Canyon Name Generator

Real and invented names for canyons, gorges and gulches

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Generate canyon names for maps, novels, D&D settings and game worlds: real canyons and gorges from the American Southwest to the Andes and Himalaya, Old West gulches and draws, Spanish barrancas and arroyos, and fantasy rifts and clefts.

About canyon names

Real canyon names are mostly plain description in the language of whoever mapped them. In the American West the generic word shifts with scale and region: canyon for the big ones, gorge in the Rockies and Appalachians, gulch, draw, wash and hollow for small dry cuts, coulee on the Columbia Plateau, and narrows or slot for the tight sandstone corridors of Utah and Arizona. Spanish gives cañón, barranca, arroyo and quebrada across the Southwest, Mexico and the Andes; the Alps use gorge, klamm and gola; Australia uses gorge almost exclusively; Arabic landscapes use wadi.

The specific part of the name usually comes from one of four things: color and rock (Marble, Redwall, Vermilion), water behavior (Flash Flood, Dripping Springs, Echo, Hurricane Wash), an animal or plant that lived there (Antelope, Rattlesnake, Cottonwood, Sabino), or a person and what happened to them (Dead Horse, Horsethief, Hermit). Frontier names are blunt and often grim, which is exactly the register an Old West or post-apocalyptic setting wants.

For fantasy maps, match the generic word to the culture and let the biggest feature sound mythic: a single chasm called the Sunderance or Godscar Canyon, surrounded by ordinary Juniper Gulches and Saltcrag Gorges. Mix a few plain names in with the dramatic ones and the map will feel lived in.

How to choose canyon names

  • Pick the generic word by scale and region: canyon for something miles long, gorge for a steep river cut, gulch or draw for a dry side cut, slot or narrows for a corridor you can touch both walls of.
  • Frontier canyons were named bluntly after what happened there (Dead Horse, Horsethief, Last Chance); a couple of those on a map sell a hard country better than any number of Shadow Gorges.
  • Use the local language's word to place a fictional canyon in a culture: barranca or quebrada for a Spanish-flavored region, klamm for an alpine one, wadi for a desert one.
  • Save the dramatic single-word names (Sunderance, Worldrift, Dragon's Maw) for the one canyon that matters to the plot and give its tributaries plain names like Willow Draw or Cottonwood Wash.
  • If the name is for a real trail guide, park or development, check the USGS Geographic Names Information System so you do not duplicate a canyon a few miles away.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a canyon, a gorge and a gulch?

There is no strict rule, but usage is fairly consistent: a canyon is a large, deep valley with steep walls, a gorge is narrower and usually cut by a river, and a gulch, draw, wash or arroyo is a small, often dry side cut. In the Southwest a slot canyon or narrows is a corridor only a few feet wide. Gully, ravine, coulee and hollow are smaller or more regional versions of the same idea.

What are some famous real canyon names?

The Grand Canyon, Antelope Canyon, Bryce Canyon and Zion Canyon in the United States; Fish River Canyon in Namibia and Blyde River Canyon in South Africa; Colca and Cotahuasi in Peru; Copper Canyon (Barrancas del Cobre) in Mexico; Tiger Leaping Gorge in China; Verdon Gorge in France; Vikos and Samaria in Greece; and the Yarlung Tsangpo, often called the deepest on Earth.

How do I name a fantasy canyon so it does not sound generic?

Give it a reason. Name it for its rock (Redwall Gorge), for what the water does (Hurricane Wash), for a creature or plant (Raven Canyon, Piñon Canyon) or for an event (Gorge of Broken Swords). Keep one big mythic name for the canyon that drives your story and let the rest be plain, the way real maps are.

Can I use these names for D&D, Minecraft or video game maps?

Yes. The invented names are free to use, and real canyon names are place names, not trademarks. For a D&D or tabletop world, the fantasy rifts and clefts and the Old West gulches both work; for a Western or survival game, the blunt frontier names and Spanish barrancas give the most authentic feel.

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All 500 canyon names

This is the complete list the generator above draws its random batches from, sorted A to Z and grouped by first letter.

Plain text, one name per line.

A: 20 names

  • Aare Gorge
  • Agawa Canyon
  • Ait Mansour Gorge
  • Alkali Wash
  • Amphitheater Canyon
  • Angel Canyon
  • Antelope Canyon
  • Anvil Canyon
  • Apurímac Canyon
  • Aradena Gorge
  • Aravaipa Canyon
  • Arch Canyon
  • Ardèche Gorge
  • Arroyo Grande
  • Arroyo Hondo
  • Arroyo Seco
  • Ashfall Gorge
  • Aurelian Cleft
  • Ausable Chasm
  • Avon Gorge

B: 38 names

  • Backbone Draw
  • Bacon Rind Canyon
  • Barranca Colorada
  • Barranca de los Lobos
  • Barranca del Diablo
  • Barranca del Oro
  • Barranca Honda
  • Barranca Seca
  • Barrancas del Cobre
  • Basalt Canyon
  • Bastion Draw
  • Batopilas Canyon
  • Beaver Dam Wash
  • Big Thompson Canyon
  • Bighorn Canyon
  • Bitter Spring Canyon
  • Black Canyon of the Gunnison
  • Blackmaw Canyon
  • Blackwater Gorge
  • Blanco Canyon
  • Bloodstone Gorge
  • Blue Pool Canyon
  • Bluejohn Canyon
  • Blyde River Canyon
  • Bobcat Gulch
  • Bootleg Gulch
  • Boquillas Canyon
  • Box Canyon
  • Brannock Gorge
  • Breitachklamm
  • Bridal Veil Gorge
  • Brimstone Gulch
  • Broken Wagon Wash
  • Bruneau Canyon
  • Bryce Canyon
  • Buckskin Gulch
  • Buffalo Gap
  • Burro Canyon

C: 58 names

  • Calf Creek Canyon
  • Calico Canyon
  • Cañada Oscura
  • Candameña Canyon
  • Candy Cane Canyon
  • Cañón de la Huasteca
  • Cañón de la Luna
  • Cañón de las Ánimas
  • Cañón del Águila
  • Cañón del Chicamocha
  • Cañón del Pato
  • Cañón del Sol
  • Cañón del Sumidero Chico
  • Cañón Escondido
  • Cañón Oscuro
  • Cañón Perdido
  • Cañón Sagrado
  • Canyon de Chelly
  • Canyon del Muerto
  • Canyon of the Forgotten
  • Capitol Gorge
  • Caprock Canyons
  • Carnarvon Gorge
  • Cascade Cut
  • Cassidy Arch Canyon
  • Castle Gorge
  • Cataract Canyon
  • Cathedral Gorge
  • Cave Creek Canyon
  • Chaco Canyon
  • Charyn Canyon
  • Chasm of the Fallen Kings
  • Cheddar Gorge
  • Cholla Canyon
  • Chute Canyon
  • Cinder Gulch
  • Citadel Narrows
  • Cloudland Canyon
  • Cobbold Gorge
  • Coffin Hollow
  • Cohab Canyon
  • Colca Canyon
  • Colonnade Gorge
  • Condor Gorge
  • Conquistador Canyon
  • Copper Gulch
  • Copperhead Canyon
  • Corkscrew Canyon
  • Corvin's Chasm
  • Cotahuasi Canyon
  • Cottonwood Narrows
  • Cottonwood Wash
  • Cougar Draw
  • Coyote Gulch
  • Coyote Hollow
  • Crack Canyon
  • Crimson Cleft
  • Crooked Finger Canyon

D: 27 names

  • Dades Gorge
  • Dales Gorge
  • Dariali Gorge
  • Dark Canyon
  • Dawnbreak Gorge
  • Dead Horse Canyon
  • Deadman's Draw
  • Death Hollow
  • Défilé de l'Écluse
  • Défilé du Trou de Bozouls
  • Desolation Canyon
  • Devil's Backbone
  • Devil's Elbow
  • Devil's Gullet
  • Devil's Kitchen
  • Devil's Punchbowl
  • Devil's Slide
  • Devil's Throat
  • Diablo Canyon
  • Diamondback Draw
  • Ding and Dang Canyons
  • Dolores Canyon
  • Dragon's Maw
  • Dragon's Spine Gorge
  • Dragonfall Chasm
  • Dripping Springs Canyon
  • Duskfall Canyon

E: 9 names

  • Eagle Canyon
  • Eagle's Reach
  • Eaton Canyon
  • Echo Canyon
  • Echo Narrows
  • Eldorado Canyon
  • Elk Canyon
  • Elora Gorge
  • Emerald Pools Gorge

F: 19 names

  • Fall Canyon
  • Feather River Canyon
  • Fern Canyon
  • Fern Grotto Canyon
  • Fier Gorge
  • Fire Canyon
  • Fish River Canyon
  • Flaming Gorge
  • Flapjack Canyon
  • Flash Flood Canyon
  • Flume Gorge
  • Fortaleza Canyon
  • Fortress Canyon
  • Fossil Creek Canyon
  • Fraser Canyon
  • Frijoles Canyon
  • Frostbite Gorge
  • Frostcleft
  • Furnace Gorge

G: 30 names

  • Gallows Gap
  • Garganta de Piedra
  • Garganta del Diablo
  • Geikie Gorge
  • Ghost Canyon
  • Giant's Gullet
  • Gila Canyon
  • Glacier's Wake
  • Glen Canyon
  • Glenwood Canyon
  • Goblin Valley Wash
  • Godscar Canyon
  • Gola del Furlo
  • Gola di Gorropu
  • Gold Dust Wash
  • Golden Canyon
  • Gole del Raganello
  • Gordale Scar
  • Gorge of Broken Swords
  • Gorge of Echoes
  • Gorges de la Restonica
  • Gorges de Spelunca
  • Gorges du Dourbie
  • Grand Canyon
  • Grand Coulee
  • Grand Gulch
  • Grandstaff Canyon
  • Granite Gorge
  • Grizzly Gulch
  • Grotto Canyon

H: 23 names

  • Hancock Gorge
  • Hanging Garden Gorge
  • Hangman's Notch
  • Harris Wash
  • Harrow's Cleft
  • Havasu Canyon
  • Hell's Half Acre
  • Hellhole Canyon
  • Hells Canyon
  • Hells Gate
  • Hermit Canyon
  • Hidden Canyon
  • Hole-in-the-Rock
  • Hole-in-the-Wall
  • Hollow of Sighs
  • Horseshoe Bend
  • Horseshoe Canyon
  • Horsethief Canyon
  • Howling Gorge
  • Howling Rift
  • Hummingbird Canyon
  • Hunza Gorge
  • Hurricane Wash

I: 8 names

  • Ice Box Canyon
  • Icehouse Canyon
  • Imbros Gorge
  • Indus Gorge
  • Iron Spring Canyon
  • Ironvein Canyon
  • Isolde's Notch
  • Itaimbezinho Canyon

J: 7 names

  • Jarbidge Canyon
  • Jasper Gulch
  • Jawbone Canyon
  • Joffre Gorge
  • Johnston Canyon
  • Jonte Gorge
  • Juniper Gulch

K: 12 names

  • Kali Gandaki Gorge
  • Kanarra Creek
  • Kasha-Katuwe Slot
  • Kern Canyon
  • Kessler Canyon
  • Keyhole Canyon
  • Kings Canyon
  • Kings River Canyon
  • Knife Edge Gorge
  • Knox Gorge
  • Kolob Canyon
  • Kuiseb Canyon

L: 16 names

  • Labyrinth Canyon
  • Labyrinth Narrows
  • Last Chance Canyon
  • Laurel Canyon
  • Leslie Gulch
  • Letchworth Gorge
  • Leviathan's Trench
  • Lick Wash
  • Liechtensteinklamm
  • Lightning Draw
  • Linville Gorge
  • Little River Canyon
  • Little Wild Horse Canyon
  • Lodore Canyon
  • Lost Dutchman Canyon
  • Lovers Leap Gorge

M: 24 names

  • Maddock's Notch
  • Madera Canyon
  • Malibu Canyon
  • Maligne Canyon
  • Marble Canyon
  • Marble Narrows
  • Mariscal Canyon
  • Matka Canyon
  • Mesquite Wash
  • Midnight Narrows
  • Mill Creek Canyon
  • Mission Gorge
  • Mistaya Canyon
  • Monk's Hollow
  • Monument Canyon
  • Moonscar Cleft
  • Morača Canyon
  • Mosaic Canyon
  • Moses Coulee
  • Mountain Lion Canyon
  • Mule Deer Draw
  • Murchison Gorge
  • Mustang Draw
  • Mystery Canyon

N: 8 names

  • Needle Gorge
  • Neon Canyon
  • New River Gorge
  • Niagara Gorge
  • Nine Mile Canyon
  • Nitmiluk Gorge
  • No Return Canyon
  • No Thoroughfare Canyon

O: 13 names

  • Oak Creek Canyon
  • Obsidian Cleft
  • Ochre Canyon
  • Ocotillo Draw
  • Orderville Canyon
  • Organ Pipe Canyon
  • Oribi Gorge
  • Ormiston Gorge
  • Orrin's Gorge
  • Ouimet Canyon
  • Outlaw Wash
  • Owl Canyon
  • Owyhee Canyon

P: 26 names

  • Padre Canyon
  • Painted Canyon
  • Palo Duro Canyon
  • Palouse Canyon
  • Paradise Canyon
  • Paria Canyon
  • Partnach Gorge
  • Peek-a-Boo Gulch
  • Pepper Sauce Canyon
  • Phantom Canyon
  • Phantom Gorge
  • Pilgrim's Cleft
  • Pillar Canyon
  • Pine Creek Canyon
  • Pine Creek Gorge
  • Piñon Canyon
  • Piva Canyon
  • Plunge Pool Canyon
  • Poker Flat Canyon
  • Pony Express Draw
  • Potholes Canyon
  • Poudre Canyon
  • Professor Creek Canyon
  • Prophet Canyon
  • Providence Canyon
  • Purgatory Gorge

Q: 8 names

  • Quebrada de Humahuaca
  • Quebrada de las Conchas
  • Quebrada de las Flechas
  • Quebrada del Toro
  • Quebrada Honda
  • Quebrada Seca
  • Quechee Gorge
  • Qutang Gorge

R: 23 names

  • Rainbow Canyon
  • Rakov Škocjan
  • Rampart Canyon
  • Ramsey Canyon
  • Rattlesnake Canyon
  • Rattlesnake Draw
  • Ravel Gorge
  • Raven Canyon
  • Ravenmaw Gorge
  • Razor Canyon
  • Red Canyon
  • Red River Gorge
  • Red Rock Canyon
  • Redbud Hollow
  • Redwall Gorge
  • Refrigerator Canyon
  • Rift of Ages
  • Rio Grande Gorge
  • Roaring Fork Canyon
  • Robbers Roost
  • Royal Gorge
  • Ruby Canyon
  • Runyon Canyon

S: 52 names

  • Sabino Canyon
  • Sagebrush Gulch
  • Salt Lick Canyon
  • Salt River Canyon
  • Saltcrag Gorge
  • Samaria Gorge
  • Sandstone Narrows
  • Santa Elena Canyon
  • Sawtooth Canyon
  • Scorpion Gulch
  • Sego Canyon
  • Selene's Rift
  • Seminole Canyon
  • Sentinel Canyon
  • Serpent Canyon
  • Serpent's Spine
  • Sesriem Canyon
  • Shadow Canyon
  • Shadowcleft
  • Shoshone Canyon
  • Sibyl's Gorge
  • Sidewinder Canyon
  • Silver Reef Canyon
  • Silverlode Gorge
  • Sinforosa Canyon
  • Skeleton Gulch
  • Skull Gulch
  • Slate Canyon
  • Slickrock Draw
  • Slide Rock Canyon
  • Snake River Canyon
  • Snow Canyon
  • Sourdough Gulch
  • Spirit Canyon
  • Split Mountain Gorge
  • Spooky Gulch
  • Spring Canyon
  • Stagecoach Gulch
  • Standing Stone Gorge
  • Standley Chasm
  • Starfall Gorge
  • Stillwater Canyon
  • Striped Gorge
  • Sulphur Creek Canyon
  • Sulphur Gulch
  • Sumidero Canyon
  • Sunderance
  • Sundown Gulch
  • Sunset Canyon
  • Sweetwater Canyon
  • Sycamore Canyon
  • Sycamore Draw

T: 33 names

  • Talampaya Canyon
  • Tallulah Gorge
  • Tamarisk Canyon
  • Tamsin's Gap
  • Taos Box
  • Tara River Canyon
  • Tarantula Wash
  • Tarn Gorge
  • Taroko Gorge
  • Tenaya Canyon
  • Tenmile Gulch
  • The Cleft
  • The Narrows
  • The Rift
  • The Siq
  • The Subway
  • The Worldrift
  • Thirsty Gulch
  • Thornhollow Gorge
  • Thunder Falls Gorge
  • Thunder Gorge
  • Tiger Leaping Gorge
  • Tiger Stripe Canyon
  • Tin Cup Gulch
  • Tinaja Wash
  • Titan's Cut
  • Titus Canyon
  • Todra Gorge
  • Tolmin Gorge
  • Topanga Canyon
  • Tule Canyon
  • Turquoise Canyon
  • Twilight Gorge

U: 2 names

  • Unaweep Canyon
  • Urique Canyon

V: 9 names

  • Vael's Cut
  • Valdemar Gorge
  • Vaquero Canyon
  • Verdon Gorge
  • Vermilion Narrows
  • Via Mala
  • Vikos Gorge
  • Vintgar Gorge
  • Viper Gulch

W: 28 names

  • Wadi Ghul
  • Wadi Mujib
  • Wadi Rum
  • Wagon Road Canyon
  • Waimea Canyon
  • Walnut Canyon
  • Watchtower Gorge
  • Waterpocket Gorge
  • Watkins Glen
  • Weano Gorge
  • Weeping Wall Canyon
  • West Fork Canyon
  • Westwater Canyon
  • Wet Beaver Creek Canyon
  • Whiskey Gulch
  • Whistling Canyon
  • White Canyon
  • Widowmaker Gulch
  • Wild Horse Canyon
  • Willis Creek Narrows
  • Willow Draw
  • Wind River Canyon
  • Windjana Gorge
  • Winnats Pass
  • Wire Pass
  • Wolf Canyon
  • Wu Gorge
  • Wyrm's Trench

X: 1 name

  • Xiling Gorge

Y: 3 names

  • Yampa Canyon
  • Yarlung Tsangpo Canyon
  • Yucca Canyon

Z: 3 names

  • Zebra Slot
  • Zion Canyon
  • Zoar Valley