Mythical Winter Names: Frost Gods, Goddesses & Ice Kings

First things first, congratulations on your new little one, naming a baby is one of the sweetest jobs you’ll ever have.

Confession: I opened this list expecting pretty snow words like “Eira” and “Lumi,” and three hours later I was deep in Norse frost giants and a Hawaiian snow goddess who fights a volcano. So it grew into the full sweep.

Below are the real mythical winter names (gods, goddesses, and frost spirits with actual stories), plus the softer names that simply mean snow or ice if you want something gentler. Every one has its origin and meaning, with honest notes on what actually works on a birth certificate.

What Are Mythical Winter Names?

Mythical winter names are names drawn from the gods, goddesses, spirits, and frozen realms of world mythology and folklore. Think snow goddesses, frost giants, north-wind gods, and winter personifications from Norse, Greek, Celtic, Slavic, Japanese, and Hawaiian traditions. They carry more weight than ordinary nature names because each one arrives with a myth attached.

Mythical Winter Names for Girls

These come from snow goddesses, winter queens, and frost spirits. A few have full snow-queen energy, so they suit a strong, unusual girl’s name.

1. Skadi

Origin: Norse
Meaning: The goddess of winter, skiing, and bowhunting who married a sea god and then refused to live by the coast. It is short, sharp, and carries real weight. If you want a daughter whose name sounds like she could survive a blizzard, this is the one.

2. Khione

Origin: Greek
Meaning: The Greek goddess of snow and daughter of Boreas, the north wind. It sounds delicate (kee-OH-nee), but the mythology behind it is pure winter royalty.

3. Beira

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: Better known as the Cailleach, the ancient Queen of Winter who ruled the cold until spring finally deposed her. Soft on the ear, fierce in the backstory.

4. Yuki

Origin: Japanese
Meaning: Means snow, and ties to the Yuki-onna, the beautiful and haunting snow-woman of Japanese folklore. Easily the most wearable name on this whole list, and it works for any gender.

5. Poli’ahu

Origin: Hawaiian
Meaning: The snow goddess who crowns Mauna Kea in white and feuds with Pele, the fire goddess. Striking and very much a statement. Just be ready to spell it for the rest of your life.

6. Lilinoe

Origin: Hawaiian
Meaning: Goddess of mist and fine rain, Poli’ahu’s quieter companion on the mountain. If you want a name almost nobody else will share, here it is.

7. Marzanna

Origin: Slavic
Meaning: Goddess of winter, death, and rebirth, whose effigy villagers drowned each spring to end the cold. Lovely sound, heavy story. Read the full myth before you commit, but the rebirth side of it is genuinely beautiful.

8. Snegurochka

Origin: Slavic
Meaning: The Snow Maiden, granddaughter of Father Frost in Russian folklore. Too much for a first name, probably, but Snow or Sneg makes a sweet nickname.

9. Drífa

Origin: Norse
Meaning: Means snowdrift, and in myth she was a daughter of the snow-king Snær. Tiny, unusual, and it literally means falling snow (DREE-va).

10. Mjöll

Origin: Norse
Meaning: Old Norse for fresh, powdery snow, and another of King Snær’s daughters. Punchy and rare, even if the double-l and umlaut make it look tougher than it sounds.

11. Aurora

Origin: Roman
Meaning: The goddess of dawn, and the name behind the aurora borealis that lights up winter skies. The one name here you already know, and the only truly popular pick. Mythical and completely safe.

12. Holle

Origin: Germanic
Meaning: Frau Holle shakes out her feather bed to make the snow fall in old German folklore. A quiet, vintage-feeling name with one of the loveliest origin stories on the list.

13. Tengliu

Origin: Chinese
Meaning: A snow goddess from old Chinese mythology whose tales survived for centuries. Rare in the West, and worth knowing if you want something off the beaten path.

14. Nane Sarma

Origin: Persian
Meaning: Grandma Frost, who waits all year to meet her husband, the New Year spirit, for a single day. More folklore figure than first name, but the story was too good to leave out.

15. Cheimon

Origin: Greek
Meaning: The actual personification of winter, one of the Horai who guarded the gates of Olympus. If you want the literal Greek name for the season, this is it.

Mythical Winter Names for Boys

These lean toward frost gods, ice giants, and winter kings. Some are gentle, some are full primordial-giant.

16. Boreas

Origin: Greek
Meaning: The god of the north wind who blows winter down from the mountains. Strong, a little stormy, and it shortens to Bo without losing the myth.

17. Ullr

Origin: Norse
Meaning: God of snow, ice, skiing, and archery, and the figure plenty of skiers still toast before a big run. Short and rugged, with that double-r Nordic edge.

18. Morozko

Origin: Slavic
Meaning: Father Frost himself, the winter spirit who rewards the kind and freezes the cruel. Big and folkloric; Moroz or Rosko makes it usable.

19. Vetr

Origin: Old Norse
Meaning: Literally the word for winter, personified in the old myths. About as on-the-nose, and as unique, as a winter name can get.

20. Frosti

Origin: Norse
Meaning: A frost figure from Norse myth whose name simply means frost. It reads as a real first name in a way most of these don’t, friendly and clearly wintry.

21. Ymir

Origin: Norse
Meaning: The primordial frost giant whose body the gods carved the world from. Heavy mythology, surprisingly clean sound (EE-mir).

22. Snær

Origin: Norse
Meaning: Means snow, and belonged to a legendary Scandinavian king. Snow with a crown on it, though the æ means you’ll see it written Snaer in real life.

23. Thorri

Origin: Norse
Meaning: The personification of deep midwinter, still celebrated in Iceland’s Thorrablot festival. It has Thor energy without being Thor, and it’s genuinely usable.

24. Kári

Origin: Norse
Meaning: The personification of wind and the biting northern gusts. Crisp, two syllables, and easy to wear anywhere.

25. Khuno

Origin: Inca
Meaning: The Andean god of snow and storms, famous for a short temper. Unusual and punchy, from a mythology you almost never see on naming lists.

26. Kuraokami

Origin: Japanese
Meaning: A dragon deity who controls snow and rain, born from the blood of a fire god. Dramatic and completely impractical as a first name, but a fantasy-character dream.

27. Jack Frost

Origin: English
Meaning: The folk spirit who paints frost on windows and nips at noses. Jack alone is a classic; the Frost is the wink for winter parents.

28. Aisoyimstan

Origin: Blackfoot
Meaning: The Cold Maker, a white-clad figure who blankets the land in frost. Deeply tied to its culture, so best carried by someone with that heritage, but it earns a place here.

29. Holly King

Origin: Celtic
Meaning: The folklore figure who rules the dark, cold half of the year. Holly works beautifully as a winter name on its own, with a richer story than most people realize.

30. Itztlacoliuhqui

Origin: Aztec
Meaning: The god of frost, ice, and cold, and one of the longest names you will ever meet. Nobody is putting this on a birth certificate, but the mythology is unbeatable.

Winter Names From the Frozen Realms of Myth

If you want something rarer (a surname pick, a bold middle name, a fantasy character), the frozen worlds of Norse myth read as unisex and work beautifully.

31. Niflheim

Origin: Norse mythology
Meaning: The primeval realm of ice and mist at the edge of creation. A striking, unisex pick I would save for a middle name or a story.

32. Jotunheim

Origin: Norse mythology
Meaning: The frostbound homeland of the giants. Bold and otherworldly, and Jotun on its own is even more wearable.

33. Utgard

Origin: Norse mythology
Meaning: The giants’ fortress at the cold edge of the world. Short, hard, and surname-like, great for a strong and unusual choice.

34. Fimbulwinter

Origin: Norse mythology
Meaning: The great three-year winter that signals the coming of Ragnarök. The most dramatic winter word in any mythology, and one for fiction more than birth certificates.

Names That Mean Snow

Not every winter name needs a god attached. These come straight from the words for “snow” across different languages, so they stay soft and easy to wear.

35. Eira

Origin: Welsh
Meaning: Simply means snow, and pronounced AY-ra. Soft, modern, and one of the most genuinely usable winter names anywhere.

36. Lumi

Origin: Finnish
Meaning: Means snow, crisp and cottagecore-pretty. Two syllables, zero fuss, easy for anyone to say.

37. Neve

Origin: Italian
Meaning: Means snow, and shares a sound with the Irish Niamh. Sleek and a little fancy without trying too hard.

38. Neva

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: A softer cousin of Neve, also spelled Nieve, meaning snow. Gentle and lyrical, like the thing it’s named for.

39. Miyuki

Origin: Japanese
Meaning: Means deep snow or beautiful snow. Elegant and flowing, with a ready-made nickname in Miya or Yuki.

40. Eirwen

Origin: Welsh
Meaning: Means white, blessed snow. Fairytale-pretty, and almost nobody else will have it.

41. Gwyneira

Origin: Welsh
Meaning: Means white snow, pronounced gwin-AY-ra. A mouthful, but a lovely one, and Gwyn is a built-in nickname.

42. Haukea

Origin: Hawaiian
Meaning: Means white snow. Breezy and tropical, which is a fun contrast for a winter meaning.

43. Edur

Origin: Basque
Meaning: Simply means snow. Minimalist and striking, the kind of name that never tries too hard.

44. Lixue

Origin: Chinese
Meaning: Means beautiful snow. Delicate and poetic, and rare outside China.

45. Bianca

Origin: Italian
Meaning: Means white, like fresh snowfall. The most familiar name in this section, chic and timeless.

46. Fannar

Origin: Icelandic
Meaning: Means snowdrift. Outdoorsy and adventurous, with a built-in snow-day feel.

47. Tushar

Origin: Sanskrit
Meaning: Means frost or snow. Warm-sounding for a cold meaning, and well-loved in India.

48. Snow

Origin: English
Meaning: The word itself. The ultimate minimalist pick, with full Game of Thrones energy.

There are dozens more in our girl names collection if you want to keep browsing.

Names That Mean Ice

If you want frost with a harder edge, these names literally mean ice. For the full overview, we have a whole list of names that mean ice with 120+ options. Go and check now!!!!

49. Jökull

Origin: Icelandic
Meaning: Means glacier or ice, and it’s a real, rising boys’ name in Iceland. Cool in every sense, though the Icelandic pronunciation takes a little practice.

50. Ísól

Origin: Icelandic
Meaning: Combines ice and sun, and was officially approved for use in Iceland in 2007. A rare name that literally balances frost and warmth.

51. Ísrún

Origin: Icelandic
Meaning: Means ice secret. Mysterious and lovely, and you will probably never meet another.

52. Ísdís

Origin: Icelandic
Meaning: Means ice goddess. Quietly powerful, and a nice nod back to the mythical names above.

53. Jaki

Origin: Icelandic
Meaning: Means iceberg or ice floe. Short, sturdy, and unexpected.

54. Isolde

Origin: Germanic
Meaning: Often read as ice ruler, from the tragic legend of Tristan and Isolde. Elegant, literary, and dramatic in the best way.

55. Crystal

Origin: Greek
Meaning: From the word for clear ice crystals. A retro pick that glimmers, very snow-globe.

56. Frostine

Origin: French
Meaning: Basically means ice queen. Made for parents who love the Elsa feeling but find Elsa too popular.

57. Glacius

Origin: Latin
Meaning: Means ice. Bold and a little theatrical, and it definitely stands out at roll call.

58. Rime

Origin: Old English
Meaning: The frost that coats branches on a cold morning. One syllable, sharp and clean, and an unusual middle name.

59. Hika

Origin: Japanese
Meaning: Means ice petal. Short, sweet, and softly poetic.

60. Frost

Origin: English
Meaning: Simple and straight to the point. Classic surname-as-first-name that just works.

What is a Unique Winter Name?

If you want genuinely uncommon, Vetr (Old Norse for “winter”), Khione (Greek snow goddess), and Eira (Welsh for “snow”) are about as unique as it gets while still being sayable. For names almost nobody will share, push toward Lilinoe, Drífa, Gwyneira, or the realm name Niflheim for a middle slot.

What is the Greek Name for Winter?

The Greek personification of winter is Cheimon (Kheimon), one of the Horai, the goddesses of the seasons. The everyday Greek word for winter is cheimónas. If you specifically want the snow goddess, that’s Khione (also written Chione), and the god who blows winter in from the north is Boreas.

What Nordic Name Means Ice?

The clearest Nordic/Norse name meaning ice is Jökull, an Icelandic boys’ name meaning “glacier” or “ice” that has been climbing in popularity. Other Old Norse options include Ísól (“ice” plus “sun,” officially approved in Iceland in 2007), Frosti (“frost”), and the snow-themed myth names Drífa (“snowdrift”) and Mjöll (“powdery snow”).

What Are Some Cool Mystical Names?

For pure cool factor, these travel well beyond a single season:

Skadi and Khione: winter goddesses with edge
Boreas and Morozko: commanding, storm-god energy
Yuki and Lumi: soft but a little magical
Ymir and Vetr: mythic and bold, great for fantasy characters
Aurora and Eira: mystical but still totally usable day to day

How to Choose a Mythical Winter Name?

The fun part is also the trap, so a few things I would check before committing:

Read the Whole Myth: Marzanna sounds lovely, but she is a death goddess. Make sure you are at peace with the story, not just the sound.
Say It Out Loud Ten Times: Poli’ahu and Kuraokami are beautiful and a real pain to spell at the pediatrician’s office.
Lean on the Wearable Ones for a First Name: Eira, Lumi, Aurora, Neve, Yuki, and Jökull all pass as everyday names. Save Niflheim or Ymir for a middle name or a character.
Pair Big With Grounded: A dramatic mythical first name lands better with a simple middle name, like Skadi Rose or Boreas James.

If you want more naming rabbit holes, I rounded up unisex options in this non-binary names list, and a lot of these frost names work for any baby. If you are here for the cold-weather theme, our cute penguin names are an unreasonably good time, and you can browse everything in the baby names section.

MY PICK HEHE

My honest pick from the whole list of mythical winter names? Eira if you want soft, Skadi if you want a kid who sounds like she could run a mountain. Both have real snow behind them, and neither needs a backstory you will have to apologize for.

PS: Name meanings and origins checked against Behind the Name, Nordic Names, and standard Norse, Greek, Slavic, and Hawaiian mythology sources.