This bandit name generator gives names for robbers, outlaws and highwaymen in fantasy games and stories. A bandit rarely goes by a full name. There is a first name, often a short one, and a nickname the gang or the local sheriff came up with: Garrick Red-Hand, Moll the Magpie. The generator makes those, gives nicknames alone to add to a character you already have, and names the gang as a whole.

Three Kinds of Bandit Name

Option	What you get	Examples
Bandit name	A first name and a nickname	Garrick Red-Hand, Tess the Whistler
Nickname only	The nickname alone, for any character	One-Ear, the Unhanged, Lucky-Penny
Gang name	A name for the whole band	The Hollow Road Gang, The Grey Hoods

Where Bandit Nicknames Come From

A mark on the body. One-Ear, Split-Tooth and Crooked-Finger are the kind of thing a witness remembers and repeats.
A habit or a trade. The Whistler, the Tinker and the Night Clerk say what the person did before, or does while waiting by the road.
A joke. The Polite, the Lamb and the Gentleman are given to people who are nothing of the kind, or to the one robber who really is.
A piece of luck. The Unhanged and Short-Rope are names for someone who has already been caught once.

Using Bandit Names in a Game

Give a name to the leader and to one other member of the gang, and leave the others unnamed. Players remember two names and forget six. A gang name on a wanted notice is an easy way to start an adventure: the players hear of The Toll Bridge Cutters long before they meet them. If a captured bandit is going to talk, the nickname is a ready-made question, because somebody will ask how Wat lost the ear.

For other characters on the wrong side of the law, see the Pirate Name Generator and the Assassin Name Generator. Hired soldiers who are one bad season away from banditry are in the Mercenary Company Name Generator, and the inn where the gang drinks can be named with the Tavern Name Generator.

How to Use the Bandit Name Generator

Choose what you need: Pick a bandit name, a nickname alone, or a gang name.
Choose a gender: For a bandit name, the gender decides the first name.
Generate and copy: Each press gives six new names.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good bandit name?

A plain first name and a nickname that says one thing about the person: Garrick Red-Hand, Moll the Magpie, Wat One-Ear. The plainer the first name, the better the nickname stands out.

How do I name a bandit gang?

Name it after the place it works or the mark it wears: The Hollow Road Gang, The Red Kerchiefs. Travellers name gangs by what they see, so keep it simple.

How do I name an orc or elf bandit?

Take the first name from the generator for that people and add a nickname from here. An orc rogue might be Grath Quick-Finger. Choose the nickname option to get nicknames alone.

What is the difference between a bandit and a highwayman?

A bandit is any robber who works outside a town, usually in a group. A highwayman robs travellers on the road, and in English history the word meant one who did it on horseback.

Can I use these names for D&D bandits?

Yes. The bandit and the bandit captain are common early enemies in Dungeons & Dragons, and a name turns one from a stat block into someone the players remember.

Are the names free to use?

Yes. The first names are ordinary names and the nicknames are built from common words.