This historical kingdom name generator makes names for invented states that sound as if they came from a history book. It does this by using the real forms of state, such as duchy, march, khanate and serene republic, with place names built from the sounds of the region that used them. The result is a name like The Duchy of Aldenmark or The Khanate of Tolgar, which suits alternate history, a grounded fantasy setting or a strategy game map.

The Six Historical Models

Model	Forms of state used	Real examples of the form
Medieval Europe	Kingdom, duchy, county, principality, march	Duchy of Burgundy, County of Flanders
Empire	Empire, dominion, exarchate, despotate	Exarchate of Ravenna, Despotate of Epirus
Steppe	Khanate, horde, khaganate, ulus	Golden Horde, Crimean Khanate
Merchant republic	Republic, free city, league, commune	Republic of Venice, Hanseatic League
Norse	Kingdom, jarldom, earldom, petty kingdom	Earldom of Orkney
Sultanate	Sultanate, emirate, caliphate, beylik, taifa	Emirate of Granada, Sultanate of Rum

The right-hand column lists real states, given only to show the form. The generator does not produce them.

Why the Form of State Matters

The word in front of the name tells the reader who rules and how. A kingdom has a king and a line of succession. A march is a frontier, so it implies a neighbour worth guarding against. A free city answers to no local lord, which means merchants hold the power. A taifa is one of the small states left when a larger one broke up, so it comes with rivals who share its history. Choosing the form first gives a new country its politics before any other detail is written.

Building a Map with These Names

Mix ranks. One kingdom with two duchies and a march beside it looks like a real region. Five kingdoms in a row does not.
Keep one sound per region. Names that end in -mark, -holt and -wald belong together. Put the names ending in -enza and -mare on another coast.
Use the name alone for towns. Choose Name only and the same lists give capitals and provinces that match their country.
Let borders explain the forms. Where an empire meets the steppe, a march or an exarchate is the natural thing to find.

For invented fantasy realms without the historical frame, use the Kingdom Name Generator. Peoples older than any of these are in the Ancient Civilization Name Generator, and the cities and strongholds inside the borders can be named with the Fantasy City Name Generator and the Castle Name Generator.

How to Use the Historical Kingdom Name Generator

Choose a historical model: Pick medieval Europe, an empire, the steppe, a merchant republic, the Norse world or a sultanate.
Choose full title or name only: The full title adds the form of state, such as Duchy or Khanate.
Generate and copy: Each press gives six new names.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are these real historical kingdoms?

No. The place names are invented. What is historical is the form: each name uses a kind of state that existed, with a name built from sounds of that part of the world.

What is the difference between a kingdom, a duchy and a county?

Rank. A kingdom is ruled by a king, a duchy by a duke and a county by a count. In medieval Europe a duke or count usually owed loyalty to a king, though some were independent in practice.

What is a khanate?

A state ruled by a khan. The word is used for the Turkic and Mongol states of the Eurasian steppe, such as the Golden Horde.

What is a march?

A border territory, held by a marquis or margrave whose task was to defend the frontier. The word survives in the Welsh Marches.

What was a Serene Republic?

A title used by some city-states ruled by merchants and not by a king. Venice was known as the Most Serene Republic.

Can I use these names for alternate history or a game map?

Yes. That is what they are for. Because the forms are real and the names are not, they sit comfortably beside real countries on a map.