180 Powerful Shaman Names: Conventional & Unusual

Shamans act as the bridge between the physical world and the spiritual realm. Across history, these mystical healers have carried names rich with power, ancestry, and magic. Whether you are naming a fantasy character or looking for deep cultural meaning, the right name resonates with energy.

Below, we have curated 180 of the coolest shaman names. You will find powerful male and female options, along with unique titles from diverse cultures around the globe.

In This Article

Strong Male Names
Powerful Female Names
International Names
FAQs

50 Strong Male Shaman Names

These male shaman names carry weight and history, perfect for a healer or spiritual guide.

Agila – A German name meaning “he who possesses combat support”; also a Hindi girl’s name translating to “globe.”
Alignalghi – An Asian Eskimo term used to describe a spiritual “healer” or “shaman.”
Angakok – The primary term for a shaman among the Inuit peoples of Greenland and Canada.
Angatkuq – A spelling variation of Angakok, referring to the spiritual mediator in Inuit culture.
Anito – Also spelled “anitu”; refers to nature spirits and ancestors in Filipino folk religion.
Arani – An Azerbaijani word meaning “Aryan” or referring to someone from the Aran region.
Arpachshad – A biblical name linked to a “healer” or “releaser”; also an ancient region in Mesopotamia.
Ayahuasca – The “spirit liana” or “vine of the soul” in Quechua; refers to the potent ceremonial brew.
Babaylan – A traditional shaman or spiritual medium in the Philippines; historically often female but applies to males.
Bobohizan – A ritual specialist and spirit medium in the Kadazan-Dusun culture of Borneo.
Bolan – Means “God’s spoken word” in Punjabi; also an Irish surname derived from “little poet.”
Chầu – A Vietnamese surname meaning “pearl”; associated with ritual arts employed by mediums.
Conah – A name meaning “redeemer” in Nigeria; also serves as an Irish variant of Connor.
Coyote – A trickster spirit and major figure in various Native American mythologies.
Egungun – A masqueraded figure among the Yoruba people who connects the living with ancestral spirits.
Eirfa – A male Nord name from The Elder Scrolls; sounds similar to an Arabic girl’s name meaning “wisdom.”
Eoman – A mysterious Nord mage character found in The Elder Scrolls Online universe.
Gagan – Sanskrit for “sky” or “heavens”; implies one who is close to the celestial realm.
Ganesha – The elephant-headed Hindu deity; the remover of obstacles and lord of the people.
Guldur – Derived from Dol Guldur, the “Hill of Dark Sorcery” in Tolkien’s Middle-earth.
Icaro – Magic songs or melodies whistled by shamans in the Amazon to induce healing states.
Inkarri – A Peruvian deity and “Inka King” prophesied to return and restore the Inca civilization.
Jigari – A term describing the “great spirits” revered in Mongolian shamanic traditions.
Khada – Meaning “golden” or “divine” in Turkish contexts; links to “breaking” in Sanskrit.
Laurel – An ancient symbol of victory and prophecy; sacred to Apollo, the Greek god of prophecy.
Molfar – A person with supernatural abilities in Hutsul culture, often associated with the Carpathians.
Muninn – One of Odin’s ravens in Norse mythology; his name translates to “memory.”
Olog-hai – A superior breed of troll warrior found in The Lord of the Rings lore.
Onmyoji – A practitioner of Onmyōdō in Japan, specializing in magic, divination, and exorcism.
Paksu – The specific term for a male shaman in Korean tradition, also known as a “male mudang.”
Rakshasa – A shape-shifting spirit or demon in Hindu mythology; often powerful and magical.
Raziel – The “Angel of Mysteries” in Jewish mysticism; means “God is my mystery.”
Red Cloud – A powerful name for a leader; historically refers to the famous Oglala Lakota chief.
Saman – The Tungusic root word for “shaman,” translating roughly to “one who knows.”
Shinto – “The way of the gods”; the traditional religion of Japan where shamanistic practices thrive.
Sinmir – A sturdy Nord warrior character found in The Elder Scrolls video game series.
Sitting Bull – A legendary Hunkpapa Lakota holy man and leader; name means “Buffalo Bull Who Sits Down.”
Siv Yis – The first shaman in Hmong folklore; a legendary figure who healed with spiritual power.
Suersaq – A Greenlandic name derived from “suuersagaq,” meaning “the healed one.”
Susse – A term meaning “son of a shaman” in the Yi language of Sichuan, China.
Taqui – A name associated with the Hopi people; often linked to “Taqui-yallaca,” a lightning divinity.
Thunderbird – A legendary supernatural bird of power and strength in widespread North American indigenous mythology.
Tngri – The sky spirits or gods in Mongolian shamanism; the highest order of deities.
Tojolobal – Refers to a Mayan ethnic group in Chiapas, Mexico; literally “legitimate language.”
Txiv Neeb – The Hmong term for a shaman, translating to “master of spirits” or “father of spirits.”
Wind Runner – A descriptive title or nickname often appearing in fantasy shaman lore denoting speed.
Wolf – A powerful totem and spirit guide representing instinct and intelligence in many cultures.
Wunjo – A rune in the Elder Futhark alphabet representing joy, bliss, and fellowship.
Zadak – A fictional character often appearing as a witch doctor or warlock in role-playing games.
Zalqi – A known enhancement shaman character from the World of Warcraft gaming universe.

70 Powerful Female Shaman Names

From ancient goddesses to modern healers, these female shaman names command respect.

Aama – Means “mother”; widely known via Aama Bombo, a famous Nepalese shaman.
Abĵiya – In Mongolian tradition, these are guardian spirits attached to specific natural locations.
Abka Hehe – The “Sky Woman” or “Sky Mother” goddess in Manchu folk religion.
Ama q’ero – A phrase in the Quechua language referring to “Mother Earth” or ground connections.
Amazonia – Refers to the Amazon region, the heart of ayahuasca and plant medicine traditions.
Anja – A Scandinavian name meaning “grace”; inspired by modern practitioners like Anja Normann.
Antonia – A classic name meaning “priceless” or “praiseworthy” in Latin roots.
Anyi – A Quechua concept referring to reciprocity, balance, and the harmony of the universe.
Apiana – Derived from Salvia apiana, the Latin name for white sage used in smudging.
Arinna – The major sun goddess of the Hittites, often called the “Sun Goddess of Arinna.”
Artemis – The Greek goddess of the hunt and wild nature; a protector of young women.
Austeja – The Lithuanian goddess of bees; she presides over abundance and family growth.
Bakshi – A term for a spiritual healer or bard in Central Asian traditions like Kyrgyzstan.
Beata – A Latin name meaning “blessed”; implies a woman filled with divine grace.
Brea – An Irish name associated with “strength” or “hill”; suggests grounded power.
Cecile – A French form of Cecilia; implies inner sight or “blindness” to the mundane world.
Coatlicue – The Aztec serpent-skirted mother goddess of life, death, and rebirth.
Dahia al-Kahina – A 7th-century Berber warrior-queen and religious leader; “al-Kahina” means “the soothsayer.”
Dukurik – A term related to the Eskimo-Aleut languages describing a female shaman.
Elfriede – A vintage German name meaning “elf-strength” or “magical being strength.”
Elowen – A Cornish name meaning “elm tree”; connects the bearer to forest magic.
Eturgen – A Mongolian term for a female shaman; often synonymous with “Udgan.”
Fahima – An Arabic name meaning “intelligent” or “perceptive”; vital traits for a seer.
Feri – Refers to the Feri Tradition, a distinct form of American Traditional Witchcraft.
Fugara – A term related to those with supernatural abilities in North African Bedouin culture.
Fugo – A historical Japanese term associated with shrine service or divination.
Ghigau – A prestigious Cherokee title awarded to courageous women; means “Beloved Woman.”
Idugan – A variation of “Udagan,” the Mongol word specifically for a female shaman.
Innana – The ancient Sumerian goddess of love, war, and justice; the Queen of Heaven.
Ix Chel – The Mayan jaguar goddess of midwifery, medicine, and the moon.
Kagura – A specific type of Shinto ritual dance practiced by shrine maidens to honor spirits.
Kiepja – The name of the last practicing shaman (xo’on) of the Selk’nam people.
Kimba – An energetic name with Aboriginal roots meaning “bushfire”; also an Old English variant.
Kitezh – A mythical invisible city in Russian folklore; often associated with purity and prayer.
Lejefah – A mystic Redguard character appearing in The Elder Scrolls lore.
Lhamo – Tibetan for “goddess” or “lady”; often refers to female spirits in opera and folklore.
Lozen – A Chihenne Chiricahua Apache warrior and prophet sister of Victorio.
Macha – An Irish sovereignty goddess associated with war, horses, and prophecy.
Machi – The traditional healer and religious leader in Mapuche culture, usually female.
Mambo – The title for a high priestess in the Vodou religion of Haiti.
Mawu – The creator goddess in Dahomey mythology; often associated with the moon.
Menye Baada – A “Jaguar Mother” figure in the mythology of the Waorani people of Ecuador.
Miko – A Japanese shrine maiden or supplementary priestess who historically performed spirit possession.
Miryem – A deity figure representing earth and fertility in the mythology of the Komi people.
Mudang – The primary term for a shaman in Korean culture, who is overwhelmingly female.
Natigai – A variation of Natikai; an earth-mother figure in Mongol-Turkic mythology.
Noro – Priestesses in the Ryukyuan religion of Okinawa who preserve the fire and community spirit.
Nüwa – The mother goddess of Chinese mythology, creator of mankind and repairer of the sky.
Ona – Short for the Ona people (Selk’nam) of Tierra del Fuego, known for deep spiritual rites.
Oni – In Japanese folklore, this refers to demons or ogres; represents the darker side of magic.
Otin – A female religious teacher or reciter of mystical poetry in Uzbekistan.
Pacheeva – An Argonian mystic character found in The Elder Scrolls universe.
Pele – The volatile and powerful Hawaiian goddess of volcanoes and fire.
Piawi – A name linked to Incan legends, often cited as a sorceress or wise woman.
Raven – A classic trickster and creator figure in Northwest Coast indigenous mythology.
Runa – A name meaning “secret lore” or “rune” in Old Norse; implies hidden knowledge.
Sangha – The Buddhist community of monks, nuns, and novices; implies spiritual gathering.
Sedna – The Inuit goddess of the sea and marine animals; ruler of the underworld.
Seidhkona – A practitioner of seiðr, a type of Norse magic involving prophecy and trances.
Shamanka – The Russian term for a female shaman (adding the feminine suffix “-ka”).
Udagan – The Yakut and Buryat word for a female shaman in Siberian traditions.
Vajra – A Sanskrit word meaning “thunderbolt” and “diamond”; a symbol of indestructible power.
Veleda – A Germanic prophetess and leader of the Bructeri tribe in the 1st century.
Yakoana – A hallucinogenic powder used for shamanic journeying by the Yanomami people.
Yemaja – The Yoruba orisha (goddess) of the ocean; the mother of all living things.
Yèmiào – A term related to ancestral temples or “visitation” sites in East Asian culture.
Zelda – Famous from the video game series; a name now associated with fantasy magic and wisdom.
Zephyra – A feminine form of Zephyr; means “west wind” and suggests control over air elements.
Zinishtum – A term relating to female ecclesiastical roles or priestesses in ancient Babylon.
Znakharka – A Russian folk healer or “wise woman” who uses herbs and charms.

60 International Shaman Names

Explore these global titles and terms for shamans found in cultures from the Arctic to the Amazon.

Alumbrada – Spanish for “enlightened one”; refers to a mystic who claims direct communion with the divine.
Angakok – The Inuit term for a shaman, acting as a mediator between the human and spirit worlds.
Angirraq – An Inuit name meaning “home”; also refers to a returning spirit.
Asog – A male babaylan (shaman) in Filipino tradition who assumed the voice and mannerisms of a female.
Azti – The Basque word for a wizard, diviner, or shaman.
Baal Shem – “Master of the Name”; a Jewish mystic and miracle worker in Eastern Europe.
Babaylan – The Visayan term for a shaman, healer, and seer in the Philippines.
Bahasa – While meaning “language” in Malay, it connects to the chants used by ritual specialists.
Baksy – The Kazakh and Kyrgyz term for a shaman; a healer and singer of epic poetry.
Balian – A traditional healer and spirit medium in Bali, Indonesia.
Baskoo Mudang – A variation of the Korean term for a shaman who performs rituals.
Bombo – A term for a shaman in the Tamang tradition of Nepal; often uses a specific drum.
Bomoh – A Malay traditional medicine practitioner and shaman.
Bongthing – The male shaman or priest in the Lepcha culture of the Himalayas.
Boo – The Mongolian term for a male shaman (böö).
Buge – A historical term for a shaman among the Buryat people of Siberia.
Burning Bear – A symbolic name representing power and transformation in modern shamanic fiction.
Chayanyi – The Keresan word for a medicine man or spiritual leader in Pueblo culture.
Curandero – A traditional folk healer in Latin America who uses herbs and spiritual cleansing.
Dancing Deer – A name evocative of the Deer Dance rituals performed by Yaqui and Mayo peoples.
Dukun – An Indonesian term for a shaman, traditional healer, or spirit medium.
Eagle Eye – A descriptive name symbolizing the ability to see spiritual truths and distant visions.
Eem – The title for a traditional doctor or sucking doctor in the Karuk tribe of California.
Huna – A modern Hawaiian word adopted to describe secret knowledge or esoteric wisdom.
Inyanga – A Zulu traditional healer who primarily uses herbal medicines (muti).
Jhakri – A shaman in the Nepali hill regions who acts as a medium and healer.
Kadji – An Aboriginal term often associated with “clever men” or sorcerers.
Kahuna – An expert or priest in Hawaiian culture; a master of a specific craft or art.
Katalonan – The Tagalog term for a priestess or shaman, equivalent to the Visayan Babaylan.
Lhapa – A medium in the Himalayas who is possessed by local deities to heal patients.
Malang – A wandering mystic or dervish in Afghan and Pakistani culture.
Mirinka – A name with Slavic roots often associated with peace and the world.
Muti – Not a person, but the traditional medicine used by Sangomas and Inyangas in Southern Africa.
Netjeru – The collective term for the gods or divine powers in ancient Egyptian religion.
Nganga – A spiritual healer and herbalist in Central African and diasporic traditions (like Palo).
Oyuun – A name derived from the Yakut (Sakha) word for shaman or wisdom.
P’aqo – The Quechua term for a mystic or priest in the Andean traditions of Peru.
Pawang – A Malay class of shaman specializing in rituals involving nature, like weather or animals.
Phedangbo – A tribal priest of the Limbu people in the Himalayas.
Quam – An older variation of “Kam,” the Turkic word for shaman.
Sangoma – A diviner and traditional healer in South Africa who communicates with ancestors.
Sapa – Refers to the Sapa Inca (emperor) or the Sapa region; implies high status.
Seer – A universal term for a prophet or someone who sees visions of the future.
Seripigari – A Matsigenka shaman of the Amazon, known for using tobacco in rituals.
Shaman – The universal term, originally from the Tungus language of Siberia.
Sirenik – Refers to the Sirenik Eskimos and their unique, nearly extinct language and culture.
Ta’al – A phonetic element in Hawaiian, often linked to ancient priestly chants.
Tadibey – A shaman among the Nenets (Samoyed) people of the Russian Arctic.
Táltos – A figure in Hungarian mythology with supernatural power, similar to a shaman.
Tang-ki – A Chinese spirit medium who enters trances to channel deities.
Tohunga – A skilled person or priest in Māori culture; a “tohunga ahurewa” is a high priest.
Wakan Tanka – The “Great Spirit” or “Great Mystery” in Lakota spirituality; the sacredness of all things.
White Eagle – A common name for a spirit guide in spiritualist and New Age traditions.
Wu – The ancient Chinese term for spirit mediums or shamans, typically female.
Xo’on – The shaman of the Selk’nam people of Tierra del Fuego.
Yachak – A Kichwa healer and shaman in the Andes who possesses wisdom and power.
Yata – Short for Yatagarasu, the three-legged crow guide in Shinto mythology.
Yatiri – A healer and wise person in the Aymara culture of the Andes.
Yuta – A medium or shaman in the indigenous Ryukyuan religion of Okinawa.
Zata – Refers to a specific type of priest or spiritual role in Zuni Pueblo culture.

Shaman Names FAQs

What Is the Name of a Spanish Shaman?

In Spanish-speaking cultures, particularly in Latin America, a healer is most often called a “curandero” (male) or “curandera” (female). The term comes from the verb “curar,” meaning “to cure.” These practitioners blend indigenous herbal knowledge with spiritual cleansing rituals.

What Is a Japanese Shaman Called?

Japanese shamanism includes several roles. A “Miko” is a shrine maiden who historically practiced spirit possession. Blind female mediums are called “Itako,” while an “Onmyoji” was a traditional specialist in magic and divination. In Okinawa, a female shaman is known as a “Yuta.”

What Are the African Names for Shaman?

Terminology varies by region and language. In Southern Africa, “Sangomas” are diviners who communicate with ancestors, while “Inyangas” are traditional herbalists. In Central Africa and the diaspora, “Nganga” refers to a spiritual healer. Each culture has unique titles for these vital community leaders.

What Is the Literal Meaning of Shaman?

The word “shaman” comes from the Tungusic language of Siberia, specifically the word “šaman.” It translates roughly to “one who knows” or “he who knows.” It was adopted by anthropologists to describe spiritual mediators in cultures worldwide who enter trance states.

What Do Native Americans Call Shamans?

Native American tribes have distinct languages and titles for their spiritual leaders; there is no single word. For example, the Lakota may use “Wičháša Wakȟáŋ” (holy man), while the Navajo use “Hatałii” (singer). Many indigenous people prefer terms like “Medicine Man/Woman” or “Traditional Healer” over the generalized term “shaman.”

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