Drow Name Generator
Drow names built from an original dark-elven element system, with the meaning of every syllable and a matrilineal house name.
4,680,000 combinations
Male, female and neutral drow names, each with a matching drow last name and the meaning of every element shown. The same build gives you D&D drow names.
- Druszulvir Ssenymraz
Drusz dust + ulvir deep
Ssen silk + ymraz banner
- Dolzossyth Drazzurryn
Dolz gloom + ossyth builder
Drazz fang + urryn rank
- Pryszozzeth Kolzestryl
Prysz press + ozzeth dustfall
Kolz blade + estryl stair
- Ilthilzar Gryszestryl
Ilth beneath + ilzar lamplit
Grysz ash + estryl stair
- Malzzendra Tsarrolzzar
Malzz matron + endra of the house
Tsarr first + olzzar poison well
- Zrynelzith Drazzdryn
Zryn narrow + elzith service
Drazz fang + dryn descent
- Erztorvyth Nyzzilzeth
Erzt rank + orvyth outrider
Nyzz spider + ilzeth lamp
- Quyzothra Vorzssyra
Quyz spindle + othra grim
Vorz cold + ssyra mothers
- Ulthaldris Xanzythir
Ulth underneath + aldris warren
Xanz sunless + ythir taproot
- Jhasozzen Hulzondel
Jhas obedient + ozzen dust
Hulz hollow + ondel vault
- Ssinaelyth Gryszarnyss
Ssin fang + aelyth favoured
Grysz ash + arnyss guard
- Sszenolveth Nyzzvaeth
Sszen stillness + olveth silence
Nyzz spider + vaeth throne
- Pryzazren Gryszestryl
Pryz worth + azren shadowed
Grysz ash + estryl stair
- Dryszolvyth Zylulvaen
Drysz brooding + olvyth tongueless
Zyl venom + ulvaen stronghold
- Vrylzyzzon Ulztdryn
Vrylz winding + yzzon waiting hall
Ulzt deep + dryn descent
- Drisemryss Tsarrilzeth
Dris thread + emryss errand
Tsarr first + ilzeth lamp
- Thazzilvyth Zylvaeth
Thazz throne + ilvyth climbing
Zyl venom + vaeth throne
- Tlazzyssen Vorzaeryss
Tlazz platform + yssen obedience
Vorz cold + aeryss precedence
- Zaethussar Faezurryn
Zaeth dusk + ussar weapon
Faez favour + urryn rank
- Lylzobryth Myrzezzrel
Lylz lash + obryth patient
Myrz murmur + ezzrel chapel
- Mrynyzzon Gryszindrel
Mryn echo + yzzon waiting hall
Grysz ash + indrel daughters
- Nyssundris Faezulvaen
Nyss night + undris beneath
Faez favour + ulvaen stronghold
- Xalzythra Faezythir
Xalz dark + ythra taproot
Faez favour + ythir taproot
- Xelthyzzon Urzzythir
Xelth sunless + yzzon waiting hall
Urzz stone + ythir taproot
Need a name that means something in particular? Build one from its meaning.
How drow names are built
¶Drow is an elven language that went underground and hardened. It keeps the two-element compound of its surface cousin and throws away everything bright about it: no long open vowels, no liquid l-runs, and a heavy preference for the sibilants s, ss, sz and z stacked against z, th and lz. Where a surface elf name flows, a drow name hisses and stops. Vess is web, izzen is poisoner, and Vessizzen is a web poisoner.
The vocabulary is narrower than an elf's and it is not decorative. First elements name darkness, depth, spider and cold: xun sunless, szul deep, thyz spider, bryz chill, molz venom. Second elements name rank almost exclusively — irzen thirdborn, orzen expendable, yssar obedient, aezzin favoured. That is the real difference. An elf name tells you what someone is like. A drow name tells you where they stand, and every listener does the arithmetic immediately.
House names are matrilineal and are the only name that outlives anyone. They are compounds of a house emblem and a structure word: Nyzzaurr is nightweb crown, Ssenvaeth is silk throne, Ulztestryl is deep stair. The house is named for its founding matron's line and is spoken before any personal name in formal address. Male drow use the house name only while the house permits it, which is why an exile is introduced with a given name alone.
More drow names
Male drow names
- Jhaselzen Xanzindrel obedient exile
- Pryzassyn Ssenuzzeth worth kept
- Sarzossir Vorzurryn service mason
- Vrysisstra Elztulvaen cunning spun
- Blyzilvos Vorzssyra exiled climbing
- Lharithraz Drazzezzrel lesser hidden
- Nyssirzen Urzzuzzeth night thirdborn
- Kalzirzen Faezavrynn blade thirdborn
- Zylorvyth Gryszulvaen venom outrider
- Druszassyn Dolzondel dust kept
- Zilvekthyl Zylindrel cold cut short
- Xunenzir Vorzestryl sunless watcher
- Ilthekthyl Myrzilzeth beneath cut short
- Zilvorvyth Phaezaeryss cold outrider
- Vrysassyn Kolzurryn cunning kept
- Esztirrys Qillvaeth thirdborn displeasing
- Ghylulvir Elztondel gloom deep
- Ulzilvos Thrazdryn depth climbing
Female drow names
- Zaszizza Elztarnyss dusk venomous
- Bhylisstra Qillaeryss cruel spun
- Myssosshra Elztymraz mother watcher
- Shylzezza Rhazymraz shroud cold
- Jyzzythra Thrazzaurr jealous taproot
- Tryssozryth Gryszilzeth scourge forgotten
- Fenzaszra Hulzmrynn fetter knife hand
- Azzythra Thrazymraz first taproot
- Vaszithra Myrzurryn widow hidden
- Ssinisstra Gryszythir fang spun
- Elzzessyth Ssenvaeth eldest pledged
- Morzurzza Xanzilzeth dread bound
- Xalzaunra Dolzobrynn dark matron
- Tryssizza Gryszmrynn scourge venomous
- Zyrzazryna Zethestryl venom shadowed
- Vryssomryth Qillulvaen cunning counted
- Osszyssra Xilthulvaen obedience obedient
- Syrzaunra Vazulvaen sceptre matron
Neutral drow names
- Zrynaeth Gryszymraz narrow depth
- Thryzozzeth Vorzythir thrice dustfall
- Urthorzeth Nyzzaurr bedrock surplus
- Zalzirzon Zethindrel salt third ring
- Torzalzeth Elztavrynn tunnel stonework
- Phelzasseth Vazestryl fungus holding
- Ghazzessyn Dolzestryl verdict weaving
- Xeltholveth Ssarnossryn sunless silence
- Pryszzenyth Cazzolzzar press high seat
- Shulzomreth Zyluzzeth shale tally
- Myrzondeth Xilthaeryss murmur duty
- Vaelzundeth Phaezymraz vault underway
- Sarzzomreth Urzzssyra service tally
- Thryzasseth Qillzaurr thrice holding
- Faelzython Cazzondel lamp rootway
- Phelzozzeth Belzryndel fungus dustfall
- Szethelzith Phaezryndel seam service
- Sszenenzith Ssenolzzar stillness watchpost
Questions
What are good drow house names?
Combine an emblem with a structure word and keep the sibilants: Nyzzaurr, Ssenvaeth, Drazzondel, Vazryndel, Ulztestryl. Houses are named down the matrilineal line, so the emblem usually comes from the founding matron rather than a territory. Longer and harder to say than a personal name is correct here, because the house name is meant to be pronounced carefully by outsiders.
How are drow names different from elf names?
Same compound grammar, opposite register. Elven elements are liquid and bright and describe qualities: noble, moonlit, silver, friend. Drow elements are sibilant and closed and describe position: sunless, deep, thirdborn, expendable, favoured. If you can sing the name, it is an elf name. If it hisses and lands on a hard consonant, it is drow.
Are drow female names different from male names?
Yes, and structurally so. Female endings resolve on a vowel and carry the high-status vocabulary of command, priesthood and spider-craft. Male endings close on a consonant and carry service, weapons, silence and rank order. The first elements are shared, so a brother and sister will visibly belong to the same house while their endings tell you which of them matters in it.
Do drow have surnames?
They have house names, which is not the same thing. A house name is corporate rather than familial: it belongs to the matron line and can be withdrawn. Drow raised outside a house, or cast out of one, carry only a personal name, and that absence is legible to any other drow at a glance. Rogue and merchant drow often adopt a false house name abroad.
Can I use these names in my D&D game or novel?
Yes. The element system here is original and was assembled for this generator rather than lifted from any published setting or its languages, so the names are yours to use in campaigns, fiction and games without attribution. The meanings are supplied so you can justify a name in play or build a whole house whose members share one emblem.