Dungeon Name Generator
Names for crypts, caves, ruined keeps, mines and temples in a role-playing game.
Dungeon Names
Related Name Generators
This dungeon name generator names the underground places of a role-playing game: crypts, caves, ruined keeps, mines and temples. A dungeon name is the first clue the players get, often on a map or in a rumour, long before they see the door. Choose the kind of place and each press gives six names, such as Crypt of the Nine Brothers, The Weeping Ossuary or Maldrin's Folly.
Three Patterns
| Pattern | What it tells the players | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Place of something | What is inside, or what happened there | Crypt of the Nine Brothers, Mine of the Lost Shift |
| The describing word and the place | What it is like now | The Weeping Ossuary, The Leaning Watchtower |
| The founder's name | Who built it, and that it went badly | Maldrin's Delve, Harrow's Folly |
Kinds of Dungeon
| Option | Places it names | What the names draw on |
|---|---|---|
| Crypts and tombs | Crypt, tomb, barrow, catacombs, ossuary | The dead and who they were |
| Caves | Caverns, grotto, deeps, warrens, chasm | Water, dark and what lives in it |
| Ruined keeps | Keep, citadel, watchtower, bastion | Sieges, betrayals and garrisons |
| Mines | Mine, delve, shafts, pit, galleries | Ore, bad air and lost miners |
| Temples | Temple, shrine, sanctum, monastery | Rites that stopped, and why |
From a Name to a Dungeon
- Keep the promise in the name. If it is the Crypt of the Nine Brothers, there are nine tombs, and the ninth is different.
- Give the locals another name for it. The map says Kessick's Works. The village says the Pit. The difference is a story.
- Use the kind of place for the layout. A mine has shafts and levels, a crypt has rows, and a keep has a gate and a tower. The name has already told the players what to expect.
What the players find inside can be named with the Magic Item Name Generator and the Monster Name Generator. The job that sends them there is in the Quest Name Generator, and the village with the rumour in the Village Name Generator.
How to Use the Dungeon Name Generator
- Choose the kind of dungeon: Pick crypts and tombs, caves, ruined keeps, mines or temples.
- Generate: Each press gives six names in a mix of three patterns.
- Copy the one you want: Use the copy button beside it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good dungeon name?
One that tells the players what is down there without saying it outright. Crypt of the Nine Brothers promises nine of something. The Thirsty Mine promises a problem with water, or blood.
How do I name a dungeon for D&D?
Start with what the place was built to be, a tomb, a mine or a keep, and add either what went wrong or who built it. This generator does both.
What is the difference between a crypt, a tomb and catacombs?
A tomb holds one burial or one family. A crypt is a burial chamber under a building, usually a church. Catacombs are long underground passages lined with many burials. An ossuary stores bones that have been moved from graves.
Why do so many dungeons have a founder's name?
Because people name places after whoever is to blame. Maldrin's Folly tells the players that someone called Maldrin dug too far, and they can ask about him in the village.
Can I use these names in an adventure I publish?
Yes. They are built from common words, and dungeons from published adventures and games are left out.
How many dungeons does a campaign need names for?
Fewer than you think. Name the ones the players will hear about before they arrive. A dungeon they stumble into can be named by them.