120+ Rare Names That Mean Two-Faced and Deceptive

Choosing a name is a big decision. Some parents look for meaning beyond beauty. They want a name with depth. Names that mean “two-faced” or “deceptive” carry a hidden layer.

These names often come from myths, legends, or old languages. Many trickster gods and clever characters inspired them. They are not common in daily use. That makes them rare and unique.

You may find such a name for a fantasy story. Writers often need names with dark meaning. Gamers also love unusual character names. These names add mystery to any character.

This list gathers over 120 rare names. Each one carries a meaning tied to deception. Some sound harsh, others sound soft and pretty. Explore the list and find one that fits your need.

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Boy Names That Mean Two Faced

Janus

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: “Two-faced, doorway”
• Description: Roman god of doors and change, shown with two faces looking opposite ways.

Loki

• Origin: Old Norse
• Meaning: “Trickster”
• Description: Norse god of mischief who shifts shape and fools other gods.

Reynard

• Origin: French/Germanic
• Meaning: “Strong, clever fox”
• Description: Hero of old fox fables known for winning through tricks.

Sly

• Origin: English
• Meaning: “Cunning, crafty”
• Description: A short, sharp name for a sneaky, clever character.

Hermes

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: “Messenger”
• Description: God known for cleverness and small lies among the gods.

Anansi

• Origin: Akan (West African)
• Meaning: “Spider”
• Description: Trickster who wins through wit, riddles, and lies.

Cassius

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: “Empty, hollow”
• Description: Tied in history to plots and betrayal against Julius Caesar.

Coyote

• Origin: Native American (various tribes)
• Meaning: “Trickster spirit”
• Description: Animal spirit known for outsmarting others through tricks.

Puck

• Origin: Celtic/English
• Meaning: “Mischievous spirit”
• Description: Shakespeare’s shape-shifting sprite who loves to fool people.

Renard

• Origin: French
• Meaning: “Fox”
• Description: A name that carries the fox’s old symbol of cunning.

Iago

• Origin: Spanish/Shakespearean
• Meaning: “Supplanter”
• Description: Shakespeare’s most famous deceiver, from the play Othello.

Sinon

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: “Plunderer”
• Description: Greek soldier who tricked Troy into taking the wooden horse.

Set

• Origin: Egyptian
• Meaning: “The dazzler”
• Description: Egyptian god of chaos, storms, and deception.

Fenwick

• Origin: English
• Meaning: “Marsh dweller”
• Description: A misty, hidden name often tied to unclear identity.

Wile

• Origin: English
• Meaning: “Trick, cunning”
• Description: Taken straight from the word “wily,” meaning sly.

Doppel

• Origin: German
• Meaning: “Double”
• Description: Root of “doppelganger,” a double or hidden second self.

Craft

• Origin: English
• Meaning: “Skill, cunning”
• Description: Old word once used to describe trickery and slyness.

Fawkes

• Origin: English
• Meaning: Surname tied to hidden plots
• Description: Linked to secret plans carried out under disguise.

Grendel

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: “Grinder, destroyer”
• Description: Monster who stayed hidden in darkness for years, deceiving all.

Vidar

• Origin: Old Norse
• Meaning: “Wide ruler”
• Description: A quiet, silent god tied to hidden strength and secrecy.

Cade

• Origin: English
• Meaning: “Round, lump”
• Description: A modern name sometimes linked to a guarded personality.

Corwin

• Origin: English
• Meaning: “Heart’s friend”
• Description: Used in fiction for a clever, scheming antihero.

Autolycus

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: “The wolf himself”
• Description: Son of Hermes, famous as the greatest thief and trickster.

Prometheus

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: “Forethought”
• Description: Stole fire from the gods through clever deception.

Momus

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: “Blame, mockery”
• Description: God of satire who loved to expose hidden faults.

Vortigern

• Origin: Welsh/British legend
• Meaning: “High king”
• Description: Legendary king remembered for broken oaths and betrayal.

READ THIS NAMES ALSO :https://nameaspire.com/names-that-mean-curious/

Girl Names That Mean Two Faced

Eris

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: “Strife”
• Description: Goddess of discord who stirred up trouble with a golden apple.

Circe

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: “Bird, enchantress”
• Description: Sorceress famous for trickery and turning men into animals.

Delilah

• Origin: Hebrew
• Meaning: “Delicate, seductive”
• Description: Biblical figure remembered for a famous act of betrayal.

Medea

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: “Cunning, ruler”
• Description: Sorceress known for cunning plans and dark betrayal.

Apate

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: “Deceit”
• Description: The literal Greek goddess of deception and trickery.

Vixen

• Origin: English
• Meaning: “Female fox”
• Description: Symbol of sly, clever charm hidden behind a smile.

Morgana

• Origin: Welsh/Arthurian
• Meaning: “Sea born”
• Description: Sorceress in Arthurian legend, famous for deception.

Cressida

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: “Gold”
• Description: Literary character known for shifting loyalty and betrayal.

Scylla

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: “She who rends”
• Description: Sea monster who tricked sailors into deadly waters.

Ishtar

• Origin: Mesopotamian
• Meaning: “Star”
• Description: Goddess with two sides: gentle love and fierce destruction.

Kali

• Origin: Sanskrit
• Meaning: “She who is dark”
• Description: Goddess whose nature holds both gentleness and fury.

Lamia

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: “Devourer”
• Description: Shape-shifting figure who lures victims through disguise.

Mara

• Origin: Sanskrit/Hebrew
• Meaning: “Bitter, illusion”
• Description: A being of illusion who tempts people away from truth.

Sable

• Origin: English
• Meaning: “Black”
• Description: A dark, shadowed name tied to hidden things.

Persona

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: “Mask”
• Description: The very root of the word for the face we show others.

Vesper

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: “Evening star”
• Description: Tied to dusk, the moment light and dark blend together.

Umbra

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: “Shadow”
• Description: A name for the hidden double that follows every person.

Nyx

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: “Night”
• Description: Goddess of night, said to be mother to spirits of deceit.

Selene

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: “Moon”
• Description: Tied to the moon’s two faces: bright light and dark shadow.

Discordia

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: “Discord”
• Description: Roman goddess of conflict and hidden strife.

Trix

• Origin: English
• Meaning: Short for “tricks”
• Description: A playful name pointing straight at cleverness and cunning.

Sybil

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: “Prophetess”
• Description: Known for cryptic words that carried a hidden double meaning.

Jezebel

• Origin: Hebrew
• Meaning: “Unexalted”
• Description: Biblical queen remembered for manipulation and scheming.

Clytemnestra

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: “Famed for her suitors”
• Description: Queen remembered for a quiet plot of betrayal.

Yaga

• Origin: Slavic
• Meaning: Rooted in Baba Yaga folklore
• Description: A witch figure who tricks travelers with illusions.

Melusine

• Origin: French folklore
• Meaning: “Sea fairy”
• Description: Half-woman, half-serpent who hid her true form from her husband.

Tania

• Origin: Greek-rooted
• Meaning: Fairy queen tie
• Description: Linked to fairy tales built around illusion and trickery.

Salome

• Origin: Hebrew
• Meaning: “Peace”
• Description: Biblical figure tied to manipulation behind a calm face.

Nemesis

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: “Retribution”
• Description: Goddess who reveals what hides behind a false face.

Unisex Names That Mean Two Faced

Ash

• Origin: English
• Meaning: “Ash tree”
• Description: A quiet name often paired with hidden inner strength.

Sage

• Origin: English
• Meaning: “Wise plant”
• Description: Wisdom that can hide a sharper, more cunning side.

Fox

• Origin: English
• Meaning: “Fox”
• Description: The universal animal symbol of slyness and cunning.

Shadow

• Origin: English
• Meaning: “Dark shape”
• Description: A direct name for the hidden double that follows the light.

Raven

• Origin: English
• Meaning: “Dark bird”
• Description: A bird tied to trickster tales in many cultures.

Phoenix

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: “Deep red, rebirth”
• Description: Carries the duality of dying and rising again.

Sly

• Origin: English
• Meaning: “Cunning, crafty”
• Description: Fits any gender, always pointing to hidden cleverness.

Vale

• Origin: English
• Meaning: “Hidden valley”
• Description: A soft name for something tucked out of view.

Echo

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: “Repeated sound”
• Description: A nymph whose words were never fully her own.

Onyx

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: “Dark stone”
• Description: A gem name that hints at hidden depth.

Storm

• Origin: English
• Meaning: “Storm”
• Description: A name for a nature that shifts without warning.

Sterling

• Origin: English
• Meaning: “Genuine, pure”
• Description: Often used with irony for someone who is not what they seem.

Coyote

• Origin: Native American (various tribes)
• Meaning: “Trickster spirit”
• Description: Fits any gender as a clever, mischievous animal spirit.

Mystique

• Origin: French
• Meaning: “Mystery”
• Description: A name that hints at truth kept just out of reach.

Cypher

• Origin: English
• Meaning: “Code, hidden meaning”
• Description: A name built entirely around something concealed.

Wren

• Origin: English
• Meaning: “Small bird”
• Description: A clever little bird linked to old folk tales of cunning.

Kai

• Origin: Hawaiian
• Meaning: “Sea”
• Description: Tied to shifting tides that never look the same twice.

Drift

• Origin: English
• Meaning: “To wander”
• Description: A name for someone hard to pin down or predict.

True

• Origin: English
• Meaning: “Honest”
• Description: Often given with irony to a character who is far from honest.

Gray

• Origin: English
• Meaning: “Gray color”
• Description: Neither black nor white, a name for moral in-between.

Nightshade

• Origin: English
• Meaning: “Poisonous plant”
• Description: Beautiful on the surface but dangerous underneath.

Quill

• Origin: English
• Meaning: “Writing feather”
• Description: A tool once used to write both truths and clever lies.

Marlowe

• Origin: English
• Meaning: Literary surname
• Description: Linked to writers and spies who lived double lives.

Foxglove

• Origin: English
• Meaning: “Fox flower”
• Description: A pretty plant that hides a poisonous secret.

Vane

• Origin: English
• Meaning: “Weathervane”
• Description: Something that turns with the wind, never staying loyal to one side.

Names That Mean Two Faced Male

Grima

• Origin: Old English
• Meaning: “Mask, specter”
• Description: A name rooted in the idea of a hidden, disguised face.

Loge

• Origin: Germanic
• Meaning: Variant tied to Loki
• Description: A fire trickster figure from old Germanic legend.

Sinon

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: “Plunderer”
• Description: Remembered for one of history’s most famous tricks.

Fenris

• Origin: Old Norse
• Meaning: “Fen dweller”
• Description: Wolf-child of Loki, symbol of danger hidden until too late.

Set

• Origin: Egyptian
• Meaning: “The dazzler”
• Description: God of chaos and confusion, master of disguise.

Coyote

• Origin: Native American (various tribes)
• Meaning: “Trickster spirit”
• Description: A clever animal figure who wins through deception.

Machiavel

• Origin: Italian-inspired
• Meaning: “Cunning strategist”
• Description: Built from a name long linked to scheming and cunning plans.

Ruse

• Origin: French
• Meaning: “Trick, deception”
• Description: A short, sharp name meaning exactly what it sounds like.

Feint

• Origin: English
• Meaning: “False move”
• Description: Taken from the word for a deceptive, misleading action.

Guise

• Origin: English
• Meaning: “False appearance”
• Description: A name built entirely around disguise and pretense.

Wraith

• Origin: Scottish
• Meaning: “Ghost, apparition”
• Description: A hidden form that appears without warning.

Grimwald

• Origin: Germanic-inspired
• Meaning: “Masked ruler”
• Description: A name suggesting quiet control from behind a mask.

Cassio

• Origin: Italian/Shakespearean
• Meaning: Character name
• Description: Caught in a famous web of lies within a Shakespeare play.

Talon

• Origin: English
• Meaning: “Claw”
• Description: A quiet weapon that strikes only once revealed.

Autolycus

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: “The wolf himself”
• Description: Known across myth as the cleverest thief alive.

Momus

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: “Blame, mockery”
• Description: God who delighted in unmasking hidden flaws.

Prometheus

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: “Forethought”
• Description: Outwitted the gods themselves through careful deception.

Vortigern

• Origin: Welsh legend
• Meaning: “High king”
• Description: A king remembered for broken promises and betrayal.

Japanese Names That Mean Two Faced

Kitsune

• Origin: Japanese
• Meaning: “Fox spirit”
• Description: A shapeshifting fox known for clever tricks in folklore.

Tanuki

• Origin: Japanese
• Meaning: “Raccoon dog”
• Description: A prankster spirit famous for shapeshifting and mischief.

Kagemusha

• Origin: Japanese
• Meaning: “Shadow warrior”
• Description: A body double used to trick and confuse enemies.

Ura

• Origin: Japanese
• Meaning: “Hidden side, reverse”
• Description: Refers to the face a person hides from the world.

Omote

• Origin: Japanese
• Meaning: “Front, face”
• Description: Paired with “ura,” the public face a person chooses to show.

Nise

• Origin: Japanese
• Meaning: “Fake, imitation”
• Description: A direct word for something false or counterfeit.

Kage

• Origin: Japanese
• Meaning: “Shadow”
• Description: The hidden self standing just behind the visible one.

Nijuu

• Origin: Japanese
• Meaning: “Double, twofold”
• Description: A word that means exactly what it sounds like: two layers.

Tsukimono

• Origin: Japanese
• Meaning: “Possessing spirit”
• Description: A spirit believed to change the nature of its host.

Hyoui

• Origin: Japanese
• Meaning: “Possession”
• Description: Tied to the idea of a hidden second identity taking over.

Fukumen

• Origin: Japanese
• Meaning: “Masked face”
• Description: Literally translates to “covered face.”

Bakeneko

• Origin: Japanese
• Meaning: “Changed cat”
• Description: A cat spirit able to shapeshift and fool its own owner.

Mujina

• Origin: Japanese
• Meaning: “Badger spirit”
• Description: A shapeshifter famous for disguises in old folk tales.

Greek Names That Mean Two Faced

Proteus

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: “Shape-shifter”
• Description: A sea god who changed form again and again to avoid capture.

Nemesis

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: “Retribution”
• Description: Goddess who reveals the truth hidden behind a false face.

Sphinx

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: “Strangler”
• Description: A riddling creature who deceived travelers with clever puzzles.

Pandora

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: “All-gifted”
• Description: Carried hidden trouble sealed inside an innocent-looking box.

Charybdis

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: “Whirlpool”
• Description: A danger that looked calm on the surface but was deadly below.

Ate

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: “Ruin, folly”
• Description: A goddess who blinds people so they cannot see the truth.

Hecate

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: “Worker from afar”
• Description: Goddess of magic and crossroads, tied to hidden paths.

Peitho

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: “Persuasion”
• Description: Goddess who could talk anyone into believing a falsehood.

Metis

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: “Wisdom, cunning”
• Description: Goddess of clever counsel and careful, hidden planning.

Empusa

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: “Shape-shifting demoness”
• Description: A folklore figure who could change her form at will.

Sinon

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: “Plunderer”
• Description: The soldier whose lie let the Trojan Horse through the gates.

Autolycus

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: “The wolf himself”
• Description: Son of Hermes, known as the cleverest thief in myth.

Argus

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: “All-seeing”
• Description: A giant covered in eyes, always watching from the shadows.

Chimera

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: “She-goat”
• Description: A creature made of mismatched parts, a symbol of unnatural blending.

German Names That Mean Two Faced

Doppel

• Origin: German
• Meaning: “Double”
• Description: Root of “Doppelgänger,” a hidden double walking unseen.

Falsch

• Origin: German
• Meaning: “False”
• Description: The direct German word for something untrue.

List

• Origin: German
• Meaning: “Cunning, trick”
• Description: An old word once used to describe clever deceit.

Schatten

• Origin: German
• Meaning: “Shadow”
• Description: The hidden side that follows a person everywhere.

Maske

• Origin: German
• Meaning: “Mask”
• Description: A word that speaks for itself: a covering for the true face.

Zwei

• Origin: German
• Meaning: “Two”
• Description: A simple number name pointing straight to duality.

Heuchler

• Origin: German
• Meaning: “Hypocrite”
• Description: A word for someone who pretends to be something they are not.

Trug

• Origin: German
• Meaning: “Deception, illusion”
• Description: Root of “Trugbild,” the German word for an illusion.

Fuchs

• Origin: German
• Meaning: “Fox”
• Description: A surname carrying the fox’s classic reputation for cunning.

Zwilling

• Origin: German
• Meaning: “Twin”
• Description: A name tied to two selves sharing one story.

Verrat

• Origin: German
• Meaning: “Betrayal”
• Description: The blunt German word for turning against someone.

Spiegel

• Origin: German
• Meaning: “Mirror”
• Description: Reflects a second, reversed image of the truth.

Rabe

• Origin: German
• Meaning: “Raven”
• Description: A clever, watchful bird tied to old German trickster tales.

Nebel

• Origin: German
• Meaning: “Fog, mist”
• Description: Something that hides the true shape of what lies beneath.

Lug

• Origin: German
• Meaning: “Lie”
• Description: An old root word standing directly for a lie.

Betrug

• Origin: German
• Meaning: “Fraud, deception”
• Description: The everyday German word for a scam or a swindle.

Names That Mean Two Souls

Gemini

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: “Twins”
• Description: A zodiac name representing two souls sharing one sign.

Dvija

• Origin: Sanskrit
• Meaning: “Twice-born”
• Description: Refers to a dual nature and a second, deeper birth.

Yinyang

• Origin: Chinese
• Meaning: “Dark-light”
• Description: Two halves that form one whole, each holding a bit of the other.

Dyad

• Origin: Greek
• Meaning: “A pair, two-in-one”
• Description: A philosophy term for a paired unity of two parts.

Animus

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: “Soul, spirit”
• Description: Paired with “Anima” in old ideas about a dual inner self.

Ka

• Origin: Egyptian
• Meaning: “Spirit double”
• Description: Ancient Egyptians believed every person carried a second soul.

Doppelseele

• Origin: German-style
• Meaning: “Double soul”
• Description: A compound word describing two souls held in one being.

Nafs

• Origin: Arabic
• Meaning: “Self, soul”
• Description: Refers to the ongoing struggle between two inner natures.

Atman

• Origin: Sanskrit
• Meaning: “Individual soul”
• Description: Paired with a universal soul in classic Hindu philosophy.

Twain

• Origin: English
• Meaning: “Two”
• Description: An old word for “two,” and the root of “twin.”

Gemel

• Origin: Latin/French
• Meaning: “Twin, paired”
• Description: Used in old jewelry for paired rings symbolizing two joined souls.

Names That Mean Two Halves

Moiety

• Origin: English/Latin
• Meaning: “Half, a share”
• Description: A word for one of two equal parts of a whole.

Dimidius

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: “Half, divided in two”
• Description: Root of “dimidiate,” meaning split cleanly in half.

Bisect

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: “Cut in two”
• Description: A word for dividing something into two equal halves.

Cleave

• Origin: English
• Meaning: “To split or to bind”
• Description: A rare word with two opposite meanings at once.

Duet

• Origin: Italian/Latin
• Meaning: “Pair, two together”
• Description: Two separate parts joining to make one performance.

Yang

• Origin: Chinese
• Meaning: “Bright, active half”
• Description: One half of a paired whole, always balanced by its opposite.

Yin

• Origin: Chinese
• Meaning: “Dark, calm half”
• Description: The other half completing Yang to form a full circle.

Moitie

• Origin: French
• Meaning: “Half”
• Description: Often used romantically to mean “my other half.”

Consors

• Origin: Latin
• Meaning: “Partner, sharer of fate”
• Description: Root of “consort,” meaning a joined and equal half.

Janus Name Meaning

Janus is a Latin name that means “two-faced” or “gateway.” He was the Roman god of doors, beginnings, and change. Statues of Janus always showed him with two faces, one looking to the past and one looking to the future.

The name comes from the Latin word “ianus,” meaning “arched passage” or “doorway.” Because doors face two directions at once, Janus became the perfect symbol for looking both backward and forward at the same time.

Over time, Janus became a byword for anything with two sides. This is where the modern word “two-faced” gets much of its meaning. It can describe a person who shows one side to the world and hides another.

Today, Janus is a rare but striking name choice. It fits a character who holds a secret, lives a double life, or stands exactly between two different paths.

Last Names That Mean Two Faced

Fox

• Origin: English
• Meaning: “Fox”
• Description: A surname tied directly to cunning and slyness.

Wilde

• Origin: English/German
• Meaning: “Wild, untamed”
• Description: Sometimes linked to an unpredictable, hidden nature.

Doubleday

• Origin: English
• Meaning: Contains “double”
• Description: A surname that literally carries the word “double” inside it.

Twyford

• Origin: English
• Meaning: “Double ford”
• Description: A place name meaning two river crossings, a nod to duality.

Sly

• Origin: English
• Meaning: “Cunning, deceptive”
• Description: A surname that means exactly what it says.

Guile

• Origin: English/French
• Meaning: “Cunning, deceit”
• Description: A word meaning trickery, used directly as a family name.

Cross

• Origin: English
• Meaning: Root of “double-cross”
• Description: Tied to the phrase for a deep and sudden betrayal.

Twogood

• Origin: English
• Meaning: Contains “two”
• Description: An old surname carrying the number two right in its name.

Fairweather

• Origin: English
• Meaning: “Fair weather”
• Description: An ironic name for someone loyal only when it is easy.

Turner

• Origin: English
• Meaning: “One who turns”
• Description: Sometimes linked symbolically to turning loyalty.

Machiavelli

• Origin: Italian
• Meaning: Historical surname
• Description: Long linked to cunning political strategy and hidden plans.

Iscariot

• Origin: Hebrew/Greek
• Meaning: Historical surname
• Description: Tied through history to one of the most famous betrayals.

Falk

• Origin: German
• Meaning: “Falcon”
• Description: A sharp, watchful bird known for a quiet, cunning strike.

Fuchs

• Origin: German
• Meaning: “Fox”
• Description: A German surname carrying the fox’s reputation for slyness.

Renard

• Origin: French
• Meaning: “Fox”
• Description: A French surname built on the symbol of trickery.

Wolfe

• Origin: English
• Meaning: “Wolf”
• Description: Ties to folklore of a wolf hiding in plain sight.

Final Thoughts

Names that mean “two-faced” or “deceptive” are not everyday choices. They carry weight and hidden meaning. Some come from old myths and legends. Others come from words in ancient languages. Each name tells its own quiet story.

Picking one of these names can add depth to a character. It can also make a story feel more real. Writers, gamers, and curious parents can all find value here. A rare name stands out from the crowd. Choose one that matches the tone you want to set.

Frequently Ask Questions

What is a name that means two-faced?

Names like Janus, Loki, and Sly are known to mean two-faced or deceptive.

What baby name means deceptive?

Nike, Dolos, and Apate are rare names linked to deception in old myths.

Is there a name that means liar?

Yes, names like Sly, Fox, and Cunning carry meanings close to “liar” or “trickster.”

What names are associated with trickery?

Loki, Anansi, and Hermes are famous trickster names from mythology.

What does the name Janus mean?

Janus means “two-faced.” He was the Roman god of doors and duality.

Are there girl names that mean deceptive?

Yes, names like Delilah and Circe are linked to deception in old stories.

What is a unique name for a sneaky character?

Sly, Fox, Loki, and Reynard are popular picks for sneaky or clever characters.