Character Class names

Wizard Name Generator

Names for wizards, mages and scholars of magic, with meanings. Find a name for a character, or work out what your own wizard name would be.

A knees-up elderly wizard studies a floating brass astrolabe, pointed hat and star-patterned mantle unmistakable

A few to start with

MerlinSea Fortress
ElspethChosen by God
GandalfElf with the Wand
MinervaMind, Intellect
AlbusWhite, Bright
CirceBird

About Wizard names

Understanding Wizard names

The most famous wizard names are old words. Tolkien took Gandalf from the list of dwarves in the Old Norse Völuspá. It means "wand elf." Merlin is Geoffrey of Monmouth's Latin version of the Welsh Myrddin. Albus Dumbledore pairs the Latin for "white" with an old English dialect word for bumblebee. Wizard names sound learned because they usually are: borrowed from Latin, Greek, Welsh or Norse and worn a little smooth.

Wizards also collect names. Gandalf is Mithrandir to the elves and Olórin in the West. Ursula K. Le Guin's Ged goes by Sparrowhawk because a wizard's true name in Earthsea gives power over him. Titles fill in the rest: the Grey, the White, the Sage of Shadowdale, Archmage. So a full wizard name has a given name, a title and sometimes a secret name. That structure also works for making your own wizard name.

A short guide

How to come up with a Wizard name

Pick a learned-sounding given name

Latin, Greek and Welsh give the scholarly sound. Male names: Aurelian, Caedmon, Corvin, Ambrose, Alaric, Thamior. Female names: Minerva (Roman goddess of wisdom), Melisande, Calanthe, Eudora, Sibyl, Vespera. Old-fashioned English names also work well for a fussy academic: Bartholomew, Cornelius, Araminta, Agatha. Three syllables suit a wizard better than one. A wizard has time to say his whole name, and nobody needs to shout it across a battlefield.

Add a color, place or specialty

Tolkien's wizards are named by color: Gandalf the Grey, Saruman the White, Radagast the Brown. A color title is still the cleanest option: Eudora the Violet, Corvin the Black. Places work for court wizards and sages: Elminster of Shadowdale, Yennefer of Vengerberg. Specialties work for working mages: Quillon the Runebinder, Vespera Starweir, Archivist Halveth. Pick one. "Corvin the Grey of the Seventh Tower, Runebinder" is a mouthful even for a wizard.

Give them a true name and a use-name

Earthsea's rule is great for fiction: a wizard's true name is secret, so everyone uses another. Ged is Sparrowhawk, and his teacher Ogion is called the Silent. Give your wizard a plain use-name that hides something grander (Wren, Ash, Rune) and a true name kept for the climax (Ilyrandel, Thamioros). This also fixes a common problem. If the grand name is too long for everyday dialogue, the use-name covers it.

Name by school of magic

Match the sound to the magic. Fire mages suit hard, bright sounds: Ignatius, Brannoc, Cinderwake. Ice and water mages suit soft, cold ones: Isolde, Nerys, Frostmantle. Illusionists suit slippery names: Mirelle, Veylan, Glasswright. Diviners suit sibilant, prophetic ones: Sibylla, Cassian, Morrowglass. D&D's spell list shows how names stick to magic. Bigby's Hand, Tenser's Floating Disk and Mordenkainen's Sword are named for wizards from Gary Gygax's Greyhawk games.

Famous names

Famous wizards and what their names teach

Most famous wizards have more than one name, and each name tells you something about them.

GandalfFrom the Old Norse Gandálfr, "wand elf," a dwarf in the Völuspá. Tolkien gave him a second name, Mithrandir ("grey pilgrim"), showing how wizards gather names as they travel.
MerlinGeoffrey of Monmouth's Latin form of the Welsh Myrddin, from the 12th century. Adapting a name from an older language is the oldest trick in wizard naming.
Albus DumbledoreJ.K. Rowling paired Latin albus, "white," with dumbledore, an old English dialect word for bumblebee. A grand first name with a homely surname makes a wizard feel human.
Ged (Sparrowhawk)In Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea, Ged's true name is secret because it grants power over him, so he goes by Sparrowhawk. The best model for a wizard with a hidden name.
Elminster AumarEd Greenwood's Sage of Shadowdale in the Forgotten Realms. A name plus a title tied to a place shows how D&D wizards build a reputation.
Jaina ProudmooreIn World of Warcraft, an archmage from the island nation of Kul Tiras. A short first name with a family surname proves a female mage doesn't need an ornate name.
RincewindTerry Pratchett's inept wizard in the Discworld novels, whose hat reads "Wizzard." A good name for comedy: it sounds windy and slightly pompous.

Names and meanings

Popular Wizard names

Popular Wizard names
Name	Meaning	Gender
Merlin	Sea Fortress	Male
Elspeth	Chosen by God	Female
Gandalf	Elf with the Wand	Male
Minerva	Mind, Intellect	Female
Albus	White, Bright	Male
Circe	Bird	Female
Radagast	Tender of Beasts	Male
Morgana	Sea Circle	Female
Prospero	Fortunate	Male
Sybil	Prophetess	Female
Oberon	Noble, Bearlike	Male
Titania	Giant	Female
Zephyrus	West Wind	Male
Hecate	Far Off	Female
Orion	Son of Fire	Male
Ariadne	Most Holy	Female
Peregrine	Traveler, Pilgrim	Male
Sibylla	Prophetess	Female
Thoth	He of Djehuty	Male
Isis	Throne	Female

60 more Wizard names and meanings

Male Wizard names

Male Wizard names
Name	Meaning
Aurelian	A stately, sunlit name for a learned court mage.
Vaelric	Suggests a precise spellcaster with a guarded nature.
Thamior	An old-fashioned sound suited to a keeper of lore.
Corvin	Raven-dark and observant, fitting for an omen reader.
Eldric	A grounded name for a patient, traditional wizard.
Maelor	A resonant name for a formidable arcane scholar.
Oryn	Brief and clear, with a quiet, mysterious quality.
Caedmon	A literary-sounding name for a thoughtful magician.
Valerian	Elegant and composed, suited to a healer or alchemist.
Iskander	A commanding name for a traveler of distant realms.
Belisar	Formal and antique, like a name in a sealed grimoire.
Ruvan	A spare, earthy name for a village spellworker.
Nivaro	Cool and polished, evoking winter magic.
Tiberon	A stately choice for a wizard with civic influence.
Serevan	Suggests a calm voice and dangerous reserves of power.
Halveth	Rough-edged and memorable, suited to an exiled mage.
Quillon	A crafted, incisive name for a meticulous artificer.
Darian	Approachable and versatile, fitting a young apprentice.
Orsino	A theatrical name for a flamboyant illusionist.
Veylan	A light, elusive name for a swift-moving mage.
Ciroth	Hard consonants give this name a stern, arcane edge.
Malvern	Suggests an established scholar with an austere manner.
Edras	Compact and weathered, like a name from an old chronicle.
Luceran	A bright, refined name for a keeper of star charts.
Tavian	A graceful, youthful name for an ambitious mage.
Asterion	Starry and grand, suited to a celestial magician.
Jorvan	A practical-sounding name for a spellcaster among ordinary folk.

Female Wizard names

Female Wizard names
Name	Meaning
Vespera	An evening-toned name for a watcher of twilight skies.
Ilyra	Light and lyrical, suited to a subtle enchanter.
Calanthe	A botanical-sounding choice for a garden mage.
Ysoria	Suggests an old lineage and a private library.
Maerwynn	A wintry, storybook name for a solitary scholar.
Eudora	Warm and composed, fitting a trusted mentor.
Liora	A bright, gentle name for a restorative spellcaster.
Thessaly	A classical-sounding name for a learned ritualist.
Amaranthe	Floral and enduring, suited to an ageless enchantress.
Neris	A cool, concise name with a river-mage feel.
Vaela	Softly mysterious, fitting a dream interpreter.
Odelia	Refined and measured, like a respected academy tutor.
Isolde	A romantic, legendary tone for a tragic sorceress.
Seraphine	Elegant and luminous, suited to a devoted mage.
Mirelle	A graceful name for a discreet, observant wizard.
Aveline	Gentle and scholarly, with a sense of quiet resolve.
Elowen	Woodland in feel, fitting a keeper of green magic.
Nyxara	Shadowed and dramatic, suited to a night-working mage.
Celandine	Herbal and distinctive, ideal for an apothecary wizard.
Rhoswen	A windswept, lyrical name for a wandering seer.
Talitha	A gentle, memorable name for a young prodigy.
Verena	A poised name for a diplomat who practices magic.
Lumielle	Suggests candlelight, study, and careful enchantments.
Araminta	Whimsical and formal, fitting an eccentric archivist.
Solenne	A solemn, measured name for a ritual specialist.
Melisande	A courtly name for a wizard skilled in persuasion.
Orlena	A steady, understated name for a village wise-woman.

Unisex Wizard names

Unisex Wizard names
Name	Meaning
Ash	Plainspoken and elemental, suitable for any kind of mage.
Rowan	A natural, approachable name for a hedge wizard.
Sable	A dark, elegant choice for a discreet spellcaster.
Meridian	Suggests maps, stars, and a life spent seeking bearings.
Rune	A compact name for a scholar of signs and symbols.
Wren	Small and quick-sounding, fitting a clever apprentice.

Wizard last names

Wizard last names
Name	Meaning
Ashenvale	A family associated with grey woods and old fires.
Starweir	An epithet suggesting someone who studies or redirects starlight.
Glasswright	A surname for a maker of lenses, vessels, or crystal tools.
Thorncipher	Suggests a scholar who hides knowledge behind sharp defenses.
Duskwhisper	A quiet title for a mage who works after sunset.
Morrowglass	A family name with associations of prophecy and fragile visions.
Emberlain	A polished surname for a lineage of fire practitioners.
Hollowmere	Suggests a remote home beside a still, uncanny lake.
Quillborne	A bookish family name for generations of record keepers.
Frostmantle	An epithet for a mage known for cold-weather magic.
The Grey	A title that can imply neutrality, age, or concealed allegiance.
of the Seventh Tower	A formal title marking a place in a magical order.
Nightwell	Suggests a lineage tied to dark water or nocturnal study.
Runebinder	A title for one who inscribes or safeguards potent symbols.
Cinderwake	An epithet recalling fire, aftermath, and hard-won survival.
Silvershade	A refined surname with an air of secrecy and moonlight.
of the Unlit Archive	A title for a keeper of forbidden or hidden records.
Mossmantle	Suggests a reclusive wizard at home in wild places.
Vellumhand	An affectionate or mocking title for a tireless scribe.
the Last Lantern	An epithet for a final guardian or guide through darkness.

Good to know

Wizard names: frequently asked questions

What is my wizard name?

The generator gives random names, but you can turn your own name into a wizard name in three steps. First, Latinize or stretch your first name: Tom becomes Thomarion, Anna becomes Annaveth, Sam becomes Samwyn. Second, add a color, either your favorite or your birthstone's: the Grey, the Garnet, the Violet. Third, add a place you love: of the Long Shore, of Elm Street. Thomarion the Grey of the Long Shore is ready to go.

What are good female wizard and mage names?

Myth gives strong, recognizable options: Circe (the enchantress of the Odyssey), Minerva (Roman goddess of wisdom), Morgan (Morgan le Fay of Arthurian legend), Sibyl (Greek prophetess). Fiction adds Yennefer of Vengerberg from The Witcher and Jaina Proudmoore from World of Warcraft. For originals, try Melisande, Calanthe, Eudora, Vespera or Ilyra, then add a title: Eudora the Violet, Vespera Starweir.

What are good male wizard names?

Classic options borrow from Latin, Greek and Welsh: Ambrose, Aurelian, Caedmon, Cornelius, Alaric, Thamior. Literary names are widely known but can still work in a game: Merlin, Prospero (Shakespeare's The Tempest), Radagast. For your own, aim for two or three syllables and a color, place or specialty title: Caedmon the Grey, Aurelian of the Seventh Tower, Quillon Runebinder.

Is there a difference between a wizard name and a mage name?

Not much, but the tone differs. "Wizard" leans old and bookish, so Gandalf, Merlin and Cornelius-style names fit. "Mage" is common in games like World of Warcraft and leans sleek and combat-ready: Jaina, Kael, Vael, Ilyra. In D&D, a wizard learns magic from study, a sorcerer is born with it and a warlock bargains for it. A sorcerer can carry a wilder, stranger name than a scholarly wizard.

How do I come up with a fire mage name?

Use hard, bright sounds and Latin fire roots. Ignatius has long been linked to Latin ignis (fire), and Brannoc, Pyra and Cinder work too. Ember and Ash sound gentler. Add a fire surname or title: Cinderwake, Emberlain, the Red, of the Burning Archive. In games with a 12-letter cap, such as World of Warcraft, fold it into one word: Embervale, Ashbrand, Pyrocrest.