Sumerian Names
These names occur in the mythologies of the Sumerians, an ancient people of Mesopotamia. See also Near Eastern mythology names for a broader list.
25 names in our directory
Sumerian
25An is a Sumerian masculine name meaning "heaven, sky." In Sumerian mythology, An was the supreme god of the heavens, often considered the father of Enlil and Enki. His cuneiform sign 𒀭 (dingir) was used as a determinativ...
Bau is the name of a Sumerian mother goddess, whose precise etymology remains uncertain. She was primarily associated with healing, midwifery, and fertility, and her cult was centered in the city of Lagash in ancient Mes...
Dumuzi, also known as Dumuzid, is an ancient Sumerian deity whose name belongs to the mythology of Mesopotamia. The name derives from the Sumerian elements 𒌉 (dumu) meaning "son, child" and 𒍣 (zid) meaning "true, loyal,"...
Dumuzid is a variant form of the name Dumuzi, which is of Sumerian origin. The name derives from the Sumerian elements dumu meaning "son, child" and zid meaning "true, loyal." Thus, the name typically translates as "the...
EtymologyEnki is a male first name of en meaning "lord" and ki meaning "earth, ground"; a variant reading suggests the second element might be related to kur meaning "underworld, mountain". Enki was also known as Ea (Akk...
Enkidu (Sumerian: 𒂗𒆠𒄭) is a legendary figure from ancient Mesopotamian mythology, best known as the companion and friend of Gilgamesh, the king of Uruk. His name probably means "lord of the good place", derived from Sume...
Origins and Etymology Enlil (Sumerian: 𒀭𒂗𒆤) is an ancient Mesopotamian deity whose name derives from the Sumerian elements 𒂗 (en) meaning "lord" and 𒆤 (lil) meaning "wind" or "air." Thus, his name is commonly interpreted...
Ereshkigal is the ancient Sumerian name for the goddess of the underworld, derived from the elements 𒊩𒌆 (ereš) meaning "lady, queen," 𒆠 (ki) meaning "earth," and 𒃲 (gal) meaning "great." The name is traditionally underst...
Gilgamesh is a prominent name from ancient Mesopotamian mythology, typically used as a masculine given name in modern times. The name likely originates from the Sumerian elements bilga meaning "ancestor" and mes meaning...
Gula is a name of Sumerian origin, meaning "the great". This name may have originally served as a title before becoming a proper name. Gula was a prominent Sumerian and later Akkadian goddess of healing, medicine, and mi...
Inanna is the ancient Sumerian goddess of love, fertility, and war, whose name is possibly derived from the Sumerian nin-an-a(k), meaning "lady of the heavens" – from nin ("lady") and the genitive form of an ("heaven, sk...
Ishkur is the Sumerian name of a storm god whose origins and meaning remain largely unknown. In the ancient Mesopotamian pantheon, Ishkur was associated with storms, rain, and thunder, playing a vital role in agriculture...
Ki is the Sumerian word for "earth", and the name of the primordial Sumerian goddess of the earth itself. As one of the oldest attested deities in the Mesopotamian pantheon, Ki was revered as the embodiment of the fertil...
Lugalbanda is a name of Sumerian origin, deriving from the elements lugal meaning "king" and banda meaning "young," "wild," or "fierce." This ancient name belongs to a legendary king of Uruk in Sumerian mythology, who is...
Nanaya is a name of uncertain meaning, possibly related to Inanna. It was borne by a Mesopotamian goddess of love, closely associated with Inanna, who was widely worshipped by the Sumerians and Akkadians. The name appear...
Nanna 2 is the name of the ancient Sumerian moon god, one of the principal deities in the Sumerian pantheon. The meaning of his name is unknown, as it predates significant linguistic records, but it is closely tied to hi...
EtymologyNingal is a Sumerian name meaning "great lady" or "great queen". It is composed of the nin ("lady") and gal ("big, great") elements. In cuneiform, the name was written as dNIN.GAL.MythologyNingal was a goddess o...
Ninhursag is the Sumerian mother goddess of the mountains, whose name means "lady of the (sacred) mountain" from the Sumerian elements nin ("lady") and hursaĝ ("mountain" or sacred mountain mountain). She was one of the...
Ninisina is a Sumerian goddess whose name means "lady of Isin," from the Sumerian element nin (𒎏) meaning "lady" combined with the name of the city-state of Isin. She served as the tutelary deity of Isin and was primaril...
Ninlil is a name of Sumerian origin, derived from the elements nin meaning "lady" and lil meaning "wind." In Sumerian mythology, she was a major goddess worshipped from the late 3rd millennium BCE onward. As the consort...
Ninsumun is a variant of Ninsun, a Sumerian goddess whose name means "lady of the wild cow" (from nin "lady" and sumun "wild cow"). In Sumerian mythology, Ninsumun is best known as the mother of the legendary hero Gilgam...
Ninsun is a Sumerian mythological figure whose name derives from the Sumerian elements nin meaning "lady" and the genitive form of sumun meaning "wild cow", giving the overall meaning "lady of the wild cow". The name is...
Ninurta (Sumerian: 𒀭𒊩𒌆𒅁, DNIN.URTA), also known as Ningirsu (Sumerian: 𒀭𒊩𒌆𒄈𒋢), is an ancient Mesopotamian deity whose name derives from Sumerian elements: nin meaning "lord" and urta meaning "ear of barley," thus "Lord o...
Utu is the Sumerian god of the sun, whose name derives from the Sumerian word ud (𒌓), meaning "sun.” In Sumerian mythology, Utu was revered as a divine judge and protector of travelers, believed to see all events on Eart...
Zababa is a Sumerian and Akkadian war god, serving as the tutelary deity of the ancient city-state of Kish in Mesopotamia.Etymology and OriginsThe meaning of Zababa's name is unknown. Written 𒀭𒍝𒂷𒂷 (dza-ba4-ba4) in cuneif...