Dungeons & Dragons

D&D name generator

All ten core 5e races, with the surnames and clan names each tradition actually uses. Pick a race, choose whether you want a family name, and generate as many as you need.

Generators by race

Each race has its own page with naming conventions, worked examples, and advice on what makes a name land at the table.

Human names Grounded, pronounceable names with a medieval European weight. Elf names Flowing, vowel-heavy names built for centuries of use. Half-Elf names Names caught between two traditions, and often between two worlds. Dwarf names Hard consonants, short syllables, clan names you can hear ringing. Halfling names Warm, homely names with surnames straight out of a pantry. Gnome names Bouncy, invented-sounding names with too many syllables on purpose. Half-Orc names Blunt, percussive names that do not soften for anyone. Tiefling names Infernal names, or the virtue names chosen to escape them. Dragonborn names Clan-first names with draconic weight and a hard landing. Orc names Guttural names and epithets earned in front of witnesses.

How D&D naming conventions work

The ten core races do not share a naming logic, and that is the whole point. Dwarven names are built to be shouted; elven names are built to last four centuries without wearing out; halfling names are built to sound like an invitation to lunch. When all your NPCs sound like they came from the same village, it is usually because they were generated from one undifferentiated pool.

Given names and family names are separate systems

A human surname describes a place or a trade: Ashford, Thornfield, Holloway. A dwarven clan name describes what the clan endures: Battlehammer, Frostbeard, Ironfist. An elven family name like Galanodel has no living meaning at all, because the language moved on and the name did not. Getting this layer right matters more than the given name, because it is the part that implies a culture behind the character.

Two races that break the pattern

Tieflings and orcs both replace inherited surnames with something chosen or earned. A tiefling virtue name is a statement of intent; an orc epithet is a record of something that happened in front of witnesses. In both cases the second name is a story hook rather than a genealogy, which makes them the two most useful races to roll on when you need an NPC with an instant history.

Frequently asked questions

Are these names safe to use in a published campaign?

Yes. Every name here follows the naming conventions of the D&D 5e SRD rather than copying named characters from published settings. No trademarked character names are included.

Why do tiefling names work differently?

Tieflings traditionally carry either an infernal given name or a self-chosen virtue name such as Hope, Sorrow, or Temperance. A virtue name stands alone as a complete name rather than sitting alongside a surname, so enabling surnames for tieflings mixes virtue names into the results instead of appending one.

Can I get more names than the generator returns?

The generator only returns distinct names, so a narrow combination such as a single gender with surnames turned off will run out before fifty. Turn surnames on or set gender to Any and the pool expands enormously, because every given name can pair with every surname.

Do I need to credit this site?

No. Generated names are yours to use in any campaign, novel, or game, commercial or otherwise. A link back is appreciated but never required.