Gnome name generator
Quick, bubbly gnome names with a clan name and a nickname, so you get the full three-part name in one tap.
Make gnome 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 gnomes
The SRD 5.2.1 describes gnomes as small and clever, hard to fool with magic, with a choice of Forest Gnome or Rock Gnome lineage. It does not describe how gnomes are named.
Everything below about how gnomes 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 gnome naming works here
Names here are built from short, springy syllables with plenty of z, x and p. They tend to be three or four syllables and end in sounds like -wick, -bix and -ble. Tick the clan name and the nickname together and you get a three-part name: a given name, a clan from a tinkerer's word list, and a nickname that says how people actually know you.
Clan names are two words joined, like Springwick or Gearbolt, drawn from gears, springs, fuses and other workshop words. That fits tinkerers best, but nothing stops a forest gnome from using one.
Picking a name for your gnome
- Turn the nickname on and let the table use it. Gnome names are long and a nickname is faster.
- A gnome with a long, fussy name and a short nickname is a good character hook.
- For a family of tinkerers, lock the clan and roll everything else.
- Set the sound to harsh for zippy names heavy in z and x, soft for rounder ones.
Use in creator sends a result to the character creator, and the finished character opens in the character sheet.
Questions about gnome names
Do gnomes have three names?
The SRD does not say. A given name, a clan name and a nickname is a style we use here, and it is easy to drop any part.
What is the difference between soft and harsh?
Soft names use rounder syllables like -bo and -li. Harsh names use quick ones like -zik and -tix. It is only sound.
Can I turn off the clan name?
Yes. Untick the family name box and the generator gives just the given name and, if ticked, a nickname.
How many different names can it make?
Many thousands of given names, and several hundred clan and nickname combinations, so ten at a time rarely repeats.
More name generators
Dragonborn, Tiefling, Elf, Dwarf, Halfling, 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.
