Animal Companion Name Generator

Generate animal companion names for wolves, bears, hawks, panthers, boars, ravens, giant spiders and mounts in D&D, Pathfinder, Baldur's Gate 3 and fantasy fiction. Gruff nicknames, Celtic and Norse names, descriptive wild names and mythic beasts.

About animal companion names

An animal companion is not a pet, and the name should say so. Rangers, druids and beastmasters usually settle on one of four approaches. The first is the trail name: a single word for something the animal did or looks like, such as Thornback, Halftail, One-Ear, Mudpaw or Old Grey. These sound like a hunter describing a beast tracked for years. The second is the ordinary name, the way shepherds and kennel-keepers have always named working animals: Boone, Barnaby, Tansy, Loud Molly, Quiet Jack. A bear called The Sergeant is funnier and more memorable than one called Darkfury. The third borrows from the cultures that gave us ranger archetypes, so Irish and Welsh (Faolan, Bran, Madra, Gethin) and Norse (Ylva, Hrafn, Skadi, Freki) names fit a wolf, hound or raven instantly. The fourth is the hedge-witch garden of herbs, berries and poisons, where Sorrel, Bramble, Rosehip and Wolfsbane all double as names.

Two smaller traditions are worth knowing. Legendary beasts (Argos, Laelaps, Garmr, Hugin, Sleipnir, Bucephalus) work for a companion with a destiny, and British black-dog folklore (Shuck, Barghest, Padfoot, Gytrash) gives an eerie hound or panther real weight.

Pick for the species and the player: a raven wants something clipped, a boar something blunt, a giant spider something unsettling, and a mount something you can shout across a battlefield.

How to choose animal companion names

• Say the name as a one-syllable command in combat before you commit; 'Bramble, go!' works at the table, 'Stormfeather of the Northern Wastes, go!' does not.
• Let the name reflect how the character met the animal: a rescued cub gets a soft homely name (Mitten, Nubbin), a beast that chose the ranger gets a trail name (Sorrowtooth, Longshadow) or a mythic one (Garmr).
• Match the culture of the ranger, not just the species. A Norse-flavored character with a wolf called Varg or Ylva feels coherent; the same wolf called Fluffy says something too, if that is the joke you want.
• Avoid names that describe only the species (Wolf, Hawk, Bear) unless the character is deliberately unsentimental, and even then give it an edge: Old Wolf, Big Red, The Duchess.
• Keep a second name in reserve for when the companion levels up or changes form; a wildshape druid or a Pathfinder animal that grows from cub to dire bear can earn a grander title in play.

Frequently asked questions

What are good names for a D&D ranger's animal companion?

Short, shoutable names that fit the species and the ranger's background work best: Bramble or Sorrel for a wolf, Thornback or Bruiser for a boar, Hrafn or Corbie for a raven, Old Grey or The Sergeant for a bear. Beast Master rangers often choose a trail name earned in play rather than picking the final name at level 3.

Can I use these names for Pathfinder or Baldur's Gate 3 companions?

Yes. The list suits Pathfinder animal companions, druid companions in Pathfinder 2e, ranger beasts in Baldur's Gate 3 and any fantasy setting. Scratch and Boo are included as nods to Baldur's Gate; the rest are original or drawn from myth and folklore, so they fit a homebrew world without baggage.

Should an animal companion have a fantasy name or a normal one?

Either works, but be consistent with the character. A grim wilderness hunter who calls his wolf Dave is a comedic choice; one who calls it Faolan or Longshadow is playing it straight. Many of the most memorable companions have plain names (Bill the pony, Argos the dog) that gain weight through the story.

How do I name a mount versus a fighting companion?

Mounts get names that carry across distance and suit speed or steadiness: Fleethoof, Sunfire, Thunderhoof, Sorrel Dancer, Old Patience. Fighting companions get names that suit their role: ambushers and scouts take quiet names (Whisper, Gloam), bruisers take blunt ones (Growler, Knuckles, Stonebear).

Related generators

All 500 animal companion names