Fantasy City Names
A fantasy city name has to do a lot of work in a few syllables: tell the reader where they are, who lives there and whether they should feel safe. Gullhaven smells of salt and fish; Gallowmere does not sound like a place for a vacation. Here are 120+ fantasy city and town names, including more than 100 originals sorted by region and culture, the famous fictional cities that set the standard, and a table of real English and Norse place-name endings so you can build your own map.
Cities rarely stand alone, so pair these with our kingdom names for the realm, tavern names for the inn by the gate, and fantasy last names for the families who run the place.
Famous fantasy cities from books and games
The cities every fantasy fan knows. Study how they work — they’re short, evocative and easy to say — then choose an original below.
| City | From | Known as |
|---|---|---|
| Minas Tirith | The Lord of the Rings | The white city of Gondor |
| Gondolin | The Silmarillion | Hidden city of the Noldor |
| Rivendell | The Hobbit / The Lord of the Rings | Elrond’s valley refuge |
| King’s Landing | A Song of Ice and Fire | Capital of the Seven Kingdoms |
| Braavos | A Song of Ice and Fire | Free City of canals and assassins |
| Oldtown | A Song of Ice and Fire | Home of the Citadel |
| Ankh-Morpork | Discworld | Terry Pratchett’s riotous metropolis |
| Lankhmar | Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser | City of Sevenscore Thousand Smokes |
| Waterdeep | Forgotten Realms | The City of Splendors |
| Baldur’s Gate | Forgotten Realms | Port city of the Sword Coast |
| Neverwinter | Forgotten Realms | The Jewel of the North |
| Tar Valon | The Wheel of Time | Island seat of the Aes Sedai |
| Luthadel | Mistborn | Ash-choked imperial capital |
| Novigrad | The Witcher | Largest free city of the North |
| Whiterun | The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim | Hold capital with a dragon-trapping keep |
Royal capital city names
Grand, confident names for the seat of a crown. Pair with a kingdom name for the realm it rules.
| City name | Feel | Works for |
|---|---|---|
| Aldercrown | Old, regal | Ancient royal seat |
| Highmarch | Martial, proud | Border capital |
| Kingsreach | Imperial | Seat of an expanding empire |
| Aurendale | Golden, pastoral | Wealthy river capital |
| Everspire | Soaring | City of towers |
| Valmoren | Stately | Old-world monarchy |
| Regalis | Latinate | Imperial court |
| Crownhollow | Secretive | Capital built in a valley |
| Solcaster | Sunlit, fortified | Sun-worshipping kingdom |
| Ardenhall | Warm, forested | Woodland kingdom |
| Thalmere | Lakeside | Lake capital |
| Brightmantle | Shining | Holy capital of a church |
Port and harbor city names
Coastal cities are where adventures start: smugglers, sailors and ships to anywhere. Pair with pirate ship names.
| City name | Feel | Works for |
|---|---|---|
| Gullhaven | Salty, lively | Fishing port |
| Tidewatch | Vigilant | Naval fortress |
| Saltmarrow | Rough, briny | Smugglers’ town |
| Port Averin | Cosmopolitan | Trade harbor |
| Wrackmouth | Grim | Shipwreck coast |
| Coralreach | Tropical | Island port |
| Anchorfall | Sturdy | Deepwater harbor |
| Kelpshire | Homely | Seaweed-farming village |
| Mistharbor | Mysterious | Foggy cove |
| Driftmere | Quiet | Lagoon settlement |
| Callowport | Scruffy | Pirate haven |
| Lanternquay | Glowing | Night market by the docks |
Dwarven city and stronghold names
Heavy consonants and stone imagery for mountain halls. Name the residents with our dwarf name generator.
| City name | Feel | Works for |
|---|---|---|
| Durnholm | Solid | Mountain hold |
| Ironvault | Wealthy | Treasury city |
| Stonedeep | Ancient | Deep mine-city |
| Gorundar | Guttural | Dwarven capital |
| Emberforge | Fiery | Smithing city |
| Deepdelve | Endless | Mining outpost |
| Grimhold | Grim | Fortress under siege |
| Dolgarth | Old, heavy | Lost ancestral hall |
| Anvilgate | Industrial | Gate city to the surface |
| Thrumvein | Rumbling | City on a mithril-like seam |
Elven city names
Flowing, musical names for forest cities and moonlit towers. Their rulers’ names are in our high elf names.
| City name | Feel | Works for |
|---|---|---|
| Silvarael | Silvery | Forest capital |
| Aelindor | Noble | High elf city |
| Isilmere | Moonlit | Lake city of moon-worshippers |
| Sylvanost | Woodland | Tree-top settlement |
| Evenglade | Twilight | Hidden glade city |
| Faerwyn Hollow | Fey | Village near a fairy ring |
| Starbough | Celestial | City in giant trees |
| Luminara | Radiant | City of light |
| Elaris Vale | Serene | River valley town |
| Thaelos | Ancient | Ruined elven citadel |
Desert and southern city names
Sun-baked names with a caravan-route feel.
| City name | Feel | Works for |
|---|---|---|
| Sahrim | Hot, dry | Oasis city |
| Zarkesh | Harsh | Walled desert fortress |
| Dunehold | Shifting | Nomad trading post |
| Sunscar | Brutal | Scorched ruin |
| Khepri’s Well | Sacred | Temple oasis |
| Ashkaran | Ancient | Old desert empire |
| Mirage Spire | Mystical | Wizard’s city |
| Tamarind Oasis | Fragrant | Spice-market town |
| Qasr Alanis | Palatial | Sultan’s palace city |
| Vessaru | Smooth | River-delta city |
Northern and frozen city names
Norse-flavored names for tundra, fjords and mountain passes. For more cold inspiration see Viking names.
| City name | Feel | Works for |
|---|---|---|
| Frosthelm | Hardy | Fortress city |
| Rimewatch | Icy, vigilant | Border watchtower |
| Skaldvik | Norse, musical | Fjord town of poets |
| Hrimgard | Frozen | Ice-bound stronghold |
| Ulfheim | Wild | Wolf-clan home |
| Icereach | Remote | Northernmost outpost |
| Kaldmark | Bleak | Cold borderland town |
| Snowfell | Quiet | Mountain village |
| Northwatch | Martial | Garrison city |
| Hvitmark | Pale | White-stone city |
Dark, cursed and haunted city names
For necromancer capitals, plague towns and places your party should leave before dark. Their ghosts can be named from our ghost names.
| City name | Feel | Works for |
|---|---|---|
| Gallowmere | Grim | Execution town |
| Blightmoor | Diseased | Plague-stricken moor |
| Morrowgrave | Deathly | Necropolis |
| Ravenhollow | Ominous | Haunted village |
| Duskmire | Gloomy | Swamp town |
| Hollowfen | Eerie | Abandoned fen settlement |
| Ashgrave | Burned | City destroyed by fire |
| Carrion Reach | Foul | Battlefield town |
| Wraithmoor | Haunted | Ghost-infested city |
| Nevermourn | Cold | City that forgot its dead |
Merchant and trade city names
Crossroads cities built on coin and caravans.
| City name | Feel | Works for |
|---|---|---|
| Coinbridge | Wealthy | Banking city |
| Silkmarch | Luxurious | Textile trade hub |
| Gildhollow | Guild-run | Merchant republic |
| Spicegate | Exotic | Spice-route gateway |
| Tallowmarket | Working-class | Candle and craft town |
| Merrowgate | Bustling | River-trade city |
| Brassford | Industrious | Metalworking town |
| Caravel Cross | Busy | Crossroads trade hub |
Cozy village and small town names
Every adventure starts somewhere small. These gentle names suit halflings, farmers and quiet inns — see also halfling names.
| City name | Feel | Works for |
|---|---|---|
| Thistledown | Gentle | Farming village |
| Millbrook | Homely | River mill town |
| Bramblewick | Rustic | Hedgerow hamlet |
| Oakenford | Sturdy | Crossing town |
| Hearthmoor | Warm | Moorland village |
| Wrenfield | Quaint | Pastoral hamlet |
| Applethorpe | Sweet | Orchard village |
| Fennick’s Crossing | Friendly | Ferry stop |
| Goosebury | Silly | Comic-relief village |
| Mossby | Sleepy | Forest-edge hamlet |
| Willowmere | Tranquil | Lakeside village |
| Barleyhollow | Earthy | Brewing village |
Real place-name endings to build your own
Most convincing fantasy names borrow real English and Norse endings. Add one to a descriptive word — Frost + holm, Oak + wick — and it sounds instantly authentic.
| Ending | Real meaning | Real-world example |
|---|---|---|
| -ton | Farmstead, enclosure (Old English tūn) | Brighton |
| -by | Farm or village (Old Norse býr) | Whitby |
| -thorpe | Outlying farm (Old Norse) | Scunthorpe |
| -wick | Dwelling or trading place (Old English wīc) | Warwick |
| -ford | River crossing | Oxford |
| -burg / -bury | Fortified place | Edinburgh, Canterbury |
| -holm | Islet or river meadow (Old Norse) | Stockholm |
| -mere | Lake | Windermere |
| -ham | Homestead | Birmingham |
| -dale | Valley | Borrowdale |
| -gard | Enclosure, stronghold (Old Norse garðr) | Asgard |
| -chester | Roman fort (Latin castra) | Manchester |
| -haven | Harbor | New Haven |
| -minster | Monastery church | Westminster |
| -vik | Bay, inlet (Old Norse vík) | Reykjavík |
How to name a fantasy city
- Describe the geography. Real towns are named for rivers, fords, hills and harbors — a name like Oakenford tells readers the landscape before you do.
- Keep a consistent language per region. If the north uses Norse endings (-vik, -gard), don’t drop a Latinate Regalis in the middle of it.
- Make the capital easy to say. You’ll write it a hundred times; two or three syllables is plenty.
- Let history leave marks. Old names erode: “Aldercrown” becomes “Alcrown” to locals, which adds instant depth.
- Name the landmarks too. Every city needs an inn, a gate and a market — our tavern names are a quick win.
Frequently asked questions
How do you come up with a fantasy city name?
Combine a descriptive word (a tree, color, animal or feature) with a real place-name ending like -ford, -wick, -holm or -haven. Oakenford, Gullhaven and Durnholm are all built this way.
What are some cool fantasy city names?
Everspire, Tidewatch, Emberforge, Isilmere, Ravenhollow and Lanternquay are original names that sound established without copying famous settings.
What is the most famous fantasy city?
Minas Tirith from The Lord of the Rings and King’s Landing from A Song of Ice and Fire are probably the best known, along with Terry Pratchett’s Ankh-Morpork.
What does -holm mean in a place name?
It comes from Old Norse and means a small island or a meadow by water, as in Stockholm. It’s ideal for northern or Viking-inspired fantasy cities.
Can I use these city names in my book or game?
Yes. The original names on this page are free to use. Avoid famous names like Waterdeep or King’s Landing in published work, since they belong to established franchises.