This mercenary company name generator makes names for bands of hired soldiers in fantasy and science fiction. A fantasy free company is named for its badge or its numbers, such as the Iron Lanterns or the Forty Spears. A company can also carry its captain's name, such as Brannoch's Free Lances. The science fiction style gives numbered units and legions for mech and space games, such as the 4th Tavros Lancers.

Three Kinds of Company Name

Style	How it is built	Examples
Fantasy free company	A badge, a colour or a headcount	The Iron Lanterns, The Forty Spears, The Company of the Kestrel
Named for its captain	The captain's name and the kind of band	Brannoch's Free Lances, Karsk's Hundred
Science fiction unit	A number and home world, or a single hard word	The 4th Tavros Lancers, The Cobalt Legion

How Real Mercenary Companies Were Named

The names of historical companies were plain. The free companies that fought in France and Italy in the fourteenth century were known by a colour, a badge or the place they came from: the White Company and the Catalan Company are two that are still remembered. Others were simply called after the captain who held the contract, and changed name when he died. Later regiments for hire took a number and the name of the place that raised them. All three habits carry over into fiction, which is why they feel right. A company name is a trade name. It has to be easy to say, easy to paint on a shield and hard to confuse with a rival.

Choosing a Name for a Company

Pick the badge first. The Iron Lanterns need a lantern on every shield. A name that gives a clear picture also gives the uniform.
Use the number as history. The Forty Spears were forty once. Whether they are now four hundred or eleven is a story the players will ask about.
Let the captain's name date it. Brannoch's Free Lances may have outlived Brannoch. A company that keeps a dead founder's name has traditions and a grudge.
Match the tone to the reputation. The Sworn Shields keep contracts. The Ragged Jackals do not. An employer in the setting should be able to guess which from the name.

For the people in the company, see the Barbarian Name Generator and the Assassin Name Generator. For other organizations, use the Guild Name Generator, and for the people who hire them, the Kingdom Name Generator.

How to Use the Mercenary Company Name Generator

Choose a style: Pick a fantasy free company, a company named for its captain or a science fiction unit.
Generate: Each press gives eight new company names.
Copy: Use the copy button beside the name you want.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good name for a mercenary company?

One that is short and gives a picture: the Iron Lanterns, the Forty Spears, Brannoch's Free Lances. A colour or material with a badge is the most common pattern, and the easiest to remember.

What is a free company?

A band of soldiers that serves under contract and not out of loyalty to a lord. The term comes from the mercenary bands of fourteenth-century France and Italy, and fantasy uses it for any independent company of sellswords.

Can I use these for BattleTech or other mech games?

Yes. Choose the science fiction style for numbered units and legions in that manner. The names are invented and are not taken from BattleTech or any other game, so check them against the setting's own unit lists if that matters to your group.

Can I use these for a D&D adventuring party or guild?

Yes. A fantasy free company name works for a party that hires itself out. For a trade or thieves' guild, the Guild Name Generator on this site is a closer fit.

Are these real or famous companies?

No. Historical companies and well-known ones from books and games are left out of the generator. With common words a match can still happen, so search for a name before you publish it.

How many names does it make?

Eight with each press. The fantasy style alone can produce a few hundred different names, and the science fiction style about a thousand.