DnD Name Generator

How names are usually built for each race

Tabletop worlds sort their peoples by sound. Humans take plain names from many cultures and a family name of two ordinary words, such as Oakshaw or Hartwell. Elves flow, with long vowels and an epithet like Moonwhisper. Dwarves are hard and short, with a clan name from the forge, such as Anvilhelm. Halflings and gnomes are warm and bouncing, with homely or workshop family names.

Half-orcs carry rough syllables and an epithet earned in a fight. Tieflings pair a sharp infernal name or a plain virtue with a house name, and dragonborn put a clan behind every name. The generator follows these habits so a table of players can tell the characters apart by ear.

Keeping a party and a world consistent

Pick one habit per people and keep it. If dwarven clans are named for tools, every dwarf at the table should be a Hammer, an Anvil or a Pick of something. Give each character a first letter and a rhythm of their own, so the game master does not have to say the second syllable twice. Keep a short list of the names you have used, and let a few of them return as places, ships and swords: it makes the world feel lived in. For a long campaign, give every important non-player character a name that a player can spell after one hearing.

Twenty example character names

• Maren Oakshaw of Brackenwick a human cleric who runs the village shrine.
• Sylvaen Moonwhisper an elf ranger who keeps to the outer woods.
• Bromgar Anvilhelm a dwarf fighter and a forge captain.
• Posy Honeywick a halfling rogue with light fingers.
• Fizzwick Cogtwist a gnome artificer with a smoking satchel.
• Urzula Ashjaw a half-orc barbarian who is secretly gentle.
• Zephira Cinderglass a tiefling warlock who bargains for secrets.
• Kharzira of Clan Dravakar a dragonborn paladin who keeps every oath.
• Aldric Hartwell of Millford a human bard who sings of better days.
• Aeliandra Dawnsong an elf wizard who writes in silver ink.
• Thraga Goldhold a dwarf cleric with a mining pick.
• Barnaby Kettlenook a halfling cook who fights with a ladle.
• Nimbelle Mossthimble a gnome druid with a pet snail.
• Grakmor Boneshield a half-orc guard who hates paperwork.
• Mercy Ashveil a tiefling healer named for a hope.
• Torvax Ashscale a dragonborn warrior with a burned past.
• Isabeau Wolfmere a human rogue with a false name.
• Faelor Starsong an elf bard from a travelling court.
• Dagrun Ironfist a dwarf scout who maps the deep roads.
• Wibette Sprocketsnap a gnome tinker with a runaway cart.

Choosing a name that fits the class

A name does not have to match a class, but it can lean on one. A cleric can carry a plain, warm given name with a family name from the temple town. A rogue can have a short name that is easy to forget, and a wizard can have a long one that sounds like a title.

Try saying the name in a tavern, in a battle and in a letter. If it works in all three, it will work at the table. If it needs an explanation, move it into the backstory and give the character a nickname for the game.

Names for non-player characters

Game masters need many names fast. Use the generator for the shopkeeper, the guard, the baron and the traitor, and write each one on a card with a single detail. A name such as Aldric Hartwell of Millford is easier to remember when you know he cheats at cards.

For villains and recurring allies, spend a little longer. A name with a family or an epithet gives players something to ask about, and a rumour about a name is the cheapest source of adventure there is.

Mixing races and families

Half-orcs, tieflings and half-elves in your world have two sets of ancestors, and their names can show it. A half-orc with a human given name and an orc epithet tells a story before they open their mouth. Set the rule once, and let each family decide how far to follow it.

Do not worry if a name sounds close to a known one. The generator keeps out the names of famous characters, but a shared sound is not a problem for a home game. Change a letter if a name bothers a player.