[ 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 |
|---|---|
| Archon | "Archon", a ruler. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar] |
| Archsybarite | "Arch", high + "sybarite", a person devoted to pleasure. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar] |
| Asdrubael Vect ¹ | Hannibal Lecter, a character from novels including The Silence of the Lambs (1988) by Thomas Harris. Hasdrubal (245-207 BC) was the brother of Carthaginian general Hannibal, so we have: Hannibal Lecter to Hasdrubal Vector to Asdrubael Vect. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar KabaloftheBlackHeart] |
| Commorragh | Gomorrah, a city of great wickedness from the Bible. See also: Shaa-Dom. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar City] |
| Crimson Duellist | "Crimson", deep red + "duellist", one who fights one-on-one. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar] |
| Cronos | Cronus, the leader of the Titans in Greek Mythology. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar] |
| Drukhari | Blend of Druchii and Aeldari. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar] |
| Elixicant | "Elixir", an alchemical liquid. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar] |
| Flayer | "Flayer", one who strips skin from others. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar] |
| Haemonculus | Blend of Ancient Greek αἷμα ("blood") and homunculus (an alchemical representation of a human body). [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar] |
| Hellion | "Hellion", an unruly person. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar] |
| Hesperax | See: Lelith Hesperax. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar] |
| Incubus | Incubus, a male demon of sexual assault in European mythology. See also: Succubus. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar] |
| Kabal | "Cabal", a secret political faction. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar] |
| Kabalite | Member of a Kabal. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar] |
| Kruellagh the Vile ¹ | Cruella de Vil, a character from The Hundred and One Dalmatians (1956), a novel by Dodie Smith. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar KabaloftheFlayedSkull] |
| Lelith Hesperax | Lilith, the primordial she-demon and first wife of Adam in Judaic mythology + Hesperus, the Evening Star, a planet in Greek mythology. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar] |
| Mandrake | Mandrake, a plant root associated with magic rituals. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar] |
| Reaper | "Reaper", one who reaps. In particular "Grim Reaper" is a name for Death. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar Vehicle] |
| Scourge | "Scourge", a whip used to cause pain. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar] |
| Shaa-Dom | Sodom, a city of great wickedness from the Bible. See also: Commorragh. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar City] |
| Skysplinter Assassin | "Sky", atmosphere + "splinter", long and sharp fragment + "assassin", professional killer. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar] |
| Succubus | Succubus, a female demon of sexual assault in European mythology. See also: Incubus. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar] |
| Talos | Talos, a giant bronze living statue in Greek mythology. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar] |
| Tantalus | Tantalus, a character in Greek mythology that tested the gods and was punished. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar Vehicle] |
| Vect | See: Asdrubael Vect. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar KabaloftheBlackHeart] |
| Venom | "Venom", a toxin delivered by bite or sting. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar Vehicle] |
| Wrack | "Wrack", ruin. Compare with "rack", to cause intense pain. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar] |
| Wych | Witch, a female practionier of magic. [WH40k Eldar DarkEldar] |
| 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 Fly-Lord