Goblin Name Generator
Twenty goblin names at a time: short, squeaky and scrappy, with optional nicknames and the gang each goblin claims to belong to.
- Nub the Sour
- Dregnik
- Blit
- Bliklet
- Nog the Damp
- Rik of the Torn Sack
- Nog of the Grease Pot
- Mig the Sneak
- Wuglet
- Bodot of the Rusty Spoon
- Vik of the Split Ear
- Dreg Rottooth
- Bod of the Sour Pickle
- Noglet of the Stolen Shoe
- Blik the Sticky
- Gnash Sockstealer
- Twig the Snitch
- Wug the Sticky
- Kib of the Torn Sack
- Blik of the Grease Pot
The shape of a good goblin name
A goblin name is small, fast and slightly damp. It is a single syllable of hard consonants with a squeaky vowel in the middle: Snik, Grib, Zog, Nib. Anything longer than two syllables belongs to a boss, and even the boss gets shortened. Goblins do not bother with dignity, and their names do not either.
Names are unisex. In most settings goblins do not have separate male and female forms, so there is no gender filter on this page, and any name can go to any goblin. What tells goblins apart is the nickname, and it is usually something unflattering: Bucketskull, Sockstealer, Snik the Sorry. Goblins name each other for the worst thing that happened in the last week, and they do not let it go.
The gang matters more than the family. A goblin is likely to introduce itself by the band it runs with, so "Grib of the Rusty Spoon" tells you more than any surname could. Gang names are objects that have some mundane use and some menace, like a Split Ear, a Chipped Tooth or a Broken Bucket. They are the kind of name a goblin picks because it was the nearest thing when the gang formed.
Goblin names for player characters and villains
A goblin as a player character does best with a name that is quick to say and easy to shout, since it will be used in every combat. Two syllables is plenty, and a nickname gives the table something to laugh at. If the goblin is a villain, lean on the gang style, because a chief is only as scary as the gang he leads.
Goblin names for a whole encounter work best when they are similar in sound but different in detail. Give the twelve goblins in the ambush all one-syllable names, then let the leader have two: Skrit, Grot, Nub and Squibkin, for example. The one with the longer name is obviously in charge.
Goblin names that work, and why (22)
- SnikOne quick syllable with a sharp k; sounds like something that scurries.
- GribSounds like it is slightly stuck in the throat, which is how goblins talk.
- ZogA rounded z-g name that is easy to shout and impossible to forget.
- NubSmall and blunt, with a hint of being the runt of the litter.
- SkivReminiscent of a cheap blade; a goblin that fights dirty.
- SquibkinA longer name that ends in a diminutive: a goblin who was named at birth and never grew into it.
- GribletSounds like a pet name, which makes it a good name for a goblin who has never been taken seriously.
- KritShort and stabbing; a good name for a scout or a lookout.
- VikixThe -ix ending gives a goblin an oddly clever edge.
- Snik the SneakA plain nickname that the goblin gave itself and no one else agrees with.
- Nog the SorryA goblin who apologizes before he steals, which makes every heist a little awkward.
- Rik CandlethiefSounds like the cellar goblin who never lets a light go out unnoticed.
- Mig SockstealerA funny, low-stakes crime: this goblin steals only from the left foot.
- Pik BootsnifferA comic role that belongs to the goblin who tracks a party by scent.
- Zik RottoothA dental note that any goblin would wear as a badge.
- Grot BucketskullEverything about this name says the goblin lost an argument with a helmet.
- Blit of the Rusty SpoonA gang name that is instantly funny and slightly menacing.
- Kibnik of the Split EarThe gang name suggests a fight with a bigger rival; the goblin will tell the story.
- Twig of the Muddy BootA small name with a big gang, exactly the sort of goblin who is dangerous in a crowd.
- Skab of the Sour PickleA gang name that sounds like a food fight and turns out to be a real one.
- Muk of the Torn SackA gang that lives in a burlap bag, and the goblin is proud of it.
- WugA three-letter name that sounds like a grunt; a goblin who is good at one thing.
Naming goblins
- Keep the names short. One syllable is ideal, two is fine, and three should be a boss.
- Give each goblin a nickname that comes from a mishap. The best ones have an implied story, such as Bucketskull or Snik the Sorry.
- Use a gang name when you want a group to feel real. A gang called the Rusty Spoon is easier to remember than one called the Goblins.
- Do not use apostrophes or elaborate spellings. A goblin is not going to write it down; the name is spoken, and the sound has to be enough.
- For a friendly goblin, use a soft-sounding name such as Pog or Nub. It tells the table this one is not what it seems.
Questions people ask
What are good goblin names?
Good goblin names are short and scrappy: Snik, Grib, Zog, Nib, Skiv and Krit. Add a nickname such as Sockstealer, or a gang such as the Rusty Spoon, for a goblin with a reputation.
How do you make a goblin name?
Take one syllable with a hard consonant and a squeaky vowel, such as Snik or Zog. Add a small ending like -kin or -let for a longer version. A silly nickname and a gang name will finish it.
Do goblins have last names?
Not usually. Goblins are known by a nickname or a gang, such as Snik the Sneak or Grib of the Split Ear. Either serves the same purpose as a surname and fits the goblin's style better.
Are there female goblin names?
Goblin names are generally unisex. Any of the names on this page can be given to any goblin, and most fiction does not use separate male and female forms. Choose by sound and let the nickname carry the character.
What are funny goblin names?
Names that combine a small sound with an undignified nickname are the funniest: Nog the Sorry, Mig Sockstealer, Grot Bucketskull, Squibkin. The joke is that goblins name each other after the worst thing they have done.
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Updated September 2026 · How these names are made