General Naming Resources

• Guild Wars 2 Namegenerator (beta): a useful Flash-based tool for generating possible name ideas depending on race/gender.

Names for Major Races

Asura

Asura have only one given name, which is usually very short with a harsh, punctuated sound to a human ear. Commonly, these names contain a double letter, though not all names adhere to this convention. Male names are generally one syllable ("Vekk"), although they can be two ("Flummox"), while female names tend to be two syllables and end in a vowel ("Vekki").^[1]

Asura do not have last names. Instead, they will sometimes use their job title before their given name ("Crew Leader Zeen") or use their crew name in place on a last name ("Blira of Hyperthetical Industries"). It is a rare instance that an asura will create their own last name in order to blend better with other races and cultures, but generally this practice is frowned upon and other asura will often neglect to use the last name of their eccentric colleague.

These suggestions are borrowed heavily from the words of Ree Soesbee, as it would be hard to improve upon her advice!^[2]

Example Names

• Males
• Blimm
• Plurgg
• Lork
• Hixx
• Snaff
• Females
• Jezza
• Oola
• Florggi
• Zojja

Resources

None yet!

Charr

Charr given names tend to have a gutteral, growling sound to them ("Rytlock"). These names are given to them as young cubs by their parents before being taken to the fahrar to be raised and trained. Some female names end in vowels or have a softer sound to them, though this is not always the case.

Charr last names are the more important of the two names, as it confers information about a charr's status within society. One part of a charr's last name is the name of their warband. All members of the warband will share this part of their name (the "Brim" in "Brimstone", the "Bane" in Ghostbane). The second half is chosen by the individual upon joining a warband (the "stone" in Brimstone). This second half sometimes reflects a charr's role in combat, though it does not always.

In a military or professional role, charr can also refer to each other by their rank or role. If a charr is particularly notorious, they sometimes will become known instead by a descriptor that reflects their dire nature (Smodur the Unflinching, Howl the Brazen).^[3]

Example Names

• Males
• Rytlock
• Garfazz
• Feros
• Bangar
• Vatlaaw
• Females
• Via
• Almorra
• Ember
• Kalla
• Malice
• Last names
• Soulkeeper
• Doomforge
• Splitvein
• Fierceshot
• Brimstone

Resources

None yet!

Humans

Human names have usual standards of nomenclature. The biggest differentiation will come from background, as Krytan, Ascalonian, Elonian, and Canthan names are inspired by different regions of the real world.

As humanity's influence in Tyria has diminished down to a single kingdom and 250 years have passed, intermarriage between groups is likely, and personal names may not necessarily reflect one's predominant ancestral group at this point in history. Still, the following examples are offered as a starting point.

Krytan names are loosely inspired by Biblical Greek, Hebrew, or Italian.^[4]

• Male names
• Saul
• Eshael
• Len
• Dannel
• Josef
• Caleb
• Female names
• Orpah
• Hadasha
• Miraba
• Salma
• Last names
• Mattan
• Sewell
• Caldoron
• D'Alessio
• D'Leod
• Smythe

Ascalonian names are inspired by English, German, and French.^[5]

• Male names:
• Keiran
• Thom
• Stefan
• Claude
• Aidan
• Female names
• Gwen
• Alesia
• Cynn
• Reyna
• Lina
• Last names
• Lawson
• Hathorn
• Jamison
• Osborne
• Malone

Canthan names are inspired by Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.^[6]

• Male names
• Funwa
• Yuun
• Panaku
• Soon
• Female names
• Zho
• Kisai
• Chiyo
• Last names
• Shento
• Tagachi
• Li
• Kim

Elonian names are inspired by Arabic, Farsi, and Swahili.^[7]

• Male names
• Nehdukah
• Turai
• Gehraz
• Kahmu
• Female names
• Tahlkora
• Melonni
• Odurra
• Kehanni
• Last names
• Ossa
• Dejarin

Resources

None yet!

Norn

Norn given names are Nordic-inspired and presumably given to them by their parents.

Norn last names are long and commonly patronymic or matronymic, giving information about who one's parents are - "Stegalkin", or kin of Stegal; "Jotharsson", or son of Jothar; or "Oddsdottir", daughter of Odd. A norn can also be named after an animal ("Whitebear") or an action ("Poundfist").^[8] It is uncommon for a norn to take any last name that isn't reflective of their own deed, and while they might use the name of their parent (Jotharsson, etc), once a norn has done things they're proud to recount, they almost always turn those deeds into a use-name.

Instead of a last name, Norn can also be known as a descriptor, much in the same way as the charr ("Magnus the Bloody-handed").

Example Names

• Males
• Gullik
• Fastulf
• Knut
• Allarrin
• Asgeir
• Females
• Moda
• Gyda
• Eir
• Last names
• Stegalkin
• Jotharsson
• Oddsdottir
• Whitebear
• Poundfist

Resources

• Nordic Names

Sylvari

Sylvari given names are inspired by the Celtic family of languages (Irish, Welsh, and Gaelic, among others). During Sylvari Week it was revealed that they awaken with some innate perception of their name, although the source of this name is not clear.

Sylvari do not have last names. It is unknown how other sylvari would react if one decided to create a last name for himself or herself.

Example Names

• Males
• Cadeyrn
• Kahedins
• Malomedies
• Females
• Caithe
• Faolain
• Killeen

Resources

None yet!

Names for Minor Races

The Guild Wars 2 world is replete with other sentient races who might feature in a roleplay. The notes below should help with their naming conventions.

Centaur

Work in progress^[9]

Quaggan

Work in progress

Jotun

Work in progress

Kodan

Work in progress

Tengu

Modern Tengu use two names, personal, followed by clan name. The personal name is often related to birds in some manner, often simply being a bird breed. The clan name tends to be composed of two words and sounds more like a title, and is also often related to birds.

Example Names

• Genzhou Talonrend
• Hoatzin Rattlecrest
• Grouse Troumantle
• Thrush Bronzewattle
• Sando Swiftwing

Krait

Work in progress

Hylek

Work in progress

Skritt

Work in progress

Dwarves

Although prominent in Guild Wars 1, all dwarves eventually took part in the Rite of the Great Dwarf, transforming them into living stone and dooming the race to spend its final age in an endless subterranean battle against Primordus' minions. It is unknown how prevalent the race will be on the surface in Guild Wars 2, but they are likely to be exceptionally rare, which is worth considering if you aim to make a dwarven character.

Dwarven first names are frequently inspired by Old English names (such as "Ogden" and "Rothgar"), and since it is implied by Ogden that female dwarves don't necessarily look much different from their male counterparts^[10], it cannot be assumed that naming conventions are split by gender. Their surnames are usually compounds of two words, with one word typically being a mineral or other crafting material (oak, iron, stone etc.) and the other weapon-, armour- or specialisation-related, although exceptions do exist.^[11]

Example Names

• First names
• Brechnar
• Alkar
• Dagnar
• Bovald
• Last names
• Ironhammer
• Silverfist
• Ironhelm
• Blackpowder

Resources

None yet!

1. Asura names from Guild Wars: Eye of the North: http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Category:Asura
2. Quote from Ree Soesbee taken from Guild Wars 2 Guru: http://www.guildwars2guru.com/forum/showpost.php?p=101853&postcount=15
3. Charr names from Guild Wars 1: http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Category:Charr
4. Krytan names from Guild Wars 1: http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Category:Krytans
5. Ascalonian names from Guild Wars 1: http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Category:Ascalonians
6. Canthan names from Guild Wars 1: http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Category:Canthans
7. Elonian names from Guild Wars 1: http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Category:Elonians
8. Norn names from Guild Wars: Eye of the North: http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Category:Norn
9. Centaur names from Guild Wars 1: http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Category:Centaurs
10. Ogden Stonehealer info in the Official Guild Wars 1 Wiki: http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Ogden_Stonehealer
11. Dwarven names from Guild Wars 1: http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Category:Dwarves