Name generator
Elf name generator with family names and courts
Twenty elf names per click. First names blend an open, long-vowel syllable with a soft ending; family names join two nature words; a court or homeland can follow. Choose noble, wild, ancient or grim for high courts, wood clans, the eldest houses or exiles.
These are 20 seeded examples. Press Generate for a new batch.
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Uliwevel of the Wolf Trailsopening syllable + middle syllable + ending of court or homeland
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Ylalen Hazelrillopening syllable + ending + family name, first half + family name, second half
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Quillanopening syllable + ending
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Ashwingfamily name, first half + family name, second half
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Vaeweran Frostsongopening syllable + middle syllable + ending + family name, first half + family name, second half
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Daenael the Exileopening syllable + ending the Exile
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Winterbloom of the Thornwoodfamily name, first half + family name, second half of court or homeland
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Taethir Autumnbloomopening syllable + ending + family name, first half + family name, second half
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Vendinessaopening syllable + middle syllable + ending (second set)
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Iladelen of the Running Deeropening syllable + middle syllable + ending of court or homeland
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Raesalune of the Empty Throneopening syllable + middle syllable + ending (second set) of court or homeland
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Ylaran the Exileopening syllable + ending the Exile
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Elimeleth of the Star Councilopening syllable + middle syllable + ending (second set) of court or homeland
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Longgleamfamily name, first half + family name, second half
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Vaelisopening syllable + ending
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Venris Stonebrookopening syllable + ending + family name, first half + family name, second half
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Daeran Thornspearopening syllable + ending + family name, first half + family name, second half
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Orifalis of the Long Meadowopening syllable + middle syllable + ending of court or homeland
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Elidiria of the Western Shoreopening syllable + middle syllable + ending (second set) of court or homeland
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Lord Quilthel of the ThornwoodLord opening syllable + ending of court or homeland
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Elf name generator: example names by style
Each group below is a fixed batch made with this generator, with only the style filter changed. 44 names are on this page before you press anything.
Noble and grand
- Larkwhisper
- Eildril Starspear
- Aelenne
- Vaeshara
- Venvir Opalweaver
- Caeris
Wild and rugged
- Songfall of the White Towers
- Aspenleaf of the White Towers
- Ysaras
- Eliris of the Running Deer
- Aelthel
- Daethiel Mistdancer
Ancient and mythic
- Taesevir Swiftshade
- Ulivir Raindancer
- Shalian of the Lost Homeland
- Ysamirae of the Drowned Isles
- Maedal
- Elidivyn of the Drowned Isles
Grim and dark
- Thaesil Hollowsong
- Arasara
- Taenael Dewwhisper
- Arariel Dewbrook
- Arathel of the Twilight Court
- Ulisidal
How these elf names are built
This generator draws from 208 hand-picked words in 7 lists and uses 16 naming patterns, plus 5 more that wrap around a keyword you type. The patterns can combine into up to 15,366,704 different names before filters. Every name in the list shows the pattern behind it, so you can see why it reads the way it does.
Word lists
| List | Words | A few of them |
|---|---|---|
| Opening syllable | 32 | Lir, Ola, Eil, Vae, Ae, Ela, Thae |
| Middle syllable | 16 | ma, mi, ha, da, di, we, me |
| Ending | 22 | ris, vir, nar, vel, thas, vyn, nael |
| Ending (second set) | 26 | vela, relle, lune, thea, syra, nara, thiel |
| Family name, first half | 46 | Swan, Lark, Thistle, Dusk, Starling, Elder, Even |
| Family name, second half | 24 | weaver, petal, leaf, light, glow, wood, rill |
| Court or homeland | 42 | the Silent Halls, the Long Memory, the Fading, the Broken Harp, the Golden Terrace, the River Clans, the Grey Exile |
Patterns
| Pattern | Example | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| opening syllable + ending | Vaelis | any style |
| opening syllable + ending (second set) | Laevela | any style |
| opening syllable + middle syllable + ending | Lirmavel | any style |
| opening syllable + middle syllable + ending (second set) | Aelfaria | any style |
| opening syllable + ending + family name, first half + family name, second half | Vensil Farbow | any style |
| opening syllable + ending (second set) + family name, first half + family name, second half | Aelira Opalfall | any style |
| opening syllable + ending of court or homeland | Arithas of the River Clans | any style |
| opening syllable + ending (second set) of court or homeland | Aelrelle of the Sun Throne | any style |
| opening syllable + middle syllable + ending + family name, first half + family name, second half | Ysavavir Windmantle | any style |
| family name, first half + family name, second half | Sunpetal | any style |
| Lord opening syllable + ending of court or homeland | Lord Naesil of the Last Autumn | Noble and grand |
| Lady opening syllable + ending (second set) of court or homeland | Lady Calsilya of the Thornwood | Noble and grand |
| family name, first half + family name, second half of court or homeland | Elderbough of the Fading | Wild and rugged |
| opening syllable + middle syllable + ending of court or homeland | Faewathas of the Empty Throne | Ancient and mythic |
| opening syllable + middle syllable + ending (second set) of court or homeland | Iladerelle of the Twilight Court | Grim and dark, Ancient and mythic |
| opening syllable + ending the Exile | Vennar the Exile | Grim and dark |
| your keyword + family name, first half + family name, second half | Linden Nightbrook | any style |
| opening syllable + ending + your keyword + family name, second half | Callis Lindenglade | any style |
| opening syllable + ending (second set) + your keyword + family name, second half | Liamirae Lindenglade | any style |
| your keyword of court or homeland | Linden of the Withered Court | any style |
| your keyword + ending (second set) | Lindennara | any style |
The words are written by hand for elf names, not scraped. Pressing Generate runs the same seeded routine that built the names above, so the same seed always gives the same list.
Naming guide for your elf
Elf names here are built to flow. The opening syllable is open or ends on a soft consonant, as in Ae, Lae, Syl or Eli, and the ending begins with a liquid or a breath: rion, thir, lan, nael. Together they give names such as Laethir or Sylnael. A second ending set, including lia, relle, nyra and thiel, gives names such as Maelira and Elithiel. A middle syllable can be added for a longer, more formal name, which is why the ancient mood uses three-part blends.
Family names are two nature words joined: Dawnbough, Willowgleam, Mistweaver. The first half is where the mood shows. Noble houses take silver, star and swan, wood clans take fern, birch and aspen, the eldest lines take root, yew and stone, and the grim mood takes ash, dusk and winter. Lock a family name to generate brothers, sisters and cousins.
The last piece is a court or homeland, of the Glass Lake or of the Tall Pines. It does the work a title does for humans, and it is the quickest way to tell two elves apart at the table. One court name used for several characters also gives your players a faction to ask about.
Before you commit to a name
- Say the name aloud twice. If you stumble, your players or readers will too, and a name nobody can say gets replaced by a nickname.
- Check that it does not sound like another name already in your campaign or story. Two places that start with the same letter and end the same way get mixed up at the table.
- Search the web for it. The names are built from this site's own word and syllable lists, but a random blend can match a name from a published book, game or setting by chance. If it does, pick another.
- If you plan to publish or sell your work, treat the name like any other: you are responsible for checking it is not a trademark or a well-known name from someone else's world.
- Write it on the map or the character sheet and read it small. Long names get shortened in play, so check that the short form also works.
Questions
How do I get names for wood elves or high elves?
Use the mood filter. Wild gives woodland family names and homes such as the Fern Hollows; noble gives courts, thrones and the titles Lord and Lady. The site avoids the trademarked sub-races of particular games, so pick the mood that matches yours.
Are there male and female elf names?
There are two ending sets. The first (rion, thir, lan) reads as more masculine to most English speakers and the second (lia, relle, nyra) as more feminine, but neither is labelled and you can use any name for any character.
How do I make the names shorter?
Set the number of words to one for a first name only, or set the longest-name filter to about 14 characters to keep a first name and a short family name.
Can I use a first name I already chose?
Yes. Type it into the include-my-word box and the generator adds a family name or a court. A nature word such as Linden is also used as the first half of a family name.