Dwarf name generator
Short, solid dwarf names with a clan name and, if you want one, a nickname the clan gave you for something you did once.
Make dwarf names
Pronunciation key
Capitals mark the stressed syllable.
- ah as in father
- eh as in bed
- ih as in sit
- ee as in see
- oh as in go
- uh as in cup
- oo as in moon
- ay as in say
- ow as in cow
- aw as in law
- kh as in a throaty k
What the rules say about dwarves
The SRD 5.2.1 describes dwarves as tough and steady, with 120-foot darkvision, poison resistance and extra hit points. It does not describe dwarf naming customs.
Everything below about how dwarves are named is our own design for your table, made for fifth edition play. Treat it as a starting point and change what does not fit your world.
How dwarf naming works here
Names in this generator are short and hard. Some are a single syllable, such as Dorn or Brenn, and the longer ones stack two or three solid syllables. The family name is a clan name made from two ordinary words, one from stone and mining and one from craft and hearth, so you get names like Anvilhold or Copperwright.
Nicknames are where the habit shows. A dwarf is named for what they do or fail to do, such as Late Hammer or Steady Lantern, and the nickname often outlives the given name. Set the nickname option on and lock the given name to try several.
Picking a name for your dwarf
- Match the clan to the trade. A smith leans toward forge and anvil words; a miner toward vein and delver words.
- One-syllable names are quick to say in the middle of a fight. Set the length to short for them.
- Choose a nickname that gives you something to roleplay, such as a habit or a small failing.
- For a party of dwarves from one clan, lock the clan name and generate the rest.
Use in creator sends a result to the character creator, and the finished character opens in the character sheet.
Questions about dwarf names
Do dwarves in the rules have clan names?
The SRD does not cover naming. The clan structure is a common style that we made our own, using our own word lists.
How do I get a single-syllable name?
Set the length to short. About half of the short names are one syllable.
Why do so many dwarf names end in hard sounds?
Endings like -ak and -gar belong to the sound style we chose. Set the sound to soft for rounder endings such as -rin and -dal.
Are the nicknames fixed?
They are built from two word lists, so there are well over a hundred combinations. Tap a nickname to lock it and re-roll the rest.
More name generators
Dragonborn, Tiefling, Elf, Halfling, Gnome, Orc, Human, Goliath, and the tavern and inn name generator. How every generator works, and what it will never produce, is on the name generators page.
