Celtic Town Name Generator

Gaelic, Welsh, Cornish and Breton town names

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Generate Celtic town and village names built from real Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Welsh, Cornish, Breton and Manx place-name elements: Bally-, Kil-, Inver-, Aber-, Llan-, Tre-, Pol-, Plou- and Ker- names that sound like they have stood on the map for a thousand years. Ideal for fantasy maps, D&D campaigns and historical fiction.

About Celtic town names

Celtic place names are built from a small vocabulary of landscape words, so a map of Ireland, the Highlands, Wales, Cornwall or Brittany reads like one language once you know the pieces. In Irish and Scottish Gaelic, Bally and Balla come from baile (settlement), Kil from cill (church), Dun from dún (fort), Inver from inbhir (river mouth), Carrick and Craig from carraig (rock), Knock from cnoc (hill), Rath and Lis from ringfort words, Clon from cluain (meadow) and Glen from gleann. Welsh and Cornish share the Brythonic set: Llan (church enclosure, usually followed by a saint), Aber (river mouth), Caer (fort), Tre (farmstead), Pen (head), Pol (pool), Porth (harbour), Cwm (valley) and Nant (stream). Breton adds Plou (parish), Ker (hamlet) and Loc (holy place), and Manx keeps Balla, Cronk and Purt.

The second half of a name does the describing: mór and beag (big and small), dubh, fionn, glas and rua (black, white, green and red), or a saint, a chieftain or a tree. So Ballymore is 'big town', Kilbride 'Bridget's church', Llanfair 'Mary's church' and Kerlouan 'Louan's hamlet'.

This generator mixes names invented from those genuine elements with real Celtic-nation towns, in anglicised and native spellings, so a fantasy region or historical setting feels consistently Celtic rather than generically medieval.

How to choose Celtic town names

  • Pick one Celtic nation per region of your map. Bally-, Kil- and Knock- read as Irish; Inver-, Strath- and Pit- as Scottish; Llan-, Cwm- and Pont- as Welsh; Tre-, Pol- and Porth- as Cornish; Plou- and Ker- as Breton. Mixing them on one coast looks wrong to anyone who knows the real ones.
  • Use descriptors the way the languages do: -more/-mor for the bigger settlement and -beg/-bach for the smaller one, so a pair like Ardmore and Ardbeg tells travellers which is which.
  • Native spellings (Cill Bhríde, Gleann Garbh, Llanfihangel) suit lore, signposts and in-world documents; anglicised forms (Kilbride, Glengarriff) are easier for readers to pronounce in running prose.
  • Attach a saint or founder to Llan-, Kil-, St and Loc- names to imply history: Llandeiniol, Kilcormac and Locronan each record the person the church was named for.
  • For market towns and crossroads villages add a second word, as real maps do: Kirkton of Glenisla, Ballymore Eustace, Pont-y-Bont Fawr or Tullyallen Cross.

Frequently asked questions

What do the common Celtic place-name prefixes mean?

Bally (baile) is a settlement, Kil (cill) a church, Dun (dún) a fort, Inver (inbhir) and Aber a river mouth, Carrick a rock, Knock a hill, Glen a valley, Llan a church enclosure, Caer a fort, Tre a farmstead, Pen a headland, Pol a pool, Porth a harbour, Plou a parish and Ker a hamlet.

Are these real towns or invented names?

Both. The list mixes names invented from genuine Gaelic, Welsh, Cornish, Breton and Manx elements with real towns and villages from Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, Brittany and the Isle of Man, so you can use it either for inspiration or for authentic-sounding fantasy places.

Can I use these names for a D&D campaign or novel?

Yes. Place names are not copyrighted, and the invented ones are free to use anywhere. If you want a setting that feels rooted rather than generic, keep to the prefixes of a single Celtic nation for each region and reuse its descriptors consistently.

How do I pronounce Welsh or Gaelic names like Llanfihangel or Cill Bhríde?

Welsh Ll is a breathy hissed l (roughly 'hl'), dd is a voiced th, and w is a vowel, so Llanfihangel is 'hlan-vee-HANG-el'. In Gaelic, bh and mh sound like v, so Cill Bhríde is 'kill VREE-juh'. Anglicised spellings like Kilbride already encode the pronunciation.

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All 500 Celtic town 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: 30 names

  • Aberangell
  • Aberarth
  • Aberbanc
  • Aberbargoed Fawr
  • Abercegir
  • Aberdyfi Bach
  • Aberglas
  • Aberhosan
  • Aberlleiniog
  • Abermeurig
  • Abernethy Glas
  • Aberteifi Fach
  • Achadh an Droighinn
  • Achnavar
  • Ard Mhacha Thiar
  • Ardcanny
  • Ardcarrig
  • Ardcolm
  • Ardmayle
  • Ardnacrusha
  • Ardstraw
  • Ardvreckan
  • Assaroe
  • Áth Trasna
  • Athboy Cross
  • Auchindrain
  • Auchinree
  • Auchmithie
  • Auchnagatt
  • Auchterless

B: 36 names

  • Baile an Chaisil
  • Baile an Chnoic
  • Baile an tSléibhe
  • Baile Átha Luain
  • Baile Locha
  • Baile na gCnoc
  • Baile Uí Fhiacháin
  • Ballabrooie
  • Ballacorris
  • Ballagarraghyn
  • Ballakilley
  • Ballaquane
  • Ballasalla
  • Ballaugh
  • Ballinacloona
  • Ballinteskin
  • Ballinturk
  • Ballymoran
  • Ballynaclogh
  • Ballynacorra
  • Ballyvoreen
  • Belcarra
  • Betws Bledrws
  • Betws Garmon
  • Bodedern
  • Bosavern
  • Boswednack
  • Bryn Tegid
  • Bryn-y-Maen
  • Brynberian
  • Bryncethin
  • Brynhoffnant
  • Brynhyfryd
  • Brynsiencyn
  • Brynteg
  • Bun Dobhráin

C: 78 names

  • Caer Deiniol
  • Caer Einion
  • Caer Gybi
  • Caer Llion Fawr
  • Caerbryn
  • Caerdeon
  • Caerfarchell
  • Caerhun
  • Caersws Fach
  • Caerwys
  • Caherdaniel
  • Caiseal Mór
  • Capel Seion
  • Cappaghmore
  • Carn Euny
  • Carn Marth
  • Carnglaze
  • Carnkie
  • Carnkief
  • Carnmenellis
  • Carnyorth
  • Carraig Fhearghais
  • Carrickabraghy
  • Carrickbrennan
  • Carrickfane
  • Carrigadrohid
  • Carrigeen Beg
  • Carrigmahon
  • Carrigrohane
  • Cashelgarran
  • Castell Caereinion
  • Cathair Saidhbhín
  • Ceann Loch Gilp
  • Cefn Coed-y-Cymmer
  • Chyandour
  • Chysauster
  • Cilcennin
  • Cill Airne Thoir
  • Cill Bhríde

C, continued

  • Cill Chiaráin
  • Cill Chuithbeirt
  • Cill Dubh
  • Cill Mhuire Thiar
  • Cill Rónáin
  • Cloonbeg
  • Clooncraff
  • Cloondara
  • Cloonfower
  • Cloonlara
  • Cloonmoher
  • Cluain Eidhneach
  • Cluain Meala
  • Cnoc an Óir
  • Coat-Meal
  • Coolaney
  • Corrofin
  • Craigdoran
  • Craigellan
  • Craigentinny
  • Craigievar
  • Craiglarach
  • Craigrothie
  • Creag Ealasaid
  • Croaghan
  • Cronk Sumark
  • Cronk y Voddy
  • Cronk-ny-Arrey
  • Curraghboy
  • Cwm Gwendraeth
  • Cwm Penmachno
  • Cwm-y-Glo
  • Cwmbelan
  • Cwmdauddwr
  • Cwmdu
  • Cwmllynfell
  • Cwmrhydyceirw
  • Cwmtillery
  • Cwmystwyth

D: 30 names

  • Dail Mhàilidh
  • Derryadd
  • Derrycashel
  • Derrygarriff
  • Derrygonnelly
  • Derrylea
  • Derrynaflan
  • Dinas Mawddwy
  • Doire Bheag
  • Dolwyddelan
  • Droim Cliabh
  • Drumbaragh
  • Drumcondra Cross
  • Drumgolagh
  • Drumharvey
  • Drumlossan
  • Drumshanbo
  • Dún Aoibhinn
  • Dún Bó
  • Dún Cormaic
  • Dún Fhearghail
  • Dún Geanainn
  • Dún Rua
  • Dunaff
  • Dunbrody Heights
  • Dungourney
  • Dunlaverty
  • Dunmaddy
  • Dunmaskin
  • Dunmorrow

E: 2 names

  • Eglwyswrw
  • Ennisnag

F: 2 names

  • Farranfore
  • Ffynnon Taf

G: 21 names

  • Garrycastle
  • Garthmyl
  • Gellilydan
  • Gleann Bheatha
  • Gleann Cholm Cille
  • Gleann Dá Loch
  • Gleann Fhinn
  • Gleann Garbh
  • Gleann na Sí
  • Glenashlinn
  • Glenbrackan
  • Glenbrohane
  • Glenmallow
  • Glenorra
  • Glenshesk
  • Glion Moar
  • Glyn Ceiriog
  • Goonhavern
  • Gort an Choirce
  • Gortnahoe
  • Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen

H: 2 names

  • Halsetown
  • Hendre-ddu

I: 20 names

  • Inbhir Chaol
  • Inbhir Dhúin
  • Inbhir Gharbh
  • Inbhir Ghlas
  • Inbhir Nis
  • Inbhir Pheofharain
  • Inis Meáin
  • Inishbiggle
  • Inishcarra
  • Inishcoole
  • Inishfallon
  • Inishmurrough
  • Inishnee
  • Inverbreckie
  • Invercaddon
  • Invercauld
  • Inverinate
  • Inverkeld
  • Inverlochan
  • Invershiel

K: 46 names

  • Kerandraon
  • Keranna
  • Keranroux
  • Kerbellec
  • Kerbors
  • Kerdanet
  • Kerdévot
  • Kerfeunteun
  • Kerfourn
  • Kergloff
  • Kergrist
  • Kerlédan
  • Kerlouan
  • Kerlouet
  • Kermoroc'h
  • Kernascleden
  • Kerouzec
  • Kerpert
  • Kerrow Downs
  • Kersaint
  • Kervignac
  • Kilbrannon
  • Kilcashel
  • Kilfergus
  • Kilmacrennan
  • Kilmorrin
  • Kilnamona
  • Kilteelagh
  • Kinardagh
  • Kinbreckie
  • Kinloch Tullich
  • Kinlochard
  • Kinnoull
  • Kirkalloway
  • Kirkbean
  • Kirkibost
  • Kirkmadrine
  • Kirkmaiden
  • Kirkoswald Mains
  • Knockaderry
  • Knockavilla
  • Knockbrack
  • Knocknaheeny
  • Knockraha
  • Knockrany
  • Kylemore

L: 57 names

  • Lackagh
  • Lanarth
  • Landulph
  • Lanescot
  • Lanildut
  • Lanivet
  • Lanjeth
  • Lanmodez
  • Lannedern
  • Lannilis
  • Lanreath Magna
  • Lanteglos-by-Fowey
  • Lanvollon
  • Legnahorna
  • Leitir Ceanainn
  • Letterkeen
  • Lios Tuathail
  • Lisbane
  • Lisheenaleen
  • Lisnacree
  • Lisnagarvey
  • Lisnamallard
  • Lisronagh
  • Lissavanagh
  • Llan Ffestiniog
  • Llanbedr-y-Cennin
  • Llanddona
  • Llandyfrydog
  • Llanegryn
  • Llanelltyd
  • Llanfachreth
  • Llanfaelog
  • Llanfihangel-y-Gors
  • Llangwyryfon
  • Llangynidr
  • Llanrhaeadr
  • Llanrhidian
  • Llansantffraid Glyn
  • Llanwddyn
  • Llanwenog
  • Llanwrthwl Fach
  • Locarn
  • Loch Baghasdail
  • Loch Duich Ferry
  • Loch Garman Beag
  • Lochailort
  • Lochalsh Ferry
  • Lochmorlich
  • Lochrist
  • Lochwinnoch
  • Locmalo
  • Locmaria-Berrien
  • Locmaria-Plouzane
  • Locmélar
  • Locquénolé
  • Locronan
  • Locunole

M: 10 names

  • Maes-y-Crugiau
  • Maesllyn
  • Mainistir na Féile
  • Melin-y-Wig
  • Moelfre
  • Monasteranenagh
  • Moneygall Cross
  • Mullach Íde
  • Mullaghcarn
  • Mynydd Isa

N: 17 names

  • Nancegollan
  • Nancledra
  • Nanjizal
  • Nanpean
  • Nanquidno
  • Nansladron
  • Nansloe
  • Nanswhyden
  • Nant Peris Uchaf
  • Nant-y-Ffin
  • Nant-y-Moel
  • Nantcol
  • Nantgaredig
  • Nantglyn
  • Nantgwynant
  • Nantmel
  • Newtownsandes

P: 56 names

  • Pantglas
  • Peit Luachraidh
  • Pen-y-Bont Fawr
  • Penberth
  • Penbryn
  • Pengersick
  • Penhale
  • Penmachno
  • Penmarc'h
  • Pennal
  • Penuwch
  • Penwithick
  • Pitcaple
  • Pitcox
  • Pitfour
  • Pitglassie
  • Pitlessie
  • Pitscandly
  • Plomodiern
  • Plonevez-Porzay
  • Ploudalmezeau
  • Plougasnou
  • Plouguin
  • Plouigneau
  • Plounevez
  • Plouvien
  • Pluguffan
  • Pluvigner
  • Poldhu
  • Polgigga
  • Polgwidden
  • Polkerris
  • Polladras
  • Polmear
  • Polmorla
  • Polscoe
  • Polwithiel
  • Polyphant
  • Pont-Croix
  • Pont-rhyd-y-groes
  • Pont-Scorff
  • Pontfadog
  • Pontgarreg
  • Pontsticill
  • Pontyberem
  • Porth Joke
  • Porthallow
  • Porthcothan
  • Porthgwarra
  • Porthgwynan
  • Porthleven
  • Porthmeor
  • Porthoustock
  • Porthtowan
  • Purt ny Hinshey
  • Pwllgloyw

R: 26 names

  • Ráth Droma
  • Rathcoffey
  • Rathcoole
  • Rathfriland Beg
  • Rathgorman
  • Rathlackan
  • Rathmoylan
  • Rathnaleen
  • Rhos-y-Garth
  • Rhos-y-Meirch
  • Rhosesmor
  • Rhosgadfan
  • Rhosgoch Isaf
  • Rhoshirwaun
  • Rhosmaen
  • Rhosneigr
  • Rhydcymerau
  • Ros Comáin
  • Ros Éamoinn
  • Ros Fada
  • Ros Liath
  • Ros Mhic Thriúin
  • Ros na Rón
  • Roscrea Abbey
  • Rosemergy
  • Rosnoen

S: 22 names

  • Sarnau
  • Shanballymore
  • Sliabh Bán
  • Slievemore
  • Srath Spé
  • St Endellion
  • St Enodoc
  • St Ewe
  • St Keverne Downs
  • St Levan
  • St Mawgan-in-Pydar
  • St Merryn
  • St Minver
  • St Petroc Minor
  • St Piran's Cove
  • Strathallen
  • Strathcarron
  • Strathdearn
  • Strathfillan Mor
  • Strathmoray
  • Strathnairn
  • Strathyre Cross

T: 43 names

  • Tal-y-Llyn
  • Tawnaghmore
  • Tobar Phádraig
  • Toberbreedy
  • Toberclare
  • Tobercurry
  • Toberdaly
  • Tobernaclogh
  • Toberscanavan
  • Tolcarne
  • Tre'r-ddol
  • Trebarwith
  • Trebeurden
  • Tredinnick
  • Tredrez
  • Trefeglwys
  • Trefenter
  • Trefnant
  • Tregarrow
  • Trégastel
  • Tregirls
  • Tregroes
  • Trelissick
  • Tremaine
  • Tremel
  • Tremorvah
  • Trethevy
  • Trevalga
  • Treveighan
  • Trevenna
  • Trewellard Cross
  • Trewint
  • Trewithian
  • Treyarnon
  • Tulach Mhór
  • Tullyallen Cross
  • Tullyard
  • Tullyhane
  • Tullyhogue
  • Tullynagardy
  • Tullyvallen
  • Ty'n-y-Groes
  • Tyddewi Bach

Y: 2 names

  • Ynys-hir
  • Ystrad Meurig