Orc Name GeneratorDungeons & Dragons

DnD Orc Names: Origin, Practices, and Influences

Dungeons & Dragons orcs provide a large proportion of the multiverse's expendable evil muscle, living for the thrill of the fight, worshiping strength like it’s a religion, and surviving on a never-ending supply of venti iced coffees and triple shots of their enemy’s blood. Save for the gray-green skin and the tusks, orcs probably look a lot like that guy you’ll find in your local Planet Fitness at 10pm—you know, the one who’s got that intimidating mean mug, comes in covered in war paint, and always wears a makeshift suit of armor that looks like it was DIY-ed by a baby dwarf.

In DnD, the orc race got its start thanks to their almighty god Gruumsh, who, by all rights, was quite the savvy businessman, considering he managed to create the entire category of cheap, bloodthirsty, and combat-obsessed muscle when he wished the orcs into existence. Since they first clawed their way out of the depths of Mordor and onto the pages of The Hobbit, orcs have propagated to all corners of the modern fantasy zeitgeist—even managing to shake the second-fiddle curse of many less-popular creatures and feature as named characters in games like Warhammer (Azhag the Slaughterer and other warlords) and novels like A Demon in the Desert, Grunts, and The Goblin Corps.

Orc Naming Conventions in Dungeons & Dragons

The names of orcs in D&D employ the harsh, guttural sounds of languages like German and the Slavic tongues to convey their barbaric culture’s brutal and warlike nature. These names often feature groupings of a strong consonant paired with a vowel—with frequent use of hard sounds such as “G,” “K,” and “R,” as seen in names like “Grutok” and “Kansif”—and tend to consist of one or two syllables, emphasizing the race’s straightforward, violent mindset.

Dungeons & Dragons Orc Name Inspiration

Orcs in Dungeons & Dragons often don’t have names with inherent meaning in their own language but rather gain epithets from their tribe mates for noteworthy deeds or characteristics—like “Skin Flayer” or “The Filthy.” If there is symbolism in an orc’s personal name, it typically reflects their brutish, bloodthirsty tendencies, with one common source of inspiration being the sounds of nature, battle, and war; for instance, the name “Lahrukk” evokes something rugged and resilient, while “Ownka” creates an image of ferocity in battle, with each drawing connections to the race’s savage and relentless lifestyle.

Awaken the savage warrior within you with our Dungeons & Dragons orc name generator. Whether you’re embodying a relentless war chief or a fierce raider, let the gods of battle and brutality guide you to the perfect fearsome name for your character.

List of D&D Orc Names

Orcs have left an indelible blood stain on the white shirt of our collective fantasy consciousness, with (in)famous names like Azog the Defiler, Orgrim Doomhammer, and Urzok the Fiend striking fear into the hearts of all those who hear them. Use the list below as inspiration to create your own fierce and formidable orc names, perfect for your next D&D campaign.