How to Use NameRealm

Your complete guide to generating the perfect fantasy names for your characters, locations, and worlds. Explore more creative tools at Readability Pro.

⚡ Quick Start

  1. Choose a generator: Character Names, Locations, Surnames, or Full Characters
  2. Select your race (Elf, Dwarf, Orc, etc.) and gender (if applicable)
  3. Pick a cultural influence to add linguistic flavor
  4. Adjust the quantity slider (1-20 names per generation)
  5. Click "Generate Names" and watch the magic happen!
  6. Use the ❤️ icon to favorite names or 📋 to copy them to your clipboard

👤 Character Name Generator

Generate personal first names for your characters with race-specific phonetics and meaningful etymologies.

Best Practices:

  • Match race to personality: Elves for graceful characters, Dwarves for sturdy warriors, Tieflings for mysterious rogues
  • Use cultural influences: Celtic for nature-loving characters, Nordic for fierce warriors, Gothic for dark antiheroes
  • Generate in batches: Create 10-20 names at once to compare options
  • Check pronunciation: Use the phonetic guide to ensure the name sounds right when spoken

Example Use Cases:

D&D Campaign:

Generate an Elvish female name with Celtic influence for a forest ranger → "Aelindra" (meaning: "forest song")

Novel Writing:

Create a Human male name with Nordic influence for a Viking-inspired warrior → "Bjornulf" (meaning: "bear wolf")

Try Character Generator →

🏰 Location Name Generator

Create names for cities, kingdoms, taverns, mountains, forests, and more with geographical linguistic patterns.

Location Types Available:

🏛️ City

Urban settlements, capitals, trade hubs

👑 Kingdom

Realms, empires, nations

🍺 Tavern

Inns, alehouses, meeting places

⛰️ Mountain

Peaks, ranges, highlands

🌲 Forest

Woods, jungles, groves

💧 River

Streams, waterways, rapids

🏜️ Desert

Wastelands, dunes, badlands

🌊 Region

Territories, provinces, lands

Pro Tips:

  • Match location to inhabitants: Dwarf-influenced names for mountain kingdoms, Elf-influenced for forest realms
  • Tavern names are descriptive: "The Prancing Pony" style names work great for inns
  • Use share URLs: Share location names with your worldbuilding team
Try Location Generator →

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Surname Generator

Generate family names, clan names, and house names with patronymic patterns and descriptive elements.

Surname Styles:

  • Patronymic: "Son of" or "Daughter of" patterns (e.g., "Thorinson", "Elrondiel")
  • Descriptive: Based on traits or professions (e.g., "Stronghammer", "Swiftarrow")
  • Locational: Named after places (e.g., "Oakenshield", "Riverdale")
  • Compound: Two-part noble house names (e.g., "Silverwind", "Ironforge")

Combining First + Last Names:

For complete character names, combine the Character Generator with the Surname Generator:

  1. Generate a first name using the Character Generator
  2. Generate a surname using the same race + culture
  3. Combine them for a full name (e.g., "Aelindra Moonwhisper")
Try Surname Generator →

📜 Full Character Generator

Generate complete character profiles including name, surname, backstory, personality traits, and physical description.

What You Get:

  • Full Name: First name + surname with etymologies
  • Backstory: Character origin, family, and history
  • Personality: Traits, motivations, and character quirks
  • Physical Description: Appearance, age, and distinguishing features
  • Race & Culture: Heritage and cultural background

Perfect For:

  • Quickly rolling up D&D NPCs
  • Creating supporting characters for novels
  • Generating party members for your campaign
  • Overcoming writer's block with random inspiration
Try Character Generator →

⚙️ Advanced Features

📚 History Tracking

Every name you generate is automatically saved to your local history. Access all your past generations from the History page, with timestamps and full context. Search and filter to find that perfect name you generated last week!

❤️ Favorite Names

Click the heart icon on any name to add it to your Favorites collection. Perfect for curating a shortlist of candidates for your character or location. Favorites persist across sessions, stored locally in your browser.

🔗 Shareable URLs

Every generation creates a unique shareable URL that preserves your exact settings and results. Send this link to your D&D group, co-authors, or friends to show them the same names with full context. Works on any device!

⌨️ Keyboard Shortcuts

Speed up your workflow with keyboard shortcuts:

  • G - Generate new names
  • R - Regenerate (generate more)

📋 Quick Copy

Click the clipboard icon next to any name to instantly copy it to your clipboard. Perfect for pasting into character sheets, documents, or Discord messages. The button confirms with a checkmark when copied.

💡 Tips & Best Practices

✨ Experiment with Combinations

Don't be afraid to mix unusual race + culture combinations. Try Celtic Dwarves, Nordic Elves, or Gothic Halflings for unique and memorable results.

✨ Generate in Bulk

Set the quantity slider to 15-20 names to see more variety. This helps you identify patterns and find names that truly resonate.

✨ Check Pronunciation Difficulty

Each name shows a complexity rating (Easy/Medium/Hard). For player-facing NPCs, choose Easy or Medium names that people can remember and pronounce.

✨ Use Etymology for Inspiration

The name meanings aren't just flavor text - they can inspire character backstories. A character named "Shadowbane" (meaning: "darkness destroyer") might have a history fighting evil.

✨ Customize Generated Names

Feel free to modify generated names! Drop syllables, swap letters, or combine parts of two different names to create something perfect for your needs.

✨ Save Your Favorites

Don't lose great names! Add them to Favorites immediately so you can reference them later. You can always unfavorite if you use them.

Ready to create your perfect fantasy name?

Start Generating Names

Need to check your spelling? Try TextDiff.io for comparing different name variations.