Medieval name generator
Real medieval English first names with a surname from a trade or a place, the way surnames first appeared, plus the role each person plays in village life.
- Margery of WickhamMidwife · surname from a place
- Adela WrightMidwife · surname from a trade
- Hugh BrookesKnight · surname from a place
- Joan MasonPeasant · surname from a trade
- Agatha of the MillPilgrim · surname from a place
- Lettice BrookesPeasant · surname from a place
- Lettice of WickhamMidwife · surname from a place
- Walter ChandlerPeasant · surname from a trade
- Rohese FullerLady of the manor · surname from a trade
- Piers ThatcherPeasant · surname from a trade
- Aldous FletcherHealer · surname from a trade
- Godric MillerKnight · surname from a trade
How to use it
Trade or place
A trade surname says what the family does; a place surname says where they live. Mix both in one village.
Use atte and de
Atte (at the) and de (of) are authentic and make a name feel older.
Repeat first names
Real medieval villages had lots of people with the same first name. Two Agneses in one scene feels true to life.
Example medieval names
Men: Lambert of the Mill, Baldwin Byford, Ralph Smith, Edmund Shepherd, Fulk atte Wood, Cuthbert Carter, Drogo Fuller, Cuthbert Fenwick.
Women: Emma Brewer, Rohese Fletcher, Cecily Shepherd, Sabina Weaver, Eleanor Smith, Isabel Underhill, Alice Fuller, Avice Fenwick.
Where medieval surnames came from
Most English surnames appeared between the 1100s and 1400s to tell neighbors apart. Some came from a job (Smith, Fletcher the arrow-maker, Chandler the candle-maker), others from where someone lived (atte Wood, atte Well, Underhill) or the village they came from (de Ashby). First names were a small, popular set: in some villages half the men were called John, William or Richard.
Questions
Is it free?
Yes. Names are put together in your browser, so it's free with no sign-up and no limit.
Are these real medieval names?
The first names and surnames come from medieval English records; the pairings are random.
Can I use these names in my own book or game?
Yes. They're built from word parts rather than copied from a list, so you can use them however you like.