Funny or Punny Necromancer Names?

[Avigor]

I'm preparing to take my LE Gnome Necromancer Zhentarim member into AL, and I'm debating on if I want to change his name. Currently I've got "Styx" on the character sheet, but it's not resonating with me. Any good suggestions? I don't want to choose something specifically designed to annoy someone (so no Ambidestrous the Two-Eyed please lol) but otherwise I'm pretty open.

He ran away from home after his pet scarab beetle died of old age and a Cleric told him it wasn't possible to bring the scarab back (even now he's convinced it's more a matter of the gods refusing to allow such resurrection instead of a question of if it might be theoretically possible). He then found and apprenticed himself to an evil Necromancer, who was borderline abusive; his master ultimately got arrested for the murder of a more neutrally-mined college who tended to wax poetic about philosophical perspectives of why the arcane cannot create true life, telling the character at the time that he wanted the guy's body for Flesh Golem experiments. Upon his master's arrest, the character stole his master's prize book of necromantic lore (written in Abyssal because Orcus; yes the character has that language, and I used the Scholar's Pack base equipment to start with it) and took off without waiting to learn his master's ultimate fate. Now he seeks power in order to ensure his personal security.

[Falcon X]

The Necro-gnome always sounded good.

[Elric VIII]

Mort.

"I am an unstoppable necromantic force, balancing life and death on a razors edge. I straddle the threshold between worlds. I have conquered death itself. You may call me Mort!"

[Xihirli]

Darko. Dark mage of the dark.

[Arcangel4774]

iZombie has a great one in Olivia Moore (live more)

[Ventruenox]

I'm still paging through Mordenkainen's, but in my mind, any Gnome worth his salt identifies their race as an honorific at the beginning of their name.

Gnome Aibie Ess
Gnome Atterwut
Gnome Ordais
Gnome Ordeth
Gnome Orpleis

But that's just my take. Here are a few names I flagrantly stole from various literary sources.

Fillmore Graves
Hiro Protagonist
Deadman Walken

[leon666]

Ray Stead
Terry Bellfate

[DiceDiceBaby]

"Just as the Fates sew their webs and strings together to control the lives of mortals, I am the weaver, the binder, the determiner of death itself... I am Thread Necromancer!"

[Personification]

Faymo Zgynora Layshun

Bun-Sen Berner

Alaspore Yorick

Wan Teddy Doralaiv

Incan Spicuous

Graesk Ull

Dover Ziggs o' John (also known as the John Falchion)

Lazzt Manstandine

Undirk Uvverbazz

[DarkKnightJin]

The Necro-gnome always sounded good.

Use their book of lore as a base, then write their own, better version.
The Necro-Gnome-icon.
Or 'Necrognomicon'. Either way works, I suppose.

Gnomanisan Island?

[Dualswinger]

Any undead that can use magic is a Spelleton in my book. No arguments.

[ImproperJustice]

Can’t go wrong with Fraggle.

Be sure to hum upbeat “rock” toons as you go about your work.

[UrielAwakened]

I second Mort.

It's thematic, short, thoroughly underwhelming, and doubles as a Terry Pratchett reference.

[Mortis_Elrod]

Richard Mortis. But pronounce it with a hard CH. Sounds more like Rickard Mortis. Which then sounds more like Rigor Mortis.

But of course D+ck is a nickname for Richard, so you could be also called The D+ck of Death.


But Mort is also good.

[Sigreid]

Have you considered using another language? For my evoker I used Google translate to name him Hold my Beer in Romanian.

[samcifer]

"Dead on His/Her Feet ... (any name starting with a 'D')"

such as 'Dead On His Feet Dunkirk'

[Arcangel4774]

Fillmore Graves


Amd theres the other iZombie name, although its a company name as apposed to a person.

[Pex]

Fred

Be a noble, Knight optional. Official title name is Sir Osis De'oliver

Boney McBoneface

Lee Chwanabe

[Bohandas]

Don of the Dead

Dina de los Muertos

Dr.Acula

[Nifft]

Bonny Lad

Skele-Tom

Necronomi-Conner

Lichibod Crane

[Sception]

Last Gnomish Necromancer I played was named Professor Thaddeus Brocc Guiseppe Mortimorticio 'Catgut' Kinterzuul. He generally went by 'Guiseppe' or 'Thaddeus' to colleagues and associates, 'Professor Kinterzuul' to his students, and 'Mort' to his family. And simply 'Catgut', usually spat with disgust, to his long time enemies, bitter academic rivals, and very closest friends.

[Personification]

Douglas Lollipop Tremulous Pardy (also known as Doug LT Pardy)

[Pex]

Nick Roman Seer

[Avigor]

Lots of awesome suggestions, thanks guys! Wishing I could use them all lol
Oh, and forgot to mention he's a Sage background.

As for those who suggested Mort, that was actually my first thought, then I went to Muerte Styxis, then I simplified that to Styx, so yeah I don't think I'll be going back to that, thanks anyways!


iZombie has a great one in Olivia Moore (live more)
HOW DID I MISS THIS?!?! Thanks Arcangel4774 lol!


Fillmore Graves
Okay, that inspired me to think of something around emptying graves... Rob Attona (pronounced aye-tow-nah to keep those divine bootlickers from figuring it out too easily) Graves!!! Thanks Ventruenox!


"Just as the Fates sew their webs and strings together to control the lives of mortals, I am the weaver, the binder, the determiner of death itself... I am Thread Necromancer!"
Ooh, there's definitely something here... My knee-jerk however is that it's the scissors, not the thread, that actually kills, so to go with Thread while using that kind of introduction I'm thinking I want to change the last bit to something about creating undead and potentially (in the future) flesh golems, instead of calling oneself the "determiner of death"... How's about: "Just as the Fates sew their webs and strings together to control the lives of mortals, I am the weaver, the binder, the frame that holds false life together... I am Thread the Necromancer!"
Granted, I might wait till he has Animate Dead to use this, but still, definitely going on the list! Thanks DiceDiceBaby!


Use their book of lore as a base, then write their own, better version.
The Necro-Gnome-icon.
Or 'Necrognomicon'. Either way works, I suppose.

Gnomanisan Island?
Now I have to have him calling his lore book the "Necro-Gnome-icon" as him finally being able to get away with that joke now that his former master can't smack him upside the head every time he makes that joke lol. Thanks DarkKnightJin!


Don of the Dead

Dina de los Muertos

Dr.Acula
Okay, I think I'll be using Don of the Dead as his self-proclaimed title (albeit he might not call himself this until he gets Animate Dead), thanks Bohandas! I'm also going to use Dr. Acula as the name of his now-gone master lol


Last Gnomish Necromancer I played was named Professor Thaddeus Brocc Guiseppe Mortimorticio 'Catgut' Kinterzuul. He generally went by 'Guiseppe' or 'Thaddeus' to colleagues and associates, 'Professor Kinterzuul' to his students, and 'Mort' to his family. And simply 'Catgut', usually spat with disgust, to his long time enemies, bitter academic rivals, and very closest friends.
Now I'm realizing that my first thought, to just throw out the Gnomish tendency to have a bunch of different names, is a serious mistake that I need to avoid... Bravo my friend, I am now changing my plans to a full taken name (I'll be sticking with he's thrown his birth name out the window), a simpler nickname, and a self-proclaimed title. Thanks Malisteen!

[Sception]

Gnomes don't just have long given names, my understanding (which might be mistaken) is that they add names after major life events or turning points, collecting them over time like some people get tattoos. Even if your gnome abandoned their given name at some point, they likely would go on to take more names as they went. A name to mark when they first discovered their fascination with undeath, one to commemorate being accepted as an apprentice. One to mark 'graduation'. Etc.

As good a question as what their name is, is how you will play them. Moody and driven, an exception to their typical characterization? Or do they maintain their peoples inquisitive excitement and almost goofy enthusiasm, just directed at trinkets made of flesh and bone instead of cogs and wire, powered by necromantic magic instead or wind up springs? Are you a dark and dangerous voldemort, or an irascible fester adams?

[The1exile]

Gnomeferatu?

[Personification]

Gnomes don't just have long given names, my understanding (which might be mistaken) is that they add names after major life events or turning points, collecting them over time like some people get tattoos. Even if your gnome abandoned their given name at some point, they likely would go on to take more names as they went. A name to mark when they first discovered their fascination with undeath, one to commemorate being accepted as an apprentice. One to mark 'graduation'. Etc.


While the actual flavor text for gnomes is that the main reason they collect names is that they have like twenty nicknames, I love this idea and want to use it for something.

[Sception]

Huh, i wonder where i got that from, then? Oh well.

[ImproperJustice]

Gnomeferatu?

This may be my personal favorite. I will definitely use this in future games.

[Asmotherion]

-I always thought a necromancer girl named Bonny was pure gold.
-Papa Smile was a major NPC in one of my campains, referancing a Houdou priest, and the "smile" of a skull.
-Amon Angustus "Gus", was a pun for a Mummy Lord's BBEG Name who was living into town. His name could spell Among Us. (Obviously not the only NPC with an Egiptian name, in order not to be a dead givaway).
-Surazal. Now read it backwards.
-Tyler. Rob your first bodies with your speaking fammiliar to make soap.

[Whyrocknodie]

"Kevin."

Say it very solemnly and look at everyone as though you're expecting a reaction.

[Elric VIII]

Lots of awesome suggestions, thanks guys! Wishing I could use them all lol
Oh, and forgot to mention he's a Sage background.

As for those who suggested Mort, that was actually my first thought, then I went to Muerte Styxis, then I simplified that to Styx, so yeah I don't think I'll be going back to that, thanks anyways!

You tried to be too smart with it. Puns and smart do not go together.

"Mort" is a short, unimpressive name that is also a play on words. "Muerte Styxis" is trying too hard to be clever and sophisticated.

I've had a 3.5 Bone Knight Cleric named "Damien Thanos." He was all serious, had a backstory about cleansing the world with the ordered perfection of undeath.

I've also had "The Champion of Pelor, Herald of Light, Keeper of Divine Radiance... Steve the cleric." He had a Jersey accent.

[Daithi]

Funeral Gnome

[Avigor]

Okay, going to change a few tidbits.

My dad convinced me to slightly alter my "main/full" taken name to make it slightly less obvious while still holding the same base "grave robber" root (which is really fitting as once upon a time I had been thinking of making his background a professional grave robber): Robert Manny Graves.

Also, after some further consideration I'm actually going to save Thread for a future Flesh Golem, assuming I ever get a manual for one. "Just as the Fates sew their webs and strings together to control the lives of mortals, I am the weaver, the binder of the frame that holds this eldritch life together... Behold the Thread I have woven!"

Still going to use "Necro-Gnome-icon" to refer to his book of lore, proclaim himself Don of the Dead once he has an undead entourage, and his former master was Dr. Acula, who hated the snickers he got for his unfortunate name so much that he would not tolerate any puns of any sort in his presence, resulting in him frequently smacking poor Rob quite a bit due to his love of puns.


Gnomes don't just have long given names, my understanding (which might be mistaken) is that they add names after major life events or turning points, collecting them over time like some people get tattoos. Even if your gnome abandoned their given name at some point, they likely would go on to take more names as they went. A name to mark when they first discovered their fascination with undeath, one to commemorate being accepted as an apprentice. One to mark 'graduation'. Etc.

As good a question as what their name is, is how you will play them. Moody and driven, an exception to their typical characterization? Or do they maintain their peoples inquisitive excitement and almost goofy enthusiasm, just directed at trinkets made of flesh and bone instead of cogs and wire, powered by necromantic magic instead or wind up springs? Are you a dark and dangerous voldemort, or an irascible fester adams?

Definitely going for this with his multiple names! Giving him the nickname Imhotep, taken when he first befriended his Scarab, and that's the only name from before that he keeps. Yes I will so have at least one mummy follower as soon as I can, possibly even a mummy lord Command Undead follower if I can get a chance... OTOH, if I ever get a chance to claim a zombie Tyrannosaurus Rex there's no way I'll pass that up lol >:D too bad it isn't RAW that you can do this (https://static.fjcdn.com/pictures/Dresden_742d83_5492832.jpg) anymore :'(

As for how I'll be playing him, he's a bit paranoid, and a calculating schemer. He likes puns (albeit might not the best at coming up with them, given that I ended up coming here for name help lol), and will get excited when he gets to play with undead and especially if he gets a Manual of Flesh Golems, but otherwise he wants to survive and believes he has to be useful to make sure nobody turns on him or abandons him. He also thinks that the gods have a big scam going on (i.e. he's an Athar sympathizer, albeit I dunno if the Athar exist in the Forgotten Realms so yeah I won't mention them on his character sheet), because he's convinced that a lot of the restrictions, such as the arcane not being able to create true life, the inability to properly bring back those who died of old age, the way it's more difficult to bring back older corpses to true life, etc are all artificial restrictions the gods put in place because screw mortals.


"Kevin."

Say it very solemnly and look at everyone as though you're expecting a reaction.

-I always thought a necromancer girl named Bonny was pure gold.

Kevin and Bonny kinda reminds me of Timmy and Katie, necromantic master and apprentice (she's 10 and kicks the derrieres of quite a few powerhouses several times her age, btw) respectively from the Unconventional Heroes/Two Necromancers book series (highly recommend, btw). She first discovered her power when she brought her dog back as a zombie from being run over by a cart without even knowing what she was doing (not 100% sure but I think the books said she was 6 at the time), and she was then sent by her parents to a nearby, not quite evil Necromancer named Timmy, who had been trained by a true sadist who regularly attempted to kill Timmy under the guise of "training" before he was finally eaten by an undead abomination of said master's own creation (can't remember if the master was ever named, if he was the name wasn't a big deal). Timmy uses a shovel as his primary melee weapon; I kind of wish there were better stats than improvised weaponry or attempting to refluff an existing weapon so I could use a weaponized shovel for 5e lol... Yes there was some inspiration from those two in this character, including my plan that upon reaching level 4 he will be taking Mold Earth as his next cantrip.


-Surazal. Now read it backwards.

Awesome. If I ever die and get resurrected, or better yet become an undead (I heard there was an event adventure connected to Tome of Annihilation where it was possible to become some kind of permanent half-undead thing that isn't "cured" even by the demise of Acererak, is it still possible for one to participate in such an adventure and acquire that permanent effect?) he is so adding Surazal to his nicknames. Thanks Asmotherion!


You tried to be too smart with it. Puns and smart do not go together.

"Mort" is a short, unimpressive name that is also a play on words. "Muerte Styxis" is trying too hard to be clever and sophisticated.

I've had a 3.5 Bone Knight Cleric named "Damien Thanos." He was all serious, had a backstory about cleansing the world with the ordered perfection of undeath.

I've also had "The Champion of Pelor, Herald of Light, Keeper of Divine Radiance... Steve the cleric." He had a Jersey accent.

True, thanks for the insight.

[Beechgnome]

Ticker, a clockwork gnome who knows you don't need a heart to get those limbs a' moving.

[Daithi]

Robert Manny Graves

I like it. Rob Graves. Or just Bob.

[Avigor]

Robert Manny Graves

I like it. Rob Graves. Or just Bob.

You forgot what you get when you drop the second "n" from the middle name lol: Rob Many Graves

[Personification]

Okay, going to change a few tidbits.
Kevin and Bonny kinda reminds me of Timmy and Katie, necromantic master and apprentice (she's 10 and kicks the derrieres of quite a few powerhouses several times her age, btw) respectively from the Unconventional Heroes/Two Necromancers book series (highly recommend, btw). She first discovered her power when she brought her dog back as a zombie from being run over by a cart without even knowing what she was doing (not 100% sure but I think the books said she was 6 at the time), and she was then sent by her parents to a nearby, not quite evil Necromancer named Timmy, who had been trained by a true sadist who regularly attempted to kill Timmy under the guise of "training" before he was finally eaten by an undead abomination of said master's own creation (can't remember if the master was ever named, if he was the name wasn't a big deal). Timmy uses a shovel as his primary melee weapon; I kind of wish there were better stats than improvised weaponry or attempting to refluff an existing weapon so I could use a weaponized shovel for 5e lol... Yes there was some inspiration from those two in this character, including my plan that upon reaching level 4 he will be taking Mold Earth as his next cantrip.


If you ever go to Chult you could get a skeleton riding on an undead triceratops named Bony and Collide respectively.

[Daithi]

Yeah, I got it.

[Finback]

Go with a Welsh motif.

Taffy Onomie.

[bc56]

A necromancer in a video game I once played was named "Solomon Dark" Solemn and Dark

[Angelalex242]

Call him Bonerider.

...He rides undead horses, okay? He doesn't do the sick stuff YOU were thinking of!

...that we know of.

...Ew.

[Nifft]

Call him Bonerider.

...He rides undead horses, okay? He doesn't do the sick stuff YOU were thinking of!

...that we know of.

...Ew.

I thought of a flying broomstick made from a really long dinosaur bone.

Then I thought about a motorcycle made from bones.

[Tanngrisnr]

The Necro-gnome always sounded good.

Expanding on this, call him Meekron, the necro-gnome.

Meekron sounds very gnomish to me, and people can refer to him as "that necro gnome, Meekron".

[Avigor]

If you ever go to Chult you could get a skeleton riding on an undead triceratops named Bony and Collide respectively.

Which adventure? I also recently saw a Zombie T-Rex mini associated with Tomb of Annihilation, do you know if that is actually in an AL adventure and if so which one? I so can't wait for level 14 when you can claim control of any undead you encounter; while getting a Mummy Lord would certainly be thematic given his Scarab in his background, nobody can truly turn down a ZOMBIE T-REX!


Expanding on this, call him Meekron, the necro-gnome.

Meekron sounds very gnomish to me, and people can refer to him as "that necro gnome, Meekron".

Definitely shelving this one, love it! Thanks Tanngrisnr!

[Bohandas]

Doug Graves

[Personification]

Which adventure? I also recently saw a Zombie T-Rex mini associated with Tomb of Annihilation, do you know if that is actually in an AL adventure and if so which one? I so can't wait for level 14 when you can claim control of any undead you encounter; while getting a Mummy Lord would certainly be thematic given his Scarab in his background, nobody can truly turn down a ZOMBIE T-REX!



Definitely shelving this one, love it! Thanks Tanngrisnr!

I'm not positive, but I believe that ToA takes place on Chult with zombie dinosaurs.

[KorvinStarmast]

Funeral Gnome OK, that got me chuckling.
Rob Graves was also good.

If you ever go to Chult you could get a skeleton riding on an undead triceratops named Bony and Collide respectively. Groan. (Love it!)

My suggested names for your necromancer:
1. Ezekiel (Zeke for short). (Refer to the famous spiritual song about Ezekiel cried them Dry Bones ... oh the foot bone's connected to the shin bone ...)

2. Xavier Korps

3. Saul Ron or Ron Saul. (recall that the LoTR/Hobbit Necromancer was in fact Sauron)

4. Xom Bee

[Armored Walrus]

Huh, i wonder where i got that from, then? Oh well.

I think you got it from the gnomes on Krynn. They of Mount Nevermind. You probably forgot where it came from because it's common to repress traumatic memories.

Sounds like OP has his name, but here are a few more:

Al Topsy
Sue Cherdlims
Frank Dockenstein
Ray Zimmup