[ 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 |
|---|---|
| Autarch | "Autarch", a despotic ruler. [WH40k Eldar Craftworld] |
| Biel-Tan | Beltane, a Gaelic seasonal festival. See also: Lugganath, Saim-Hann, Yme-Loc. [WH40k Eldar Craftworld] |
| Eldrad Ulthran | Perhaps a blend of Eldar and Alban Arthan, a Druidic seasonal festival. Note also the character Eldrad from the Doctor Who episode The Hand of Fear (1976). [WH40k Eldar Craftworld Ulthwe Farseer] |
| Falcon | Falcon, a bird of prey. [WH40k Eldar Craftworld Vehicle] |
| Fuegan | Spanish fuego, "fire". [WH40k Eldar Craftworld PhoenixLord] |
| Hemlock Wraithfighter | "Hemlock", a poisonous plant + "wraith", ghost + "fighter", one who engages in combat. [WH40k Eldar Craftworld Vehicle] |
| Illiyanne Natasé | Ilie Năstase (1946-), a world No. 1 tennis player. See also: Illiyan Nastase. [WH40k Eldar Craftworld Ulthwe Farseer] |
| Iybraesil | Hy-Brasil, a mythical island west of Ireland. [WH40k Eldar Craftworld] |
| Kher-Ys | Kêr Ys, a mythical city on the coast of Brittany. [WH40k Eldar Craftworld] |
| Lugganath | Lughnasadh, a Gaelic seasonal festival. See also: Biel-Tan, Saim-Hann, Yme-Loc. [WH40k Eldar Craftworld] |
| Natasé | See: Illiyanne Natasé. [WH40k Eldar Craftworld Ulthwe Farseer] |
| Saim-Hann | Samhain, a Gaelic seasonal festival. See also: Biel-Tan, Lugganath, Yme-Loc. [WH40k Eldar Craftworld] |
| Ulthran | See: Eldrad Ulthran. [WH40k Eldar Craftworld Ulthwe Farseer] |
| Vyper | Viper, a venomous snake. [WH40k Eldar Craftworld Vehicle] |
| Warlock | Warlock, a male practitioner of witchcraft. [WH40k Eldar Craftworld] |
| Wraithfighter | See: Hemlock Wraithfighter. [WH40k Eldar Craftworld Vehicle] |
| Wraithknight | "Wraith", ghost + knight. [WH40k Eldar Craftworld Vehicle] |
| Yme-Loc | Imbolc, a Gaelic seasonal festival. See also: Biel-Tan, Lugganath, Saim-Hann. [WH40k Eldar Craftworld] |
| 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 Lord of Decay