There is a vast amount of information available about demons. It is surprising considering most people find them too evil to mention or nothing more than horror movie fodder. These days, demons only seem to find employment on the silver screen.
World religions and belief systems warn of demons as purveyors of physical harm and spiritual evil, while secular society relegates demons to the symbolic as representations of humanity’s id. However, if you are idly curious or if you are looking to name a chaotic evil wizard for your next D&D session, read on for a complete list of demon names.
A Brief History of Demons in World Religions and Cultures
In Western civilization, we often associate demons with their Judeo-Christian context. Mention of demons or evil spirits can be found in both testaments of the Bible, the Apocrypha, and both Judaic and Christian traditions.
But the idea of demons does not belong to these religions. Demons exist in other religions and beliefs, as well. In fact, it is fair to say that almost every religion or set of culturally rooted spiritual beliefs portrays demons in one form or another as trying to trip up the better intentions of the faithful.
But have names of demons always been a part of these traditions? To an extent, yes. But it seems in some cases that the names of evil spirits provided in sacred texts are but a very small sampling compared to what has cropped up over time and is now available for the consideration of the common search engine user.
The best way to absorb what is a large amount of information is first to take the history of demon names according to the demonology of different religions and beliefs.
The History of Demon Names in Christianity
This article begins with Christianity because it is probably the most familiar religion in Western civilization and the source of many popularly held beliefs and assumptions about demons. In fact, practitioners of Pentecostal Christianity seem preoccupied with demons and, in some cases, their names.
But the Bible does not offer much in the way of demon names. The Bible does have proper and descriptive names of the devil, which include:
However, while Satan is called The Ruler of Demons, the Bible accounts for very few formal names of demons. In the Biblical canon, only one pops up, and that does not occur until the book of Revelation. He is Abbadon, also called Apollyon, and he is lord over an army of demon locusts.
Demon Names in the Apocrypha
If you are looking for names of demons, you have to look outside the canon of the Bible into the Apocrypha, which includes books written during the inter-testament period (the period between the end of Babylonian rule over Israel and the life of Jesus Christ) and the period of early Christianity.
Many names of demons have been cataloged in a book called the First Book of Enoch, also called the Ethiopic Book of Enoch. The book was likely written prior to the Maccabean uprising in Israel (which was a revolt against Roman rule) and about 200 years prior to the life of Jesus Christ. It includes such demonic names as:
Other books from this period include the Testament of Solomon, which is often considered a source of demon names. Such names include:
Demon Names in the New Testament
The most demonic activity in the Bible comes from the New Testament, where the gospels record Christ casting out demons on multiple occasions. Except for one instance, however, where the demons refer to themselves as Legion (which singularizes the demons as one), demons are never identified by proper names.
Oddly enough, the question of identity seems to revolve more around Christ than the demons. In many cases, demons recognize Christ, calling him the Son of God, but Christ silences them, apparently not wanting his identity to be known at that time.
In the book of The Acts of the Apostles, the Apostle Paul casts a demon from a slave girl who was following him. The demon gave the girl the power of divination, which the girl’s owners had turned into a money-making enterprise. But while the girl’s ability is detailed, the name of the demon is not.
The History of Demon Names in Judaism
Judaism points to several Old Testament words and interprets them as demonic names. From the Pentateuch book of Leviticus to the minor prophet Hosea, Jewish tradition finds names of demons that are both categorical and personal and include names that, in Canaanite cultures, were names of gods.
Some Jewish traditions even believe that a reference in the book of Proverbs to the two daughters of a leech may be a reference to vampires. Other demon names include:
Demon Names in the Talmud
In Rabbinic Judaism, two Talumds were written in the first few centuries AD. One is called the Jerusalem or Palestinian Talmud, and the other is called the Babylonian Talmud. Of the two, the Babylonian Talmud discusses demonology the most, with the Jerusalem Talmud hardly touching the subject.
In Babylon, where many Jewish people were forcefully taken around 600 BC, there was a heavy emphasis on demons and malicious spirits in the Babylonian culture, which influenced the writing of the Babylonian Talmud.
As such, the Babylonian Talmud details demon names as well as their history and current vocations, as it were. Such demons include:
The History of Demon Names in Islam
In the tradition of Isalm, the Shaitan are comparable to demons, being ugly and grotesque characters who entice individuals to sin by whispering to their hearts. They are mentioned frequently in the Quran.
For example, in the Quran, it is a Shaitan who tempts Adam (not Eve) to eat the fruit that is forbidden to be eaten. The Shaitan are also teachers of sorcery.
In Hadith literature, Shaitan are given more specificity, with five of them being described as sons of Iblis, an angel who was cast out of heaven and is comparable to Satan of the Bible. These five sons are associated with various types of harm:
Demonology and Demon Names in the Middle Ages
A look at the Kabbalah period of Jewish tradition reveals an interaction of demonology between Judaic, Christian, and Arabic writings. Ideas about and some systematizing of demons begin to look similar within the three religions, as seen through the lens of the Kabbalistic writings.
For example, in the Kabbalistic writings, demons were believed to have sex with humans and spawn demonic children who were mortal yet under the command of demonic kings over demon armies. These demons would meet at certain nighttime hours and concoct magic, much like the witches’ sabbath.
Demon Names in the Middle Ages
As a part of this systemization, Kabbalah’s writings took on new names for demons but also reassigned new meanings to old ones in what seems to have been an evolving view of demons and their activity in the world.
Some new demon names come from Arabic demonology and include:
There are many demon kings mentioned during the period. Ashmedai was said to be the first, but his name was used so often it was thought to have also been an honorary title. Other demon kings included:
There are four demon women who have a prominent place in this period of demonology. They were said to have been either mothers of young demons or demon queens over certain countries, with the Queen of Sheba being a prominent demon queen among them. Their names include:
Demon Names in Hinduism and Buddhism
Demons in Hinduism are called “asuras,” and they created trouble in the beginning when they tried to get an elixir called “homa” that would bestow power on them. Vishnu incarnated as a woman called Mohini, helped the gods beat the asuras to the drink, thus giving them power over the demons.
There are classes of demons in Hinduism, including the nagas, who are the serpent demons. There are also two prominent demons named:
In Buddhism, demons are especially concerned with tripping up humans and keeping them from reaching enlightenment (otherwise known as Nirvana). Chief among them is a master of temptation called Mara, who has three daughters:
These four demons went up against the Buddha, who began his human journey as Sidhartha Gautama and tried to get him to leave his expedition to bliss.
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Exploration of Demon Names
As detailed above, demon names come from a variety of sources which include the major religions from the West and Eastern corners of the world. They even come from folklore and legends, though as was seen earlier, sometimes it is hard to tell which source inspired which demon.
The list below separates them according to their major sources: Christian and Judaic (though, bear in mind that sometimes the two are similar). Other sources such as Zoarastianism, Islam, and other sources offer comparatively few names, so they are lumped together. Enjoy!
Christian Demon Names
Below are some of the demon names known today from Christianity.
- – Among the 72 Goetic demons, Amon is number seven and has control of about 40,000 demons, while he himself sometimes appears as a wolf with the tail of a snake.
- – The Grand Duke of Hades commands 60,000 demons and is sought after for his ability to tell the future and give great military advice, sometimes appearing as a dashing knight.
- – This demon appears as an old man who rides a crocodile, leads about 31,000 demons in Hell’s eastern sector, and enjoys teaching people to say naughty words.
- – With 36,000 troops at his beck and call, Allocer is a Grand Duke who draws people into sin through a sound knowledge of astronomy and a broad appreciation of the liberal arts. In all fairness, he does not seem so bad.
- – With a unicorn head and claws on his feet and hands, Amdusias is a King of Hell who speaks in thunder and through trumpets.
- – One of Seven Princes over Hell, Baal is also associated with human sacrifice, is Satan’s right-hand man, and grants invisibility and wisdom to people who ask him for it.
- – This demon comes to Christianity through Welsh, Irish, and Norse folklore. He is known for being extremely ugly and wailing whenever someone is about to die.
- – The ranks of Hell get confusing with Camio being a Prince, but not one of the Seven Princes or one of the Crown Princes. He can turn into a blackbird or a man with a sword, and he can give men the ability to understand animals.
- – He is welcomed to the list of demon names from the hard-bought lore of sailors by way of Christianity. Davy crept up into the lore during the 1800s as a devil of the sea.
- – This demon, on the other hand, comes to Christianity all the way from ancient Greece, where he was a big man in the underworld and later became a kind of MC for Hell as well as lord over Faeries and Genii.
- – These cunning demons coming to Christianity from a variety of folklores appear knowledgeable and helpful but tend only to help witches. They have their own specific names, likely given by their masters.
- – This Earl of Hell can create love and storms and tell you secrets. However, he is a compulsive liar, and the only way to get the truth out of him is to force him to enter a triangle made of magic.
- – Shaped like a donkey but turning into a man when the one who conjures him asks him to do so, Gamigin tallies up those who died while being naughty or who drowned at sea. He is also an intellectual demon, having a passion for the sciences. Again, he sounds okay.
- – Ipos is a demon who can give men the ability to be clever and amusing as well as brave. Ipos’ appearance is a bit strange, borrowing his body from an angel, his tail from a rabbit, his head from a lion, and his feet from a goose.
- – coming to Christianity from Slavic folklore with a very functional name, Lady Midday attacks people during their lunch break, giving them heatstroke. Sometimes she will strike up conversations, asking hard-to-answer questions and using her scythe to cut the heads off those who answer incorrectly.
- – This demon was first a Canaanite god to whom (and this is actual history) parents would sacrifice their children in horrific rites far more grisly than anything the fabled demons of combined demonologies could come up with.
- – A King of Hell with an army of about 200,000, Paimon is a cultured demon with a background in art, science, and philosophy. He repeatedly roars to his conjurer until he is compelled to enunciate. Another fine gentleman.
- – This demon comes to Christianity from Slavic folklore and lives at the bottom of streams. This demon is made from the women who commit suicide or unmarried pregnant women who die. They come out at night to entrap and drown men using sensual good looks.
- – One of the few pleasant demons, who seems to think that evil is so last-century, Seir can be anywhere in a few blinks of an eye and takes particular joy in helping people find treasure.
- – This demon was all-American well before his time, being the one who invented fireworks and also fancying himself as a chef and connoisseur of fried foods. Zero issues detected.
- – Yet another Grand Duke of Hell, this demon has 36,000 troops at his disposal and enjoys teaching mechanics and philosophy, being both kinesthetic and intellectual. What is the issue?
- – The product of both Christianity and Isalm, Xezbeth is a demon who specializes in lies and legends.
- – A demon big-wig in Hell who, according to extra-biblical literature, was once controlled by King Solomon. The aspiring mage or conjurer should not call him up, except at the greatest of needs.
Judaic Demon Names
Below are some of the demon names known today from Judaism.
- – From the Judaic tradition in the Testament of Solomon, Abe took the plunge from heaven when Lucifer did. He later went to Egypt, where he kept the Pharaoh from releasing the Israelites (the astute reader of both demonology and the Bible will recognize the differences in tellings of the Exodus).
- – This is the demon who causes miscarriages because she herself is infertile. She also travels under different names: Alabassandria in Egypt, Gylou in Byzantium, and a host of others.
- – This demon is a member of the infamous group, first told about in the Book of Enoch, called “the Watchers.”
- – At demon parties, this guy is the center of attention. He is Asmodeus, King of the Nine Hells, One of the Seven Princes of Hell, Official Ambassador for one of the Seven Deadly Sins, namely lust.
- – In Judaic tradition, Azazel is associated with Yom Kippur, the day of atonement, by receiving the scapegoat that carries the sins of Israel.
- – If Hell were a corporation, Berith would be the Secretary of the board of directors and in charge of the archives, taking breaks from work to entice people to blaspheme God and murder each other.
- – Crown Prince number four, Belial, takes on the appearance of two beautiful angels when he goes out riding in his chariot. He offers fame to wizards and occasionally sits in for the head man, Satan himself.
- – Another one of the 20 demons that make up the Watchers Danjal, Danjal is believed to have taught humans to read signs related to the sun. Is that so wrong?
- – Incubi are infamous male demons who try to have sex with human women for the purpose of fathering half-human, half-demon children. Incubus is not a proper name.
- – One of the original fallen angels and called the star of God, this demon is yet another member of that elite group of voyeurs called “the Watchers.”
- – This one appears in Old Testament texts, though its status as a demon seems to have been derived from later interpretations of the word.
- , Lilin, and Lili – These are the darling demonic children of Lilith and Samael, mentioned earlier, who can prey on babies prior to their circumcision unless they are protected with an amulet on which is written the names of three angels: Senoy, Sansenoy, and Semangeloff.
- – This supernatural creature has branched out from demon work to be employed by God (probably on a contract basis) to enact his punishments. Mastema’s name means both enmity and hatred.
- – Apparently not to be confused with the prostitute of Jericho, who is famous for sheltering the Hebrew men that spied out the city preparatory to invasion, this Rahab is a demon that comes from the ocean, being particularly fond of the Red Sea.
- – Another category of demons that does not represent one single proper name, these demons fly and have claws and may have come from the unhappy union of Adam and Lilith or from snakes, depending on who you talk to.
- – Succubi are the female counterparts to the male Incubus.
- – This is a water demon of a similar category as Leviathan.
Other Demon Names
These demon names are found across a variety of cultures, religions, and sources.
- – This Assyrian sun god who later became a demon under the pen of Christian writers is the receiver of human sacrifice and appears as a human head and upper body on the body of a peacock or a mule.
- – A Zoarastrian demon of rage.
- – In the Philippines, this cruel demon enjoys hurting widows.
- – This demon was supposed to seduce the Zoarastrian prophet Zarathustra with sensuality.
- – This is a class of demons from Slavic cultures who are particularly voracious eaters, consuming children as well as the sun and moon (which is what causes eclipses) and summoning thunderstorms to rain hail on crops.
- – Asag is a Summarian demon who coupled with the mountains to sire a rock demon child. Asag’s appearance is so grotesque that rivers boil at the sight of him, cooking their fish. This might not be Asag’s fault.
- – A class of Babylonian demons who occasionally hang out with Asag when they are not trying to kill people with fevers.
- – An Etruscan demon and one of the few who can claim to precede Christianity, he guarded the entrance to the underworld. His accouterments include a hammer, pointed ears, wings, blue skin, tusks, and snakes wrapped around his arms.
- – Of the gnostic religion, this is the demon who created the world (bear in mind that, to the gnostics, the material world is evil).
- – In ancient Greek mythology, Empusa was a demigoddess who slept with young men but later got a transfer to demon status where she became a whole class of demons called the “empuse.”
- – Coming from Eastern Asia, this demon is in a class of its own. A gaki is the ghost of a dead person who has an insatiable hunger and bad motives.
- – This Indonesian demon comes about when a woman dies in childbirth and proceeds to avenge herself on the male population, luring them to her clutches by posing as, you guessed it, an attractive woman.
- – The dragon daughter of the Sumerian god of the sky, Anu. Lamashtu has a vampire-like hunger for blood and attacks women while they are giving birth, later taking their children while they are breastfeeding.
- – This is the Islamic version of the New Testament Antichrist and will apparently be red, hairy, and blind in one eye.
- – Of Sumerian and Akkadian background, this demon is the king over demons who ride the wind. Pazuzu has, among other interesting body parts, a snake-like penis.
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Demon True Name Folklore
In some belief systems and legends, knowing a demon’s real name allows a person to wield power over the demon. This could be a reason why certain religions do not include names of demons in their holy texts.
This is both an indication of the importance of language to religions and mythological systems but also to the significance of names and identities. These names hold a sort of magical power of their namesake as well as the wielder of the name.