Dragon Names
Dragons turn up in almost every mythology on Earth, and they almost never share a personality. Norse Fafnir hoards gold, Chinese dragons bring rain and good fortune, and the Welsh red dragon still flies on a national flag. The names follow suit: harsh and hissing for the treasure-hoarders, flowing and noble for the wise ones.
Below are more than 85 dragon names, starting with real dragons from myth and famous ones from books, films and games. After that come real names that mean “dragon” and our own originals for storytellers, game masters and pet owners. For feminine picks, see our full list of female dragon names. D&D players can roll a character with the dragonborn name generator.
Dragon Names: browse all lists
Dragons from world mythology
These are real legends: the dragons people told stories about for centuries before fantasy novels. More mythic beasts live on our monster names page.
| Name | Who it is | Mythology |
|---|---|---|
| Fafnir | A dwarf turned dragon by greed, slain by Sigurd | Norse |
| Nidhogg | Gnaws at the roots of the world tree Yggdrasil | Norse |
| Jörmungandr | The Midgard Serpent that circles the world | Norse |
| Tiamat | Primordial sea goddess, often shown as a dragon | Babylonian |
| Kur | A dragon-like monster of the underworld | Sumerian |
| Ladon | The serpent guarding the golden apples of the Hesperides | Greek |
| Python | Serpent-dragon of Delphi slain by Apollo | Greek |
| Typhon | The monstrous father of many Greek monsters | Greek |
| Apep | Giant serpent of chaos, enemy of the sun god Ra | Egyptian |
| Vritra | Serpent-dragon who hoarded the waters, slain by Indra | Vedic Hindu |
| Illuyanka | Serpent-dragon who fought the storm god | Hittite |
| Y Ddraig Goch | The red dragon on the flag of Wales | Welsh |
| Zmey Gorynych | Three-headed dragon of the mountains | Russian / Slavic |
| Smok Wawelski | The Wawel Dragon of Kraków | Polish |
| Tarasque | River dragon tamed by Saint Martha | French (Provence) |
| Lambton Worm | A giant worm-dragon of County Durham | English |
| Zilant | Winged dragon on the coat of arms of Kazan | Tatar / Russian |
| Quetzalcoatl | The feathered serpent god | Aztec |
| Ryūjin | Dragon king of the sea | Japanese |
| Yamata no Orochi | Eight-headed serpent slain by Susanoo | Japanese |
| Shenlong | Spirit dragon who controls wind and rain | Chinese |
| Yinglong | Winged dragon, servant of the Yellow Emperor | Chinese |
| Ouroboros | Serpent-dragon eating its own tail | Egyptian / Greek |
Famous dragons from books, film and games
From Tolkien to Targaryen, these dragons are pop-culture icons. Use them for pets or fan fiction rather than original characters.
| Name | Source | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Smaug | <em>The Hobbit</em> (Tolkien) | Hoarder of the Lonely Mountain |
| Glaurung | <em>The Silmarillion</em> | Father of Tolkien’s dragons |
| Ancalagon | <em>The Silmarillion</em> | “The Black,” greatest winged dragon |
| Drogon | <em>Game of Thrones</em> | Daenerys’s black dragon |
| Rhaegal | <em>Game of Thrones</em> | Named for Rhaegar Targaryen |
| Viserion | <em>Game of Thrones</em> | The cream-and-gold dragon |
| Balerion | <em>A Song of Ice and Fire</em> | “The Black Dread” |
| Vhagar | <em>House of the Dragon</em> | The oldest living dragon of her era |
| Caraxes | <em>House of the Dragon</em> | “The Blood Wyrm” |
| Toothless | <em>How to Train Your Dragon</em> | A Night Fury |
| Falkor | <em>The NeverEnding Story</em> | The white luckdragon |
| Saphira | <em>Eragon</em> | Sapphire-blue dragon |
| Temeraire | Naomi Novik’s <em>Temeraire</em> | Napoleonic-era Chinese dragon |
| Norbert | <em>Harry Potter</em> | Hagrid’s Norwegian Ridgeback, later Norberta |
| Mushu | <em>Mulan</em> | Pocket-sized guardian |
| Haku | <em>Spirited Away</em> | A river spirit in dragon form |
| Puff | “Puff, the Magic Dragon” | The 1963 folk song |
| Alduin | <em>Skyrim</em> | The World-Eater |
| Paarthurnax | <em>Skyrim</em> | The wise old dragon |
| Spyro | <em>Spyro the Dragon</em> | Purple video game hero |
| Deathwing | <em>World of Warcraft</em> | The Destroyer |
| Kalessin | Ursula K. Le Guin’s Earthsea | The eldest dragon |
| Elliott | <em>Pete’s Dragon</em> | Friendly, sometimes invisible |
| Sisu | <em>Raya and the Last Dragon</em> | The last water dragon |
Real names that mean dragon
These are real given names or words with genuine dragon meanings. Our names that mean dragon page has many more.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Drake | Dragon | Old English |
| Draco | Dragon, serpent | Latin, from Greek |
| Drakon | Dragon | Greek |
| Pendragon | Chief dragon, chief warrior | Welsh |
| Ryu | Dragon | Japanese |
| Tatsuya | Dragon + “to be” | Japanese |
| Long | Dragon (龙) | Chinese |
| Yong | Dragon (용) | Korean |
| Orm | Serpent, dragon | Old Norse |
| Drago | Dragon | Italian |
Fierce dragon names (original)
Our own inventions for villains, bosses and ancient wyrms: long, harsh and full of x, z and th sounds. For more, see our evil names.
| Name | Style / vibe | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Vyrmorax | Ancient, menacing | Red dragon boss |
| Kaizareth | Sharp, regal | Dragon emperor |
| Thraxxus | Heavy, brutal | Black dragon |
| Ignivar | Fire, from Latin <em>ignis</em> | Fire drake |
| Morgathrax | Dark, sprawling | Undead dragon |
| Zolthir | Cold, hissing | Blue storm dragon |
| Skarvuul | Rough, northern | Frost wyrm |
| Draventhos | Noble but cruel | Dragon lord |
| Ashkarr | Ashy, short | Volcano dragon |
| Grendrak | Guttural | Swamp dragon |
| Xyranth | Crystal, exotic | Gem dragon |
| Ruinmaw | Descriptive epithet | A dragon feared by villages |
Female dragon names (original)
Graceful but powerful. The full female dragon names page has dozens more.
| Name | Style / vibe | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Sylvaxia | Elegant, forest-green | Green dragon matriarch |
| Aurelith | Golden, from Latin <em>aurum</em> | Gold dragon |
| Nyssara | Silky, moonlit | Silver dragon |
| Seraxa | Fiery, sharp | Red dragon queen |
| Vaelora | Airy, wise | Cloud dragon |
| Ithriel | Soft, ancient | Elder dragon |
| Zephyra | From Zephyr, the west wind | Wind dragon |
| Calyssa | Glittering | Crystal dragon |
Cute dragon names for pets and toys
Ideal for bearded dragons, plushies and kids’ stories. More reptile-friendly ideas in our bearded dragon names.
| Name | Why it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Ember | A glowing spark | Orange or red pets |
| Pickles | Green and silly | Green dragons |
| Sparky | Classic fire joke | Energetic pets |
| Toasty | Warm and cozy | Heat-lamp lovers |
| Marshmallow | Soft and sweet | Fluffy plush dragons |
| Scorch | Tough but short | Bold lizards |
| Nugget | Small and golden | Baby dragons |
| Blaze | Fast and fiery | Active pets |
| Cinder | A last hot ember | Grey or dark dragons |
| Wyvern | The two-legged heraldic dragon | A pet with attitude |
How to name a dragon
- Match the name to the dragon’s element: hard, crackling sounds for fire, hissing s and z for poison, soft vowels for air and water.
- Give old dragons long names with a title or epithet (“the Black,” “World-Eater”), the way Tolkien and Skyrim do.
- Borrow from real languages: Latin ignis (fire), Old Norse ormr (serpent) or Welsh draig (dragon).
- Eastern dragons usually get noble, benevolent names. Western dragons are often greedy or destructive.
- For pets, keep it to one or two syllables so the name is easy to call.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most famous dragon name?
Smaug from The Hobbit is probably the most famous literary dragon. Drogon from Game of Thrones and Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon are the most famous on screen.
What is a good name for a dragon?
Pick by personality: Vyrmorax or Kaizareth for a fearsome dragon, Aurelith for a noble one, and Ember or Pickles for a cute pet dragon.
What name means dragon?
Drake (Old English), Draco (Latin), Ryu and Tatsu (Japanese), Long (Chinese), Yong (Korean) and Orm (Old Norse) all mean dragon or serpent.
What is the oldest dragon in mythology?
Some of the oldest dragon-like creatures come from Mesopotamia, such as Tiamat of the Babylonian Enūma Eliš and the Sumerian Kur, both from texts thousands of years old.
What do you call a two-legged dragon?
A wyvern. In heraldry, a dragon has four legs and wings, while a wyvern has two legs and wings.