, Zac is a diminutive of Zachary or Zachariah and means “God remembers.”
6. Jeremy — Bassist for Paramore, the name Jeremy means “God will uplift.”
7. Ryan — One of the co-founders of Panic! At The Disco, Ryan means “little king.”
8. Spencer — Another co-founder of Panic!, Spencer means “steward” or “dispenser of provisions.”
9. Brendon — The lead singer of Panic! At The Disco, Brendon is of Irish origins and means “prince” or “chieftain.”
10. Brent — The bass guitarist for Panic! At The Disco, the name Brent is English and Celtic and means “hill,” “high place” or “steep hill.”
11. Chris — Founder and lead singer of Dashboard Confessional, Chris is a shortened version of Christopher and the name means “bearer of Christ” or “follower of Christ.”
12. Armon — Meaning “palace” or “fortress” in Hebrew, Armon is the name of Dashboard Confessional’s lead guitarist.
13. Scott — Bassist for Dashboard Confessional, the name Scott means “from Scotland” or “Scotsman.”
14. Ben — Ben is a diminutive of the Hebrew name Benjamin and means “son of the right hand” or “son of the south” and is the name of Dashboard Confessional’s drummer.
15. Rivers — Lead singer for the band Weezer, Rivers is an English and French name that means “riverbank” or “riverside.”

1. Brian —Brian Bell is a guitarist for Weezer, and the Irish name means “high,” “noble” or “strong.”
2. Pierre — Lead singer of the band Simple Plan, the name Pierre is predominantly a French name and means “stone” or “rock.”
3. Chuck — Most often a diminutive of Charles meaning “free man,” Chuck is the name of Simple Plan’s drummer.
4. Sébastien — Guitarist and back up vocalist for Simple Plan, this French name means “venerable” or “worthy of respect.”
5. Joel — Lead vocalist of Good Charlotte, the name Joel is Hebrew and means “Jehovah is God.”
6. Austin — Austin Carlile was the original scream vocalist for Of Mice & Men, and the name of Latin origin means “great” or “magnificent.”
7. Aaron — Former lead vocalist of Jamie’s Elsewhere and current lead vocalist of Of Mice & Men, Aaron means “mountain of strength” or “exalted.”
8. Alex — Of Greek origin, Alex means “defender of mankind” and is the name of the lead vocalist for All Time Low.

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Emo Names Inspired by TV and Movies

1. Jack — From the main character Jack Skellington of The Nightmare Before Christmas, Jack means “God is gracious.”
2. Lydia — Lydia Deetz is one of the main Beetlejuice characters. Lydia means “beautiful one.”
3. Eric — The protagonist in The Crow, Eric means “eternal ruler” or “ever powerful.”
4. Ramona — Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a series of graphic novels as well as a movie, and soon to be animated series. Ramona Flowers is Scott’s love interest in the story, and the name means “wise protector.”
5. Jasper — Jasper is a member of the Cullen family of vampires in the Twilight series of books and films. The name means “treasurer” or “master of the treasure.”
6. Charles — Charles Addams created the wildly popular Addams Family, and the name means “free man.”
7. Donnie — From the movie Donnie Darko, the name Donnie means “proud ruler” or “world ruler.”
8. Quentin — A character from the TV Gothic horror-soap opera Dark Shadows, Quentin means “fifth-born.”
9. Daphne — A Greek name meaning “laurel tree” or “bay tree,” Daphne was also a character from Dark Shadows.
10. Allison — Allison Reynolds is the dark and mysterious yet misunderstood character in The Breakfast Club. The name Allison means “noble” or “of noble kind.”
11. Zuko — One of the main characters in the animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender, Zuko means “master child” or “harmonious leader.”
12. Roxanne — Roxanne Wolf is an animatronic from Five Nights at Freddy’s, the name means “dawn” or “bright.”

1. Nancy — One of the main characters of The Craft, Nancy is an emo witch and the name means “grace” or “favor.”
2. Abraham — Professor Abraham Van Helsing is a character in Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Abraham means “father of many nations.”
3. Lisbeth — The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is both a book and movie series. The main character is Lisbeth Salander and the name means “God is my oath” as it stems from the Hebrew name Elizabeth.
4. Kat — In the movie 10 Things I Hate About You, Kat Stratford is the main, moody, character. Her name means “pure” and is often a nickname of Kathleen or Katherine.
5. Ian — In the film Final Destination 3, Ian McKinley is an emo/goth character and the name means “God is gracious.”
6. Janis — An emo character from the movie Mean Girls, Janis means “God is gracious” or “God has shown favor.”
7. Sally — The love interest of the ever popular The Nightmare Before Christmas movie, Sally means “princess” or “noblewoman.”
8. Daria — This MTV animated series aired from 1997 to 2002 with Daria Morgendorffer as the main sassy and snarky character. Daria means “possesses goodness” or “wealthy.”
9. Kylo — From the Star Wars character Kylo Ren, the name is associated with the meaning “sky.”

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Emo Names Inspired by Literature

1. Dracula — The king of the vampires and main character of the novel of the same name from Bram Stoker, Dracula means “son of the dragon.”
2. Guinevere — From the legend of King Arthur, Guinevere is Arthur’s wife and the name itself means “white fairy,” “white phantom” or “fair one.”
3. Ophelia — Meaning “help” or “aid,” Ophelia is a character in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
4. Tristan — One of the main characters in the medieval gothic romance novel Tristan and Isolde, Tristan means “riot,” “sad” or “sorrowful.”
5. Desdemona — From the play Othello by William Shakespeare, Desdemona means “ill-fated” or “unlucky.”
6. Victor — The name of the doctor in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Victor means “conqueror” or “winner.”

1. Edgar — Yes, the famous poet Edgar Allen Poe would be a great emo name choice for your baby. Meaning “wealthy spear” or “fortunate warrior,” it’s a pretty strong choice!
2. Allen — If you prefer the poet’s middle name, Allen means “handsome” or “harmony.”
3. Catherine — The heroine of Jane Austen’s 1817 novel Northanger Abbey, the name Catherine means “pure.”
4. Annabel — Another of Poe’s famous characters, Annabel means “beautiful grace.”
5. Mina — Short for Wilhelmina, this name means “determined protector” or “willing defender.” Mina is the main female character in Bram Stoker’s Dracula.
6. Jacob — One of The Brothers Grimm, Jacob is a Hebrew name that means “supplanter” or “one who follows at the heel.” It can also mean “he may protect.”
7. Edward — Edward Gorey is the author of The Gashlycrumb Tinies and The Doubtful Guest, the name means “wealthy guardian” or “rich protector.”
8. Bellatrix — A witch and Death Eater in the Harry Potter series, Bellatrix was an evil character with misguided loyalty. The name itself means “female warrior” or “warrioress.”
9. Horace — The author of the first example of a gothic novel called The Castle of Otranto was Horace Walpole. Horace means “man of time” or “timekeeper.”
10. Raven — From one of the most popular Edgar Allen Poe works, the name Raven means “black bird,” “dark haired” or “wise.”
11. Draco — Another character from the Harry Potter series, Draco means “dragon” or “serpent” in both Latin and Greek.
12. Rebecca — A gothic novel written by Daphne de Maurier in the 1930’s, Rebecca means “to tie” or “to bind.” It has also been interpreted as “to join” or “captivating beauty.”
13. Roderick — A character from Edgar Allen Poe from the short story The Fall of the House of Usher, Roderick means “famous ruler” or “renowned leader.”
14. Virginia — The first name of Edgar Allen Poe’s wife, Virginia means “maiden” or “virgin.”
15. Eliza — Virginia’s middle name, Eliza means “pledged to God” or “God is my oath.”

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