180 Powerful Shaman Names: Conventional & Unusual

People have been fascinated by shamans the world over since ancient times. In most civilizations, shamans are seen as magical healers who can connect the living and the dead. Shaman names can vary significantly from culture to culture and contain specific meanings.

Discover 180 of the coolest shaman names ahead, along with basic meanings and definitions. The names are organized so you can easily find both male and female shaman names, plus unique names for shamans worldwide.

50 Strong Male Shaman Names

These male shaman names are substantial enough for a healer or medicine man to take on.

1. Agila – means “he who possesses combat support” in German; a Hindi girl’s name meaning “globe.”
2. Alignalghi – the Asian Eskimo word used to describe a “shaman” or “healer.”
3. Angakok – describes a shaman and the Native-Inuit people living in Russia, Canada, and Greenland.
4. Angatkuq – a variation of the spelling for the famous Inuit shaman Angakok.
5. Anito – also “anitu” as the name for Filipino ancestral and nature-oriented spirits in folk religion.
6. Arani – an Azerbaijani word meaning “Aryan” that refers to “someone from Aran.”
7. Arpachshad – a biblical name referring to a “healer” or a “releaser”; an area in northern Mesopotamia.
8. Ayahuasca – means “liana of the soul,” “liana of the dead,” and “spirit liana” in Incan-Quechua.
9. Babaylans – the name for the traditional shamans of the Philippines; also Katalonan or Balian.
10. Bobohizan – a shaman who performs rituals in the Kadazan-Dusun pagan rites of the Malay peninsula.
11. Bolan – means “God’s spoken word” in Sikh-Punjabi; also an Irish surname meaning “little poet.”
12. Chầu – a Vietnamese surname meaning “pearl”; a type of Vietnamese art employed by shamans.
13. Conah – means “redeemer” in Nigerian; also an Irish surname used as a variation of Connor.
14. Coyote – a symbol of the Aztec god of music, dance, mischief, and song.
15. Egungun – a group among the Nigerian-Yoruba people who wear masks to commune with ancestral spirits.
16. Eirfa – a male Nord name in the Elder Scrolls role-playing game; an Arabic girl’s name, meaning “wisdom.”
17. Eoman – has an unknown meaning, belonging to a Nord mage character in The Elder Scrolls Online.
18. Gagan – means “atmosphere” and “heaven” in Indian Sanskrit; also, “the one who is close to the sky.”
19. Ganesha – a Hindu deity whose name means “lord of the people” as chief of the Ganas.
20. Guldur – a DnD location also called the Hill of Dark Sorcery.
21. Icaro – taken from the Aztec-Quechua “ikaray,” meaning “to blow smoke to heal.”
22. Inkarri – the Peruvian god whose name means “Inka king”; founded the mythical lost city of Paititi.
23. Jigari – describes the “great spirits” worshiped by the shamans of Mongolia.
24. Khada – means “golden,” “divine,” and “perfect” in Turkish, and “breaking, dividing” in Sanskrit.
25. Laurel – greenery used for wreaths and crowns to symbolize victory in ancient Greece.
26. Molfar – a term used by the Hutsuls of the Ukrainian Carpathians related to Carpathian sorcerers.
27. Muninn – means “memory” in Norse for a mythological raven that brought news to Odin.
28. Olog-hai – a magical troll character involved in the Lord of the Rings Wiki.
29. Onmyoji – the name for Japanese shamans known for using Taoist, Buddhist, and Shinto magic.
30. Paksu – also called a “male mudang” who performs rituals in Korean shamanism.
31. Rakshasa – a demon or goblin in Hindu mythology who can shapeshift.
32. Raziel – means “God is my mystery”; an angel in Jewish mysticism called the “angel of mysteries.”
33. Red Cloud – for shamans who can fly; means “he who walks in the clouds.”
34. Saman – the original form of “shaman” first used by the Tungus of Siberia; means “spirit healer.”
35. Shinto – a traditional religion of Japan and one of the main groups that practice shamanism.
36. Sinmir – a mighty Nord warrior in the online Elder Scrolls Wiki.
37. Sitting Bull – means “he who sits down to fight” in Native American Hunkpapa after the famous 19th-century leader.
38. Siv Yis – the first shaman in history among the Hmong culture of southern China; pronounced “Shee-Yee.”
39. Suersaq – taken from the Greenlandic “suuersagaq,” referring to “the healed one.”
40. Susse – means “son of a shaman” in the Yi language used in southern Sichuan.
41. Taqui – also called Yaqui after a well-known Moki Sanke healer of the Native American-Hopi people.
42. Thunderbird – means “he who controls the thunder” for the Native American Lakota tribe.
43. Tngri – the highest level of gods in Mongolian shamanism and Tengrism.
44. Tojolobal – refers to the native people of southeastern Chiapas, Mexico, and their Mayan language.
45. Txiv Neeb – a shaman in the Chinese Hmong culture, means “father/master of spirits.”
46. Wind Runner – a name given among the Cherokee shaman as a nickname for someone with speed.
47. Wolf – a symbol for a spiritual guide used in many shaman cultures worldwide.
48. Wunjo – one of the Viking runes, representing the tribal flag and symbolizes joy.
49. Zadak – a shaman, witch doctor, and warlock character appearing in DnD.
50. Zalqi – a troll enhancement shaman character in the online WoW game.

70 Powerful Female Shaman Names

Female shaman names like these are ready for the strongest priestesses around.

1. Aama – for Aama Bombo or Buddhi Maya Lama, a Nepalese shaman, means “mother Shaman.”
2. Abĵiya – describes “guardian spirits” in Mongolian shamanism associated with a particular location.
3. Abka Hehe – means “sky woman” or “sky mother” in the Manchu folk culture of China.
4. Ama q’ero – means “mother of the ground” in the Peruvian Quechua language.
5. Amazonia – the area encompassing the Amazon rainforest in South America known for traditional practices of shamanism.
6. Anja – inspired by Anja Normann, a Swedish shaman, meaning “God has favored me.”
7. Antonia – means “priceless” and “praiseworthy,” as used in Greek, Latin, Italian, and Spanish cultures.
8. Anyi – means “everything is connected” or “harmony of the universe” in the Q’ero language of Peru.
9. Apiana – part of the Latin name for “white sage,” Salvia Apiana, used in shaman rituals.
10. Arinna – the ancient Hattian sun goddess depicted with a sun disc on her head.
11. Artemis – the virgin goddess of the hunt in Greek mythology, whose Roman equivalent is Diana.
12. Austeja – the Lithuanian goddess of bees, symbolizing abundance, fertility, and growth.
13. Bakshi – the name for a shaman, bard, or storyteller used in shamanic rituals in Kyrgyzstan.
14. Beata – means “blessed” in Latin, referring to the female shamans of Spain.
15. Brea – an Irish-Celtic name meaning “hill” that also means “tar” in Spanish.
16. Cecile – named after a French saint from the Roman Caecilius, meaning “blind.”
17. Coatlicue – the Aztec mother goddess of childbirth, fertility, life, and death.
18. Dahia al-Kahina – the Berber queen of the ancient Aurès in modern-day Algeria.
19. Dukurik – the Alaskan word for a “shamaness” for members of the Eskimo-Aleut group.
20. Elfriede – comes from the Norse Aelfthryth, meaning “elf-strength,” popular in the Middle Ages.
21. Elowen – means “strong like an elm tree” in Welsh and “bright fawn.”
22. Eturgen – refers to a “female shaman” in Mongolian and is also called Udgan.
23. Fahima – means “quick-witted” in Arabic, based on the Quranic surname Fahm.
24. Feri – named after the American neo-pagan witchcraft movement founded in the 50s and 60s.
25. Fugara – an Arabic term for one with supernatural powers in Bedouin shamanism.
26. Fugo – a Japanese term used in Shinto tradition, meaning “shrine maiden.”
27. Ghigau – a Cherokee title meaning “beloved woman” and “war woman.”
28. Idugan – refers to a “female shaman” in Mongolian culture, describing elemental “protector spirits.”
29. Innana – means “queen of heaven” for the Sumerian mother earth goddess of many Paleolithic deities.
30. Ix Chel – based on a Mayan-language word meaning “lady rainbow” or “she of the pale face.”
31. Kagura – derived from “kami no kura,” meaning “seat of God”; a ceremonial dance used in Japanese Shintoism.
32. Kiepja – the name of a Selk’nam shaman known as “the last Ona” or “the last Selk’nam.”
33. Kimba – has meanings in Old English, like “brush fire,” “Cyneburg’s field,” “royal fortress,” and “war chief.”
34. Kitezh – the “goddess of water” in Russian-Karelian culture on the border between Russia and Finland.
35. Lejefah – a Redguard outlaw character in the Online Scrolls role-playing game.
36. Lhamo – taken from the Tibetan “lha-mo,” meaning “goddess”; Penden Lhamo is an evil Buddhist deity.
37. Lozen – a warrior prophet of the Chihenne Chiricahua Apache and sister of a chief.
38. Macha – the most Irish among female shaman names for the sovereignty goddess of Ulster.
39. Machi – a female healer and religious leader in the Mapuche culture from Chile and Argentina.
40. Mambo – a Haitian voodoo priestess derived from “nanbo,” meaning “mother of magic.”
41. Mawu – the female “sun god” in various African pagan religious traditions.
42. Menye Baada – the “jaguar mother” deity married to Menye Wampo in the Waorani indigenous culture of Ecuador.
43. Miko – means “female shaman” in Japanese, the most literal of female shaman names.
44. Miryem – the goddess of earth and fertility for the Komi people of Russia.
45. Mudang – a priestess who heals and speaks to the spirits of the dead in Korean shamanism.
46. Natigai – refers to the “earth mother” in ancient Mongolian shamanism.
47. Noro – also called Oru to describe the ritual priestesses of Japan.
48. Nügua – the Chinese goddess of creation having a dragon’s head and snake’s body.
49. Ona – also called Onawo for the indigenous Selk’nam people of Patagonia who performed shamanic rituals.
50. Oni – means “devil” in Japanese folklore, describing an evil female shaman.
51. Otin – means “female teacher” in Uzbekistan, referring to one who reads “mystical poetry.”
52. Pacheeva – an Argonian mystic character in the Elder Scrolls online wiki.
53. Pele – the Hawaiian goddess of fire and volcanoes swallowing men up in her sometimes destructive path.
54. Piawi – means “wise one” in the Incan-Quechua language; the first Incan female shaman.
55. Raven – a spirit animal guide in shamanism representing death and the underworld.
56. Runa – a cool Old Norse female name meaning “rune” or “secret lore.”
57. Sangha – a monastic order including monks and nuns in the Buddhist religion.
58. Sedna – a strong Native American-Inuit goddess of water who can transform into a whale.
59. Seidhkona – an Old Norse goddess whose name comes from “seidhr,” an ancient Norse-Germanic practice.
60. Shamanka – the most direct of female shaman names, meaning “female shaman” with the Russian “-ka” suffix.
61. Udagan – the term for “female shamans” located in the Siberia region of Russia.
62. Vajra – the symbolic thunderbolt used as a weapon by the Hindu god of heaven, Indra.
63. Veleda – means “inspired intelligence,” named after a 1st-century Germanic prophetess.
64. Yakoana – a powder from a plant used by the Yanomamo people of Venezuela in shamanic ceremonies.
65. Yemaja – a mermaid-like goddess in African cultures who looks after pregnant mothers and children.
66. Yèmiào – means a “visitation temple” of altars in the East-Asian Manchu language.
67. Zelda – the “sleeping maiden” in The Legend of Zelda video game where fantasy meets shamanism.
68. Zephyra – the female form of the ancient Greek Zephyr, the god of the west winds.
69. Zinishtum zikrum – an alternative name for the ancient Babylonian female shamans and priestesses.
70. Znakharka – means “a woman who knows” in Russian and describes a traditional female healer.

60 International Shaman Names

Check out a bevy of global shaman names from almost every culture on Earth.

1. Alumbrada – means “to light up” and “enlightened” in Spanish, also a mystical movement in Spain.
2. Angakok – an underwater journey for hunting success and fertility in the Intuit tradition.
3. Angirraq – a name used by Inuit shamans for spirits who died prematurely.
4. Asog – the title for an asexual shaman appearing in the Filipino shamanic tradition.
5. Azti – the word used by Basque people, which refers to a shaman.
6. Baal Shem – a Jewish mystic and healer who founded the Kabbalah mystical tradition.
7. Babaylan – specific Filipino shamans who could control the weather when crossing over spiritual realms.
8. Bahasa – the title for a shaman among the indigenous Filipino Yakan people.
9. Baksy – the name for a shaman in Kazakhstan; comes from the Turkish “bag,” meaning “to look.”
10. Balian – an alternative name to “babaylan” for Filipino shamans who spoke to spirits in nature.
11. Baskoo Mudang – the name given to a shaman in North and South Korea.
12. Bombo – inspired by the Nepalese shaman Aama Bombo, means “mother Shaman.”
13. Bomoh – the title for a shaman and medicinal practitioner used in Malaysia and areas of Sumatra.
14. Bongthing – a name for Lepcha priests performing rituals for indigenous peoples of Nepal.
15. Boo – is one of many names for a Mongolian shaman and a funny example among shaman names.
16. Buge – a shaman name for the Buryat ethnic group living in southeast Siberia.
17. Burning Bear – in many shamanic cultures, a burning bear symbolizes the emergence of the unconscious.
18. Chayanyi – the name used for a shaman for the Native American-Keres Pueblo people in New Mexico.
19. Curandero – a title for shamans in the Peruvian Amazon; means “healer who uses folk remedies.”
20. Dancing Deer – a real dance ceremony of the Mayo and Yaqui peoples of Sonora, Mexico.
21. Dukun – the term for a shaman, medicine man, or healer in Indonesian culture.
22. Eagle Eye – one of the best gemstones to protect and balance the wearer.
23. Eem – the name for shamans and healers in the Native American Karuk tribe located in California.
24. Huna – a Hawaiian word for a “secret” drawing from traditional Polynesian culture.
25. Inyanga – a name used for shamans or prophets in South African-Bantu communities; also called Sangomas.
26. Jhakri – a shaman or clever diviner in Nepal as practiced by the Tamang people.
27. Kadji – an Aboriginal word for a shaman meaning “clever man” or “clever woman.”
28. Kahuna – means “keeper of the secret” to describe great Hawaiian shamans and healers.
29. Katalonan – one of many shaman names for healers in the Filipino tradition.
30. Lhapa – for Tibetan shamans, also known as “sucking doctors” who extract poisons from patient’s bodies.
31. Malang – an Afghan term for a shaman who lives a very austere life of hardship.
32. Mirinka – means “spiritual healer” for the native Inuit people of Alaska.
33. Muti – means “tree” as a source of healing in the Zulu ethnic group of South Africa.
34. Netjeru – names given to ancient Egyptian deities by those practicing Kemetic paganism.
35. Nganga – describes “spiritual healers” in African-Congo cultures in Brazil, Haiti, and Cuba.
36. Oyuun – means “shaman” in the Turkic-Yakut culture of the Republic of Sakha in the Russian Federation.
37. P’aqo – a term for mystics or shamans appearing in the Incan-Quechua culture.
38. Pawang – a title for a shaman, healer, or wise person used in Malaysia and Indonesia.
39. Phedangbo – describes a shaman in the Limbu language found in Nepal, northeast India, and Bhutan.
40. Quam – the specific word for a shaman in Turkish; also refers to “faith” in Arabic.
41. Sangoma – used with “inyangas” to refer to shamans in the Bantu culture of South Africa.
42. Sapa – a village in North Vietnam known for its “wisdom walk.”
43. Seer – another way to describe a shaman communicating with the other world.
44. Seripigari – means “tobacco-intoxicated ones” for shamans among the Matsigenka people of the Andes.
45. Shaman – the most literal of shaman names taken from the Manchu-Tungus “šaman,” meaning “one who knows.”
46. Sirenik – the name of the Sirenik Eskimos, one of the earliest practitioners of shamanism.
47. Ta’al – a name used for a Hawaiian priest called a kahuna.
48. Tadibey – a name given to a Samoyed shaman; means “self-eater” in Russian.
49. Táltos – means “learned” in Finnish when referring to “someone with supernatural powers.”
50. Tang-ki – means “spirit medium” when referring to certain shamans in Chinese culture.
51. Tohunga – a Maori word meaning “an expert” or someone “adept”; “tohunga matatuhi” means “seer.”
52. Wakan Tanka – means “great spirit” in Native American-Lakota culture to denote the “sacred” or “divine.”
53. White Eagle – a symbolic name for a “spiritual teacher,” including a “priest,” “healer,” or “teacher.”
54. Wu – a Chinese word for a shaman or a wizard dating back to the Shang dynasty.
55. Xo’on – the term for a shaman among the indigenous Selk’nam living in Patagonia.
56. Yachak – refers to shamans in the Kichwa community in the Ecuadorian Amazon.
57. Yata – means “sorcerer” in Navajo; short for Yatagarasu, a crow god appearing in Shinto mythology.
58. Yatiri – a term for traditional shamans for the Aymara peoples of Bolivia, Chile, and Peru.
59. Yuta – used for Japanese shamans who acted as mediums in Okinawa, Japan.
60. Zata – the word for a “medicine man” among the Native American Zuni tribe in New Mexico.

Shaman Names FAQs

What Is the Name of a Spanish Shaman?

A shaman in many Spanish cultures is most often called a curandero. A curandero is based on the Spanish root “curar,” meaning “to cure.” A female healer is, therefore, called a curandera. Like other shamans, curanderos can travel to and from the spiritual worlds and use their power for good or evil.

What Is a Japanese Shaman Called?

A shaman in Japan is known as everything from “okamisan” to “okamin” or “okaminsan.” This group covers shamans, who are usually blind mediums. Other Japanese shamans are called “kamisama” or “hayarigamisama,” referring to sighted shamans. They don’t act as mediums. Specifically, “onmyoji” are shamans who know Taoist, Buddhist, and Shinto magic.

What Are the African Names for Shaman?

Banganga refers to African spiritual healers who specialize in rituals of the Congo religion. In addition to areas of Africa, banganga appears in places like Brazil, the U.S., Haiti, and Cuba. Within African Bantu communities, shamans have been called Sangomas or inyangas. They can still be found in some regions of Southern Africa but aren’t as prevalent as they used to be.