He’s the most malevolent metaphysical entity in a world where magic and the metaphysical are inherently evil (where using magic always causes some degree of destruction).
For my story, I need an embodiment of ultimate evil, akin to a satanic figure.
I’m drawing inspiration from Satan (naturally), Bill Cipher, and Lovecraftian entities (which are more indifferent than outright evil).
How do you come up with names for such ultimate evil beings?
I considered the name “Lucy,” since it’s used as a shorthand for Lucifer and is also a common name like Bill.
You could use multiple names for the same person or refer to them by titles to avoid directly saying their name and attracting their attention, similar to how ancient Greek chthonic gods were addressed.
I often end up borrowing names from The Lesser Key of Solomon. While some, like Baal or Paimon, are quite common, others are more obscure.
You could adapt the evil deity Angra Mainyu from Zoroastrianism into something like Angrayu or simply Angra. This would make the reference less obvious to most people while still being recognizable to those familiar with it. Additionally, it resembles the word “anger.”
There are two approaches: either choose something with deep meaning or completely make up a name that feels right. To give it an “evil” sound in English, you can use prefixes like “Mal” or “Sin” or other words with negative connotations.
Since magic itself is evil in your world, and this character is the most evil and perhaps the most magical, consider using something that relates to magic, like “Arcanus” or “Archmage.”
Why reinvent the wheel? If it’s a Satan-like figure, just call it “the devil,” “the demon,” or even “Satan.”
The more specific you get, the more you associate the character with a particular aspect of evil rather than representing ultimate evil. For example, Lucifer is seen as a prideful traitor, Lilith devours children, and Belphegor is known for laziness. None of them represent evil in its entirety, just different facets.
If you want more casual names for demons, you can go with Ozzie for Asmodeus, Bel for Belphegor, or Lilly for Lilith. Just find real names that share the same starting sound or syllables as famous demon names.