What’s half a lion, half a human, and asks you to solve riddles?
You got it; it’s a sphinx!
Explore our list of 80+ best sphinx names to find the perfect match for your character. These monikers are inspired by Egyptian mythology, famous lions, and more!
The sphinx in mythology
The sphinx appears in many cultures in different forms.
The sphinx in Greek mythology had the head of a woman, a lion’s body, and the wings of a bird. The Greek sphinx killed anyone who failed to answer her riddles correctly.
In Egyptian mythology, the sphinx was usually a man. The Egyptian sphinx had the body of a lion, a head of a man, and no wings.
The Greek and Egyptian sphinxes were depicted as guardians of palaces, temples, or tombs.
The Great Sphinx of Giza is the most famous sphinx statue in Egypt. He guards the Great Pyramids of Giza. The modern Arabic name for the Great Sphinx of Giza is Abu Al-Hawl (”Father of Terror”).
Indian, Sri Lankan, and Thai cultures also have Sphinx-like creatures. The Thai sphinx is called Nora Nair, Norasingh, or Thep Norasingh.
Sphinxes even appeared in Harry Potter. Harry faced a sphinx in the Triwizard Cup in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Sphinxes are also said to guard the vaults at Gringotts Wizarding Bank.
How to choose a sphinx name
Since sphinxes are half lion, lion names fit them perfectly. You can also find inspiration from griffin names because griffin is another half-lion mythical creature.
Sphinxes like to play games with people, so the names of games make playful monikers for these mythical creatures. You could name your sphinx after your favorite board game, such as Ludo, Scrabble, or Yahtzee.
And, of course, Egyptian mythology is an endless source of inspiration for sphinx names. Sphinx is a creature of ancient Egypt, so why not name your character after their heritage?
Male sphinx names
These male sphinx names are inspired by Egyptian mythology, famous lions, and more!
| Aslan | ”Lion” (Turkish) |
| Felix | ”Fortunate” (Latin) |
| Fortuno | ”Luck, fate” (Latin) |
| Horus | The god of the sky and war in Egyptian mythology. |
| Kion | Simba and Nala’s son in The Lion King franchise. |
| Leo | ”Lion” (Latin) |
| Leon | ”Lion” (Greek origin) |
| Leonardo | ”Brave as a lion” (Italian) |
| Maahes | An Egyptian lion-headed god of war. |
| Mufasa | ”King” (African). Simba’s father in The Lion King. |
| Narasimha | ”Man-lion” (Sanskrit). An avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu. |
| Osiris | The god of the dead in Egyptian mythology. |
| Paladin | ”Of the palace” (French origin) |
| Scar | The antagonist in The Lion King. |
| Simba | ”Lion” (Swahili). The protagonist of the Disney film The Lion King. |
| Spartacus | ”From the city of Sparta” (Latin) |
| Spyridon | ”Basket” (Greek) |
| Zander | ”Defender of men” (Greek) |
Female sphinx names
Ancient cat goddesses and The Lion King characters make great female sphinx names.
| Bastet | An ancient Egyptian cat goddess. |
| Cleopatra | The ancient queen of Egypt. |
| Felicia | ”Lucky” (Latin origin) |
| Fortuna | ”Good fate” (Latin) |
| Goldie | Emphasizes the sphinx’s gold-colored lion body. |
| Isis | ”Throne” (Egyptian). The goddess of healing and magic in ancient Egypt. |
| Kiara | A female lion in Disney’s The Lion King franchise. Simba and Nala’s daughter. |
| Leona | ”Lioness” (Latin) |
| Mystery | This name fits a sphinx since they always pose you with a mystery to solve. |
| Nala | Simba’s mate in The Lion King. |
| Saffron | “Yellow flower” (Arabic) |
| Sahara | ”Desert” (Arabic) |
| Sarabi | Simba’s mother in The Lion King. |
| Sarafina | Nala’s mother in The Lion King. |
| Savannah | ”Flat tropical grassland” (Spanish origin) |
| Sekhmet | An Egyptian goddess with the head of a lion. The daughter of the sun god Ra. |
| Sofia | ”Wisdom” (Greek origin) |
Good sphinx names
- Alias
- Ari (”Lion” in Hebrew)
- Artemis
- Chance
- Crypto
- Domino
- Ludo
- Luxor
- Nile
- Pharaoh
- Puzzle
- Quest
- Riddle
- Saber
- Scrabble
- Shadow
- Spade
- Sparkle
- Spectra
- Spencer
- Sphere
- Spike
- Spiral
- Spirit
- Spring
- Sudoku
- Token
- Twister
- Yahtzee
Funny sphinx names
Who says you can’t have fun when naming a mythical creature?
I hope these silly and punny sphinx names will inspire you to do just that:
- Bruce Sphinxteen
- Flufftail
- Fluffy Paws
- Ms. Kitty
- Pharaoh Purrgood
- Purry Pyramids
- Q&A
- Rhonda Riddler
- Quentin Quizmaster
- Speedy Paws
- Sphinxton Churchill
- Tom Riddle
If you enjoyed this blog post, you might also like our list of the best Minotaur names.
