Any good, intimidating, dragon names?

[SangoProduction]

I was running over the next session's sets, and then realized I never gave the BBEG a name.

Basically, millenia ago, "mortals" rose up against draconic rule, and nearly sent the dragons to extinction. Now a survivor seeks to repay the favor.

But...I am terrible with names. Let alone one that would fit a dragon. Maybe even one that he'd be using for "mortal tongues", as he does want to spread terror.

[Elkad]

Trogdor the Burninator (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnO24xmca9Y) is never wrong for a dragon.

[DrMotives]

Much love for Trogdor the Burninator. But, assuming you want a less silly campaign, https://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/dragon_names.php isn't a bad way to start looking for some names. I certainly don't like all the names it comes up with, but it get some good ones too.
Another option is to look at names of published dragons and steal one. Here are the web articles "Wyrms of the North" which has plenty of great names. http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/archfr/wn

[RedMage125]

I like to include something about the dragon's species in the name. For example, most gold dragons have names that start with Au. Most silver with Ag, and most Copper with Cu. I forgot what I came up with for "alloy" dragons.

For chromatics, i use similar conventions with the first couple letters of their color in a different language, usually. Or other variations on that color. A red dragon might be Cristronix (crimson), and a green might be Vermathrak (verde), and a blue would be Azaeladred (azure, or azul).

That's just me tho. I did the same with my dragon born bard in 5e, a copper descendant named Cutharn.

[Gwyllgi]

I was running over the next session's sets, and then realized I never gave the BBEG a name.

Basically, millenia ago, "mortals" rose up against draconic rule, and nearly sent the dragons to extinction. Now a survivor seeks to repay the favor.

But...I am terrible with names. Let alone one that would fit a dragon. Maybe even one that he'd be using for "mortal tongues", as he does want to spread terror.

Viloator the Ring Breaker.

[Talakeal]

Use the name of a demon or monster from a culture that is not commonly mined for fantasy tropes.

Some examples I have used:

Charnabog
Onachus
Ryujin
Azhi Dhaka
Gorynch
Qing Long
Kur
Ouroboros

[Celestia]

Pro tip: go for something simple and easily with few syllables. If I was a player, I can guarantee that I'd forget every name listed so far except Trogdor and just call the thing "evil dragon."

[Talakeal]

Pro tip: go for something simple and easily with few syllables. If I was a player, I can guarantee that I'd forget every name listed so far except Trogdor and just call the thing "evil dragon."

Dragonlance usually solves this problem by having each dragon with a long impressive name which they tell to other dragons as well as a short simple name which they introduce themselves to humans as.


For example, the black dragon Kishanth is called Onyx by humans and the blue dragon Khellendros is known as Skie.


Here is a list of some more:

http://dlnexus.com/archives/astinus/personalities/overlords.aspx

[unseenmage]

Fawara Ofanifi Ranofaci was the name of a dragon that laid waste to a Dwarf Fortress fort of mine once.

Turned the name into a mantra and only responded to my children with it for like half a day.
Daughter: Daddy do you want some lunch?
Me: Fawara!
Daughter: Well what do you want on your sandwhich?
Me: Ofanifi Ranofaci.
Daughter: Daaaaadyyyy!
Me: Fawara Ofanifi?

We'll still chant it at each other on occasion, much to their mother's annoyance.

[zfs]

Fluffy.

Because a centuries old great wyrm that lets people address him as Fluffy clearly fears nothing.

[King of Nowhere]

i named a dragon of mine calixarenesh, after calix-arenes, a class of chemical compounds. but it worked pretty well

[Kayden Prynn]

I usually like 3 syllable names with letters like X or K. Keelerax is a particularly good example

[The Eternal DM]

What about a dragon named Taxes who demands an insane tribute by a certain date or else he will destory your world. His motto could be, you may escape death, but you can't escape Taxes! Any player with a job will instantly clutch their wallet in fear!

[Jack_Simth]

For use with humans?

Serial Peacemaker.

[Deophaun]

What about a dragon named Taxes who demands an insane tribute by a certain date or else he will destory your world. His motto could be, you may escape death, but you can't escape Taxes! Any player with a job will instantly clutch their wallet in fear!
It even works if you're dyslexic, because you also don't want to mess with Texas.

[Yogibear41]

I had an ambush drake PC named Verigaaz or something like that I played for like 2 games until the DM told me he changed his mind and I couldn't play that character anymore.....

[Celestia]

What about a dragon named Taxes who demands an insane tribute by a certain date or else he will destory your world. His motto could be, you may escape death, but you can't escape Taxes! Any player with a job will instantly clutch their wallet in fear!
Gotta homebrew the dragon to have cleric casting instead of sorcerer casting so that he can bring people back to life and make them pay their debts. Not even in death can you escape Taxes.

[Jack_Simth]

Gotta homebrew the dragon to have cleric casting instead of sorcerer casting so that he can bring people back to life and make them pay their debts. Not even in death can you escape Taxes.

Hardly need to do so. Many dragons have the option of taking Cleric spells as Sor/Wiz ones.

[Celestia]

Hardly need to do so. Many dragons have the option of taking Cleric spells as Sor/Wiz ones.
That's nifty.

[tiercel]

I like to scan through a list of prescription drug names (https://www.disabled-world.com/medical/pharmaceutical/generic-equivalents.php) when it comes to BBEG names. Avoid some of the actual recognizable names, or even dip into the generic chemical names, and there’s usually something...

“Foolish MORTAL WORMS! Fear the eternal might of XELJANZ THE UNDYING!”

(Further on the upside, if anyone starts to ask you why your dragon bestiary sounds like a chemical factory, you can always give them a knowing look and ask them, “Where do you think all those breath weapons come from?”)

[XionUnborn01]

I prefer going with a name that the dragon himself, or Quest Giver #44, or someone can explain to the PCs that he chose as the name humans know him as, because his draconic name would be nigh impossible for them to even say.

I see it as the dragon picking a name that's purposefully unusual but recognizable for humans, like the following:

Tyrantos, Emperotus, Scalaxis. Razortooth, Blacktongue, Temptus, Hextat, and so on.

I think it's a good way to show the dragons attitude to say "He calls himself Temptus, Corrupter of Heros" vs "His name is Kraaxtinul Drak G'thaxxus"

The first guy is building a specific image, the second guy needs to drink some water and clear his throat.

[Feantar]

It even works if you're dyslexic, because you also don't want to mess with Texas.

As a dyslexic myself, I take bumrage at this sentiment. :smalltongue:

Also, I don't know if it sounds good in english, but if you want to make Taxes more foreign, just use it's greek version - Phoroi. It's read Phori (o as awe, ee as the i in little) but you can use the oi pronunciation to make it sound even weirder.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Something simple and non-threatening.

Anyone who is truly scary doesn't need help to intimidate, and being (vastly) underestimated means it's unlikely for anyone to bother him.

"You wish to know what to call me? YOU WISH TO KNOW MY NAME!?!

YOU MAY CALL ME...Tim."