How to use the race name generator
- Pick a sound. Choose one of 10 sound styles, or mix them all. Each style has its own word roots, so the names feel like one language.
- Shape the names. Choose how many syllables, whether to use apostrophes, the first letter and the ending. Tick Easy to say for names your players won't stumble over.
- Listen and read. Every name shows a simple respelling (the stressed part in capitals) and its meaning, built from the roots. Press 🔊 to hear it.
- Keep the best. Star your favourites, copy the whole list, download it as a text file, or share a link that opens the same list.
How a race name is built
Each sound style is a small made-up language: a list of word roots with meanings, and a few endings that mean things like "people", "kin", "brood" or "hive". A race name joins one root (sometimes two) to one of those endings, so the meaning reads like a real people's name: "people of the tide", or "kin of iron and fire". When there is an apostrophe, it usually sits where the root meets the ending. The style tag under each name tells you which language it came from, so you can make more names in the same sound later.
Name forge and "Find your favourite"
Name forge blends two names into up to four new ones, joining the start of one to the end of the other, both ways round. Use it to merge two names you half like, or to name a mixed people by forging an Elegant name with a Harsh one. Forged names drop any apostrophes and have no root meaning, so give them one yourself.
Find your favourite is a small knockout: eight names, two at a time, through quarter-finals, semi-finals and a final. It uses your eight newest favourites if you have starred at least eight, and otherwise the first eight names in the list.
The 10 sound styles, with examples
| Style | How it sounds | Example names (meaning) |
|---|---|---|
| Elegant | soft L, TH and long vowels, like an ancient elven court | Vynesti (kin of the wind), Veyra'thari (people of power), Silien (folk of silver), Gelanthari (people of light) |
| Flowing | open vowels and gentle endings, like waves on a shore | Maruimu (tribe of the calm), Moavaeani (folk of open water and spray), Umeora (kin of rain), Enora (kin of salt) |
| Harsh | hard K, D and R, like stone and forge | Rugrim (clans of the rock), Randrim (clans of the shield rim), Skarthrumrim (clans of scar and drum), Hjalrim (clans of the helm) |
| Guttural | deep G, R and K, made to be roared | Drub'ug (kin of the stomp), Grakurk'ug (kin of blood and roar), Hruzug (kin of the howl), Bash'ug (kin of the smasher) |
| Hissing | S, SH and Z sounds that hiss like a snake | Ash'sai (brood of sand), Ssa'sai (brood of the tongue), Vass'ith (kin of gold), Osshss (hatchlings of the dusk) |
| Clicky | clicks, X and K, for insect and hive peoples | Chiqxchtik (kin of sting and swarm), Xchchi (brood of the swarm), Q'uakai (swarm of the egg), Xiitikkaix (hive of queen and twin) |
| Ancient | old-world sounds from long-lost empires | Amunim (the hidden people), Akhari (kin of the spirit), Atumrenene (children of wholeness and true name), Makraoth (dynasty of king and sun) |
| Short & cheerful | short, friendly sounds for small, cheerful folk | Beltumins (kin of bell and hill), Figlings (little folk of the fig), Dotpodins (kin of dot and pea), Nellets (folk of the lamp) |
| Alien | strange letters and apostrophes for beings from beyond | Qeloomari (collective of shell and hum), Xen'un (the other host), Oraquo'ex (species of orbit and core), Qaqel'un (host of mind and shell) |
| Wild & old | old, earthy sounds from moors, forests and hills | Iollugneen (little ones of lord and lake), Bran'oc (children of the raven), Neveach (folk of frost), Aedlirach (folk of fire and sea) |
Race names vs character names
This tool names a whole people: the word your world uses for elves, lizardfolk or star-born aliens. To name one person, use the D&D Name Generator, which makes first names, family names and titles for 24 races. A good trick is to use the same sound style for both, so a race called the Vael'thari has people called Ivenwyn and Vaelion.
Tips for naming a fantasy race
- Say it out loud. If you can't say it at the table, nobody will. Use the 🔊 button or the respelling.
- Let the sound match the people. Soft sounds suit graceful folk; hard sounds suit miners and warriors; hissing suits reptiles.
- Give it a meaning. "People of the tide" tells a story. Our meanings come from the roots, so you can build more words in the same language.
- Use apostrophes sparingly. One apostrophe can look exotic; three look like a typo. Choose Never for cleaner names.
- Check the plural. Most names work as "the Vael'thari" for the people and "a Vael'thari" for one person.
- Make related peoples rhyme. Type the same ending, such as "ari", in Ends with to get several races whose names clearly belong to one family of peoples, or to rival nations that split long ago.
- Keep the roots. Copy all and the .txt file keep every meaning, so you can reuse a root you like for the race's towns, gods and heroes.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use these names in my book or game?
Yes. The names are made by your browser from word roots written for this site (a few sound styles borrow the feel of real languages, such as the Flowing and Wild styles), and famous names are blocked, so they are free to use in campaigns, books, games and streams.
How does the pronunciation work?
Each root has a simple respelling, such as "VAYL-tha-ree". The part in capitals is stressed. The 🔊 button uses your device's own voice, so it sounds a little different on each device.
What does alien mode do?
It mixes strange alien roots into any style and adds more apostrophes, for sci-fi species and beings from other worlds.
Why do I get fewer than 20 names sometimes?
Very strict filters, such as a rare first letter plus an exact ending, can match only a few names. Loosen one filter to get a full list.
Does it work for animal, monster and dragon species?
Yes. A name is a name, whatever the people look like. Match the style to the creature: Hissing for serpent and reptile kinds, Clicky for insects, Guttural for big hunters, Flowing for sea creatures and Ancient for old dragon bloodlines.
Will it remember my settings?
Yes. Your last style and filters are saved in this browser, and so are your favourites. Nothing is sent to us.
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