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Moth Girl Names: 100 Names for a Light-Drawn Monster Girl
By Metavulgar · updated 2026-11-13 · 7 min read
Moth girl names are names for a winged, soft-furred, light-obsessed monster girl, and the first thing to know is that she is modern. There is no ancient moth goddess handing out a name list. The moth girl grew out of internet culture in the late 2010s, partly from the "moth to a lamp" memes and partly from the wider fondness for Mothman, the winged cryptid reported near Point Pleasant, West Virginia, in 1966 and 1967. That means every good name here comes from three honest places: real moths (their common and Latin names), real words for light, night and the soul, and invented names that I built and label as such.
What a moth girl is, and how that shapes her name
A moth girl is usually written as a woman with large feathered antennae, broad patterned wings, fuzzy shoulders and eyes that catch the light. Her defining trait is attraction: she is drawn to lamps, candles, glowing windows and, in romance stories, to the warm light of the person she loves. Moths are nocturnal, gentle, a little clumsy and strangely beautiful, and the character inherits that mix.
So the name should say one of four things:
- I am a night creature. Nocturnal sounds, dark vowels.
- I am drawn to light. Lamp, flame, glow.
- I am delicate. Soft consonants, short names.
- I am a little dangerous. Sharper endings, hints of the death's-head moth.
Names from real moths (common names)
Moths have wonderful common names, and many work well as given names.
- Luna: the luna moth, pale green with long tails, and also the Latin word for the moon. The best-known moth name by far.
- Atlas: the Atlas moth, one of the largest moths in the world.
- Cecropia: the cecropia moth, a very large North American silk moth.
- Polyphemus: a large silk moth named after the cyclops; shorten to Polly or Phemie for a girl.
- Io: the io moth, named after the nymph Io, with eyespots on its hindwings. A real mythological name and a real moth.
- Sphinx: for the hawk moths, the sphinx moths.
- Ermine: a small white moth with black dots, and also a soft fur.
- Tiger: the tiger moths, bold in color.
- Magpie: a black-and-white moth.
- Emperor: the emperor moth; Empress works as a feminine form.
- Swallowtail: for a swallowtail moth.
- Cinnabar: a red-and-black moth and a mineral name.
- Carpet, Pug, Footman: real British moth groups; better as nicknames than names.
- Vapourer: an old British moth name with a lovely sound.
- Lappet: the lappet moth, a leaf-looking one.
- Underwing: moths with bright hindwings hidden under drab forewings, a perfect metaphor for a character with a secret.
- Hawk: from hawk moth, for a swift, hovering character.
- Sallow, Rustic, Dart: old English names for plain moths; good for a quiet, humble girl.
Names from Latin moth genera and species
Naturalists named moths in Latin and Greek, and these names sound mysterious on their own.
- Actias: the genus of the luna moth, from a Greek word for ray, a lovely sound.
- Attacus: the Atlas moth's genus.
- Hyalophora: the cecropia genus; from "glass-bearing", a bit much as a name, but Hyala works.
- Antheraea: from a Greek word for flowery; Anthera as a name.
- Automeris: the io moth's genus.
- Acherontia: the death's-head hawkmoth, from Acheron, the river of the underworld.
- Atropos: its species name, from the Fate who cuts the thread of life. Atropa is the softer form.
- Noctua: Latin for "night owl", also the name of a moth family. A great name.
- Noctis: "of the night".
- Phalaena: the old Linnaean genus name for moths, from a Greek root; the name Phalena is a pretty modern spelling.
- Pyralis: from the Greek for fire; the pyralid moths include many that fly to flame.
- Catocala: the underwing genus, from Greek for "beautiful below"; Catala as a name.
- Saturnia: the emperor moth's family, tied to Saturn.
- Lymantria: the tussock moths.
- Arctia: from the Greek for bear, for tiger moths.
- Daphnis: a hawk-moth genus and a Greek name.
Names from light, night and the soul
The moth is a creature that walks toward light, so words for light are natural names.
- Lux: Latin for light.
- Lumen: the unit of light, and Latin for "light".
- Lucerna: Latin for a lamp. Very fitting.
- Candela: Latin for a candle.
- Fiamma: Italian for flame.
- Ember, Cinder, Flicker, Glim, Wick, Taper.
- Vesper: the evening star and evening prayer.
- Selene: the Greek moon goddess, a real mythological name.
- Phoebe: "radiant", a Greek name of a Titaness.
- Nyx: Greek night, a goddess; a real name for a night creature.
- Aurora: dawn, for a moth who is out too late.
- Psyche: in Greek it means "soul" and also "butterfly" or "moth". Psyche is also a mortal woman in the myth of Cupid, and the name is one of the most apt for this character.
- Eos: Greek dawn.
- Hesper: evening star.
- Stellan, Stella: star.
- Nova: new star.
Dark moth girl names (invented)
For a death's-head, gothic, gravestone-garden moth girl.
- Nocturne, Umbra, Morgause, Vesperia, Ashenwing, Duskwing.
- Moribel: "death" with a soft ending.
- Cindra, Soota, Cinderwing: for a moth that has flown too near a flame.
- Thanatia: after Thanatos, death.
- Nyxelle: Nyx plus a French diminutive.
- Mortisa: a gothic, playful name.
- Velvara: velvet and dark.
- Grimmoth: blunt and comedic.
- Ashlyn: ash plus a common ending; reads as a modern given name.
- Corvina: raven-like, from the genus Corvus, for a dark-winged character.
- Elegia, Requiema: from elegy and requiem; the dirge-sound of her wings.
Soft and cozy moth girl names (invented and real)
For a sweet, fluffy, shy, lamp-hugging moth.
- Fuzz, Fluff, Dusty, Pip, Pippin, Mothie: nicknames.
- Lumi: from lumen, light.
- Willa, Wisp, Wren, Linnet: gentle, light-sounding names.
- Hazel, Fern, Briony, Clover: natural, warm.
- Soleil: French for sun.
- Lamplighter: a title for a moth girl who tends lights.
- Tallow: candle fat, a cozy word.
- Dandelion, Mallow, Catkin, Thistledown.
- Pearl, Opal, Moonstone.
- Evie, Nell, Tilly, Mim.
Names by moth personality
Moths are not one temperament, and the species themselves suggest characters.
- The giant silk moth (Luna, Atlas, Cecropia). Huge, soft, short-lived as adults, and they do not even eat. A character who burns bright and does not waste time: Luna, Atlas, Cecropia, Attaca.
- The hawk moth (Sphinx, Daphnis). Fast, hovering, drinks nectar on the wing. A restless, flirty, quick-witted girl: Sphinx, Daphne, Hover, Sylph.
- The underwing (Catocala). Plain gray outside, a flash of color inside. A character with a hidden, passionate side: Catala, Underwing, Ruby, Scarlet.
- The clothes moth and the pantry moth. Humble, domestic, a little pesky. A cozy, mischievous house-moth girl: Mothie, Tilly, Thimble, Bobbin.
- The death's-head hawkmoth (Acherontia). Skull-patterned thorax, squeaking sound, a legend that follows it. A gothic, slightly sinister girl: Acheron, Atropa, Morta, Thanata.
When you do not know the temperament yet, pick the moth first and the name follows.
Names for the antennae, the wings and the dust
Moths have traits you can borrow directly.
- Pinion: an old word for a wing.
- Plume: a feather, and a moth's antennae are often feathery.
- Scale: the dust-like scales on a moth's wing, a nice quiet name.
- Mottle: patterned, speckled wings.
- Veil: a delicate cover.
- Eyespot: in some moths, a false eye; Ocella is its Latin diminutive.
- Pupa and Chrysalis: the cocoon stage; Chrysalie is a pretty variant.
- Silk: the silk moth, and the soft material.
- Larkspur and Evening Primrose: flowers that moths visit at night.
- Nectar, Moonflower, Datura: night-blooming flowers that attract moths.
Short names (one syllable, easy to voice)
Luna, Lux, Io, Nyx, Eos, Wick, Glow, Dusk, Moth, Wing, Ash, Dawn, Rue, Sage, Fey, Hue, Gleam, Mote.
Names that play on the idea of a lamp
- Lamplight, Lanterne, Lantana (a flowering plant), Beacon, Sconce, Filament, Halogen (as a joke).
- Ignis: Latin for fire.
- Fulgura: from fulgur, lightning.
- Radiance, Brightly, Aglow.
How to pick
- Choose between moth and mothman. A sweet moth girl suits a short soft name; a tall, dramatic moth woman suits a Latin one.
- Decide her relationship to light. Does she worship it, fear it or hide in it?
- Keep it speakable. Two syllables carry well in audio.
- Label your sources. Real moth names and Latin words are real; mythological ones (Selene, Nyx, Psyche) come from Greek myth; the rest, if invented, can be called that.
For other lists in the same style, see Alraune Names, Dryad Names, Vampire Girl Names and Monster Girl Names. If you want the creature's full story, Moth Girl Meaning and Lore tells it.
Where she lives in my library
The nearest thing to a moth girl in my archive is a queen of lamps: The Moth Queen's Lantern: Drawn to the Glow. It is the session built around being a light that she cannot stay away from. For something equally soft and glowing, Glow: Kept by the Kitsune in Her Lantern Shrine shares the mood. If you are new, Start Here is the five-night course. Every character is an adult in her own story, and every name here is for fiction.
Frequently asked questions
What are good moth girl names?
Luna, Atlas, Io, Noctua, Lumen, Lucerna, Psyche, Selene and Nyx are good starting points. They come from real moths, Latin words for light and night, and Greek myth. Soft invented names such as Lumi and Wisp work for a cozy character.
Where does the moth girl come from?
She is a modern internet monster girl, shaped by moth-to-a-lamp memes around 2018 and by the wider fondness for Mothman, the winged cryptid reported in West Virginia in the 1960s. There is no ancient myth behind her.
What does Psyche mean?
In Greek, psyche means soul, breath or life, and it was also a word for butterfly and moth. Psyche is the mortal woman loved by Cupid in the old myth, which makes the name fit a moth character well.
What is a good Latin name for a moth girl?
Noctua (night owl), Lucerna (lamp), Lumen (light), Candela (candle) and Pyralis (from the Greek for fire) are real words that suit her. Acherontia and Atropos come from the death's-head hawkmoth.
Is Luna a moth name?
Yes. The luna moth is a large pale green silk moth, and luna is also Latin for the moon. It is the best-known moth name.
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