Name Generator

Use this to generate character names (and the names of their nuclear or most important family, usually parents). For a given name only, just choose a species (click the default to deselect). For a full name that includes your lineage and/or place in the world, choose a culture or cultures tahat best matches your character, or see below for the naming conventions. For species not on the list, pick one that has a similar vibe:

Species-Culture Name Generator

Species: Aasimar Dragonborn Dwarf Elf Gnome Goliath Halfling Human Orc Tiefling --- Air Genasi Bugbear Centaur Changeling Construct Earth Genasi Fairy Firbolg Fire Genasi Giff Gith Goblin Hadozee Half-Elf Harengon Hobgoblin Kenku Kobold Leonin Lizardfolk Loxodon Minotaur Plasmoid Satyr Tabaxi Thri-kreen Tortle Water Genasi Yuan-ti

Culture(s): Caravan City Factory Farmland Freehold Mystic Nomad Orchard Outcast Slum Suburb Tribal

▸ Advanced Settings

Parameters

Word lists

Discussion

There are a lot of fantasy name generators out there, and I don't like them for two reasons:

First, they mainly just generate dumb collections of random syllables that try to evoke a certain feel. I want all of my names to have meanings. Almost all names originally meant something, before they became stuck as linguistic fossils as the language changed. I think character names are more fun and evocative when they are real words.

Second, different cultures should have different naming patterns:

Caravan names are how the character introduces themselves at the moment. This could be a current affiliation, route, or job, or simply verbal patter. This can change frequently.

City culture is the only one that assigns middle names, because those only developed in societies that had larger populations. The names come from associated cultures, an urbane concept, and/or a given name in your own or another species' fashion.

Factory culture has profession-based last names. You decide if your character had this job, or if it was an ancestral name that was passed down.

Farmland culture is based around lineages and landholdings. If you are the heir, you get your landholding parent's name and a numeral. You do not automatically get their title, but it can inform your background. Other children get a parent's name with a descriptor, number, courtesy name, or diminutive.

Freehold last names are based on a location. You decide if the location name is based on a feature of that location, or on the person who settled it. If named after the settler, you decide if this was a member of your character's family, and how recent the settlement was.

Mystic names are an inherited charge or elemenal affinity or claim of descent. You decide how many generations your line has held it.

Nomad names are deed names, an individual earned mark.

Orchard last names are either theophoric, or based on tree or crop or rural activity. Often this is a varietal that is named after someone in your lineage.

Outcast last names are patro- or matronymic. You decide. You can also change the gender-neutral suffix to 'son' or 'dottir' if appropriate.

Slum people have one or more (possibly ironic) nicknames or aliases.

Suburb last names are hyphenated names of family. Some families operate as a firm (Reed & Thorn, Brandt & Co.).

Tribal cultures list the group name first, then the given name, and often the person's role or status in the group.

This generator is gender-neutral, to keep the code simple and the characters diverse. Most cultures in the game world are gendered, some oppressively so, but they all have different ideas about what names should be attached to what genders. If you end up with a male character named Lily or a female named Wolf, work with it. Decide if that is a normal-gendered name for your species and culture, or if your name is gender non-conforming.