[ 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 |
|---|---|
| Asmodai | Asmodeus, a prince of demons in Abrahamic religions. [WH40k Imperial SpaceMarine DarkAngels] |
| Azrael | Azrael, an angel of death in Abrahamic religions. [WH40k Imperial SpaceMarine DarkAngels] |
| Belial | Belial, a personification of the devil from the Bible. [WH40k Imperial SpaceMarine DarkAngels] |
| Bethor | One of the seven Olympian spirits referred to in Renaissance magical texts. [WH40k Imperial SpaceMarine DarkAngels] |
| Bibulus ¹ | See: Clof Bibulus. [WH40k Imperial SpaceMarine DarkAngels] |
| Boreas | Boreas, god of the north wind, one of the Anemoi in Greek mythology. [WH40k Imperial SpaceMarine DarkAngels] |
| Clof Bibulus ¹ | "Quaff", drink copiously + Latin bibulus, "fond of drinking". See also: Djinn Ntonnik, Rumman Koak. [WH40k Imperial SpaceMarine DarkAngels] |
| Cypher | "Cipher", someone of no importance. [WH40k Imperial Chaos SpaceMarine DarkAngels] |
| Djinn Ntonnik ¹ | Gin and tonic, a popular cocktail. See also: Clof Bibulus, Rumman Koak. [WH40k Imperial SpaceMarine DarkAngels] |
| El'Jonson | See: Lion El'Jonson. [WH40k Imperial Primarch DarkAngels] |
| Epimetheus | Epimetheus a Titan in Greek mythology, tasked with giving a positive trait to all animals but running out by the time he reached humans. [WH40k Imperial SpaceMarine DarkAngels GreyKnights] |
| Ezekiel | Ezekiel, a prophet in Abrahamic religions. [WH40k Imperial SpaceMarine DarkAngels] |
| Illiyan Nastase ¹ | Ilie Năstase (1946-), a world No. 1 tennis player. See also: Illiyanne Natasé. [WH40k Imperial Astropath DarkAngels Ultramarines] |
| Kildare ¹ | See: Kylex Kildare. [WH40k Imperial SpaceMarine DarkAngels] |
| Koak ¹ | See: Rumman Koak. [WH40k Imperial Astropath DarkAngels] |
| Kylex Kildare ¹ | Kylix, an Ancient Greek drinking cup + Dr. Kildare, a fictional doctor first appearing in Internes Can't Take Money (1936) by Frederick Schiller Faust (under the pen name Max Brand). Note that Kylex Kildare is a medic. [WH40k Imperial SpaceMarine DarkAngels] |
| Lazarus | Lazarus of Bethany, who was raised from the dead by Jesus in the Bible. [WH40k Imperial SpaceMarine DarkAngels] |
| Lion El'Jonson ¹ | Lionel Johnson (1867-1902), a poet whose work includes The Dark Angel. [WH40k Imperial Primarch DarkAngels] |
| Nastase | See: Illiyan Nastase. [WH40k Imperial Astropath DarkAngels Ultramarines] |
| Ntonnik ¹ | See: Djinn Ntonnik. [WH40k Imperial SpaceMarine DarkAngels] |
| Rock | There is a persistent fan theory that the Rock is named after a Nottingham gay club. This has absolutely no basis in fact. The Rock is called that because it is a large rock, and as a reference to Castle Rock on which stands Nottingham Castle. [WH40k Imperial DarkAngels Starship] |
| Rumman Koak ¹ | Rum and Coke, a popular cocktail. See also: Clof Bibulus, Djinn Ntonnik. [WH40k Imperial Astropath DarkAngels] |
| Sammael | Samael, an archangel of destruction in Talmudic mythology. [WH40k Imperial SpaceMarine DarkAngels] |
| Zakariah | Zechariah, a prophet in Abrahamic religions. [WH40k Imperial SpaceMarine DarkAngels] |
| 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 Pus God