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Are you looking for a cool-sounding name to give your drow character in Dungeons & Dragons? You’ve come to the right place! D&D lore offers a ton of options in terms of drow (or dark elf, as they're sometimes called) names and naming conventions, but since it’s scattered across different editions and publications, finding the information can be tricky—so we’ve done the finding for you. In this article, we’ll cover all of the most common and iconic drow names (and surnames) as well as show you how to make a drow name of your own.
Drow Names: Quick Ideas
- Female names: Akordia, Anluryn, Chalithra, Felyndiira, Imrae, Talice, Vornalla, and Xune
- Male names: Alton, Belaern, Elendar, Jalynfein, Nyloth, Relonor, Ryld, Vorn, and Zeerith
- Surnames: Auvryndar, Baenre, Faen Tlabbar, Fey-Branche, Melarn, and Oblodra
Steps
How to Make Your Own Drow Name
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1Choose a prefix Instead of picking a premade drow name, you can make your own using this collection of prefixes and suffixes, each with a meaning in the drow language. Scan the prefixes for one you like—or make a list to compare with the suffixes below! These come from an old issue of Dragon Magazine (#267) from January 2000 and an article titled “By Any Other Name: The Drow” by Owen K.C. Stephens.[2]
- Akor/Alak - Means “beloved, best, first”
- Alaun/Alton - Means “lightning, powerful”
- Aly/Kel - Means “legendary, singing, song”
- Ang/Adin - Means “beast, monstrous, savage”
- Ardul/Amal - Means “blessed, divine, godly”
- Aun/Ant - Means “crypt, dead, deadly, death”
- Bae/Bar - Means “fate, fated, luck, lucky”
- Bal/Bel - Means ‘burned, burning, fire, flame”
- Belar/Bruh - Means “arrow, lance, pierced”
- Briz/Berg - Means “graceful, fluid, water, wet”
- Bur/Bhin - Means “craft, crafty, sly”
- Chal/Chasz - Means “earth, stable”
- Char/Kron - Means “sick, venom”
- Chess/Cal - Means “noble, lady or lord”
- Dhaun - Means “infested, plague”
- Dil/Dur - Means “cold, ice, still”
- Dirz/Div - Means “dream, dreaming, fantasy”
- Dris/Riz - Means “ash, dawn, east, eastern”
- Eclave/Elk - Means “chaos, mad, madness”
- Elvan/Kalan - Means “elf, elven, far, lost”
- Elv/Elaug - Means “drow, mage, power”
- Erel/Rhyl - Means “eye, moon, spy”
- Ethe/Erth - Means “mithril, resolute”
- Faer/Selds - Means “oath, sworn, vow”
- Felyn/Fil - Means “pale, thin, weak, white”
- Filf/Phar - Means “dwarf, Dwarven, treacherous”
- Gauss/Orgoll - Means “dread, fear, feared, vile”
- G’eld - Means “friend, spider”
- Ghaun - Means “accursed, curse, unlucky”
- Gin/Din - Means “berserk, berserker, orc, wild”
- Grey/Gul - Means “ghost, pale, unloving”
- Hael/Hatch - Means “marked, trail, way”
- Hal/Sol - Means “deft, nimble, spider”
- Houn/Rik - Means “magic, trail, way”
- Iliv/Dip - Means “liege, war, warrior”
- Ilm - Means “life, living, spirit, soul”
- Illiam/Im - Means “devoted, heart, love”
- In/Sorn - Means “enchanted, spell”
- Ilph - Means “emerald, green, lush, tree”
- Irae/Ilzt - Means “arcane, mystic, wizard”
- Irr/Izz - Means “hidden, mask, masked”
- Iym/Ist - Means “endless, immortal”
- Jhan/Duag - Means ‘shield, warded”
- Jhael/Gel - Means “ambitious, clan, kin, family”
- Jhul/Jar - Means “charmed, rune, symbol”
- Jys/Driz - Means “hard, steel, unyielding”
- Lael - Menas “iron, west, western”
- Lar/Les - Means “binding, bound, law, lawful”
- Mourn - Means “legend, legendary, mythical”
- Lird/Ryld - Means “brand, branded”
- Lua/Lyme - Means “bright, crystal, light”
- Mal/Malag - Means “mystery, secret”
- May/Mas - Means “beautiful, beauty, silver”
- Micar - Means “lost, poison, widow”
- Min/Ran - Means “lesser, minor, second”
- Mol/Go - Means “blue, storm, thunder, wind”
- Myr/Nym - Means “lost, skeleton, skull”
- Nath/Mer - Menas “doom, doomed, fate”
- Ned/Nad - Means “cunning, genius, mind, thought”
- Nhil/Nal - Means “fear, horrible, horror, outraged”
- Neer - Means “core, root, strong”
- Null/Nil - Means “sad, tear, weeping”
- Olor/Omar - Means “skin, tattoo, tattooed”
- Pellan/Relon - Means “north, platinum, wind”
- Phaer/Vorn - Means “honor, honored”
- Phyr/Phyx - Means “bless, blessed, blessing”
- Qualn/Quil - Means “mighty, ocean, sea”
- Quar - Means “aged, eternal, time”
- Quav/Quev - Means “charmed, docile, friend”
- Qil/Quil - Means “foe, goblin”
- Rauv/Welv - Means “cave, rock, stone”
- Ril/Ryl - Means “foretold, omen”
- Sabal/Szor - Means “amber, yellow”
- Sab/Tsab - Means “abyss, empty, void”
- Shin/Kren - Means “fool, foolish, young”
- Shri/Ssz - Means “silk, silent”
- Shur/Shar - Means “dagger, edge, stiletto”
- Shynt - Means “invisible, skilled, unseen”
- Sin/Szin - Means “festival, joy, pleasure”
- Ssap/That - Means “blue, midnight, night”
- Susp/Spir - Means “learned, skilled, wise”
- Talab/Tluth - Means “burn, burning, fire”
- Tal/Tar - Menas “love, pain, wound, wounded”
- Triel/Taz - Means “bat, winged”
- T’riss/Teb - Means “blade, sharp, sword”
- Ulviir/Uhls - Means “gold, golden, treasure”
- Umrae/Hurz - Means “faith, faithful, true”
- Vas/Vesz - Means “blood, body, flesh”
- Vic - Means “abyss, deep, profound”
- Vier/Val - Means “black, dark, darkness”
- Vlon/Wod - Means “bold, hero, heroic”
- Waer/Wehl - Means “deep, hidden, south, southern”
- Wuyon/Wruz - Means “humble, third, trivial”
- Xull/Url - Means “blooded, crimson, ruby”
- Xun - Means “demon, fiend, fiendish”
- Yas/Yaz - Means “riddle, spinning, thread, web”
- Zar/Zakn - Means “dusk, haunted, shadow”
- Zebey/Zek - Means “dragon, lithe, rage, wyrm”
- Zes/Zez - Means “ancient, elder, respected”
- Zilv/Vuz - Means “forgotten, old, unknown”
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2Select a suffix Now, take a look at the suffixes here. Make a list of your favorites, then see if you can match any prefixes with one of those suffixes. It’s simple: a prefix + a suffix = your new drow character name! You can also add multiple suffixes to a prefix if there’s a combination you like.[3]
- -a/-agh - Means “breaker, destruction, end, omega”
- -ace/-as - Means “savant, scholar, wizard”
- -ae/-aun - Means “dance, dancer, life, player”
- -aere/-d - Means “blood, blood of, heir”
- -afae/-afein - Means “bane, executioner, slayer”
- -afay/-aufein - Means “eyes, eyes of, seer”
- -ala/-launim - Means “healer, priestess or priest”
- -anna/-erin - Means “advisor, counselor to”
- -arra/-atar - Means “queen, prince (or queen of, prince of)”
- -aste - Means “bearer, keeper”
- -avin/-aonar - Means “guardian, guard, shield”
- -ayne/-al - Means “lunatic, maniac, manic, rage”
- -breena/-antar - Means “matriarch, patriarch, ruler”
- -baste/-gloth - Means “path, walker”
- -bryn/-lyn - Means “agent, assassin, killer”
- -cice/-roos - Means “born of, child, young”
- -cyrl/-axle - Means “ally, companion, friend”
- -da/-daer - Means “illusionist, trickster”
- -dia/-drin - Means “rogue, stealer”
- -diira/-diirn - Means “initiate, sister or brother”
- -dra/-zar - Means “lover, match, mate”
- -driira/-driirn - Means “mother or father, teacher”
- -dril/-dorl - Means “knight, sword, warrior”
- -e - Means “servant, vassal”
- -eari/-erd - Means “giver, god, patron”
- -eyl - Means “archer, arrow, flight, flyer”
- -ffyn/-fein - Means “minstrel, singer, song”
- -fryn - Means “champion, victor, weapon, the weapon of”
- -iara/-ica - Means “baron, duke, lady or lord”
- -ice/-eth - Means “obsession, taker, taken”
- -idil/-imar - Means “alpha, beginning, creator of, maker”
- -iira/-inid - Means “harbinger, herald”
- -inidia - Means “secret, wall, warder”
- -inil/-in - Means “rider, steed”
- -intra - Means “envoy, messenger, prophet”
- -isstra/-atlab - Means “acolyte, apprentice, student”
- -ithra/-irahc - Means “dragon, serpent, wyrm”
- -jra/-gos - Means “beast, biter, stinger”
- -jss - Means “scout, stalker”
- -kacha/-kah - Means “beauty, hair, style”
- -kiira/-raen - Means “apostle, disciple”
- -lay/-dyn - Means “flight, flyer, wing, wings”
- -lara/-aghar - Means “cynic, death, end, victim”
- -lin - Means “arm, armour, commander”
- -lochar - Means “messenger, spider”
- -mice/-myr - Means “bone, bones, necromancer, witch”
- -mur’ss - Means “shadow, spy, witness”
- -na/-nar - Means “adept, ghost, spirit”
- -nilee/-olil - Means “corpse, disease, ravager”
- -niss/-nozz - Means “chance, gambler, game”
- -nitra/-net - Means “kicker, returned, risen”
- -nolu - Means “art, artist, expert, treasure”
- -olin - Means “ascension, love, lover, lust”
- -onia/-onim - Means “rod, staff, token, wand”
- -oyss/-omph - Means “binder, judge, law, prison”
- -qualyn - Means “ally, caller, kin”
- -quarra/-net - Means “horde, host, legion”
- -quiri/-oj - Means “aura, cloak, hide, skin”
- -ra/-or - Means “fool, game, prey, quarry”
- -rae/-rar - Means “secret, seeker, quest”
- -raema/-orvir - Means “crafter, fist, hand”
- -raena/-olvir - Means “center, haven, home”
- -riia/-rak - Means “chaos, storm, tempest”
- -ril - Means “bandit, enemy, raider, outlaw”
- -riina/-ree - Means “enchanter, mage, spellcaster”
- -ryna/-oyn - Means “follower, hired, mercenary”
- -ryne/-ryn - Means “blooded, elder, experienced”
- -shalee/-ral - Means “abjurer, gaze, watch, watcher”
- -ssysn/-rysn - Means “artifact, sorcerer, spell”
- -stin/-trin - Means “clan, house, merchant, of the house”
- -stra/-tran - Means “spider, spinner, weaver”
- -tana/-ton - Means “darkness, lurker, prowler”
- -thara/-tar - Means “glyph, marker, rune”
- -thrae/-olg - Means “charmer, leader, seducer”
- -tree/-tel - Means “exile, loner, outcast, pariah”
- -tyrr - Means “dagger, poison, poisoner, scorpion”
- -ual/-dan - Means “speed, strider”
- -ue/-dor - Means “arm, artisan, fingers”
- -uit/-dar - Means “breath, voice, word”
- -une/-dinn - Means “diviner, fate, future, oracle”
- -uque - Means “cavern, digger, mole, tunnel”
- -urra/-dax - Means “nomad, renegade, wanderer”
- -va/-ven - Means “comrade, honor, honored”
- -vayas - Means “forge, forger, hammer, smith”
- -vyll - Means “punishment, scourge, whip, zealot”
- -vrae/-vyr - Means “mistress/master, overseer”
- -wae/-hrae - Means “heir, inheritor, princess”
- -wiira/-hriir - Means “seneschal of steward”
- -wyss/-hrys - Means “best, creator, starter”
- -xae/-zaer - Means “orb, rank, ruler, scepter”
- -xena/-zen - Means “cutter, gem, jewel, jeweler”
- -xyra/-zyr - Means “sage, teller”
- -yl - Means “drow, woman or man”
- -ylene/-yln - Means “handmaiden or squire, maiden or youth”
- -ymma/-inyon - Means “drider, feet, foot, runner”
- -ynda/-yrd - Means “captain, custodian, marshal, ranger”
- -ynrae/-yraen - Means “heretic, rebel, riot, void”
- -vrae - Means “architect, founder, mason”
- -yrr - Means “protector, rival, wielder”
- -zyne/-zt - Means “finder, hunter”
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3Come up with a meaningful prefix + suffix combination. Of course, there are no concrete rules on making up a drow name; you can string together prefixes and suffixes that sound cool—or you can try and tailor the name to your character. Think about your drow character’s traits, background, class, or any other details about them. Is there a name that’s particularly fitting?
- For example, if you’re playing a drow wizard, you might pick a name like “Phaeras” (“Phaer” (honored) + “as” (wizard)).
- And, if your drow character is known for being a seer or fortune-teller, you could name them “Valintra” (“Val” (dark) + “intra” (messenger, prophet)).
- Experiment and see what you can create! You might find a name you really love this way.
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4Put together a surname (house name) as well. There are plenty of existing drow house names in Forgotten Realms and D&D lore—but if you’d rather make your own, that’s definitely an option too. Take a look at the prefixes and suffixes below, each with a specific meaning in the drow language, and put a pair of them together to make a unique surname.
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Prefixes:
- Alean - Means “the noble line of…”
- Arab - Means “daughters of…”
- Arken - Means “mages of…”
- Auvry - Means “blood of the…”
- Baen - Means “blessed by…”
- Barri - Means “spawn of…”
- Cladd - Means “warriors from…”
- Desp - Means “victors of…”
- De - Means “champions of…”
- Do’ - Means “walkers in…”
- Eils - Means “lands of…”
- Everh - Means “the cavern of…”
- Fre - Means “friends to…”
- Gode - Means “clan of…”
- Helvi - Means “those above…”
- Hla - Means “seers of…”
- Hun - Means “the sisterhood of…”
- Ken - Means “sworn to…”
- Kil - Means “people of…”
- Mae - Means “raiders from…”
- Mel - Means “mothers of…”
- My - Means “honored of…”
- Noqu - Means “sacred to…”
- Orly - Means “guild of…”
- Ouss - Means “heirs to…”
- Rilyn - Means “house of…”
- Teken' - Means “delvers in…”
- Tor - Means “mistresses of…”
- Zau - Means “children of…”
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Suffixes:
- -afin - Means “the web”
- -ana - Means “the night”
- -ani - Means “the widow”
- -ar - Means “poison”
- -arn - Means “fire”
- -ate - Means “the way”
- -ath - Means “the dragons”
- -duis - Means “the whip”
- -ervs - Means “the depths”
- -ep - Means “the Underdark”
- -ett - Means “magic”
- -ghym - Means “the forgotten ways”
- -iryn - Means “history”
- -lyl - Means “the blade”
- -mtor - Means “the abyss”
- -ndar - Means “black hearts”
- -neld - Means “the arcane”
- -rae - Means “fell powers”
- -rahel - Means “the gods”
- -rret - Means “the void”
- -sek - Means “adamantite”
- -th - Means “challenges”
- -tlar - Means “mysteries”
- -t’tar - Means “victory”
- -tyl - Means “the pits”
- -und - Means “the spider’s kiss”
- -urden - Means “the darkness”
- -val - Means “silken weaver”
- -virr - Means “dominance”
- -zynge - Means “the ruins”
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Prefixes: