Pirate name generator
Every pirate needs a nickname. Get a full pirate name with a job aboard ship and a rumor about them, for captains, crews and costume parties.
- Old Cora WreckerBosun · has buried treasure on three islands and forgotten two
- Tess "Stormy" HarrowBoarding-party leader · sank the navy ship that hanged their father
- Iron Jack KettleCaptain · keeps a parrot that knows too much
- Gentleman Ezra GrimshawCabin boy turned captain · can't swim and hides it
- Smiling Ned LockhartLookout · talks to the sea and swears it answers
- Silver-Tongued Isaac ThorneNavigator · pays the crew fairly, which makes them dangerous
- Smiling Hattie MalloryNavigator · won the ship in a card game
- Silver-Tongued Wren CrowleyBosun · carries a map tattooed on their back
- Smiling Jonah StormBosun · never fires the first shot
- Isaac "Peg-Leg" SaltmarshBosun · is wanted in every port but one
- Smiling Bess BlackwoodCaptain · can't swim and hides it
- Liza "One-Eyed" HarrowShip's cook · has buried treasure on three islands and forgotten two
How to use it
Nickname first
Pick the nickname that tells a story, then decide how they earned it.
Give everyone a job
Each name comes with a role aboard. Use them to fill a crew in minutes.
Keep a rumor
The line under each name is what the docks say about them. It might even be true.
Example pirate names
Pirates: Gentleman Finn Gallows, Cutlass Tom Cutler, Elias "Two-Pistol" Cutler, Obadiah "Stormy" Crowley, Tom "Mad" Harrow, Lucky Tom Ashby, Hob "Cutlass" Rook, Red Obadiah Saltmarsh.
Pirate queens: Sharkbait Sadie Crowley, Bonny "One-Eyed" Ashby, Dread Liza Saltmarsh, Red Nell Kettle, Cutlass Bess Rook, Rosa "Gunpowder" Harrow, Rosa "Cannonball" Bramble, Lucky Sadie Bramble.
How pirate names work
Real pirates were often known by a nickname that described them, a missing eye, a temper or a color, and kept a plain first name like Jack, Mary or Ned. The pattern is nickname, first name, surname, or a nickname in quotes in the middle. The surname can be ordinary; the nickname does the work.
Questions
Is it free?
Yes. Names are put together in your browser, so it's free with no sign-up and no limit.
Can I name my pirate ship too?
The generator focuses on crew. For a ship, combine a color or mood with a creature or title: The Drowned Widow, The Salt Queen.
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.