[ 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 |
|---|---|
| Abhorrant | Blend of "abhorrent" (loathsome) and "aberrant" (abnormal). [AoS Death FlesheaterCourts] |
| Arkhan the Black | Blend of Arkham (a fictional city created by H. P. Lovecraft) and "arcane" (mysterious). [WHFB AoS Death OssiarchBonereapers Mortarch] |
| Avengorii | Blend of "avenger" (one who takes vengeance) and "gory" (covered in blood). [AoS Death SoulblightGravelords Vampire] |
| Belladamma Volga | Italian bella, "beautiful" + dama, "lady" + Volga, a river in Russa. [AoS Death SoulblightGravelords Vampire] |
| Kastelaii | Latin castelli, "(he/she) of the castle". [AoS Death SoulblightGravelords Vampire] |
| Katakros | See: Orpheon Katakros. [AoS Death OssiarchBonereapers] |
| Kavalos | "Cavalier", horseman. [AoS Death OssiarchBonereapers] |
| Kritza | Russian крыса, "rat". [AoS Death SoulblightGravelords Vampire] |
| Krulghast Cruciator | "Cruel", heartless + "ghast", evil spirit + Latin cruciator, "torturer". [AoS Death Nighthaunt] |
| Mannfred von Carstein | Manfred (1817), a drama by Lord Byron. [WHFB AoS Death SoulblightGravelords Vampire Mortarch] |
| Mortis | See: Scriptor Mortis. [AoS Death Nighthaunt] |
| Mortis Engine | Latin mortis, "of death" + "engine", mechanical device. [AoS Death SoulblightGravelords] |
| Mortisan | Blend of Latin mortis, "of death", and "artisan" (craftsman). [AoS Death OssiarchBonereapers] |
| Mourngul | "Mourn", grieve + ghoul, a monster from Arabian mythology. [WHFB AoS Death Nighthaunt] |
| Nadirite | "Nadir", the lowest point + "-ite", suffix denoting a mineral. [AoS Death Material] |
| Neferata | Nefertiti (c. 1370-1330 BC), queen of Ancient Egypt. [WHFB AoS Death SoulblightGravelords Vampire Mortarch] |
| Orpheon Katakros | Orpheus, a bard that travelled into the underworld in Greek mythology + Ancient Greek κατακρίνω, "I condemn". [AoS Death OssiarchBonereapers] |
| Ossifector | Latin ossis factor, "maker of bone". [AoS Death OssiarchBonereapers] |
| Radukar | Radu the Handsome (c. 1438-1475), the younger brother of Vlad the Impaler. Note also the conjoined twin Radhika (1888-1903) who appeared in the Barnum and Bailey Circus. [AoS Death SoulblightGravelords Vampire] |
| Scriptor Mortis | Latin scriptor, "writer" + mortis, "of death". [AoS Death Nighthaunt] |
| Terrorgheist | "Terror", extreme fear + "geist", ghost. [AoS Death FlesheaterCourts] |
| Varghulf | Old Norse vargr, "wolf" + ulfr, "wolf". [AoS Death FlesheaterCourts] |
| Volga | See: Belladamma Volga. [AoS Death SoulblightGravelords Vampire] |
| Vyrkos | Greek βρικόλακας, "vampire". [AoS Death SoulblightGravelords Vampire] |
| 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 Disease and Decay