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Drow Name Generator

Drow names built from an original dark-elven element system, with the meaning of every syllable and a matrilineal house name.

1,560,000 combinations in this form

  • Druszulvir Ssenymraz

    Drusz dust + ulvir deep

    dust deep

    Ssen silk + ymraz banner

    silk banner

  • Dolzossyth Drazzurryn

    Dolz gloom + ossyth builder

    gloom builder

    Drazz fang + urryn rank

    fang rank

  • Pryszozzeth Kolzestryl

    Prysz press + ozzeth dustfall

    press dustfall

    Kolz blade + estryl stair

    blade stair

  • Ilthilzar Gryszestryl

    Ilth beneath + ilzar lamplit

    beneath lamplit

    Grysz ash + estryl stair

    ash stair

  • Malzzendra Tsarrolzzar

    Malzz matron + endra of the house

    matron of the house

    Tsarr first + olzzar poison well

    first poison well

  • Zrynelzith Drazzdryn

    Zryn narrow + elzith service

    narrow service

    Drazz fang + dryn descent

    fang descent

  • Erztorvyth Nyzzilzeth

    Erzt rank + orvyth outrider

    rank outrider

    Nyzz nightweb + ilzeth lamp

    nightweb lamp

  • Quyzothra Vorzssyra

    Quyz spindle + othra grim

    spindle grim

    Vorz cold + ssyra mothers

    cold mothers

  • Ulthaldris Xanzythir

    Ulth underneath + aldris warren

    underneath warren

    Xanz sunless + ythir taproot

    sunless taproot

  • Jhasozzen Hulzondel

    Jhas obedient + ozzen dust

    obedient dust

    Hulz hollow + ondel vault

    hollow vault

  • Ssinaelyth Gryszarnyss

    Ssin fang + aelyth favoured

    fang favoured

    Grysz ash + arnyss guard

    ash guard

  • Sszenolveth Nyzzvaeth

    Sszen stillness + olveth silence

    stillness silence

    Nyzz nightweb + vaeth throne

    nightweb throne

  • Pryzazren Gryszestryl

    Pryz worth + azren shadowed

    worth shadowed

    Grysz ash + estryl stair

    ash stair

  • Dryszolvyth Zylulvaen

    Drysz brooding + olvyth tongueless

    brooding tongueless

    Zyl venom + ulvaen stronghold

    venom stronghold

  • Vrylzyzzon Ulztdryn

    Vrylz winding + yzzon waiting hall

    winding waiting hall

    Ulzt deep + dryn descent

    deep descent

  • Drisemryss Tsarrilzeth

    Dris thread + emryss errand

    thread errand

    Tsarr first + ilzeth lamp

    first lamp

  • Thazzilvyth Zylvaeth

    Thazz throne + ilvyth climbing

    throne climbing

    Zyl venom + vaeth throne

    venom throne

  • Tlazzyssen Vorzaeryss

    Tlazz platform + yssen obedience

    platform obedience

    Vorz cold + aeryss precedence

    cold precedence

  • Zaethussar Faezurryn

    Zaeth dusk + ussar weapon

    dusk weapon

    Faez favour + urryn rank

    favour rank

  • Lylzobryth Myrzezzrel

    Lylz lash + obryth patient

    lash patient

    Myrz echo + ezzrel chapel

    echo chapel

  • Mrynyzzon Gryszindrel

    Mryn echo + yzzon waiting hall

    echo waiting hall

    Grysz ash + indrel daughters

    ash daughters

  • Nyssundris Faezulvaen

    Nyss night + undris beneath

    night beneath

    Faez favour + ulvaen stronghold

    favour stronghold

  • Xalzythra Faezythir

    Xalz dark + ythra taproot

    dark taproot

    Faez favour + ythir taproot

    favour taproot

  • Xelthyzzon Urzzythir

    Xelth sunless + yzzon waiting hall

    sunless waiting hall

    Urzz stone + ythir taproot

    stone taproot

How drow names are built

Etymology

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.

Questions

FAQ

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.

Nearby sets

See also