This guide to demon names and their meanings covers seven famous figures — one from each of seven traditions: Christian, Goetic, Islamic, Zoroastrian, Mesopotamian, Jewish, and European folklore. Every name below comes from religious texts, medieval grimoires, or folk tradition — cultural history, not proven fact. Each entry gives the literal meaning, domain, and source text, plus a comparison table at the end.
Last updated: 21 October 2026
- 7 traditions covered: Christian, Goetic (Ars Goetia), Islamic, Zoroastrian, Mesopotamian, Jewish, and European folklore.
- The word “demon” comes from Greek daimon — which originally meant a guiding spirit, not an evil one.
- 72 spirits are catalogued in the Ars Goetia, the most famous demon grimoire.
- The oldest figure here, Pazuzu, comes from Assyrian and Babylonian tradition — over 2,500 years old.
- Name meanings are etymological (from the source languages), not claims about real beings.
What is demonology? Demonology studies demons in religious texts, folklore, and occult literature — cultural history. Scholars read these figures like mythology: for what they reveal about the cultures that named them. Britannica defines demonology as the study of demons or evil spirits, noting that belief in them runs through Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam alike.
Where do demon names and their meanings come from?
Hebrew gives us satan (“adversary”) and sheda (demon, spirit); Arabic gives us jinn (“the hidden ones”); Avestan gives us angra (“evil, destructive”); Latin gives us incubus (“one who lies upon”). Hebrew names often end in -el (“of God,” as in Samael, “poison of God”); Mesopotamian names carry Akkadian roots — etymology turns a scary list into a map of ancient worldviews.
What are the main types of demons in folklore?
Not every demon is the same kind of figure, and the old texts sort them into loose families. Fallen angels — the Lucifer type — are heavenly beings cast down for rebellion, and they sit at the top of most Christian hierarchies. Trickster demons use deception and chaos rather than brute force. Elemental demons are tied to earth, water, fire, and air, showing up as storms, earthquakes, and other natural violence. Death demons guard or cause the end of life; some traditions treat them as merciful guides, others as tormentors of souls. And then there are demon lords — the commanders, like the kings and dukes of the Ars Goetia, ruling lesser spirits under named ranks.
Knowing the type tells you what the name is really saying: a fallen angel’s name speaks of rebellion, an elemental’s name of nature, a demon lord’s name of rank.
Beelzebub — “Lord of the Flies” (Christian tradition)
Meaning: Hebrew Ba’al Zebub, “Lord of the Flies” — originally a Philistine god of Ekron (2 Kings). Domain: in Christian demonology, a prince of demons, often ranked just below Satan. Source texts: the Hebrew Bible and the Gospels — “Beelzebub the prince of the demons” (Matthew 12:24).
Asmodeus — “Creature of Judgment” (Ars Goetia)
Meaning: Hebrew Ashmedai, “creature of judgment,” possibly from an Avestan “wrath-demon.” Domain: in the Book of Tobit, the demon who kills Sarah’s seven husbands on their wedding nights; in the Ars Goetia, a king of demons linked to lust and wrath. Source texts: the Book of Tobit, the Talmud, and the 17th-century Lesser Key of Solomon.
Iblis — “The Despairing One” (Islamic tradition)
Meaning: from Arabic b-l-s, “to despair” — the one cut off from hope. Domain: the figure who refused to bow to Adam and became chief of the shayatin (devils), tempter of humankind until the Day of Judgment. Source text: the Qur’an. Unlike the Christian Satan, Iblis is traditionally a jinn — one of the “hidden ones” — not a fallen angel.
Angra Mainyu (Ahriman) — “Destructive Spirit” (Zoroastrian tradition)
Meaning: Avestan angra (“evil, destructive”) + mainiiu (“spirit, mind”) — the destructive spirit. Domain: Zoroastrianism’s god of darkness, death, and destruction, locked in cosmic struggle with Ahura Mazda, lord of light. Later Persian sources shorten it to Ahriman. Source text: the Avesta.
Pazuzu — “King of the Evil Wind Demons” (Mesopotamian tradition)
Meaning: etymology debated; his title is “king of the evil wind demons.” Domain: bringer of famine and plague winds — yet Assyrians and Babylonians wore his image on amulets for protection against the demoness Lamashtu, who threatened mothers and infants. Over 2,500 years old. Source texts: Assyrian and Babylonian incantations and bronze amulets.
Lilith — “Of the Night” (Jewish folklore)
Meaning: Hebrew laylah, “night” — “she of the night.” Domain: in Jewish folklore, Adam’s rebellious first wife, later recast as a night demon of the wilderness. Source texts: the Talmud, the medieval Alphabet of Ben Sira, and Isaiah 34:14 — the night-bird link is ancient, hence the owls.
Incubus — “One Who Lies Upon” (European folklore)
Meaning: Latin incubare, “to lie upon.” Domain: in medieval folklore, a night demon said to press down on sleepers — the old explanation for sleep paralysis. Source texts: medieval folklore and the Malleus Maleficarum; modern sleep science reads the “incubus” as textbook sleep paralysis.
Demon names compared: tradition, meaning, domain, source
| Tradition | Name | Meaning | Domain | Source text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christian | Beelzebub | “Lord of the Flies” (Hebrew) | Prince of demons | 2 Kings; Gospels |
| Goetic | Asmodeus | “Creature of judgment” (Hebrew) | King of demons; lust, wrath | Book of Tobit; Lesser Key of Solomon |
| Islamic | Iblis | “The despairing one” (Arabic) | Chief of the devils; tempter | Qur’an |
| Zoroastrian | Angra Mainyu | “Destructive spirit” (Avestan) | God of darkness and death | Avesta |
| Mesopotamian | Pazuzu | Etymology debated; “king of evil wind demons” | Plague winds; invoked for protection | Assyrian/Babylonian incantations |
| Jewish | Lilith | “Of the night” (Hebrew) | Night demon; wilderness | Talmud; Alphabet of Ben Sira |
| European folklore | Incubus | “One who lies upon” (Latin) | Night-pressing demon | Medieval folklore; Malleus Maleficarum |
This demon names and their meanings comparison covers one figure per tradition. For more etymologies, Behind the Name’s demon category is a solid reference. For the darker side of folklore, see demonic oppression vs possession — and why the Ouija board’s reputation is mostly modern myth-making.
More famous demon names at a glance
These six appear again and again in literature, film, and grimoires — worth knowing even outside their own traditions:
| Name | Meaning | Tradition | Role in folklore |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lucifer | “Light-bringer” (Latin) | Christian | Fallen archangel; pride and rebellion |
| Azazel | “Scapegoat” (Hebrew) | Jewish / Christian / Islamic | Spirit of lawlessness and corruption |
| Belial | “Worthless, lawless” (Hebrew) | Christian | Spirit of lawlessness and corruption |
| Mammon | “Riches, wealth” (Aramaic) | Christian | Demon of greed and materialism |
| Mephistopheles | Etymology debated | Faust legend | The tempter who bargains for souls |
| Succubus | Demon of greed and materialism | European folklore | Female night demon; counterpart of the Incubus |
Beyond the seven: Hindu, Slavic, Japanese, Norse and Mandaean traditions. The list runs much wider than the figures above. Hindu tradition names the shape-shifting Rakshasa and the corpse-inhabiting Vetala; Slavic folklore has the Chort and Boruta; Japanese tradition the ogre-like Oni and the Hannya; Norse myth the monstrous wolf Fenrir and Hela, goddess of the underworld; and Mandaean tradition figures such as Krun and Ur. Each belongs to its own cosmology — none is a footnote to the others.
Mephistopheles — the Faustian tempter
Mephistopheles is the demonic figure most famous from the Faust legend: he strikes a pact with the scholar Faust, offering knowledge and worldly power in exchange for his soul. Across centuries of retellings — from folk chapbooks to Christopher Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus — he’s the archetypal tempter, the smooth-talking bargainer who makes damnation sound like a good deal.
For a much broader catalog spanning dozens of traditions, the Wikipedia list of theological demons compiles names from Hebrew, Greek, Arabic, Persian, and Latin sources in one place.
Famous demons in literature — from Faustus to Harry Potter
Writers have invented some of the best-known demons of all, and these are purely literary creations — not folklore figures. Mephistopheles, from Christopher Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus, is the original deal-maker: he trades Faustus 24 years of unlimited power for his soul, a bargain that set the template for centuries of stories. Crowley, from Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman’s Good Omens, is the opposite — a demon who “did not so much fall as saunter vaguely downwards,” cruising around in a 1926 Bentley that plays nothing but Queen. J. K. Rowling’s Dementors are hooded guards of Azkaban prison who feed on human happiness and deliver the soul-sucking “Dementor’s Kiss.” And Shakespeare’s Ariel, from The Tempest, is an elemental air spirit freed by Prospero only to be pressed into service — a reminder that not every literary “demon” is evil.
Ancient demon names by civilization
Some demon names are older than the religions that later absorbed them. Lamastu was a Mesopotamian demoness who threatened mothers and newborns — she is the exact threat that Pazuzu amulets were worn against, which explains why a “demon” could be a protective charm. Moloch was a Canaanite god tied in ancient sources to child-sacrifice rites. Mara is the Buddhist tempter, the “demon of temptation.” Apep was the ancient Egyptian serpent of chaos, coiled against the sun’s daily journey. Humbaba, guardian of the cedar forest in the Epic of Gilgamesh, rounds out the oldest layer — these names come from cultures thousands of years before the grimoires.
Is it safe to read about demons?
Reading folklore is safe; treating grimoires as instruction manuals is not wise. These names belong to literature and belief systems. But the traditions themselves warn against invocation rituals, and immersive occult reading can feed anxiety in vulnerable people — so if this demon names and their meanings list ever leaves you genuinely distressed, talk to someone you trust or a qualified professional.
People Also Ask
What is the most powerful demon name in folklore?
It depends on the tradition. Christian demonology ranks Lucifer and Beelzebub as princes of demons; Zoroastrianism gives the cosmic-enemy role to Angra Mainyu; the Ars Goetia lists 72 spirits under kings like Asmodeus, each “powerful” in a different domain. There is no single cross-tradition ranking — each system has its own hierarchy.
What does the name Asmodeus mean?
Asmodeus comes from the Hebrew Ashmedai, usually translated “creature of judgment,” possibly from an Avestan root meaning “wrath-demon.” In the Book of Tobit he is the demon who kills Sarah’s seven husbands; in the Ars Goetia he appears as a king of demons linked to lust and wrath.
Is Lilith a demon in the Bible?
Not exactly. The Hebrew Bible mentions “lilith” once, in Isaiah 34:14, among wasteland creatures — often translated “screech owl” or “night creature.” The demon Lilith, Adam’s rebellious first wife, comes from later Jewish folklore: the Talmud and the medieval Alphabet of Ben Sira, not from the biblical text itself.
What is the difference between a demon and a jinn?
In Islamic tradition, jinn (from Arabic for “the hidden ones”) are a whole category of unseen beings — morally mixed, like humans — while Iblis and the shayatin are the specifically rebellious, tempting ones. Western “demon” maps most closely to shayatin, not to all jinn.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do demon names mean?
Most describe the figure’s role — Beelzebub (“Lord of the Flies”), Lilith (“of the night”), Incubus (“one who lies upon”) — from Hebrew, Greek, Arabic, Avestan, and Latin roots.
Are demons real?
Demons belong to religious and folklore traditions, not proven fact. This article treats them as cultural and literary figures.
What is the most powerful demon name in folklore?
It varies by tradition — Beelzebub in Christian demonology, Angra Mainyu in Zoroastrianism, Asmodeus among the Goetic kings.
Where do demon names come from?
Ancient scriptures, apocryphal books, medieval grimoires, and folk tales across Hebrew, Greek, Arabic, Persian, Akkadian, and Latin sources.
This article presents traditional beliefs and folklore for informational purposes only, not as proven fact. If you experience persistent distress, please consult a qualified professional.