Home › Blog › Gnome Naming Conventions

Race Lore · 2026 · 6 min read

Gnome Naming Conventions in D&D — Male, Female & Clan Names

Gnomes are the inventors, tinkerers, and chaos-gremlins of the D&D multiverse — small in stature but enormous in personality. That energy shows up in their names too: gnome names in D&D are playful, a little absurd, and almost always fun to say out loud. Whether you're rolling up a gadget-obsessed Rock Gnome artificer or a Feywild-touched Forest Gnome druid, this guide covers how gnome names work and gives you real examples to borrow or remix.

How Gnomes Get Their Names

Gnomes are famously casual about names. It's common for a gnome to collect several names over a lifetime — a birth name from their parents, a nickname earned from a notable prank or invention, and sometimes a third "formal" name used only with outsiders. Most gnomes answer happily to whichever one you use, which is part of why gnome names feel so loose and inventive compared to other races.

Forest Gnome, Rock Gnome & Deep Gnome Names

D&D's three gnome subraces each carry a slightly different naming flavor:

• Rock Gnomes lean into clever, invention-adjacent sounds — names that could just as easily belong to a contraption as a person.
• Forest Gnomes feel softer and more nature-touched, reflecting their closer bond with the Feywild and small woodland creatures.
• Deep Gnomes (Svirfneblin) sound harsher and more clipped, shaped by generations spent in the Underdark rather than sunlit forests.

Male Gnome Names

Boddynock, Dimble, Fonkin, Gerbo, Jebeddo, Namfoodle, Orryn, Roondar, Seebo, Wrenn

Female Gnome Names

Bimpnottin, Caramip, Donella, Ellyjoell, Lilbit, Loopmottin, Nyx, Oda, Shamil, Zanna

Gnome Clan Names

Gnome clan names often reference a trade, a famous invention, or a family story that's grown into legend: Beren, Daergel, Folkor, Garrick, Nackle, Raulnor, Scheppen, Timbers

Tips for Naming Your Gnome

• Lean into sound play — gnome names are one of the few places where a goofy, tongue-twisting name actually fits the theme.
• Pair a short nickname with a longer formal name for extra flavor during roleplay.
• Reference an in-character quirk or invention in the clan name for a built-in conversation starter at the table.

Ready to find your perfect gnome name? Try the Gnome Name Generator →

Frequently Asked Questions

What are good gnome names in D&D?
Good gnome names tend to be short, bouncy, and a little silly — names like Fonkin, Zook, Nackle, or Boddynock capture the playful, inventive spirit gnomes are known for in D&D 5e.

What is the difference between Forest Gnome and Rock Gnome names?
Rock Gnome names often lean toward clever, invention-themed sounds reflecting their tinkering culture, while Forest Gnome names feel softer and more nature-touched, reflecting their closer ties to the Feywild and woodland life.

Do gnomes have surnames in D&D?
Yes. Gnome clan names are passed down through families and often double as a kind of family motto or inside joke, sometimes referencing a notable invention, mishap, or ancestor.

Can I use Deep Gnome (svirfneblin) names for a surface gnome?
You can, but Deep Gnome names usually sound harsher and more clipped than Forest or Rock Gnome names, since svirfneblin culture developed in the Underdark rather than the Feywild.

More Name Generators

Gnome Names · Dwarf Names · Halfling Names · All Character Names