Generating Better Character Names

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Games masters and players alike struggle with character names, settling for a thief named “Bilbo”, a wizard named “Harry” or “Dave the Fighter”. When faced with a group that reverses nearby objects for characters resulting in “Lemarac” or “Reeb”, then it’s time to consider other options. Fantasy names tend to be weird and varied, ranging from the made-up, hard to pronounce (“Xygag”) to the real world (“St Cuthbert”), with many in-between as something recognizable but modified.

All of the Names
Characters often have multiple names, sporting ones for nicknames, families and ancient tribes. Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition tries to help players with suggested names for all their races. Luckily Fantasy Name Generator covers all of these, with generators by the hundred. Character name for a Game of Thrones? Eight generators under Pop Culture. Danish, Swedish or Norwegian needed for a pseudo-Viking setting? All there under Real Names. Other holes are covered by Fantasy Names, and check-out one for “My Little Pony” I intend to use for a random unicorn generator.

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Each generator has detailed notes covering how names are created and sourced, with bits of lore for world-building and how to use the names. It also shows the dedication of the creator to the work of generating names.

The Name List Method
A GM can Look prepared to players by preparing one or more lists of names ahead. Use them for the road, tavern or temple, or as a prisoner, passenger or outraged pickpocket victim. They can cross names off as they go for each NPC and their players will be thinking every NPC is important.

For some campaigns I’ll have separate name lists for the common races of a region, but in other campaigns I’ll have just two lists, one for male and one for female. Perfect for this is Chaotic Shiny’s The Fantasy Name Generator, which offers a simple list of useful fantasy names for male or female, creating ten each time.

Check out the many other well-thought out generators on your visit, including several others for names. Most are game neutral and range from the very specific to the widely useful.

Names by Length and Consonants
Our final generator at Rinkworks steers away from names by culture, instead giving options by length or number of vowels. Over 100 names get generated each time so users can pick and choose their favourites.

Options for name length include short (“Nuk”), medium (“Yoroth”) and long (“Enthwarmos”). Names can be filled with vowels (“Antoelli”) , with consonants (“Thristen”), or alternate them (“Zilomos”). If desired a name can be filled with apostrophes or dashes.

More Generators
What are your favourite name generators? Which parts of a campaigns do you want covered in the future?

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Which one generates "Gleep Wurp the Eyebiter"?

 

[Xohar17]

Xagyg was just gygax reversed...

 

[Impavidus]

You don't need to "generate," names, just look them up on the Internet. We often find names from other cultures, past and present. All other methods are just lazy, lame and an insult to one's intelligence.

 

[Scrivener of Doom]

I use lesser known names created by Ed Greenwood. I have a list of 5,000 or so of them on a spreadsheet and I use a random number generator to select them.

You don't need to "generate," names, just look them up on the Internet. We often find names from other cultures, past and present. All other methods are just lazy, lame and an insult to one's intelligence.

Wow, you mean they're - gasp! - badwrongfun?! That should be outlawed!

 

[neobolts]

"Thunder White" is going to get used by me somehow. Maybe a Nazi villain.

 

[ChampionoftheTriad]

You don't need to "generate," names, just look them up on the Internet. We often find names from other cultures, past and present. All other methods are just lazy, lame and an insult to one's intelligence.

I would argue the opposite. Looking up names on the internet isn't lazy? I have created dozens upon dozens of fantasy names over the decades, and I pride myself on their fluidity and "realness" while remaining distinctly unreal. Some people aren't good at it, and they need help; enter the name "generators". Most I've seen and used are only a starting point. They rarely randomize a name that flows, but one can start adding or removing bits until it sounds genuine.

 

[cuscus]

I like naming my wizards after prescription drug names. Seems to work.

 

[RevTurkey]

I get a lot of my names by looking for something interesting in the 'Playtesters' section at the front of rule books.

 

[aramis erak]

I often include jokes in names.

Like the Orc named bob... Bob Goblin-slayer. (bobgoblin looks much like hobgoblin. My players picked up on that...)

I also like ethnic names when playing historical or pseudohistorical settings. I use the SCA names lists as a good starting point... the Academy of St. Gabriel is a primary resource, and I've met several members in my time in the SCA.
https://www.s-gabriel.org/

I tend to be careful about generators. The ones I like include:
https://www.behindthename.com/random/random.php (many ethnic modern lists, can mix-n-match a little.)
http://random-name-generator.info/ (based upon US Census lists)