What are good D&D character names?

Names that follow your race's naming customs and are easy to say at the table, like Udnar Bronzehelm for a dwarf, Faelwen for an elf or Rancour for a tiefling, plus a title earned in play, like Marlowe the Silver-Tongued.

Should my D&D character have a surname?

It depends on the race. Dwarves have clan names, halflings and gnomes have family names, and tieflings often have only one name. Half-orcs usually follow the culture that raised them.

How long should a D&D character name be?

Two or three syllables is easiest for the table to use. A longer name works if you also have a short form, so a dragonborn called Irrixanthul can go by Rix.

Can I use a name from a book or film?

You can, but everyone will picture the original character. It's usually better to pick a new name that fits the same feel.

What is a tiefling virtue name?

A name that's a word for an idea or quality, like Duty, Courage or Rancour, chosen by tieflings who prefer it to an infernal name. It often says something about the character's goals.

How to Name a D&D Character

A good D&D character name fits your race's naming customs, says something about your class or story, and is easy to say across the table on a Tuesday night. Here's how to get all three, with examples from our own generators.

By Rich · 29 October 2026

Start with your race

Every race in D&D has its own naming habits, and the Player's Handbook gives each one its customs and a list of sample names. Following them is the quickest way to make a character feel as if they belong in the world.

Dwarves carry a clan name with real pride, usually two hard English words joined together: Udnar Bronzehelm, Tordur Runehammer. See the Dwarf Name Generator.
Elves have long, flowing names with soft consonants: Faelwen, Kelvandor. In D&D lore, elves use a child name until they come of age, so an adventuring elf may only recently have chosen theirs. See the Elf Name Generator.
Tieflings have either an infernal name, like Kelzathar, or a virtue name chosen to mean something, like Rancour or Duty. Virtue names are a gift for roleplay. See the Tiefling Name Generator.
Halflings sound homely and often pick up a nickname: Errol "Sprout" Wheatbarrow. See the Halfling Name Generator.
Half-orcs usually take a name from whichever culture raised them: Tharin Thatcher grew up among humans, Kalgar Bloodripper among orcs. See the Half-Orc Name Generator.

Let your class add a title

Your first name says where you're from; a title says what you do. Most adventurers earn one sooner or later, so it's worth thinking about what yours might be.

A bard's title is a reputation: Marlowe the Silver-Tongued.
A rogue's is a skill, or a warning: Bess, Master of Locks.
A paladin's comes from their oath: Hadrian the Reconciler sounds like an Oath of Redemption.
A barbarian's can come from their path: Dagrun, Herald of the Storm.

You don't need a title at level 1. It can be more fun to let the party give you one after something memorable happens, good or bad. The Epithet Generator has hundreds to choose from, and each class page has its own: try the Bard, Rogue, Paladin and Barbarian name generators.

Match the table's tone

A name that works in a grim, serious campaign can fall flat in a light-hearted one, and the other way round. Before you commit, ask what kind of game it is.

Serious campaigns suit names that sound like real people from a real culture, with a title earned in play.
Comedy games are where a gnome called Filby "Loophole" Copperkettle belongs. Gnomes in D&D are known for collecting names and nicknames, so a long, silly one fits.
One-shots are a good place to try a name you're not sure about for a whole campaign.

If the rest of the party have names like Faelwen and Tordur, a character called Sir Bonkington will stand out, which may be what you want, but check with your group first.

Make it easy to say at the table

Your name will be said out loud hundreds of times, often by people reading it off a character sheet in dim light. That's a good reason to keep it short, or at least to have a short form.

Two or three syllables is the sweet spot for a name the DM and other players will use in conversation.
Long names need a nickname. A dragonborn called Irrixanthul Morzhan is magnificent on paper and will be "Rix" by the second session.
Avoid near-twins. If the party already has a Kael, don't play a Kaelen: give each character a different first letter if you can.
Say it before you write it. If you hesitate over the pronunciation, so will everyone else.

Avoid famous names

Some names are taken, in the sense that every player at the table will picture someone else. Gandalf, Drizzt and Geralt are the obvious ones, but D&D's own gods, villains and famous adventurers are worth avoiding too, as are the sample names in the Player's Handbook, which many players will have seen.

A quick search before you settle on a name will tell you if it belongs to a well-known character. Our generators build new names rather than reusing published ones, so they're a safe place to start.

A five-minute process

Pick your race's naming custom and generate ten names.
Cross out any you can't say easily, and any that clash with the party.
Pick the one that suits your character's background.
Decide on a short form the table can use.
Leave space for a title you'll earn in play.

For a whole party at once, the D&D Fantasy Name Generator mixes races, and the NPC Name Generator is handy for the DM. For the craft of naming in general, see How to Create Great Character Names, and for every race and class, all the D&D name generators.