How to name a kobold

A kobold is not a dragon, but it would very much like to be. Kobolds hatch from eggs and speak Draconic, and by the lore (Volo's Guide to Monsters) every kobold name is meaningful in that tongue, taken from a feature of the bearer's appearance or behaviour. The names are short, mostly harsh with a few softer tones, and there are no family surnames. That is the whole convention, and it is refreshingly simple to follow.

The shape of a kobold name

One short word, and that is it. A kobold's name is a single given name of one or two syllables: Sniv, Zev, Hakba, Kihlo, K'rok. There is no surname. Kobolds do not care much for one another, so names are fluid: a kobold may swap its name, add a syllable, or earn a new one after a milestone such as a first hunt, a first egg or a first battle. If you want to show rank or tribe, that comes from a separate descriptive tribe name (Deepdelver, Razorpaw) that belongs to the whole group, not from a personal surname.

Sound-names and meaning-names

Kobold names come in two flavours. The first is the pure Draconic sound-name: a short, made-up word like Sniv, Miv or Hakba. The second is the plain meaning of that name, in the common tongue, earned from what the kobold does or looks like. A snare-setter calls itself Trapper; a kobold with an odd forefoot becomes Redfoot; a jumpy one is Scurry. Both are correct, and a warband happily mixes them. This generator splits the meaning-names into three handy groups: Trapper (trade or deed), Scaled (a marking or scale colour) and Skittish (a habit or temper), alongside the pure Draconic style.

The sound of the names

For the sound-names, lean on clicking stops (k, t, x), buzzing sibilants (s, z, sh) and short, sharp vowels, but thread in softer tones (m, v, l, h) so the set is not pure harshness, which is exactly how the published examples read. Keep them to one or two syllables. A rare apostrophe (K'rok) adds flavour if used sparingly. For meaning-names, pick a single vivid concept (Trap, Dart, Spot) or a small compound (Snapfoot, Sootscale, Razorpaw); avoid stacking more than two parts.

Letting a generator do the work

The fastest route is to roll a batch with the kobold name generator, pick a style that fits, and refine the best. For the wider craft of building a character around a name, see the pillar guide on how to name a fantasy character. If your kobolds serve a particular wyrm, pair this with the dragon naming guide, and for their cave-dwelling rivals try the goblin naming guide.

A few pitfalls

• Do not make it too long. A three or four-syllable name reads as a dragonborn or a dragon, not a kobold.
• Do not give a kobold a surname. They have one given name; tribe names belong to the tribe, not the individual.
• Do not overload the apostrophes. One, used rarely, is plenty for a whole warband.
• Do not borrow a real published character's name; invented sounds and plain descriptive words keep you clear of anyone's copyright.