All the Names
Menu

Gnome Name Generator

Twenty gnome names at a time, from quick given names to clan surnames and the nicknames that gnomes pick up, whether they asked for them or not.

Gender
Style

  1. Fenina
  2. Bix "Almostright"
  3. Fizella Buttonbottom
  4. Wibble "Mostly-Safe" Coppertwist
  5. Zibwig Rivetbottom
  6. Fennock Tinkerfizzle
  7. Quill
  8. Pimket Buttonspinner
  9. Nibnock Rivetspinner
  10. Bopble "Bigears" Buttonwick
  11. Jinx Sparksocket
  12. Bix "Tinderbrain" Lanternfiddle
  13. Kip Pebbletumble
  14. Mabora "Threepockets" Brassfizzle
  15. Rix Copperfiddle
  16. Tobwick "Sparkfingers"
  17. Rix "Bigears"
  18. Zinette "Hummingbird"
  19. Wimzle
  20. Pimzle Tinkerpocket
Favorites (0)

Why gnome names are so busy

Gnomes collect names the way other people collect keepsakes. In the standard tabletop picture, a gnome gets a given name from a parent, a clan name from the family, and then a string of nicknames from friends, relatives and rivals, each of which may be used by a different person and only in their presence. That is why a gnome character can be Fizwick to the party, Little Spark to an aunt and Loosescrew to the guild that fired him.

The sound is quick and bouncy. Gnome given names run on short, light syllables (Bim, Nib, Quib, Pip) with a tail that ends the name on a small sound: -wick, -kin, -ble, -ette. Compare that with a dwarf's Dorgar or an orc's Grosh. The consonants are the same size as everyone else's, but there is no weight behind them, and the names sound faintly amused about themselves.

Clan names put the gnome trade on show. Clockwork, lanterns, springs and locks all show up in surnames like Brasswick, Springspinner and Latchtumble. The joke of a gnome surname is that it sounds like a workshop that has been in the family for eleven generations, and half of it has burned down at least once.

Gnome nicknames

The nickname style is worth using for a gnome that will be on stage for a long time. A gnome nickname is usually an event, not a trait: Loosescrew, Almostright, Nineteen-Ideas. Each of those is a whole anecdote in one word, and your character can decline to explain any of them.

Gnome names for a whole family work well when they rhyme or repeat. Two siblings named Bimble and Nibble are entirely plausible, and they will both answer to "Bim" in a crowded room.

A shortlist of 22 gnome names

  • FizwickBright first syllable, chuckling -wick ending. It is the standard shape of a gnome tinkerer's name.
  • BimbleSounds like it was chosen by a parent who liked the way it bounced.
  • NibkinThe -kin ending is the diminutive: tiny in name, perhaps large in ambition.
  • QuibnockQuib is comic, and the -nock ending adds a mechanical clink.
  • PipinaFemale form with a soft -ina finish; pairs with a workshop brimming with clocks.
  • DiletteLight, quick and a little theatrical, suited to an illusionist or a performer.
  • Tamzin BrasswickA real first name with a clan surname that promises a metalworking family.
  • Zib SpringspinnerA single-syllable name with a long surname is a very gnome way to introduce yourself.
  • WispNeutral and short, and easy to fit into a story about someone light on their feet.
  • Kip LatchtumbleSounds like the family trade is locks, and a lot of them jam.
  • Rix "Loosescrew" CogwrightThe nickname tells the story of a machine that did not hold together.
  • Fen "Almostright" GearhopperA nickname that is an honest review of every project this gnome has attempted.
  • Bopkin "Hummingbird" ButtonboltA nimble character who never sits still, and the name says it.
  • Lilly FuseflickAlliterative female name that sounds like it belongs in a workshop with a burn mark on the ceiling.
  • Mabelle CopperwickA longer, formal-sounding name for a gnome matriarch or guild head.
  • Nix RivetbottomA tiny name with an undignified surname; the sort of joke gnomes tell about themselves.
  • JinxA single word that is also a promise: this gnome is tricksy.
  • TobwigSounds like a hedge-wizard's apprentice; the -wig ending has a comic fizz.
  • Dobble PebblefiddleTwo soft consonant clusters and a surname with music in it.
  • Gwinella "Backwards" TinkersocketA long name with a long story about installing something in the wrong direction.
  • ZapwickThe z opens the name with a spark, and it belongs to an inventor with an eyebrow missing.
  • Quinette WhistletwistFast, high and slightly silly, with a surname that would sing well in a tavern.

Naming a gnome character

  • Give your gnome more than one name. Write down the given name, the clan and one nickname, and decide who is allowed to use each.
  • Make the nickname an event. "Loosescrew" implies a story, while "Tiny" tells you nothing beyond the obvious.
  • Keep given names short. Gnome speech is quick, and a long name gets abbreviated in the first scene.
  • Use the clan name to set the family trade: springs, locks, lanterns, whistles. It is free worldbuilding and every workshop has a reputation.
  • Avoid deep, heavy sounds such as -gar, -mund or -rok. They belong to dwarves and orcs, and they make a gnome name feel misplaced.

Questions people ask

What are good gnome names?

Good gnome names are short, light and slightly comic: Fizwick, Bimble, Nibkin, Pipina and Dilette. Combine them with a workshop-style clan name such as Brasswick or Springspinner, and add a nickname if the character has a story.

Why do gnomes have so many names?

In the usual tabletop lore, gnomes receive a given name from a parent, a clan name from the family and nicknames from friends and relatives, and each person may use a different one. It is a cultural habit that makes gnomes very easy to roleplay.

What are some female gnome names?

Pipina, Dilette, Mabelle, Quinette, Gwinella and Tamzin all fit. Female gnome names typically pair a light first syllable with -ie, -ina, -ette or -elle, keeping the bounce that all gnome names share.

What is a gnome clan name?

A clan name is the family surname, and gnomes usually build it from workshop words such as brass, cog, spring or lantern, plus a craft suffix like -wick or -spinner. Examples are Copperwick and Latchtumble.

How do I make a gnome name sound funny?

Use a doubled bouncing sound such as b or p, close on a diminutive such as -kin or -ble, and pick a nickname that describes a mishap. A name like Nibkin "Almostright" says everything about the gnome in three words.

Related generators

  • Dwarf namesTwenty dwarf names at a time, from a bare given name to a full clan name or a name with an epithet earned at…
  • Halfling namesTwenty halfling names at a time, in the homely, countryside style: a given name, a family name from the farm…
  • Fantasy namesTwenty fantasy names at a time, with a first name and a surname where the style calls for one.
  • Goblin namesTwenty goblin names at a time: short, squeaky and scrappy, with optional nicknames and the gang each goblin…
  • DnD namesPick a race, pick a gender, and get twenty character names that sound like they belong at the table, from a…
  • Fairy namesTwenty fairy names per click, from sweet garden names with a sparkly surname to pocket-sized pixie names and…
  • Wizard namesTwenty wizard names at a time: a proper academic name with a surname, an archmage with a title, or a rumpled…
  • Character namesTwenty character names per click, sorted by the genre you are writing: contemporary, literary, thriller…
  • Tavern namesTwenty tavern and inn names per click in five styles: classic sign names, rowdy dives, cozy inns, shady back…
  • Elf namesGet twenty elf names at a time, from short everyday names to the long formal versions elves use at court…

Embed this generator

Put this generator on your own site, blog or campaign wiki. Paste the code below into any page that accepts HTML. It stays free and keeps a link back to this page.

Updated September 2026 · How these names are made