Name your kingdom
- The Principality of LorniaLorn (lost) + ia (country): “country of the lost”, a feudal kingdom
- The Duchy of HaldamarkHald (slope) + mark (borderland): “borderland of the slope”, a feudal kingdom
- The Elven Realm of VarnelithVarn (winter) + elith (starlit wood): “starlit wood of the winter”, an elven realm
- The Mountain Throne of LornagrundLorn (lost) + grund (foundation): “foundation of the lost”, a dwarven hold
- The Free Cities of MyreshMyr (marsh) + esh (oasis): “oasis of the marsh”, a southern desert realm
- The Dominion of QuaropolisQuar (quarry) + opolis (city): “city of the quarry”, a sprawling empire
- The Duchy of AstermereAster (star) + mere (lake country): “lake country of the star”, a feudal kingdom
- The Realm of LornawoldLorn (lost) + wold (high forest): “high forest of the lost”, a feudal kingdom
How these kingdom names are built
Many real country names describe land or people: Finland, Iceland, the Netherlands (“low lands”). This generator works the same way. A root names what the place is known for, such as Varn (winter), Calder (cold water) or Aster (star). An ending, chosen by the kind of realm, says what sort of country it is: -mark for a borderland, -heim for a northern home, -abad for settled land in the south. So Varnmark is “borderland of the winter” and Calderheim is “home of the cold water”.
Turn on titles to add a form of government. A Duchy is smaller than a Kingdom; an Empire rules other peoples; Free Cities and Republics have no crown at all. The title is a piece of worldbuilding in itself.
Roots
| Root | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Aster | star |
| Varn | winter |
| Calder | cold water |
| Myr | marsh |
| Oster | east |
| Sund | strait |
| Thessal | vine |
| Brenn | burning |
| Ald | old |
| Kaer | fortress |
| Lorn | lost |
| Esk | river |
| Hald | slope |
| Seren | calm |
| Drav | oak |
| Quar | quarry |
| Ril | brook |
| Zar | sand |
Endings by kind of realm
| Kind of realm | Endings | Meanings |
|---|---|---|
| Medieval kingdom | mark, land, ia, mere, wold | borderland, land, country, lake country, high forest |
| Empire | ium, ara, opolis, ane | dominion, great land, city, throne |
| Northern realm | heim, gard, vik, fjall | home, stronghold, bay, mountain |
| Desert realm | esh, abad, ira, qand | oasis, settled land, sun country, walled city |
| Elven realm | elith, aleth, iniel, orwen | starlit wood, golden realm, hidden vale, green kingdom |
| Dwarven hold | dum, bhur, grund, barak | hall, deep hold, foundation, mountain gate |
Tips for naming a fantasy kingdom
Name it from the inside and the outside. People rarely call their own country what foreigners do. A kingdom might call itself the Realm of Seren, while its enemies call it the Marsh. Two names for one place hint at history and conflict.
Match the map. Neighbouring realms usually share some sounds, because languages spread and borders move. A realm whose name sounds completely unlike its neighbours suggests conquerors, migrants or a very old people.
Keep the big names short. A realm will be mentioned hundreds of times. Two or three syllables are easier to read and remember than five.
Building the rest of the realm
Once your kingdom has a name, give it towns with the tavern and town name generator, rulers from the wizard or elf generators, and a history with our guide to worldbuilding through consequences.