Potion Name Generator

How potion names are usually built

A potion has a name and a label, and the two often work together. The form word tells you what it is: a draught is swallowed, a tonic is sipped for a complaint, a philtre belongs to love, a tincture is a few drops. The second part tells you what it does or what is in it. An honest label states both, such as Elderflower Tonic of Easy Sleep. A dishonest one hides the second half, which is a useful clue in a mystery.

The tone of a potion name shows who made it. Healers use plain herbs and plain promises. Poisoners use patient, polite words that sound harmless: a Pale Hemlock Cordial of Quiet Endings. Wizards make grand claims, with glowing essences and heroic effects. Shopkeepers who sell cheap magic name their bottles with cheerful honesty and a small warning, as in Almost Courage.

Making potions work in a story

Pick the rules before the labels. Decide what a potion costs, how long it lasts and what goes wrong, then let the name carry a hint of that. A potion called Giant's Strength should have a cost the next morning, and an antidote should cost more than a poison, because that is how fear works. Use ingredients that are consistent with your world. A forest folk brew from moss and bark, a coastal people use kelp and pearl, and a city alchemist uses refined salts that come in jars. A reader who sees a familiar ingredient in a new bottle trusts the world a little more. Reuse a few signature names, such as one sinister ingredient, and give it a recurring role. A plot can turn on a bottle that is quietly relabelled.

Twenty example potion names

• Elderflower Tonic of Easy Sleep a village remedy sold by the cartful.
• Grandmother's Honey Cordial a thick, sweet cure for a winter cough.
• The Duchess's Pale Hemlock Cordial a gift that has gone to two funerals.
• Draught of Sleeping Death a poison that looks like a long nap.
• Shimmering Starlight Elixir of Far Sight an expensive tonic for scouts.
• Almost Courage a cheap tonic that works for about an hour.
• Philtre of Mild Regret an odd potion that makes a person a little sorry.
• Yarrow Remedy of Mended Bones a healer's staple.
• Blessed Dragonfire Essence a rare ingredient for heroes.
• Bitter Wolfsbane Tincture a few drops can end a feud.
• Moonpetal Draught of Waking Dreams a magical brew that opens the mind.
• Tonic for the Easily Frightened a pharmacy shelf favourite.
• Hamish's Questionable Elixir of Honesty a remedy of doubtful origin.
• Mandrake Serum of Final Breath a quiet poison used in court intrigue.
• Gentle Chamomile Infusion a soothing evening cup.
• Glowing Siren Song Elixir of Eloquence a magic voice for hire.
• Slightly Cursed Draught of Luck it works, with consequences.
• The Taster's Antidote of Sweet Dreams a cautious cupbearer's insurance.
• Smoking Wildfire Potion of Fireproofing a miner's lifesaver.
• Overdue Philtre of Public Speaking it expired last spring, and the speaker did not notice.