Fantasy name generator
Every name comes with its lore.
NameLore combines Old Norse word elements for fantasy characters and places, and English phrases for inns and taverns. Read each result's component notes, save candidates across batches, then copy a shortlist for your story or game.
Choose a generator
Norse-rooted combinations and English sign names, free and instant.
Elf Name Generator
Fantasy elf names in elegant, woodland, mystic, and dark styles — each shown with its real meaning.
e.g. Hugbani — mind-bane
Dwarf Name Generator
Hard-edged dwarf names of stone, iron, and the forge — each with the lore behind it.
e.g. Malmdin — metal-assembly
Dragon Name Generator
Dark, serpentine dragon names of fire and frost — each with the lore that names it.
e.g. Thorfang — thunder-grasp
City Name Generator
Grand Norse-style city and stronghold names from real place-roots — each with the lore behind it.
e.g. Holmfors — islet-waterfall
Kingdom Name Generator
Grand realm and kingdom names from Old Norse roots — each with the lore that built it.
e.g. Glaesiberg — gleaming mountain
Warrior Name Generator
Battle-hard Norse warrior names — each shown with the meaning that earned it.
e.g. Megingaut — main strength-Geat
Ship Name Generator
Viking, pirate, and fantasy ship names that actually mean something — each built from real Old Norse roots with the lore behind it.
e.g. Linnbyr — serpent-fair wind
Pirate Name Generator
Sea-raider pirate names of salt, plunder, and the black flag — each built from real Old Norse and shown with its meaning.
e.g. Brandorm — sword-serpent
Hero Name Generator
Saga-hero names of fame, light, and lineage — each shown with the meaning that earns the song.
e.g. Ragnrik — gods-ruler
Town Name Generator
Small Norse-style town and village names from real settlement-roots — each with the lore behind it.
e.g. Klettvatn — rock-lake
Norse God Name Generator
God and deity names of thunder, light, and the old powers — each built from real Old Norse and shown with its meaning.
e.g. Arndis — eagle-lady
Frost Giant Name Generator
Frost-giant names of rime, stone, and the old cold — each built from real Old Norse and shown with its meaning.
e.g. Hrimgrimr — grim rime
Ogre Name Generator
Brutish ogre names of iron, stone, and gaping maws — each built from real Old Norse and shown with its meaning.
e.g. Myrkrisi — dark giant
Demon Name Generator
Malevolent demon names of hellfire, venom, and shadow — each built from real Old Norse and shown with its meaning.
e.g. Draugrim — undead-mask
Lord Name Generator
Lordly names of rule, renown, and old lineage — each built from real Old Norse and shown with its meaning.
e.g. Radvar — vigilant counsel
Orc Name Generator
War-band orc names of battle-fury, axes, and blood — each built from real Old Norse and shown with its meaning.
e.g. Grimox — mask-axe
Country Name Generator
Names for whole lands and nations — north-marches, wide-realms, settled countries — each built from real Old Norse and shown with its meaning.
e.g. Vestmark — west borderland
Wizard Name Generator
Wizard names drawn from the actual Old Norse words for magic — each one you can translate.
e.g. Vegald — sacred place-incantation
Tavern Name Generator
English tavern sign names with a Norse-inspired mood, component meanings and lore notes.
e.g. The Silver Barrel — silver barrel
Inn Name Generator
English inn sign names for a quiet roadside setting, with component meanings and lore notes.
e.g. The Sail & Hall — sail & hall
See how a name is built
Character and place names combine glossary elements. Inn and tavern names use English phrases, with Norse notes where available.
Compare before you choose
Read the displayed meanings, save up to 12 candidates across batches, and copy your shortlist. Refreshing or leaving the page clears it.
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Where these names come from
These are modern fantasy combinations, not a list of historically attested Old Norse names. The lexicon records word elements and source notes compiled from the dictionaries below. The explanations describe those components; they do not establish that a whole generated name existed in a saga or follows historical Old Norse grammar. Spellings may be simplified for an English-language story or game. The tool assembles combinations rather than retrieving names from a franchise; a coincidental match with an existing name is still possible.
Inn and tavern names use a separate set of English phrase patterns. Their notes identify Old Norse elements where available; other words describe a fictional mood or scene rather than a dictionary derivation. The dictionary references below apply to the Norse word elements.
- An Icelandic-English Dictionary
Richard Cleasby & Gudbrand Vigfusson (1874) — The standard historical dictionary of Old Norse; the primary source for root meanings.
- A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic
Geir T. Zoëga (1910) — Used as a cross-check on glosses and on which forms are actually attested.
Compiled and edited by Thomas Duan
Thomas Duan holds a BA in Germanic Languages and Literature from Beijing Foreign Studies University. He builds and edits NameLore's Old Norse root lexicon. Read the full method.