NameLore is a free fantasy name generator built on real Old Norse. Every name it produces is assembled from genuine Old Norse word-roots, and it arrives with its meaning and its etymology — so you never have to wonder what your character, city, or ship is actually called.
Why we're different
Most name generators simply spit out random syllables that look vaguely fantastical but mean nothing at all. We believe a fantasy name should actually mean something. So instead of stringing together gibberish, we hand-build a lexicon of real Old Norse elements, each one tagged with its meaning, and our engine combines them into names you can genuinely translate. When NameLore hands you a name, it also hands you the story behind it.
Who it's for
We build NameLore for the people who care about the worlds they create: writers shaping characters and places, worldbuilders mapping out whole cultures, tabletop and D&D players who need a name at a moment's notice, and game developers populating their settings with names that hold up to scrutiny. If a throwaway string of letters was never going to be enough for you, you're exactly who we made this for.
How it works
Names generate instantly, right in your browser — free, with no sign-up and no limits. Our generators span elves, dwarves, dragons, cities, kingdoms, warriors, ships, heroes and more, alongside focused variants like wood elf, ice dragon and viking. Pick a generator, hit generate, and you'll have a fresh set of names — each with its parts and their meanings laid out — in an instant.
Our commitment to accuracy
The lore only matters if it's true, so we take it seriously. We source our elements from Old Norse and check each one's meaning, which means the etymology shown with every name reflects real roots — not invented filler dressed up to look authentic. It's the difference between a name that sounds Norse and a name that genuinely is.
Try it, and say hello
The best way to understand NameLore is to use it — so pick a generator and see what the roots turn up. If you have questions, ideas, or spot an etymology you think we should revisit, we'd love to hear from you at hello@namelore.io.