Pick a race, and optionally a gender and a class, then press Generate 10 names. The generator writes ten names that follow that race’s naming customs, each with a pronunciation and a short meaning. Copy one name or the whole list, and generate again if nothing fits.
The class option changes the flavor, not the language. An elf is still named like an elf; an elf rogue just leans toward names that would suit a thief or a spy, and an elf paladin toward something you could put on a banner. Leave it on "Any class" for plain race names.
Before you generate, the tool shows traditional example names for the race you picked. Most come from the race naming lists in the 2014 Player’s Handbook, which the dedicated race pages also use. Each race has its own page with more options, naming tips and the full list — follow the "More names" link under the results.
How D&D names work by race
In 5e, a character’s name comes from their race and the culture that raised them, not from their class. A few patterns cover most of the core races:
- •Dwarves pair a given name with a clan name, and the clan name carries real weight. Expect hard consonants: Brottor Ironfist, Eldeth Battlehammer.
- •Elves take a child name at birth and choose an adult name around age 100. The family name is a poetic phrase in Elvish, often translated for outsiders (Galanodel means "Moonwhisper").
- •Dragonborn say their clan name first, then their personal name, and many keep a descriptive childhood name like "Shieldbiter".
- •Halflings use a warm, simple given name and a homely family name (Merric Tealeaf), sometimes with a nickname.
- •Gnomes collect several names from relatives and usually go by a given name, a clan name and a nickname.
- •Tieflings use a human name from the culture that raised them, an Infernal name, or a virtue name such as Hope or Despair.
- •Half-elves and half-orcs usually take a name from whichever culture raised them, human, elven or orcish.
These customs come from the 2014 Player’s Handbook; the 2024 rules call races species. Treat them as a starting point, not a rule. If your setting has its own cultures, name characters after those.
Tips for picking a name you’ll keep
Say it out loud: the rest of the table will use the name for months. Avoid two party members with the same first letter, and keep long ceremonial names for introductions with a short version for play. For NPCs, a name that hints at the person ("Brother Ashkettle", "Mother Greenbottle") is easier for players to remember than an exotic one.