ARCADECharacter Name Generator
Need a name for a hero, a shopkeeper or a mysterious stranger? Pick a world and get 10 characters, each with a role and a trait to bring them to life. Free, no sign up.
Every click gives you 10 new characters. Each world has its own first names, last names and roles, so a western sheriff never sounds like a space pilot, and you can switch worlds to compare. Click again as many times as you like: there are thousands of names per world, and with the roles and traits, millions of possible characters.
How to name a character players remember
A good character name does a lot of work before the character says a single word. Run your favorites through these quick checks.
1. Match the name to the world
"Aldric Stormborn" belongs in a castle, "Kade Voss" on a starship, "Mochi Puddlefoot" in a cozy village. The sound of a name tells players where they are before they read a line of dialogue.
2. Let the sound hint at the personality
Hard sounds (K, X, V, R) feel tough and dangerous. Soft sounds (L, M, S) feel friendly. Sharp, short names suit rivals and villains, warm and round names suit helpers and sidekicks.
3. Give every main character a different first letter
If your hero is Elara and your rival is Elias, players will mix them up. Different first letters and different lengths make each name easy to tell apart at a glance, especially in a fast game.
4. Keep it easy to say
Players repeat names out loud to friends and type them in chats. If a name needs a pronunciation guide, shorten it or keep the long version as a full title ("Seraphine of the Frostmere").
5. Add one trait
A name plus one memorable trait ("always hungry", "a terrible liar") is enough to make an NPC feel alive. That is why the generator gives you a role and a trait for every name.
Character names by world
A quick reference if you want to write your own names instead.
| World | Sounds like | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy | Old, musical names and nature words | Elowen Brightwater, Garrick Stonehelm, Wren Ashgrove |
| Sci-fi | Short, crisp names, sometimes a code | Kira Voss, Orion Tycho, Cipher Lumen |
| Horror | Old-fashioned names, gloomy last names | Agnes Mortlake, Ambrose Graves, Vesper Hale |
| Western | Plain first names, tough last names | Etta Calloway, Wyatt Kincaid, Shiloh Rawlins |
| Pirate | Sea words and nicknames | Scarlett Redsails, Barnaby Goldtooth, Brine Deepcove |
| Post-apocalyptic | One-word nicknames, junk and road words | Raine Dustwalker, Knox Ironside, Rust Lastlight |
| Cute / Cartoon | Food, soft sounds, silly last names | Mochi Puddlefoot, Pip Cloudberry, Bloop Teacup |
Characters that work: real games made on Arcade
A few characters from games made by creators on Arcade, and why their names click:
- Bloopy in Back to You: a soft, round, bubbly name for a cute hero you want to help.
- Black Jack Mortimer in Dead Man's Gulch: a card game nickname plus an old-fashioned last name. You know he is an outlaw, and a dead one.
- Grandma Hollow in Candy Thief: one cozy word and one creepy word. Funny and unsettling at the same time.
- The Lantern Keeper in The Lantern Keeper: no name at all, just a role. A title can be enough when the role is the story.
Bloopy's curious partner wandered off in the garden and got sucked into another dimension. Solve the puzzles to bring them back.
1887. Trapped in the cursed Widow's Silver Mine, a lone prospector survives one horror after another to destroy the undead outlaw Black Jack Mortimer.
Locked upstairs in Grandma Hollow's creaky house, pick the locks and find a way out with your candy.
A witch has cursed the village. Guide a little pumpkin hero whose fading lantern is the only weapon.
From a name to a character in your game
A name is the start. To turn it into a character players remember, give them a look, a job in your game and one line they always say. On Arcade, you can describe the character to Morph, Arcade's building assistant, and add them to your world as an NPC. Here is an example to start from. Roll another one or paste it in Arcade and change the details.
Add a shopkeeper NPC named Pip Cloudberry in the village square. Pip is a tiny inventor who is always hungry. Pip sells a jetpack for 50 coins and says "Snacks first, science second!" when the player walks by.
Paste it and build on ArcadeBring your characters to life
Build a game around your characters, right in your browser. No coding, no downloads. Arcade is free.
Create your gameFAQ
Is the character name generator free?
Yes. It is free with no sign up. Generate as many character names as you want.
Can I use these names in my game or story?
Yes, the names are free to use in your games, stories, comics or tabletop campaigns. If a name becomes the title of your game, search it first to make sure no well known game already uses it.
What worlds does the generator cover?
Fantasy, sci-fi, horror, modern, western, pirate, post-apocalyptic and cute or cartoon worlds, with female, male and gender neutral names for each.
Why does every name come with a role and a trait?
Because a name alone is hard to imagine. A role ("dragon tamer") and a trait ("terrified of heights") give you a character you can write, draw or put in a game right away.
How do I name a villain?
Pick the Horror or Fantasy world for darker names, or try the villain name generator for names with a title, a motive and a signature move.
Can I add my characters to a real game?
Yes. On Arcade you describe your character to Morph, Arcade's building assistant, and add them to your game as an NPC with a role, a line of dialogue or a quest. No coding needed.