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Gnome Name Generator

Whimsical, inventive names for D&D characters, fantasy stories and games. Pick a kind, hit generate, and keep the ones that sound like a busy workshop and a clever grin.

thousands possible names

Your gnome names

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About these names

What makes a name sound like a gnome

Gnome names are playful where dwarf names are heavy and human names are plain. They click and fizz, they carry a clever nickname, and they tie a small person to a workshop, a wood or a warren.

A gnome rarely goes by one tidy name. In most settings a gnome collects a given name from a parent, a clan name from the family, and a string of nicknames from everyone else, so a full gnome name reads like a little biography. This generator keeps the part that matters most for play, a bright first name paired with an inventive clan surname, and lets you add or drop the surname as you like. The sound is half the trick: short, springy first names full of plosives and double letters, such as Fizwick, Bink or Pog, set against compound surnames built from concrete things, such as Cogspanner, Thornburr or Stonewhisper. Say a name aloud and it should feel quick and a touch comic, never solemn.

The four kinds each pull from a different well. Tinker gnomes name themselves after the workshop, all gears, sparks and brass. Forest gnomes take soft woodland words, moss and bramble and burr. Deep gnomes, the svirfneblin of the deep places, harden the sound with stone, gem and grit. Hearth gnomes keep it homely, snug and warm and full of the pantry. Two quick examples show the range: Fizzet Sparkwidget is plainly a tinker, fast and bright, while Belda Gloamstone could only come from the dark below. For a pair that suits more guides and play, read the full gnome naming guide, or hop sideways to the halfling name generator for a cosier cousin.

The kinds

Tinker leans on craft and contraption, Forest on the quiet woods, Deep on the stony Underdark, and Hearth on snug burrow homebodies. Leave the kind on Any to mix all four, or pin one to match the gnome you have in mind.

Matching the name to the character

Gender sets which first-name pool is drawn from, with Neutral mixing both. Register changes the surname: Workshop for a built craft name, Clan for a grand "of the" form, Old for an heirloom. Length trims a name short for a quick handle or lets it run long with a holding.

Using the names

Copy any name with a tap, save the ones you like for later, or pick a name and hit Refine to lock the part you love and shuffle the rest. Everything runs in your browser, so it works offline and suits D&D, Pathfinder, fiction and any game that needs a gnome in a hurry.

How it works

From blank sheet to the right name in three steps

No sign-up, no cost. Everything runs in your browser and your saved names stay on your device.

  1. Step one

    Pick a kind

    Choose Tinker, Forest, Deep or Hearth to set the flavour, or leave it on Any for a mix of every warren.

  2. Step two

    Set the details

    Open Options to choose gender, register, how many names you want, name length and whether to include surnames.

  3. Step three

    Keep your favourites

    Copy any name, save the ones you like, or refine a name into close variations until it feels right.

Kinds

Four kinds of gnome, plus a mix

Each kind is a feel rather than a strict rule, so it slots into any setting. Pick one to match your gnome, or browse Any.

Tinker

Bright, clockwork names of the workshop gnomes, like Fizwick Cogspanner or Tizzy Sparkwidget.

Forest

Soft, woodland names of the shy forest gnomes, like Pip Thornburr or Bryony Mosswhistle.

Deep

Hard, stony names of the deep gnomes below ground, like Grel Stonewhisper or Belda Gloamstone.

Hearth

Snug, kindly names of the burrow gnomes, like Nim Honeydapple or Mimsy Warmwhistle.

Naming tips

Giving a gnome a clever grin

Keep it quick and springy

Gnome first names are short and bouncy, full of double letters and hard little sounds. A snappy first name plus an inventive surname does most of the work.

Use register for the surname

Set Register to Workshop for a built name like Cogspanner, Clan for a grand form such as of the Brassbottle gnomes, or Old for an heirloom form.

Refine, don't restart

Found a first name you love but the wrong surname? Choose it, hit Refine, lock the first name and shuffle the rest.

Read the full gnome naming guide for deeper tips, examples and ideas.

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Questions

Gnome name generator FAQ

Yes. You can generate unlimited gnome names for free, with no sign-up. Copy or save any you like and use them however you want.
Absolutely. The names suit gnome player characters and NPCs in D&D 5e, Pathfinder and most fantasy settings, from rock gnome tinkers to deep gnome svirfneblin. Pick a kind, generate, and drop your favourite onto the character sheet.
Each kind is a flavour rather than a strict rule. Tinker leans on workshop and clockwork names, Forest on the shy woodland gnomes, Deep on the stony folk who live below ground, and Hearth on snug burrow homebodies. Leave it on Any for a mix, or pick one to match your character.
Open Options and set Gender to Masculine or Feminine. Leaving it on Neutral gives a mix of both. First names are drawn from the matching pool for the kind you chose.
Register changes the kind of surname you get. Common gives a plain clan name, Workshop makes a craft or contraption name like Cogspanner, Clan gives a grand form such as of the Brassbottle gnomes, and Old uses an older heirloom form. Leave it on Any for a spread.
Surnames are off by default for a quick first name. Turn them on in Options for a full name, or use Refine on a chosen name to swap just the surname while keeping the first name.
Yes, for stories, comics, video games, streams and other creative projects. Generated names are not trademarked here, but for a major commercial title it is sensible to do a quick search to make sure your chosen name is not already strongly associated with something else.
No. Each batch is checked against the names you have already seen this visit, so you can generate again and again without repeats. Use Previous to step back to an earlier batch.

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