A good spell name tells you what it does and hints at who made it: Thornbind, Hollowmark Hex, Ember's Last Whisper. This spell name generator makes names for homebrew spells in D&D, stories and games, sorted by the eight schools of magic, with a short effect to go with each.
Spell words and what they mean
- Spell comes from the Old English spel, a story or saying. A spell was words with power, which is why we still say "spellbound".
- Charm comes from the Latin carmen, a song or chant: charms were sung.
- Hex comes from the German Hexe, a witch, and reached English through the Pennsylvania Dutch in the 1800s.
- Ward is from the Old English weard, a guard, the same word as warden.
- Curse is Old English too, and has always meant calling harm down on someone.
Naming a homebrew spell
- Pick the school first. D&D sorts spells into eight schools, from abjuration (protection) to transmutation (changing things). The school sets the mood of the name: necromancy sounds cold, enchantment sounds sweet.
- Three ways to build a name: one compound word (Thornbind), a word and a type (Hollow Hex, Owl Sight), or a wizard's name in front. D&D has long named spells after the wizards who invented them, so an owner makes a spell feel like it has a history.
- Say what it does. The With an effect format adds a one-line effect to start from. Change it to fit your rules and your table.
For the caster, try the Wizard and Witch name generators. For the tools of the trade, there's the Wand and Poison name generators.