Germanic Tribe Name Generator
Roman-era tribes and confederations, historical and invented
Generate Germanic tribe names in the style of the Roman era and the Migration period: historical peoples such as the Cherusci, Marcomanni, Gepids and Heathobards, plus invented tribes built on the same patterns, like Eburingi, Albivarii, Valdmanni and Black-Shield Harii.
About Germanic tribe names
Almost every Germanic tribe name we have was written down by outsiders: Caesar, Strabo, Pliny, Tacitus and Ptolemy for the Roman era, then Ammianus, Jordanes and the Old English poems Beowulf and Widsith for the Migration period. That is why so many carry Latin plural endings. About half of this list is historical, including the Cherusci, Chatti, Marcomanni, Semnones, Langobardi, Thervingi, Gepids, Heruli and Heathobards. The other half is invented on the same patterns for fiction and games and does not refer to any recorded people.
The patterns are consistent. The ending -ingi or -ungi (Old English -ingas, modern -ings) marks belonging: a kindred, the followers of a founder or the people of a landscape, as in Thervingi, Greuthungi and Wulfings. The ending -varii (Old English -ware) means dwellers: the Ampsivarii lived on the Ems, the Cantware in Kent. Names in -manni are "men": the Marcomanni are the border men, and Alemanni is usually explained as "all men".
The invented names combine Latinized Germanic roots (ebur for boar, arn for eagle, isarn for iron) with those endings, or with the Latin names of real rivers and forests, such as Albis for the Elbe, Visurgis for the Weser and the Hercynian forest. The two-word names follow Beowulf, which speaks of Spear Danes and Weather Geats.
How to choose Germanic tribe names
- Match the form to your narrator. A Roman or scholarly voice uses Latin plurals (Cherusci, Eburingi, Albivarii); a saga or Old English voice uses Wulfings, Cantware or Hræfningas; a modern history voice uses Goths, Vandals and Lombards.
- For a confederation, take a broad name (Valdmanni, Suebi) and give its member tribes narrower names in -ingi, -varii or -gavi. Tacitus describes the Suebi in just this way, as a family of tribes that included the Semnones and the Langobardi.
- Tie -varii and -ware names to geography. Albivarii suits a people on the Elbe, Moenovarii one on the Main, Marivarii a sea coast and Fenivarii a marsh.
- In historical fiction, check a real tribe's date and place before you use it. The Cherusci belong to the first century and the Weser country; the Gepids belong to the fifth and sixth centuries and the Carpathian basin.
- For one character, use an English singular (a Cheruscan, a Batavian, a Goth) or simply say "one of the Eburingi".
Frequently asked questions
Which names in the list are real historical tribes?
Roughly half. The historical names include the Cherusci, Chatti, Chauci, Marcomanni, Quadi, Hermunduri, Semnones, Langobardi, Batavi, Frisii, Cimbri, Teutones, Thervingi, Greuthungi, Gepids, Heruli, Vandals, Burgundians and Alemanni, along with Old English names such as Wulfings, Heathobards, Hwicce and Cantware. Names like Eburingi, Albivarii, Valdmanni and Nicrogavi are invented. If it matters for your project, look a name up before treating it as history.
What do the endings -ingi, -varii, -ones and -manni mean?
The ending -ingi (also -ungi, -ingas and -ings) marks a group that belongs together, such as a kindred or the people of a district. The endings -varii and Old English -ware mean dwellers or inhabitants. The ending -manni means men, as in Marcomanni, the border men. The endings -ones, -i and -ii are Latin plurals that Roman writers attached to native names.
What is the difference between a tribe and a confederation?
The early sources describe many small peoples such as the Chamavi and Bructeri. From the third century larger groupings appear under new names: the Franks on the lower Rhine, the Alemanni on the upper Rhine and the Saxons along the North Sea coast. These absorbed older tribes, so a confederation name suits a kingdom-sized faction and an older tribal name suits one of its parts.
Can I use these names in a fantasy setting?
Yes, the invented half of the list was written for exactly that. Names like Isarnomanni, Fenwulfings, Hercynivarii and Holtware give a northern, Iron Age feel without pointing at any single real people. Historical names work too, but readers who know the period will bring their own associations to Goths, Vandals or Franks.
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All 500 Germanic tribe names
A: 43 names
- Abnobani
- Adogit
- Adranini
- Albavi
- Albiani
- Albibantes
- Albigavi
- Albihaemae
- Albimanni
- Albivarii
- Alboduri
- Alcii
- Alcisci
- Alcohaemi
- Alcungi
- Aldomanni
- Aldungi
- Alemanni
- Amber-Coast Lemovii
- Ambrones
- Ampsivarii
- Angles
- Anglii
- Angrarii
- Angrivarii
- Ansiaci
- Ansuduri
- Armalausi
- Arnii
- Arningi
- Arniones
- Arnusci
- Asciburgii
- Ascingi
- Ascobantes
- Ascohaemae
- Austravi
- Austrobantes
- Austrogavi
- Austroliudi
- Austromanni
- Avarpi
- Aviones
B: 36 names
- Bacenii
- Bacenivarii
- Baduari
- Baetasii
- Baldingi
- Banings
- Banochaemae
- Basingas
- Bastarnae
- Batavi
- Bavarii
- Bergivarii
- Bergliudi
- Bergomanni
- Bergusci
- Berungi
- Bibrii
- Black Forest Alemanni
- Black-Shield Harii
- Boructuari
- Brandari
- Brandingi
- Branteri
- Bright Danes
- Brimingas
- Brisigavi
- Brondings
- Bructeri
- Bructeri Maiores
- Bructeri Minores
- Bruculi
- Brunaci
- Brunii
- Bucinobantes
- Burgundians
- Buri
C: 37 names
- Caeroesi
- Calucones
- Cananefates
- Cantware
- Carpathian Gepids
- Chaedini
- Chaemae
- Chaetuori
- Chaibones
- Chali
- Chamavi
- Chariohaemi
- Chariomanni
- Chariusci
- Chasuarii
- Chatti
- Chattuarii
- Chauci
- Chauci Maiores
- Chauci Minores
- Chauhavi
- Cherusci
- Cherutini
- Childingi
- Chorsi
- Chramnisci
- Chrodingi
- Cilternsæte
- Cimbri
- Clifware
- Coast Chauci
- Cobandi
- Condrusi
- Corconti
- Crimean Goths
- Cugerni
- Cunisci
D: 12 names
- Dagii
- Dagingi
- Danduti
- Danes
- Danube Suebi
- Danuvarii
- Deorlingas
- Druhteri
- Druhtini
- Dulgubnii
- Dune Cananefates
- Dunware
E: 16 names
- East Angles
- East Danes
- East Saxons
- Eaware
- Eburingi
- Eburisci
- Eburobantes
- Eburohaemi
- Eburomanni
- Eburones
- Elbe Suebi
- Elbemen
- Eoforings
- Eotan
- Erminii
- Eudoses
F: 27 names
- Fairgunii
- Falchovarii
- Far Vandals
- Færpingas
- Feldini
- Fen Chauci
- Fenimanni
- Fenivarii
- Fenliudi
- Fenmen
- Fenningas
- Fenobantes
- Fenusci
- Fenwulfings
- Finnaithae
- Firaesi
- Flevavi
- Forest Goths
- Fosi
- Franks
- Frimanni
- Frisians
- Frisiavones
- Frisii
- Frisii Maiores
- Frisii Minores
- Fuhsii
G: 29 names
- Gabretani
- Gaesii
- Gaesingi
- Gaesones
- Gambri
- Gambrivii
- Gardavi
- Gardomanni
- Garingas
- Garmundings
- Gautigoths
- Gautini
- Gautohaemi
- Gautungi
- Geats
- Gefthas
- Gepids
- Gewisse
- Glommas
- Gothi Minores
- Goths
- Gotones
- Grannii
- Greuthungi
- Grey-Wolf Langobardi
- Gundari
- Gutae
- Gutes
- Gyrwas
H: 50 names
- Habuci
- Haestingas
- Hailagi
- Haithungi
- Halcteri
- Halumbri
- Hardomanni
- Hardungi
- Harii
- Hart-Crest Cherusci
- Harudes
- Hasding Vandals
- Hasdingi
- Hasugavi
- Hasuli
- Hatheruli
- Hauhobardi
- Heatho-Reamas
- Heathobards
- Helisii
- Helmings
- Helsings
- Helvecones
- Heorotings
- Hercynisci
- Hercynivarii
- Herminones
- Hermunduri
- Heruli
- Hetware
- Hildwings
- Hill Quadi
- Hilleviones
- Hocings
- Holtavi
- Holtivarii
- Holtobantes
- Holtomanni
- Holtware
- Horse-Lord Tencteri
- Hrædas
- Hræfningas
- Hreth-Goths
- Hrothingas
- Hugas
- Hultaci
- Hultisci
- Hundings
- Hundisci
- Hwicce
I: 10 names
- Ingaevones
- Ingwine
- Iron Thuringians
- Isalavi
- Isarnii
- Isarningi
- Isarnobardi
- Isarnomanni
- Island Batavi
- Istaevones
J: 2 names
- Jutes
- Juthungi
K: 1 name
- Knot-Haired Suebi
L: 17 names
- Lacringi
- Langobardi
- Langomanni
- Laugoniani
- Laugonini
- Lemovii
- Lentienses
- Levoni
- Lombards
- Long-Spear Rugii
- Lugii
- Lugii Buri
- Lugii Diduni
- Lugii Omani
- Lupiani
- Lupiavarii
- Lupigavi
M: 32 names
- Magonsæte
- Manimi
- Marcavi
- Marchmen
- Marcobantes
- Marcoduri
- Marcohaemae
- Marcomanni
- Mariliudi
- Marimanni
- Marisaivi
- Marivarii
- Marsaci
- Marsh Angles
- Marsi
- Marsigni
- Marungi
- Marvingi
- Mattiaci
- Medobantes
- Melibocani
- Meonware
- Meringas
- Merscware
- Middle Angles
- Mist Jutes
- Moenavi
- Moenogavi
- Moenovarii
- Moor Bructeri
- Morware
- Myrgings
N: 15 names
- Naharvali
- Naristi
- Nemetes
- Nertereani
- Nicriani
- Nicrogavi
- Nicrovarii
- Nordalbingi
- Nordavi
- Nordfalahi
- Nordgavi
- Nordliudi
- Nordmanni
- North Danes
- Nuithones
O: 5 names
- Odalingi
- Oder Vandals
- Old Saxons
- Ostfalahi
- Ostrogoths
P: 6 names
- Paemani
- Pecsæte
- Peucini
- Pharodini
- Phundusii
- Pine-Wood Burgundians
Q: 1 name
- Quadi
R: 19 names
- Raetovarii
- Ragnaricii
- Raumarici
- Readingas
- Red-Cloak Marcomanni
- Reed Varini
- Reudigni
- Rhenogavi
- Rhenovarii
- Rhine Franks
- Ricingi
- Ring Danes
- Ripuarian Franks
- Ripuarii
- River Gepids
- Rondings
- Rugiclei
- Rugii
- Rugini
S: 62 names
- Sabalingi
- Sacred-Grove Semnones
- Saivavi
- Salagavi
- Salavarii
- Salian Franks
- Salii
- Salt-Spring Chatti
- Saxons
- Sceldi
- Sceldungi
- Sciri
- Scyldings
- Sea Geats
- Secgan
- Sedusii
- Segii
- Segingi
- Segni
- Semnones
- Sencteri
- Ship-Born Suiones
- Shore Saxons
- Sidini
- Sigulones
- Siling Vandals
- Silingi
- Sitones
- South Danes
- South Saxons
- Spaldingas
S, continued
- Spear Danes
- Stainari
- Stainungi
- Stanhelmings
- Staningas
- Steppe Goths
- Sternii
- Storm Geats
- Strandware
- Sturii
- Suardones
- Sudetani
- Suebi
- Suebi Angili
- Suebi Langobardi
- Suebi Nicrenses
- Suebi Semnones
- Suehans
- Suetidi
- Sugambri
- Suiones
- Sundavi
- Sundfalahi
- Sundgavi
- Sunnici
- Sunningas
- Sunuci
- Svanii
- Svaningi
- Sweon
- Sweordweras
T: 23 names
- Taifali
- Tencteri
- Terp Frisians
- Tetraxite Goths
- Teuduri
- Teuriochaemae
- Teutoburgii
- Teutohaemi
- Teutomanni
- Teutones
- Teutonoari
- Texandri
- Thervingi
- Throwends
- Thunarii
- Thuringii
- Tivisci
- Tomsæte
- Triboci
- Tubantes
- Tungri
- Turcilingi
- Twin-God Naharvali
U: 5 names
- Ubii
- Ulfii
- Ulfingi
- Ulfomanni
- Usipetes
V: 33 names
- Valdingi
- Valdliudi
- Valdmanni
- Valduri
- Vandals
- Vandilii
- Vangiones
- Varini
- Vesi
- Vestravi
- Vestrogavi
- Vestromanni
- Viaduvarii
- Victohali
- Vidivarii
- Viduhaemi
- Vidusci
- Vigari
- Vincteri
- Vinduli
- Vindungi
- Vinoviloth
- Viruni
- Visburgii
- Visigoths
- Vistula Goths
- Visumbri
- Visungi
- Visurbantes
- Visurgivarii
- Visurisci
- Vulthringi
- Vurmii