[ Models | Lore | Sources | Inspiration ]
With a rich background stretching back decades in time, the various Warhammer games contain a vast array of names (of people, places, items, and so on). Many of these names are original, but some happen to have a meaning in the real world, as obscure terms, foreign words, or cultural references. This page lists some of these underlying etymologies for your edification. Note that some of these are best guesses (speculative fan theory) rather than confirmed derivations.
Where a name is followed by the symbol ¹, if you hover over or click on that symbol you will see when that name was first mentioned in a publication.
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Abaddon the Despoiler | Abaddon, a place of destruction and archangel of the abyss from the Bible. [WH40k Chaos SpaceMarine SonsofHorus BlackLegion] |
| Abscessas ¹ | "Abscess", infected cavity + "ass", buttocks. [WH40k Chaos Nurgle Daemon GreaterDaemon] |
| Aetaos'rau'keres | Ancient Greek ἀετός, "eagle" + Ra, god of the Sun in Egyptian mythology + Keres, winged death spirits in Greek Mythology, grandchildren of Chaos. [WH40k Chaos Tzeentch Daemon DaemonLord] |
| Ahriman | Ahriman, the personification of evil in Zoroastrianism. [WH40k Chaos Tzeentch SpaceMarine ThousandSons] |
| Ahzek Ahriman | See Ahriman. [WH40k Chaos Tzeentch SpaceMarine ThousandSons] |
| Alpharius | Ancient Greek ἄλφα, "alpha", the first letter of the Greek Alphabet. See also: Omegon. [WH40k Chaos Primarch AlphaLegion] |
| Anfingrimm | See: Scyla Anfingrimm. [WHFB Norscan AoS BloodBowl Chaos Khorne ChaosSpawn] |
| An'ggrath the Unbound | "Angry", feeling hostility + "wrath", great anger. [WH40k Chaos Khorne Daemon DaemonLord] |
| Angron | Contraction of "angry one". [WH40k Chaos Khorne Daemon Primarch WorldEaters] |
| An'sl ¹ | Bryan Ansell, one of the founders of Citadel Miniatures and designers of Warhammer Fantasy Battle. He was the managing director of Games Workshop from 1985 to 1991. See also: Mo'rcck, Phraz-Etar. [WH40k Chaos] |
| Archaon | Blend of "arch" (high) + "chaos". Also Ancient Greek ἀρχαῖον, "primeval". [WHFB Human AoS Chaos] |
| Ave Dominus Nox | Latin ave, "hail" + dominus, "lord", + nox "night". This gives the Dog Latin meaning, "hail, Night Lord". Correct Latin would be ave domine noctis ("lord" needs to be in the vocative when being addressed directly, and "night" needs to be in the genitive to give "lord of the night" or Night Lord). When addressing multiple Night Lords, one should say ave domini noctis. [WH40k Chaos NightLords] |
| Be'lakor | "Blacker", more black. [WHFB AoS WH40k Chaos Daemon DaemonPrince] |
| Bestigor | "Beast", a wild animal + Gor. [AoS Chaos Beastman] |
| Bile | See: Fabius Bile. [WH40k Chaos SpaceMarine EmperorsChildren] |
| Biologus Putrifier | New Latin biologus, "biologist" + "putrefy", decompose or become gangrenous. [WH40k Chaos Nurgle SpaceMarine DeathGuard] |
| Blackheart | See: Huron Blackheart. [WH40k Chaos SpaceMarine RedCorsairs] |
| Blightbringer | See: Noxious Blightbringer. [WH40k Chaos Nurgle SpaceMarine DeathGuard] |
| Blight-hauler | See: Myphitic Blight-hauler. [WH40k Chaos Nurgle SpaceMarine DeathGuard Vehicle] |
| Blightlord Terminator | "Blight", cause of spoiling + "lord", master of a household + Terminator. [WH40k Chaos Nurgle SpaceMarine DeathGuard] |
| Blightspawn | See: Foul Blightspawn. [WH40k Chaos Nurgle SpaceMarine DeathGuard] |
| Bloab Rotspawned | Blend of "bloat" (distend) and "blob" (shapeless mass) + "rot", decay, + "spawned", given birth to. [WHFB AoS Chaos Nurgle] |
| Bloat-drone | See: Foetid Bloat-drone. [WH40k Chaos Nurgle SpaceMarine DeathGuard Vehicle] |
| Bloodcrusher | "Blood", vital fluid permeating a body + "crusher", one who pulverises. [AoS WH40k Chaos Khorne Daemon LesserDaemon] |
| Bloodletter | "Bloodletter", one who removes blood. [WHFB AoS BloodBowl WH40k Chaos Khorne Daemon LesserDaemon] |
| Bloodmaster | "Blood", vital fluid permeating a body + "master", person in control. [AoS WH40k Chaos Khorne Daemon Herald] |
| Bloodwrath | See: Skarr Bloodwrath. [AoS Chaos Khorne] |
| Blothar ¹ | "Bloat", distend. [WH40k Chaos Nurgle Daemon GreaterDaemon] |
| Bovigor | Latin bovinus, "of cattle" + Gor. [WHFB Chaos Beastman] |
| Bullgor | "Bull", a male bovine + Gor. [AoS Chaos Beastman] |
| Calas Typhon | Calas from "callous", heartless. See also: Typhon, Typhus. [WH40k Chaos Nurgle SpaceMarine DeathGuard] |
| Caprigor | Latin caprinus, "of goats" + Gor. [WHFB Chaos Beastman] |
| Centigor | Blend of centaur (a half-human half-horse in Greek mythology) and Gor. [AoS Chaos Beastman] |
| Cherubael | Cherub, a class of angel in Judaic mythology + Hebrew אל, "God" (used as a suffix in the names of angels). [WH40k Chaos Daemon] |
| Corvus Cabal | Latin corvus, "raven" + "cabal", a secret faction. [AoS Chaos] |
| Crimson King | In the Court of the Crimson King (1960), an album by King Crimson. See also: Magnus the Red. [WH40k Chaos Tzeentch Daemon Primarch ThousandSons] |
| Curze | See: Konrad Curze. [WH40k Chaos Primarch NightLords] |
| Cygor | "Psi", psychic energy + Gor. [AoS Chaos Beastman] |
| Cypher | "Cipher", someone of no importance. [WH40k Imperial Chaos SpaceMarine DarkAngels] |
| Daemon | Ancient Greek δαίμων, a divine being or guardian spirit or departed soul, and later an evil spirit. [WHFB AoS WH40k Chaos Daemon] |
| Daemonette | Daemon + "-ette", female. [WHFB AoS BloodBowl WH40k Chaos Slaanesh Daemon LesserDaemon] |
| Daemonspew | See: Orghotts Daemonspew. [WHFB AoS Chaos Nurgle] |
| Death Guard ¹ | The Death Guard (1939), a novel by Philip George Chadwick. [WH40k Chaos Nurgle SpaceMarine Chapter] |
| Deathshroud | "Death", the cessation of life + "shroud", a sheet for dressing the dead. [WH40k Chaos Nurgle SpaceMarine DeathGuard] |
| Defiler | "Defiler", one who desecrates. [WH40k Chaos SpaceMarine Vehicle] |
| Deimos | Deimos, god of dread in Greek mythology, and hence one of the moons of Mars. See also: Predator. [WH40k Imperial Chaos ImperialGuard SpaceMarine Vehicle] |
| Desecrator | "Desecrator", one who violates sanctity. [WH40k Chaos Knight] |
| Despoiler | "Despoiler", one who plunders. See also: Abaddon the Despoiler. [WH40k Chaos Knight] |
| Dexcessa | Blend of Latin dexter (right) and "excess" (surpassing the limit). See also: Synessa. [AoS Chaos Slaanesh Daemon] |
| Dhripit the Grand Ulseer ¹ | "Drippy", having liquid exusing from + a blend of "ulcer" (open sore) and "seer" (one who divines the future). [WH40k Chaos Nurgle Daemon GreaterDaemon] |
| Dreadnought ¹ | Dreadnought, a heavily-armed battleship, named after the 1906 HMS Dreadnought of the Royal Navy. [WH40k Imperial Chaos SpaceMarine] |
| Eidolon | Eidolon, a spirit-image in Greek mythology. [AoS Order Aelf Idoneth WH40k Chaos Slaanesh SpaceMarine EmperorsChildren] |
| Epidemius | "Epidemic", widespread disease. [WHFB AoS WH40k Chaos Nurgle Daemon Herald] |
| Erebus | Erebus, primordial deity of darkness in Greek mythology, and child of Chaos. [WH40k Chaos SpaceMarine WordBearers] |
| Exodus | "Exodus", a departure of many people. [WH40k Chaos SpaceMarine AlphaLegion] |
| Fabius Bile | Fabius, a child of Hercules in Roman mythology + "bile", a liver secretion. [WH40k Chaos SpaceMarine EmperorsChildren] |
| Fateskimmer | "Fate", destiny + "skimmer", one who glides along. [AoS WH40k Chaos Tzeentch Daemon Herald] |
| Fateweaver | See: Kairos Fateweaver. [WHFB AoS WH40k Chaos Tzeentch Daemon GreaterDaemon] |
| Feculent Gnarlmaw | "Feculent", dirty with faeces + "gnarl", a knot in wood + "maw", the upper digestive tract. [AoS WH40k Chaos Nurgle] |
| Felthius | "Filthy", very dirty. [WH40k Chaos Nurgle SpaceMarine DeathGuard] |
| Festus the Leechlord | Latin festus, "joyful" (but also referencing "infected") + leech + "lord", master of a household. [WHFB Human AoS Chaos Nurgle] |
| Fluxmaster | "Flux", change + "master", person in control. [AoS WH40k Chaos Tzeentch Daemon Herald] |
| Foetid Bloat-drone | "Foetid", foul-smelling + "bloat", distend + "drone", worker insect. [WH40k Chaos Nurgle SpaceMarine DeathGuard Vehicle] |
| Fomoroid Crusher | Fomorians, a supernatural race in Irish mythology + "crusher", one who pulverises. [AoS Chaos] |
| Forgefiend | "Forge", a smith's workshop + "fiend", demon. [WH40k Chaos SpaceMarine Vehicle] |
| Foul Blightspawn | "Foul", disgusting + "blight", cause of spoiling + "spawn", offspring. [WH40k Chaos Nurgle SpaceMarine DeathGuard] |
| Fulgrim | Danish ful, "ugly" + grim, "ugly". [WH40k Chaos Slaanesh Daemon Primarch EmperorsChildren] |
| G'aap ¹ | See: Papa G'aap. [WH40k Chaos Nurgle Daemon DaemonLord] |
| Ghorgon | Catoblepas, also known as an African Gorgon, a buffalo-like monster in Ethiopian mythology. [AoS Chaos Beastman] |
| Ghrubex ¹ | "Grubby", dirty. [WH40k Chaos Nurgle Daemon GreaterDaemon] |
| Gnarlmaw | See: Feculent Gnarlmaw. [AoS WH40k Chaos Nurgle] |
| Gor | "Gore", to pierce with a horn. Note that it is the presence of horns that determines whether an individual beastman is truly a Gor. [WHFB AoS Chaos Beastman] |
| Gutrot Spume | "Gut", intestines + "rot", decay + "spume", sea foam. [WHFB Human Norscan AoS Chaos Nurgle] |
| Haarken Worldclaimer | Haakon the Good (c. 920-961), king of Norway + "world", planet + "claimer", one who demands ownership. [WH40k Chaos SpaceMarine SonsofHorus BlackLegion] |
| Hakflem Skuttlespike | "Hack", cough noisily + "phlegm", thick mucus that is coughed up + "scuttle", scurry + "spike", slamming a ball to the ground. [BloodBowl Chaos Skaven] |
| Hamadrya | Hamadryad, a tree-dwelling nymph in in Greek mythology. [WH40k Chaos RedCorsairs] |
| Havoc | "Havoc", widespread devestation. [WH40k Chaos SpaceMarine] |
| Helbrute | "Hell", place of great suffering + "brute", senseless beast. [WH40k Chaos SpaceMarine] |
| Heldrake | "Hell", place of great suffering + "drake", a dragon. [WH40k Chaos SpaceMarine Vehicle] |
| Horticulous Slimux | "Horticulture", the science of gardening + "slime", mucus-like substance + "muck", mud, slop. [AoS WH40k Chaos Nurgle Daemon Herald] |
| Horus | Horus, a god of kingship and the sky in Egyptian mythology. See also: Lupercal. [WH40k Chaos Primarch SonsofHorus] |
| Huron Blackheart | Old French huron, a title given to members of the 1358 Jacquerie revolt + "blackheart", a cruel and remorseless person. [WH40k Chaos SpaceMarine RedCorsairs] |
| Hydra Dominatus | Hydra, a many-headed snake monster in Greek mythology + Latin dominatus, "absolute power". This gives the Dog Latin meaning of either "the dominating hydra" (for which correct Latin would be hydra dominans) or "the power of the hydra" (for which correct Latin would be hydrae dominatus). [WH40k Chaos AlphaLegion] |
| Invocatus | Latin invocatus, "invoked". [WH40k Chaos Khorne SpaceMarine WorldEaters] |
| Iron Golem | "Iron", a metallic element + golem, a constructed creature in Jewish mythology. [AoS Chaos] |
| Jabberslythe | Blend of "Jabberwock" (a monster from the 1871 poem Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll) and "slythy" (a neologism coined by Lewis Carroll in his 1855 poem Stanza of Anglo-Saxon Poetry which later was adapted into the first stanza of Jabberwocky). [AoS Chaos] |
| Jakhal | Jackal. [WH40k Chaos Khorne WorldEaters] |
| Juggernaut | Juggernaut, an unstoppable force. The word is itself a corruption of Jagannath (lord of the universe), a god in Hindu mythology. [WHFB AoS WH40k Chaos Khorne Daemon] |
| Ka'Bandha | Kabandha, a demon (whose name means "headless torso") in Hindu mythology. [AoS WH40k Chaos Khorne Daemon GreaterDaemon] |
| Kairic Acolyte | Ancient Greek καιρός, "time" + "acolyte", an attendant. [AoS Chaos Tzeentch] |
| Kairos Fateweaver | Ancient Greek καιρός, "time" + "fate", destiny + "weaver", one who weaves. [WHFB AoS WH40k Chaos Tzeentch Daemon GreaterDaemon] |
| Ka'jagga'nath | Jagannath (lord of the universe), a god in Hindu mythology. The "Ka" prefix is styled as per Ka'Bandha. [WH40k Chaos Khorne Daemon GreaterDaemon] |
| Keeper of Secrets | "Keeper of Secrets" is a title of the angel Raziel in Judaic mythology. [WHFB AoS WH40k Chaos Slaanesh Daemon GreaterDaemon] |
| Khan'zhar the Red ¹ | Blend of khan (ruler of a Mongol horde) and "cancer" (disease causing tumours). [WH40k Chaos Khorne Daemon GreaterDaemon] |
| Khârn the Betrayer | Arabic خائن, "betrayer". [WH40k Chaos Khorne SpaceMarine WorldEaters] |
| Khorne | Possibly a clipping of Khornerstone, a computer performance testing benchmark created by Workstation Laboratories in 1986 (the same year that Khorne first appeared, in Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay). Khornerstone is named in the same style as Dhrystone and Whetstone, two benchmarks that it incorporates, with an "h" inserted as the second letter, and the first letter changed to "k" to retain the pronunciation of "cornerstone". Dhrystone (1984) was named as a pun on Whetstone. The Whetstone (1972) benchmark gets its name from the Whetstone Compiler (1964) for ALGOL, which was developed in the village of Whetstone in the UK. [WHFB AoS BloodBowl WH40k Chaos Khorne God] |
| Khorngor | Khorne + Gor. [WHFB AoS WH40k Chaos Khorne Beastman] |
| King in Rags and Tatters ¹ | Refers to The King in Yellow (1895), a book of short stories by Robert W. Chambers: "Where flap the tatters of the King…". [WH40k Chaos Tzeentch Daemon] |
| Konrad Curze | Joseph Conrad (1857-1924), a novelist whose work includes Heart of Darkness + Kurtz, a character from Heart of Darkness. [WH40k Chaos Primarch NightLords] |
| Kratos | Kratos, god of strength in Greek mythology. [WH40k Imperial Chaos SpaceMarine Vehicle] |
| Kreek 'the Verminator' Rustgouger | "Creak", a prolonged squeak + blend of "vermin" (annoying small animals) and The Terminator (1984 film ) + "rust", corroded iron + "gouger", one who makes a scooping groove. [BloodBowl Chaos Skaven] |
| Land Raider ¹ | "Land", region of ground + "raider", one who plunders. See also: Arkhan Land, Proteus. [WH40k Imperial Chaos ImperialGuard SpaceMarine Vehicle] |
| Lorgar Aurelian | Aurelian, a Roman emperor whose acts included concentrating Roman worship onto a single sun god, Sol Invictus. See also: Urizen. [WH40k Chaos Primarch WordBearers] |
| Lupercal | Lupercal, the cave in which Romulus and Remus were found by a wolf. This is in reference to the original name of the Sons of Horus: the Luna Wolves. See also: Horus. [WH40k Chaos Primarch SonsofHorus] |
| Lurgon ¹ | "Lurgy", from lurgi, a fictional disease in The Goon Show (first appearing in "Lurgi Strikes Britain", 1954). [WH40k Chaos Nurgle Daemon GreaterDaemon] |
| Machinator | See: Vex Machinator. [WH40k Chaos SpaceMarine BlackLegion] |
| Magnus the Red | Latin magnus, "great". See also: Crimson King. [WH40k Chaos Tzeentch Daemon Primarch ThousandSons] |
| Malignant Plaguecaster | "Malignant", malevolent + "plague", a pestilential epidemic + "caster", one who performs magic. [WH40k Chaos Nurgle SpaceMarine DeathGuard] |
| Mamon ¹ | Mammon, a term from the Bible's New Testament associated with material wealth. In the Middle Ages, personified as a prince of Hell. [WH40k Chaos Nurgle Daemon DaemonPrince] |
| Marotter | Blend of marotte and "rotter". [AoS WH40k Chaos Nurgle Weapon] |
| Maulerfiend | "Mauler", one who causes serious wounds + "fiend", demon. [WH40k Chaos SpaceMarine Vehicle] |
| Max Spleenripper | "Max", maximum + "spleen", an organ of the body + "ripper", one who tears. [BloodBowl Chaos Khorne] |
| Miasmic Malignifier | "Miasma", a noxious atmosphere + "malign", evil. [WH40k Chaos Nurgle SpaceMarine DeathGuard] |
| Morbidex Twiceborn | "Morbid", relating to disease + "twice born", having come into being two times. [WHFB AoS Chaos Nurgle] |
| Mo'rcck ¹ | Michael Moorcock (1939-), an author whose work includes the Elric of Melniboné stories, that presented the opposition of Law and Chaos, and used an eight-pointed star as a symbol of Chaos. See also: An'sl, Phraz-Etar. [WH40k Chaos] |
| Mord'dagan ¹ | Mordiggian, the eponymous character in The Charnel God (1934), a story by Clark Ashton Smith. [WH40k Chaos] |
| Mortarion ¹ | Latin mors, mortis, "death". But note Latin mortario (dative/ablative of mortarium, "mortar"). [WH40k Chaos Nurgle Daemon Primarch DeathGuard] |
| Mortius ¹ | Blend of Latin mortis, "of death", and mortuus, "having died". [BloodBowl Chaos Nurgle Daemon GreaterDaemon] |
| Moulder | "Moulder", to decay or rot. [WHFB AoS Chaos Skaven Clan] |
| Mutalith Vortex Beast | Blend of "mutate" (change) and Ancient Greek λίθος, "stone" + "vortex", whirlpool + "beast", a wild animal. [AoS WH40k Chaos] |
| Mutilator | "Mutilator", one who destroys beyond recognition. [WH40k Chaos SpaceMarine] |
| Myphitic Blight-hauler | "Mephitic", foul-smelling + "blight", cause of spoiling + "hauler", one that transports by pulling. [WH40k Chaos Nurgle SpaceMarine DeathGuard Vehicle] |
| Myrmidesh | Myrmidon, a member of a tribe from Thessaly in Greek mythology. [AoS Chaos Slaanesh] |
| Myrmidon | See: Ogroid Myrmidon. [AoS Chaos] |
| Nauseous Rotbone | "Nauseous", causing vomiting + "rot", decay + "bone", component of a skeleton. [WH40k Chaos Nurgle SpaceMarine DeathGuard] |
| Necare | Ancient Greek νεκρά, "dead". [WH40k Chaos Nurgle] |
| Noxious Blightbringer | "Noxious", harmful + "blight", cause of spoiling + "bringer", one who supplies. [WH40k Chaos Nurgle SpaceMarine DeathGuard] |
| Nurgle ¹ | Nergal, a god of war and plague in Mesopotamian mythology. [WHFB AoS BloodBowl WH40k Chaos Nurgle God] |
| Nurgling | Nurgle + "-ling", small. [WHFB AoS BloodBowl WH40k Chaos Nurgle Daemon LesserDaemon] |
| Ogroid Myrmidon | Ogre, a monster in European mythology + Myrmidon, a member of a tribe from Thessaly in Greek mythology. [AoS Chaos] |
| Ogroid Thaumaturge | Ogre, a monster in European mythology + "thaumaturge", a performer of miracles. [AoS Chaos Tzeentch] |
| Omegon | Ancient Greek ὦ μέγα, the last letter of the Greek alphabet. See also: Alpharius. [WH40k Chaos Primarch AlphaLegion] |
| Orghotts Daemonspew | Perhaps a blend of "organ" and "guts" + Daemon + "spew", vomit. [WHFB AoS Chaos Nurgle] |
| Papa G'aap ¹ | "Papa", father + Gaap, a demon described in Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (1577) and later occult works. See also: Scabeiathrax the Bloated. [WH40k Chaos Nurgle Daemon DaemonLord] |
| Paz'uz | Pazuzu, a demon in Mesopotamian mythology. [WH40k Chaos Nurgle Daemon] |
| Perturabo | Frater Perdurabo, a name used by Aleister Crowley (1875-1947), an occultist claiming to be a prophet that would guide humanity into the "Æon of Horus". [WH40k Chaos Daemon Primarch IronWarriors] |
| Pestigor | Latin pestis, "plague" + Gor. [WHFB BloodBowl AoS WH40k Chaos Nurgle Beastman] |
| Pestilens | Latin pestilens, "infected". [WHFB AoS Chaos Skaven Clan] |
| Phraz-Etar ¹ | Frank Frazetta (1928-2010), a fantasy and science fiction artist, considered to be the godfather of fantasy art. See also: An'sl, Mo'rcck. [WH40k Chaos] |
| Plaguebearer | "Plague", a pestilential epidemic + "bearer", one who carries. [WHFB AoS BloodBowl WH40k Chaos Nurgle Daemon LesserDaemon] |
| Plagueburst Crawler | "Plague", a pestilential epidemic + "burst", missile explosion + "crawler", one who creeps along the ground. [WH40k Chaos Nurgle SpaceMarine DeathGuard Vehicle] |
| Plaguecaster | See: Malignant Plaguecaster. [WH40k Chaos Nurgle SpaceMarine DeathGuard] |
| Poxbringer | "Pox", a skin disease + "bringer", one who supplies. [AoS WH40k Chaos Nurgle Daemon Herald] |
| Poxwalker | "Pox", disease + "walker", zombie. [WH40k Chaos Nurgle DeathGuard] |
| Predator | "Predator", one that preys on others. See also: Deimos. [WH40k Imperial Chaos ImperialGuard SpaceMarine Vehicle] |
| Preyton | Peryton, a monster in European mythology. [WHFB AoS Chaos] |
| Prophaniti | "Profanity", treating the sacred with contempt. [WH40k Chaos Daemon] |
| Proteus | Proteus, a sea god of change in Greek mythology. See also: Land Raider. [WH40k Imperial Chaos SpaceMarine Vehicle] |
| Pusgoyle Blightlord | Blend of "pus" and gargoyle (a monster in French mythology) + "blight", cause of spoiling + "lord", master of a household. [AoS Chaos Nurgle] |
| Putrifier | See: Biologus Putrifier. [WH40k Chaos Nurgle SpaceMarine DeathGuard] |
| Rampager | "Rampager", one who moves in a frenzy. [WH40k Chaos Knight] |
| Raptor | Latin raptor, "thief", used in English to refer to a bird of prey. [AoS Order StormcastEternal WH40k Chaos SpaceMarine] |
| Ratling Gun | Blend of rat and Gatling gun. [WHFB AoS Chaos Skaven Weapon] |
| Razorgor | "Razor" + Gor. [WHFB AoS Chaos Beastman] |
| Rotbone | See: Nauseous Rotbone. [WH40k Chaos Nurgle SpaceMarine DeathGuard] |
| Rotigus | "Rot" (decay) possibly via the German Rotguss, "gunmetal". [AoS WH40k Chaos Nurgle Daemon GreaterDaemon] |
| Rotspawned | See: Bloab Rotspawned. [WHFB AoS Chaos Nurgle] |
| Rubric | Rubric, a section of text highlighted in red, particularly in medieval Christian manuscripts. [WH40k Chaos Tzeentch SpaceMarine ThousandSons] |
| Rustgouger | See: Kreek 'the Verminator' Rustgouger. [BloodBowl Chaos Skaven] |
| Samus ¹ | Possibly a clipping of "is among us". Note that the computer game Among Us was developed from 2017, over a decade after Horus Rising was published. [WH40k Chaos Khorne Daemon DaemonPrince] |
| Scabeiathrax the Bloated ¹ | Scabies + anthrax, two diseases. From Latin scabies, "itch", and Ancient Greek ἄνθραξ, "abscess". See also: Papa G'aap. [WH40k Chaos Nurgle Daemon DaemonLord] |
| Scarab Occult Terminator | Scarab, an Ancient Egyptian amulet + "occult", mystical + Terminator. [WH40k Chaos Tzeentch SpaceMarine ThousandSons] |
| Scribbus Wretch | Latin scribo, "I write" + "wretch", one who is miserable. [WH40k Chaos Nurgle SpaceMarine DeathGuard] |
| Scyla Anfingrimm | Scylla, a monster in Greek mythology + German anfing, "I/he began" + Old English grimm, "savage". [WHFB Norscan AoS BloodBowl Chaos Khorne ChaosSpawn] |
| Septicus ¹ | Blend of "septic" (causing putrefaction) and Latin septimus ("seventh"). [WH40k Chaos Nurgle Daemon GreaterDaemon] |
| Shaggoth | Shoggoth, a monster created by H. P. Lovecraft, first appearing in Fungi from Yuggoth (1930). [AoS Chaos] |
| Sigvald | Sigvaldi Strut-Haraldsson, a legendary chieftain from Denmark. [WHFB AoS Chaos Slaanesh Daemon DaemonPrince] |
| Skaarac the Bloodborn | Blend of "scar" (a permanent mark from a wound) and "rack" (cause pain). [AoS Chaos Khorne] |
| Skarbrand | "Scar", a permanent mark from a wound + "brand", a permanent mark from a burn. [WHFB AoS WH40k Chaos Khorne Daemon GreaterDaemon] |
| Skarr Bloodwrath | "Scar", a permanent mark from a wound + "blood", vital fluid permeating a body + "wrath", great anger. [AoS Chaos Khorne] |
| Skaven | Clipping of "scavenger". [WHFB AoS Chaos Skaven WH40k] |
| Skulltaker | "Skull", head bone + "taker", one who removes. [AoS WH40k Chaos Khorne Daemon Herald] |
| Skuttlespike | See: Hakflem Skuttlespike. [BloodBowl Chaos Skaven] |
| Slaangor | Slaanesh + Gor. [AoS WH40k Chaos Slaanesh Beastman] |
| Slimux | See: Horticulous Slimux. [AoS WH40k Chaos Nurgle Daemon Herald] |
| Sloppity Bilepiper | "Sloppy", messy + "bile", a liver secretion + "piper", one who plays a pipe. [AoS WH40k Chaos Nurgle Daemon Herald] |
| Spartan | "Spartan", someone/something from Sparta, a city-state in Ancient Greece. [WH40k Imperial Chaos SpaceMarine Vehicle] |
| Spleenripper | See: Max Spleenripper. [BloodBowl Chaos Khorne] |
| Spoilpox Scrivener | "Spoil", ruin + "pox", disease + "scrivener", one who writes. [AoS WH40k Chaos Nurgle Daemon Herald] |
| Spume | See: Gutrot Spume. [WHFB Human Norscan AoS Chaos Nurgle] |
| Symbaresh | "Sybarite", a person devoted to pleasure. [AoS Chaos Slaanesh] |
| Synessa | Blend of Latin sinister (left or perverse) and "excess" (surpassing the limit). See also: Dexcessa. [AoS Chaos Slaanesh Daemon] |
| Terminator | "Terminator", one who ends something. See also: Cataphractii, Saturnine, Tartaros. [WH40k Imperial Chaos SpaceMarine Armour] |
| Terminus Est | "Terminus Est" is the name of a sword in The Book of the New Sun (first published 1980), a series of novels by Gene Wolfe (which include a character called Typhon). [WH40k Chaos Nurgle DeathGuard Starship] |
| Thaumaturge | See: Ogroid Thaumaturge. [AoS Chaos Tzeentch] |
| Tuskgor | "Tusk", an elongated tooth + Gor. [AoS Chaos Beastman] |
| Twiceborn | See: Morbidex Twiceborn. [WHFB AoS Chaos Nurgle] |
| Typhon | Typhon, a divine monster in Greek mythology. See also: Calas Typhon, Terminus Est. [WH40k Imperial SpaceMarine Vehicle Chaos Nurgle DeathGuard] |
| Typhus ¹ | Typhus, a disease. From Ancient Greek τῦφος, "fever". [WH40k Chaos Nurgle SpaceMarine DeathGuard] |
| Tyrant | "Tyrant", one who rules through absolute power. [WH40k Chaos Knight] |
| Tzaangor | Tzeentch + Gor. [AoS WH40k Chaos Tzeentch Beastman] |
| Ungor | "Un-", not + Gor. [WHFB AoS Chaos Beastman] |
| Urizen | Urizen, the embodiment of wisdom and law in William Blake's mythology, first mentioned in A Song of Liberty (1793). See also: Lorgar Aurelian. [WH40k Chaos Primarch WordBearers] |
| Valkia | Valkyrie, one of those who choose who dies in battle in Norse mythology. [WHFB AoS Chaos Khorne Daemon DaemonPrince] |
| Verminator | See: Kreek 'the Verminator' Rustgouger. [BloodBowl Chaos Skaven] |
| Vex Machinator | "Vex", annoy + "machinator", one who plots with evil intent. [WH40k Chaos SpaceMarine BlackLegion] |
| Vileblight ¹ | "Vile", disgusting + "blight", cause of spoiling. [WH40k Chaos Nurgle Daemon GreaterDaemon] |
| Vindicator | Latin vindicator, "avenger". [WH40k Imperial Chaos SpaceMarine Vehicle] |
| War Dog | "War dog", a veteran soldier. [WH40k Chaos Knight] |
| Worldclaimer | See: Haarken Worldclaimer. [WH40k Chaos SpaceMarine SonsofHorus BlackLegion] |
| Wretch | See: Scribbus Wretch. [WH40k Chaos Nurgle SpaceMarine DeathGuard] |
| Inspiration | |
| Warhammer Setting | The Dark Tongue; Daemonic Names; Lexicon; Short Stories; Cut-ups; Cool Stuff |
| Art | Golden Demon; Nurglesque Music |
| Speculation | Chaos God Correspondence; Dark Heresy Backgrounds; Sevenfold Path; Sevenrot; Seven Deadly Sins |
| Real World References | Nergal in Mesopotamian History; Symbolism of Three Circles; Symbolism of Seven |
dedicated to the Father of Pestilence