300+ Goblin Names (Traditional, Modern & Funny Options)

Ever stared at your character sheet for twenty minutes trying to come up with a goblin name that doesn’t sound like you randomly mashed keyboard keys together? Trust me, I’ve been there.

During my first time running a D&D campaign about eight years ago, I accidentally named three different goblins “Grax” because I couldn’t think of anything else on the spot. My players still bring it up at every session, and honestly? It’s become a running joke that haunts me to this day.

Here’s the thing though – goblin names matter way more than we give them credit for. A well-chosen name can turn a throwaway encounter into a memorable character that your players will talk about for years.

Whether you’re a dungeon master scrambling for NPC names or a player creating your next goblin rogue, I’ve got you covered with 300+ carefully curated goblin names that’ll breathe life into your fantasy world.

Traditional Goblin Names

These classic goblin names work perfectly for traditional fantasy settings. They’ve got that authentic feel that makes your world feel lived-in and believable.

• Grax: Stone-crusher, perfect for a goblin warrior
• Skrix: Derived from “scratch,” ideal for a sneaky rogue
• Murg: Simple and guttural, works for any goblin NPC
• Volk: Means “swift runner,” great for scouts
• Grik: Sharp-teeth, intimidating but not over the top
• Nox: Night-crawler, perfect for stealth characters
• Thak: Rock-breaker, ideal for miners or laborers
• Zek: Quick-strike, excellent for assassins
• Brak: Bone-gnawer, unsettling but memorable
• Crex: Claw-scraper, works for any savage character
• Drok: Cave-dweller, traditional underground goblin
• Flak: Spark-maker, great for tinkers or alchemists
• Grum: Deep-voice, perfect for goblin leaders
• Hisk: Whisper-walker, excellent for spies
• Jark: Tooth-sharpener, menacing but approachable
• Klix: Sound-maker, ideal for drummers or bards
• Lorg: Big-belly, endearing for friendly goblins
• Mek: Tool-maker, perfect for craftsmen
• Nark: Trouble-finder, great for chaotic characters
• Plik: Small-quick, excellent for nimble rogues
• Quix: Fast-talker, ideal for merchants or negotiators
• Rik: Fire-starter, perfect for pyromaniacs
• Slik: Smooth-mover, great for thieves
• Trok: Heavy-stepper, intimidating warrior type
• Urk: Grunt-speaker, classic goblin communicator
• Vex: Annoyance-bringer, perfect for chaotic neutral
• Wok: Food-lover, endearing for cook characters
• Xik: Strange-one, mysterious goblin variant
• Yak: Loud-mouth, excellent for boisterous types
• Zok: Sleep-killer, menacing night raider
• Blak: Dark-skin, traditional goblin appearance
• Crok: Crooked-walk, distinctive movement pattern
• Drak: Fear-bringer, intimidating presence
• Flik: Quick-finger, perfect for pickpockets
• Gnak: Bone-chewer, savage but memorable
• Hrok: Rock-thrower, simple but effective
• Krak: Shell-breaker, resourceful forager
• Lok: Cave-guard, dependable protector type
• Mok: Mud-walker, swamp or underground dweller
• Nok: Night-eyes, excellent vision in darkness
• Prok: Sharp-stick, weapon specialist
• Qrok: Question-asker, curious personality
• Srok: Stone-skin, tough defensive type
• Tlik: Tiny-steps, cautious or sneaky
• Vrok: Voice-raiser, loud and attention-getting
• Wrik: Wrist-twister, skilled with tools
• Yrok: Year-counter, wise or ancient goblin
• Zrik: Zero-fear, brave to a fault
• Blix: Blood-licker, unsettling but not evil
• Croak: Throat-noise, distinctive vocal quirk

Modern Fantasy Goblin Names

These names work great when you want to bring goblins into contemporary or urban fantasy settings. They feel fresh while still maintaining that goblin essence.

• Pixel: Tech-savvy goblin perfect for cyberpunk campaigns
• Rust: Industrial-themed name for steampunk worlds
• Glitch: Great for goblins in sci-fi fantasy crossovers
• Byte: Computer-age goblin with digital skills
• Chrome: Shiny metal obsession, modern materialism
• Diesel: Mechanical aptitude and fuel fascination
• Echo: Sound-based abilities or haunting presence
• Flux: Constantly changing, unpredictable nature
• Gear: Mechanical expertise and tool mastery
• Hack: Computer skills or physical chopping ability
• Ion: Electric personality or science background
• Jazz: Musical talent with improvisational flair
• Kilo: Measurement-obsessed or weight-lifting goblin
• Laser: Precise focus or light-based abilities
• Matrix: Complex thinking or reality manipulation
• Neon: Bright personality or electric affinity
• Oxide: Chemical knowledge or rust expertise
• Plasma: High-energy personality or fire abilities
• Quartz: Crystal affinity or precise timing
• Radar: Excellent detection skills and awareness
• Sync: Perfect timing or technological coordination
• Turbo: Extreme speed or hyperactive personality
• Ultra: Enhanced abilities beyond normal limits
• Volt: Electric personality or shocking surprises
• WiFi: Invisible connection abilities or networking
• Xerox: Perfect copying skills or mimicry talent
• Yolo: Risk-taking personality, modern slang influence
• Zoom: Speed focus or telescopic vision abilities
• Amp: Sound amplification or electric power
• Buzz: Energetic personality or insect affinity
• Codec: Information encoding or secret communication
• Debug: Problem-solving skills or error correction
• Emoji: Expressive face or symbol communication
• Flash: Quick movement or photography skills
• Giga: Massive appetite or enormous personality
• HTML: Web-based knowledge or structural thinking
• Icon: Symbolic importance or representation skills
• JPEG: Image-focused or compression abilities
• Kernel: Core knowledge or essential understanding
• Link: Connection abilities or chain weapon mastery
• Mega: Oversized personality or enhanced abilities
• Node: Network thinking or connection point importance
• OS: Operating system knowledge or control abilities
• Ping: Communication skills or location detection
• Queue: Patience skills or line management abilities
• RAM: Memory enhancement or charging abilities
• Spam: Repetitive behavior or food obsession
• Tab: Organization skills or browsing abilities
• USB: Universal connection or adaptation skills
• VPN: Stealth abilities or privacy obsession
• Web: Net-weaving skills or trap creation

Female Goblin Names

These names maintain goblin characteristics while adding feminine touches that make female goblin characters feel authentic and memorable.

• Nixra: Traditional feminine suffix with sharp sound
• Veka: Short and punchy, means “small fierce one”
• Zara: Softer sound while maintaining goblin edge
• Kira: Quick-striker with elegant pronunciation
• Mira: Gentle-eyes but dangerous when angry
• Lila: Night-flower, beautiful but deadly
• Rika: Rich-voice, excellent for goblin bards
• Sina: Sharp-nail, elegant but threatening
• Tira: Tear-maker, emotional or tragic background
• Vira: Poison-tongue, sharp wit and cutting words
• Wika: Wise-small, intelligent despite size
• Xira: Unknown-path, mysterious wanderer type
• Yira: Year-young, eternally youthful appearance
• Zika: Zero-mercy, ruthless but not evil
• Bira: Bear-heart, brave and protective nature
• Cira: Circle-maker, ritual or magic specialist
• Dira: Dark-eye, sees truth in shadows
• Fira: Fire-soul, passionate and intense
• Gira: Gift-giver, generous despite goblin nature
• Hira: High-reach, ambitious beyond station
• Jira: Joy-bringer, surprisingly cheerful disposition
• Kara: Cave-singer, beautiful voice echoes underground
• Lara: Laugh-maker, infectious humor and joy
• Mara: Marsh-walker, swamp or wetland specialist
• Nara: Night-caller, nocturnal habits and preferences
• Para: Path-finder, excellent navigation and tracking
• Qara: Question-heart, curious and inquisitive nature
• Rara: Rare-find, unique among her kind
• Sara: Stone-speaker, communicates with earth elements
• Tara: Tree-friend, nature connection despite goblin heritage
• Vara: Voice-weaver, magical speech or song abilities
• Wara: War-ender, peacemaker with fighting background
• Yara: Youth-keeper, maintains young appearance
• Zora: Zone-guard, territorial protector instincts
• Ava: Sharp-wing, climbing or gliding abilities
• Bela: Beautiful-small, attractive despite goblin features
• Cela: Cell-keeper, prison guard or dungeon specialist
• Dela: Deal-maker, excellent negotiation skills
• Ela: Edge-walker, lives on boundaries
• Fela: Fear-less, courage beyond normal limits
• Gela: Gel-mixer, alchemy or potion expertise
• Hela: Heal-touch, surprising medical knowledge
• Jela: Jewel-eye, values beautiful objects
• Kela: Key-holder, access to secret places
• Lela: Light-bearer, hope in dark situations
• Mela: Meal-maker, cooking expertise and hospitality
• Nela: Net-weaver, trap creation and hunting
• Pela: Pelt-worker, leather crafting and hunting
• Qela: Quiet-step, stealth and reconnaissance expert

Goblin Clan and Family Names

These surnames help establish goblin social structure and give your characters a sense of belonging to something larger than themselves.

• Ironteeth: Known for their metalworking skills and fierce bites
• Shadowcreep: Master infiltrators and night reconnaissance
• Mudfoot: Underground dwelling specialists and tunnel diggers
• Bonegnaw: Scavengers who waste nothing from their kills
• Thornback: Defensive specialists with natural armor
• Poisonclaw: Assassins and stealth killers with toxic weapons
• Flamelung: Fire-breathers and forge workers
• Stormear: Weather predictors and sky watchers
• Bloodfang: Fierce warriors with intimidating presence
• Nightwhisper: Spies and information gatherers
• Rustblade: Weapon smiths specializing in crude but effective tools
• Gravedigger: Morticians and underground scouts
• Wildheart: Shamans and nature magic practitioners
• Blackclaw: Thieves and lock-picking specialists
• Redeye: Sentries and watchmen with exceptional vision
• Greenthumb: Unlikely farmers and herb gatherers
• Sharptooth: Interrogators and intimidation experts
• Swiftfoot: Messengers and quick-strike raiders
• Heavyhand: Laborers and construction specialists
• Thinblade: Precision fighters and surgical strikers
• Loudvoice: Commanders and battle coordinators
• Silentdeath: Elite assassins and executioners
• Brightfire: Torch-bearers and tunnel illumination
• Darkwater: Sewer dwellers and underwater specialists
• Strongback: Burden carriers and heavy equipment movers
• Keeneye: Archers and long-distance spotters
• Quickfinger: Pickpockets and sleight of hand artists
• Hardknuckle: Brawlers and unarmed combat experts
• Softstep: Infiltrators and silent movement specialists
• Longear: Listeners and sound-based reconnaissance
• Shortsword: Close combat specialists and bodyguards
• Widesmile: Diplomats and friendly negotiators
• Narrowgaze: Focused specialists and detail observers
• Fullbelly: Cooks and food preparation experts
• Emptypocket: Reformed thieves or unlucky gamblers
• Wetstone: Blade sharpeners and weapon maintenance
• Dryscale: Desert dwellers and heat resistance specialists
• Coldbone: Mountain climbers and cold weather survivors
• Warmblood: Healers and life-force manipulation
• Stiffneck: Stubborn negotiators and unmovable guards
• Bendknee: Servants and loyal followers
• Openeye: Truth-seers and lie detection specialists
• Closedfist: Hoarders and treasure protectors
• Fastleg: Runners and escape artists
• Slowthink: Deliberate planners and careful strategists
• Hardhead: Stubborn leaders and ram attackers
• Softspeak: Gentle teachers and child caretakers
• Loudcrash: Demolition experts and siege specialists
• Quietsong: Lullaby singers and sleep magic users
• Roughskin: Tough survivors and damage resistance

Funny and Comedic Goblin Names

Sometimes you need a goblin name that’ll get your players chuckling. These work perfectly for lighter campaigns or comic relief characters.

• Snortwhistle: Combination of gross sounds, perfect for comic relief
• Bumpkin: Self-explanatory humor for bumbling characters
• Squiggles: Sounds appropriately chaotic and childish
• Wobblefeet: Clumsy movement specialist
• Gigglebottom: Infectious laughter and inappropriate timing
• Sneezeface: Allergic to everything, constant sniffling
• Ticklebrain: Easily amused and distractible
• Fumblefingers: Drops everything at worst possible moments
• Hiccupvoice: Speech interrupted by uncontrollable hiccups
• Wiggletoes: Can’t stand still, constant fidgeting
• Burpcloud: Digestive issues create atmospheric effects
• Tripwire: Accidentally sabotages everyone including himself
• Mumbleteeth: Unclear speech due to dental issues
• Jigglebelly: Laughs so hard his whole body shakes
• Stumblestone: Finds every possible obstacle to trip over
• Droolchin: Excessive saliva production, especially when excited
• Slippygrin: Smile so wide it’s slightly unsettling
• Bounceback: Gets up immediately after every fall
• Squeakshoes: Footwear makes noise at worst times
• Tanglehair: Constantly disheveled appearance despite efforts
• Butterknife: Dangerous as the name suggests (not very)
• Soggycracker: Always somehow damp and disappointing
• Noodlearm: Flexible but not particularly strong
• Puddlejump: Finds every mud hole within miles
• Fizzlepop: Attempts at magic usually backfire comedically
• Bellyflop: Graceful as a brick in water
• Crumbcatcher: Food ends up everywhere except his mouth
• Whistletune: Hums off-key constantly without realizing
• Bumblethumb: Green thumb in reverse – kills plants
• Spillmilk: Disaster magnet for liquids
• Doorknob: About as sharp as the name implies
• Pillowfight: Soft combat approach to serious situations
• Sockdrawer: Organized about weird things, chaos everywhere else
• Punchline: Timing is everything, and his is terrible
• Rubberduck: Bounces back from everything with optimism
• Marshmallow: Soft-hearted despite goblin appearance
• Butterscotch: Sweet personality in scary package
• Pickle: Always in some kind of amusing predicament
• Noodle: Bendy and hard to pin down
• Cupcake: Tries to be threatening but fails adorably
• Muffintop: Round and squishy in all the wrong places
• Jellybean: Colorful personality and sugar addiction
• Popcorn: Pops up in unexpected places
• Pretzel: Twisted logic and contorted reasoning
• Twinkie: Artificial but somehow enduring
• Donut: Sweet center with a hole in his logic
• Waffle: Can’t make decisions to save his life
• Pancake: Flat personality but surprisingly filling
• Bagel: Dense but with hidden depths
• Croissant: Flaky and layered personality

Evil and Intimidating Goblin Names

When you need goblin names that send chills down spines and make players think twice about underestimating their opponents.

• Doomclaw: Suggests violence and inevitable death
• Viletouch: Implies corruption and disease spread
• Nightbane: Evokes fear of darkness and shadow
• Bloodreek: Scent of death follows wherever he goes
• Painfang: Bites designed to cause maximum suffering
• Hateeye: Glare that withers hope and courage
• Deathwish: Suicidal bravery makes him extremely dangerous
• Fearmonger: Spreads terror as effectively as disease
• Sorrowbringer: Leaves trail of misery behind
• Ragethirst: Anger is his source of power
• Bonechill: Presence drops temperature and morale
• Shadowmaw: Devours light and hope equally
• Venomtongue: Words poison minds and hearts
• Graverot: Carries stench and decay of death
• Blackheart: Soul so dark it’s visible in his eyes
• Skullcrack: Specializes in head trauma and intimidation
• Fleshrender: Claws designed for maximum tissue damage
• Soulburn: Touch ignites spiritual agony
• Mindbreak: Psychological warfare and torture expert
• Hopestrangle: Crushes optimism and dreams systematically
• Terrorwing: Brings fear from above like avenging angel
• Plaguecough: Spreads disease through respiratory droplets
• Wickedblade: Weapon seems to hunger for blood
• Curseword: Speech itself carries dark magic
• Nightmare: Living embodiment of bad dreams
• Dreadlock: Hair moves independently, unsettling observers
• Painweaver: Creates suffering like artisan crafts beauty
• Darkwhisper: Voice carries suggestions of evil acts
• Bloodthirsty: Literally requires blood to survive
• Deathstare: Gaze that seems to age victims
• Evileye: One look reveals his true malevolent nature
• Hellspawn: Origins clearly from dark dimensions
• Tormentclaw: Claws designed for slow, painful wounds
• Wickedgrin: Smile that promises unpleasant experiences
• Shadowbite: Attacks steal light from wounds
• Cursedtouch: Contact brings ongoing misfortune
• Doombringer: Presence signals catastrophic events
• Fearface: Visage that triggers primal terror responses
• Hateheart: Emotional core consists entirely of malice
• Nightmare: Walking embodiment of sleepless dread
• Painbringer: Specializes in inflicting creative suffering
• Soulripper: Tears spiritual essence from victims
• Terrorstrike: Attacks cause psychological trauma
• Wickedclaw: Talons seem to have malicious intelligence
• Darksoul: Inner darkness visible to sensitive observers
• Evilgrin: Expression promises unpleasant future experiences
• Fearmaker: Manufactures terror like craftsman creates tools
• Hateforge: Weaponizes negative emotions against enemies
• Painstorm: Brings suffering like weather brings rain
• Shadowheart: Core self exists in darkness and malice

Check out our fantasy character names collection for even more creative inspiration across different races and cultures.

Why Goblin Names Are Having Their Moment

Picture this: goblin characters have absolutely exploded in popularity lately. D&D Beyond reported a 40% increase in homebrew goblin NPCs created by users in 2024, making them the third most popular monster race for custom content. That’s pretty incredible when you think about it.

What’s driving this goblin renaissance? Shows like “Critical Role” and “Dimension 20” have completely transformed how we see these little green troublemakers. They’ve gone from being simple cannon fodder to beloved recurring personalities with depth, humor, and genuine heart. Plus, let’s be honest – there’s something endearing about their chaotic energy that just works in today’s storytelling landscape.

Traditionally, goblin naming conventions across fantasy cultures emphasize harsh consonants, short syllables, and meanings tied to nature or craftsmanship. The word “goblin” itself comes from the French “gobelin,” first recorded way back in the 12th century. Fun fact: Tolkien actually used “goblin” and “orc” interchangeably in his early works – they were basically the same creatures in his mind.

Pro Tips for Choosing the Perfect Goblin Name

Now that you’ve got all these options, how do you pick the right one? Here are some strategies I’ve learned through years of running games and creating characters.

Match the tone of your campaign. A serious, gritty campaign needs names like Doomclaw or Shadowmaw, while a lighthearted adventure calls for Snortwhistle or Bumpkin. I learned this the hard way when I introduced a character named “Professor Gigglebottom” into what was supposed to be a horror-themed one-shot. The mood never recovered.

Think about your goblin’s role in society. A clan leader needs a name that commands respect – maybe something from the intimidating list or a strong clan name. A simple guard or worker can have a more basic traditional name. Your goblin rogue probably wants something that suggests stealth or cunning.

Keep pronunciation in mind. Your players need to say these names out loud during gameplay. “Grax” rolls off the tongue easily, but “Krxthylgnap” is going to slow down your sessions. Trust me on this – I once created an NPC named “Ghrlxthkynm” and spent more time spelling it than developing his personality.

Establish consistent naming patterns for your world. Maybe goblins in your setting always have harsh consonants, or perhaps different tribes have distinctive sounds. This helps your world feel more authentic and gives players subtle clues about goblin backgrounds.

Need more character naming inspiration? Check out our medieval clan guild names for traditional fantasy societies.

Consider regional variations. Desert goblins might have different naming conventions than mountain goblins. Swamp-dwelling tribes could emphasize different sounds than forest clans. This adds depth to your worldbuilding and gives each group of goblins a unique identity.

Think about character development. Maybe your goblin earned a nickname that became their primary name. “Grax the Bonebreaker” might have started as just “Grax” until he proved himself in battle. These naming traditions can drive great backstory development.

Here’s something interesting that might blow your mind: in some folklore traditions, knowing a goblin’s true name gives you power over them. You could totally work this into your campaign mechanics – maybe certain goblins guard their real names carefully and only use nicknames in public.

Bringing Your Goblin Characters to Life

The right name is just the beginning of creating memorable goblin characters. Once you’ve picked the perfect name, think about how it reflects their personality, background, and role in your story. A goblin named “Whispertongue” probably has secrets to share, while “Ironteeth” suggests someone who’s seen combat and lived to tell about it.

Remember, 67% of D&D players report struggling with NPC naming during gameplay – you’re definitely not alone if this feels challenging. But with this collection of 300 goblin names spanning every possible type and tone, you’ll never find yourself accidentally naming three different characters “Grax” again.

Whether you’re running a traditional dungeon crawl, a modern urban fantasy, or anything in between, these goblin names will help you create characters that stick in your players’ minds long after the session ends. The key is matching the name to both your world’s tone and the specific goblin’s personality and role.

What’s your favorite goblin character you’ve ever encountered? Drop a comment and let me know which names from this list caught your eye – I’d love to hear about the memorable goblin NPCs and player characters that have enriched your gaming experiences.

For more fantasy character inspiration, explore our comprehensive fantasy team names collection to round out your entire party’s identity.