Drow Name Generators
"Commission" by Nikulina-Helena (resized) is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 3.0
Once upon a time, I assembled four random name generators for Drow characters and their noble houses. I started with a wide variety of sources, including the Forgotten Realms wiki; my book, Drow of Porphyra; an older but wonderful article in Dragon magazine; and drow dictionaries online. Then, I added new meanings and adjusted everything as best I could. There are now three different ways to use the generators for the dark elf characters in your games.
When you generate names, feel free to play with them until they suit your taste. All you need for a basic drow name is a prefix and a suffix, but you can drop letters, add letters (vowels work well), or move chunks around. When all else fails, you can add an apostrophe between pieces. For example, if we generated Lua (Bright) + thel (Scion) + tyrr (Poisoner), she could be Luatheltyrr, Lua'thel, Luatyrr, Theltyrra, and so on. This might inspire a character concept, such as a Drow rogue who has acclimated to sunlight.
Gender politics can also influence Drow names. In traditional Lolthian enclaves, it would be rare for a male child to be given feminine name pieces - but males might use feminized names in secret societies to mock those in power (behind their backs, of course). In a male-dominated group, male prefixes may be reserved for sons but suffixes may be chosen for daughters. In an egalitarian dark elf settlement, gendered meanings for names could be removed altogether, or parents may create names that include pieces from all categories. Have a look at some naming practices of the Drow to further enhance your Drow names.
Often, Drow values are harsh, so naming a child Haltyrr (Deft Poisoner) or Ilraun (Greedy Destiny) isn't an insult to them, it's an encouragement. Some names, however, might be chosen or given later in life. Jyslara (Relentless Cynic) likely chose that name after years of wry observations. Talra (Gullible Prey) could have disgraced herself enough to have been forcefully renamed - and she might be willing to do anything to get her old name back.
Perchance Online Generator
Generate random names and see their meanings at perchance, thanks to a reader!
RPG ChartMaker File (Updated & Improved for 2023!)
You can opt to download my drow name generator file and use it at RPGChartmaker site instead. It's easy to load, add your own entries, change colors, and generate as many names as you wish; learn more about it here and check out a preview below:
Drow Name Google Sheets
Below is a preview of the generator in Google sheets. You can make a copy of the file and use it however you'd like. You can add or change entries, delete those you don't like, or move them between categories. You can use the numbers on the side of the page to roll for random results, or you can just choose pieces that go together well.
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