Village Name Generator

Believable village names for maps, novels and campaigns

Places & GeographyPart of: town and city generators500 names

0 of 500 seen

This or that?

7 picks, 1 winner

Tap the name you like more.

Tap a name to copy it. The arrows swap one name.

Or browse all 500 names, A to Z

Generate village names that sound like they have been on the map for centuries: English hamlets, Welsh and Highland crofting villages, Irish townlands, Alpine and French communes, Norwegian fjord settlements, and rural American crossroads for your fantasy world, novel or D&D campaign.

About village names

Village names are older and stranger than town names because nobody planned them. In England most are Old English or Norse descriptions worn smooth over a thousand years: a farmstead (-ham, -ton, -by), a clearing (-ley, -field), a crossing (-ford, -bridge), a hill or valley (-don, -combe, -dale), or a church (Kirk-, -minster). On top sit the tags villages acquire when two share a name: Upper and Nether, Great and Little, Magna and Parva, the lord or saint who held the manor (Okeford Fitzpaine, Otterbourne St John), or the river it sits on (Aston-on-the-Water).

Other regions have their own vocabulary. Welsh villages begin with Llan- (church), Pen- (head), Aber- (river mouth) and Cwm (valley); Scottish ones with Kil-, Inver-, Bal- and Glen-; Irish ones with Bally-, Kill- and Knock-. German villages end in -dorf, -hausen and -bach, often tied to a river with "am" or "im", French ones pair a saint with a -sur- river, and American villages are a family name plus Crossing, Mills, Corners or Hollow.

When you invent a village, decide who named it and why. A tanner's cottage by a ford becomes Tanner's Cross; a bitter winter stream becomes Coldbeck; a hamlet below a larger town becomes Little Wending. That scrap of invented history makes the name feel found rather than made.

How to choose village names

  • Use the region's own suffixes consistently: a map with Ashcombe, Llanwenydd and Oberndorf side by side reads as three countries, which is fine only if that is the point.
  • Add a distinguishing tag (Upper, Nether, Parva, St Anne, -on-the-Water) to one or two villages, not all of them; real maps have a few and the rest are plain.
  • Make the name describe something visible so the description can do double duty: Heronbeck should have herons and a beck, and Gallowtree Green had better have a dark story.
  • Keep village names shorter and rougher than the nearest town's name; towns get polished names because merchants and charters cared, villages keep the old dialect form.
  • Say the name in a sentence of dialogue ("I'm from Hobb's End") to test it; if a character can say it without tripping, it works.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a village name and a town name?

Mostly age and ambition. Village names are usually a single old compound word describing a farm, ford or clearing, often with a tag like Upper or Parva added later, while towns tend to have market or charter names (Chipping, Market, -bury, -port) and sound more formal.

How do I make a fantasy village name sound medieval?

Borrow the real suffixes (-ham, -ton, -wick, -thorpe, -combe, -mere, -ford) and prefix them with a plain noun or a founder's name, then optionally add a Norman-style tag: Thorpe Lacey, Combe Regis, Staverton Parva. Avoid apostrophes and invented letters; the plainer it is, the older it feels.

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

Yes. The English and fantasy-flavoured names suit a standard D&D setting, the Norse and Highland ones fit colder regions, and short names like Mardle, Tarrow or Hovland are easy to type on a Minecraft sign or say at the table.

Are any of these real villages?

Many are invented using real naming patterns, but a good number of genuine villages are mixed in, including the eccentric English ones (Great Snoring, Barton-in-the-Beans, Ryme Intrinseca, Wetwang) and some real Scottish, Irish, Norwegian and American settlements, as models for how the patterns work. Check a map before using a name for anything that implies a real place.

Related generators

More like this

Browse category

All 500 village 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: 22 names

  • Abbess Roding
  • Abbey Dore
  • Abbot's Wending
  • Aberhafren
  • Achnasheen Row
  • Aldersby
  • Aldwick Bassett
  • Altenmarkt
  • Amberley Hill
  • Amity Green
  • Åmli
  • Appledore Cross
  • Appleton Mallet
  • Ardchyle
  • Ardgroom Cross
  • Ardvreck
  • Ashbury-on-Wold
  • Ashcombe
  • Ashenford
  • Aston-on-the-Water
  • Auchenbrae
  • Autumnhill

B: 48 names

  • Badgerwick
  • Bailey Green
  • Ballinamuck Cross
  • Ballinskerry
  • Ballyconnor
  • Ballyheane
  • Ballylicket
  • Ballyrusheen
  • Ballyvrennan
  • Balnagown
  • Balquharn
  • Barcombe Cross
  • Barleycroft
  • Barrowby Wold
  • Barrowdown
  • Barton-in-the-Beans
  • Beacon Hollow
  • Beaumont-le-Roger
  • Bellefontaine
  • Belltower Green
  • Bergheim am See
  • Birkenried
  • Birkrigg
  • Bishop's Cleave
  • Bishop's Sutton
  • Bittern Fen
  • Blackthorn End
  • Bleakley
  • Blubberhouses
  • Boarstall
  • Bourton Fields
  • Bøverdal
  • Brackenhurst
  • Bramble Hollow
  • Bramblecote
  • Bredon Parva
  • Briarwick
  • Brightwater
  • Brindlewood
  • Bryn Melyn
  • Bucknall Cross
  • Bullbridge
  • Bumpass Crossing
  • Bunessaig
  • Burford St Giles
  • Burnt Cabins
  • Burnt Yates
  • Bwlch y Gors

C: 43 names

  • Caldicote
  • Calverleigh
  • Candlewick
  • Canon's Ashby
  • Capel Wern
  • Carrickboy
  • Carrigahorig
  • Carsfairn
  • Castle Combe
  • Castlemaddock
  • Cedar Crossing
  • Chandler's Cross
  • Chantry Hill
  • Chapel Amble
  • Cheriton Bishop
  • Cherrington
  • Cherrywell
  • Chipping Marden
  • Church Knowle
  • Churchstoke
  • Cilgwyn
  • Clachan of Lorn
  • Clairvaux-le-Petit
  • Cliffony Cross
  • Clover Bottom
  • Coedllwyd
  • Coldbeck
  • Coldharbour
  • Combe Regis
  • Concord Corners
  • Cooper's Fork
  • Copperhollow
  • Cornwell Green
  • Cottismoor
  • Cowfold
  • Crabtree Corner
  • Crackpot Vale
  • Crakehall Cross
  • Crookdale
  • Crossways
  • Crowthorne Lea
  • Cwm Berwyn
  • Cwm Gwyddon

D: 16 names

  • Dalnacardoch Row
  • Damson Green
  • Dawnhurst
  • Deacon Bridge
  • Dimchurch
  • Dimmock's Cross
  • Doewood
  • Dolwen
  • Dromanure
  • Drumlaggan
  • Drumnacroy
  • Drumshanny
  • Dunmow Parva
  • Dunsley Bottom
  • Duskwater
  • Dyer's Ford

E: 8 names

  • Ebbesbourne Wake
  • Eidsbugarden
  • Eikelund
  • Eldermoor
  • Elmstead Parish
  • Ember Heath
  • Eschental
  • Eventide

F: 25 names

  • Fairmead
  • Falkenbach
  • Fallowmere
  • Fangfoss
  • Farthingstone
  • Fawnhurst
  • Felin Newydd
  • Fenmarsh
  • Fennel Cross
  • Fenny Bridge
  • Ferncombe
  • Ferrywell
  • Fjellstad
  • Flåm Nedre
  • Foalmere
  • Fogmoor
  • Fontaine-la-Jolie
  • Four Lanes End
  • Foxearth
  • Foxhollow
  • Fraisthorpe Cross
  • Friar's Cote
  • Friendship Corner
  • Frog Level
  • Frostwick

G: 31 names

  • Gallow's Reach
  • Gallowtree Green
  • Garthby
  • Gatehouse Cross
  • Gelli Aur
  • Ghyll Head
  • Giggleswick Green
  • Gildenford
  • Gladwell
  • Glebe End
  • Glenbeigh Cross
  • Glencolumb
  • Glenfallon
  • Glenmorrow
  • Glyntawe
  • Gnaw Bone
  • Goodrest
  • Gortahork Cross
  • Goshen Hollow
  • Grandchamp
  • Grange Moor
  • Great Snoring
  • Greyling
  • Greywater Crossing
  • Grimstadvik
  • Grimsthwaite
  • Grisethwaite
  • Groatsworth
  • Grünwald
  • Guineafield
  • Gunnerby

H: 34 names

  • Halfway House
  • Hambledon Mere
  • Harefield Green
  • Harmony Grove
  • Harrow's End
  • Hartswell
  • Hartwell Ford
  • Harvestmere
  • Hatherleigh Row
  • Hauterive-le-Vieux
  • Hawksgarth
  • Haymoor
  • Hensford
  • Heronbeck
  • Hickory Flat
  • Hillsbrook
  • Hinterbrühl
  • Hoarfrost Green
  • Hobb's End
  • Hobley Green
  • Hochtal
  • Hogsthorpe
  • Hohenwald
  • Hollin Beck
  • Hollin Green
  • Holloway St Anne
  • Hollowmere
  • Hollowstone
  • Hopewell
  • Hopfield
  • Horse Shoe Bend
  • Hovland
  • Howgill Foot
  • Hundred Acre End

I: 5 names

  • Inchigeela Cross
  • Ingleby Carr
  • Invercauld Row
  • Iron Hill
  • Ivy Cross

J: 1 name

  • Juniper Hollow

K: 21 names

  • Keep End
  • Keldholme
  • Kestrel Bourne
  • Kettlebury
  • Kilbrannock
  • Kilcrohan
  • Kilmacreen
  • Kilmorlach
  • Kilnaboy Cross
  • Kindlehurst
  • Kingsmeadow
  • Kinlochewe Row
  • Kirchdorf an der Ache
  • Kirkby Overblow
  • Kirkby Thursby
  • Kirkby Underdale
  • Kirkgate
  • Kirkthorpe
  • Kirkton of Strathmuir
  • Kleinrain
  • Knockananna

L: 23 names

  • La Chapelle-aux-Bois
  • Lambourne End
  • Lantern Hill
  • Larkrise
  • Laughton Green
  • Lavardin
  • Le Bourg-Neuf
  • Le Petit Pressigny
  • Les Trois Chênes
  • Lick Skillet
  • Lillebø
  • Lindenhof
  • Lisnashee
  • Little Wending
  • Llanddewi Isaf
  • Llanfihangel Fach
  • Llanwenydd
  • Llechryd Isaf
  • Llwyn Onn
  • Lochanside
  • Lockgate
  • Long Dunmow
  • Lydiard Steeple

M: 30 names

  • Maesgwyn
  • Mallow End
  • Malthouse Green
  • Maple Hollow
  • Mardle
  • Maresby
  • Marwood Stoke
  • Meadowcote
  • Medlar Hollow
  • Melbury Bubb
  • Merryfield
  • Micklewood
  • Middle Wallop Down
  • Milestone Green
  • Millbrook Corners
  • Miller's Reach
  • Millstone Reach
  • Minster Lovell
  • Minterne Parva
  • Mistleigh
  • Moncontour-sur-Mer
  • Monk's Hadley
  • Montfaucon-en-Velay
  • Montjoie
  • Mooncote
  • Moorcock
  • Mossdale Bottom
  • Much Hadleigh
  • Mühlbach am Berg
  • Mulberry Cross

N: 14 names

  • Nant-y-ffin
  • Nant-y-garreg
  • Nether Cradley
  • Nether Stowe
  • Nether Wallop Row
  • Nethercott
  • Nettlebed Cross
  • Neudorf im Tal
  • New Hope Landing
  • Nidderby
  • Niederried
  • Nightingale Ford
  • Nine Elms Village
  • Nordvik Nedre

O: 12 names

  • Oak Ridge Corners
  • Oakenshaw
  • Oberndorf am Bach
  • Oberreute
  • Ockley Green
  • Oddingham
  • Okeford Fitzpaine
  • Osgodby Mere
  • Østerby
  • Otterbourne St John
  • Over Wallop Green
  • Overhallow

P: 19 names

  • Parson's Green
  • Pearmain
  • Pendlebury Hollow
  • Pennant Bach
  • Pennycross
  • Pennyford
  • Penrhos Isaf
  • Pentre'r Felin
  • Piddletrenthide
  • Pleasant Valley Station
  • Plumtree Bottom
  • Pont-de-Brique
  • Pontgarreg
  • Portmahone
  • Possum Trot
  • Prior's Wending
  • Providence Forge
  • Puddle Dock
  • Puddletown

Q: 2 names

  • Quietwater
  • Quincewick

R: 15 names

  • Rabbit Hash
  • Rampart Row
  • Ravenscar Bottom
  • Ravensholt
  • Ravensmere
  • Reedholm
  • Rhosyfelin
  • Ringwold
  • Riverbend
  • Rochefort-la-Terre
  • Rosenau
  • Rottenbach
  • Roundstone Cross
  • Ryecote
  • Ryme Intrinseca

S: 55 names

  • Saint-Aubin-sur-Loire
  • Saint-Cirq-la-Roche
  • Saint-Guilhem-les-Près
  • Saint-Jean-le-Vieux
  • Saint-Pardoux-les-Eaux
  • Sainte-Marie-des-Champs
  • Salem Crossroads
  • Saltash Low Moor
  • Saltmarsh Village
  • Saltwick
  • Sankt Leonhard im Wald
  • Sawyer's Bend
  • Saxby Wold
  • Scagglethorpe
  • Scarthwaite
  • Sedgeholt
  • Sedgeworth
  • Settleby
  • Seven Wells
  • Sheepwash Bottom
  • Shepherd's Hollow
  • Shillingford
  • Shiloh Bend
  • Silverbeck
  • Sixpenny Handley
  • Sleddale
  • Smith's Hollow
  • Snowhill Bottom
  • Sognefjell Seter
  • Sowerby Tarn
  • Sparrowick
  • Stagbury
  • Stainmoor Gate
  • Stanbury Wick
  • Stanton Drewitt
  • Starwell
  • Staverton Parva
  • Steeple Langford
  • Steinbach im Grund
  • Steinfeld
  • Stillbrook
  • Stirlingbury
  • Stoke Candle
  • Stonebridge Wick
  • Stonewater Hollow
  • Stormwick
  • Strandvik
  • Strathcorry
  • Stryn Øvre
  • Summerleaze
  • Sunderby
  • Sunnybank
  • Sutton-under-Whitestone
  • Swaledale Row
  • Swinefleet

T: 30 names

  • Tallow Green
  • Tannau
  • Tanner's Cross
  • Tarbet Crossing
  • Tarrant Gunville
  • Tarrow
  • Templecombe
  • Thistlecombe
  • Thistledown
  • Thornbury Cross
  • Thornhallow
  • Thornthwaite
  • Thorpe Lacey
  • Thrushcross Green
  • Thundersley Cross
  • Thwaite Fell
  • Thwing
  • Tisbury Vale
  • Tithebarn Green
  • Toad Suck Landing
  • Toller Porcorum
  • Tomnavoulin
  • Tranquil Vale
  • Tre-wern
  • Trefecca Fawr
  • Tullyvoheen
  • Tumbleweed Hollow
  • Turkey Scratch
  • Turnpike End
  • Tynewydd

U: 6 names

  • Ugglebarnby
  • Ulverscroft
  • Umberleigh Cross
  • Unterleiten
  • Unterweiler
  • Upper Throckley

V: 7 names

  • Vézelise
  • Vicar's Cross
  • Vieille-Église
  • Vieux-Moulin
  • Vik i Fjorden
  • Villars-les-Bois
  • Vinewell

W: 29 names

  • Wainwright's Corner
  • Waldhausen
  • Warden's Cross
  • Watchbury
  • Weaver's Green
  • Weir End
  • Welcome Cross
  • Wendlebury Cross
  • Wendover End
  • Wendron Mere
  • Westmarch
  • Wetwang
  • Wharfe Bottom
  • Wharram Percy
  • Wheatsheaf Corner
  • Whipple Corners
  • Wickerham
  • Wiesenbach
  • Wigglesworth
  • Willowmere
  • Windmere Vale
  • Winterbourne Abbas
  • Wistow Green
  • Withycombe Hollow
  • Wolf Pen
  • Wootton Magna
  • Wren's Nest
  • Wyck Rissing
  • Wyvern's Rest

Y: 4 names

  • Yarrow Bridge
  • Yeldham Green
  • Yockenthwaite
  • Ystrad Hir