This elf name generator, or elvish name generator if you prefer that word, builds names from real Sindarin word elements and shows what each part means. A result such as Celebwen reads as "silver + maiden" instead of being a pleasant-sounding string of letters. You can keep to high elf or wood elf vocabulary, switch to D&D-style names with a family name, or generate elven surnames on their own.

How Elvish Names Are Built

Nearly all fantasy elf names descend from the languages J.R.R. Tolkien invented. He based Quenya on Finnish and Sindarin on Welsh, which is why elven names favour l, n, r and th with open vowels, and avoid the hard stops he gave his Orcs. In Sindarin most personal names are two-part compounds: a descriptive word followed by an ending that says who the person is.

Name	Parts	Meaning
Arwen	ar + wen	noble maiden
Celeborn	celeb + orn	silver tree
Legolas	laeg + golas	green leaves
Elrond	el + rond	star dome
Gil-galad	gil + galad	star of radiance

The endings carry a lot of the meaning, and a handful cover most names:

-iel (daughter) and -wen (maiden) for women, as in Tinúviel and Arwen.
-ion (son) and -dir (man) for men.
-hir (lord), -mir (jewel) and -randir (wanderer), as in Gwaihir and Mithrandir.

The meanings shown by the generator are approximate. Tolkien's grammar also changes consonants where two words meet, and the generator joins the parts without those changes.

High Elf and Wood Elf Names

The split between high elves and wood elves comes from Tolkien too: the High Elves had lived in the light of Valinor, and the Silvan or Wood-elves never made the journey west and stayed in the forests of Middle-earth. Games kept the idea and attached a vocabulary to each. The high elf style draws on words for stars, the moon, silver, gold and kingship. The wood elf style uses leaves, willows, rivers, mist and eagles. Dark elves follow different rules altogether, so they have their own Drow Name Generator.

D&D Elf Names and Elven Surnames

Tolkien's Elves rarely have surnames. They carry a father-name, a mother-name and sometimes an earned title. Dungeons & Dragons added the family name: an Elvish compound that players usually quote with its Common translation, such as Amakiir (Gemflower) or Nailo (Nightbreeze). The D&D style gives a first name in that tradition together with an invented family name and translation, and Surnames only produces the family names by themselves. For surnames from other fantasy peoples, see the Fantasy Last Name Generator, and if your elves need somewhere to live, the Elven City Name Generator.

How to Use the Elf Name Generator

Choose names or surnames: Pick elf names for a full character name, or surnames only if you just need an elven family name.
Pick a naming style: Tolkien-style draws on every Sindarin element. High elf keeps to stars, light and nobility, wood elf keeps to trees, rivers and animals, and D&D-style gives a first name with a family name.
Set female or male: The two sets use different endings, such as -wen and -iel for women and -ion and -dir for men.
Generate and copy: Each press gives six names with their meanings underneath. Use the copy button beside the one you want.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a difference between elf, elven and elvish names?

No. They are three words for the same thing. Tolkien used "Elvish" for the languages and "Elven" as a describing word, as in Elven-king, and games use all three interchangeably. An elvish name generator and an elven name generator do the same job.

How do I make an elvish name with a real meaning?

Join a Sindarin word element to a name ending. Arwen is ar (noble) plus -wen (maiden). Celeborn is celeb (silver) plus orn (tree). Elrond joins el (star) with rond (dome). The generator works the same way and prints the two meanings under each name, although it does not apply the consonant changes that full Sindarin grammar would.

What is the difference between Quenya and Sindarin names?

Quenya is the older, ceremonial language, which Tolkien called an Elven-Latin and based on Finnish sounds. Names such as Eärendil, Elendil and Isildur are Quenya. Sindarin is the everyday language of Middle-earth and was shaped by Welsh. Legolas, Elrond, Arwen and Galadriel are Sindarin forms.

How do elf names work in D&D?

The Player's Handbook gives elves a child name, an adult name they choose after declaring adulthood at around 100 years old, and a family name. Family names combine Elvish words and are often given with a Common translation, such as Galanodel (Moonwhisper) or Liadon (Silverfrond). The D&D style in the generator follows that pattern with newly invented names.

Do high elves, wood elves, sun elves and moon elves have different names?

The D&D rules give all elves one shared name list, so the difference is a matter of flavour. High elf names usually lean on stars, light and rank, and wood elf names on trees and rivers. In the Forgotten Realms, sun elves and moon elves are both kinds of high elf, so the high elf style suits either.

Can I use these names for Elder Scrolls or Warcraft elves?

They will fit in tone, but both games have their own conventions. Elder Scrolls high elves (Altmer) tend to have long, vowel-heavy single names, and Warcraft's elves use a first name with a compound surname like Windrunner or Sunstrider. For a Warcraft-style surname, the Common translations shown in Surnames only are the closest match.