Goblin Name Generator

Goblins in the Warcraft universe

The goblins of the Warcraft universe are a race of small, green humanoids. They are known for their cunning and greed, and have a history of conflict with the other races of Azeroth. The goblin capital is the city of Orgrimmar, located in the harsh land of Durotar.

Goblins in Lord of the Rings

Goblins are small, ugly creatures that live in dark places. They are often portrayed as being evil and dangerous. In J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, goblins are one of the main enemies. They are fierce warriors and use their sharp teeth and claws to fight. They also have a special ability to see in the dark.

The goblin name generator can be used to create names for these creatures. The names are generated from a list of goblin names, so they sound believable.

Goblin Appearances Across Fantasy Fiction

Goblins have a long legacy in both European and Asian fantasy fiction. From their outrageous behavior, comically mischievous demeanors and grotesque appearances, goblins offer hilarity, horror, and sometimes both! While their visual likeness may vary from culture to culture, their comedic value is a constant across stories and genres. Below is a breakdown of how goblins have evolved over time and in different genres.

In traditional European folklore, goblins are generally treated as mischievous tricksters. They’re portrayed as capricious, dehumanized figures — deviltry incarnate! Often they take on a human form and meddle in mortal affairs, making everything more complicated and humorous. From Shakespeare’s Robin Goodfellow or Puck to the fairytales of Rumpelstiltskin and The Three Billy Goats Gruff, goblins are used to inject comedic relief — usually at the expense of a heroic protagonist.

In fantasy genres, however, goblins take on a more distinct role. Rather than stand-alone characters, goblins are commonly characterized as “minions” or dungeon fodder. They’re relegated to cannon fodder status, and as such all miscreants throughout history. As a basic form of cannon fodder, goblins are typically shown as small minions of great evil forces, usually in service to a powerful necromancer or vile plant, such as in The Lord Of The Rings. Goblins remain disposable characters, often featured as non-threatening or non-combatant figures — most of all they are a comic relief.

In more contemporary fantasy fiction, goblins are part of a larger world of mischievous and comically nefarious creatures. Here goblins take on a more fleshed out form, often portrayed in a sympathetic light. They’re put in harsh circumstances and either rely on their wits or are willing to do whatever is necessary, even if it means allying with a hero or exposing themselves to great danger. A perfect example of a sympathetic goblin comes from the novel Stardust, by Neil Gaiman, in which a goblin is shown as a creature driven primarily out of fear.

Goblins often appear in video games, as larger forces of enemy troops or as unusual yet friendly guides. In the classic RPG The Elder Scrolls, goblins play a large role as part of a fantastic world fraught with adventure and chaos. Similarly, in the popular MMORPG World of Warcraft goblins are featured as a race, with their own unique culture and rich backstory. In both instances goblins have evolved past their traditional trickster roles, becoming vibrant elements of a larger world while still remaining comically mischievous.

From their early appearances in European folklore and fantasy fiction, goblins have evolved into comedic creatures and lovable scoundrels; providing humor and interest to an ever-growing variety of fantasy stories. Whether they are enemies, allies, or comedic fodder, goblins remain a mainstay in the fantasy universe, their lively personalities and grotesque features bringing their distinctive flavor to any tale.

5 questions to help you come up with goblin names

1. What have people traditionally associated goblins with?
2. What would be an interesting physical trait to give a goblin?
3. In what kind of environment do goblins typically live?
4. What are some fun or unique goblin activities or hobbies?
5. What kind of names do goblins often go by?

Can I use the random goblin names that this tool creates?

Yes you can. The Story Shack claims no copyright on any of these names, but it is of course possible that some of the values this name generator provides are already owned by anyone else, so please make sure to always do your due diligence.

How many ideas can I generate with this Goblin Name Generator?

The Goblin Name Generator can generate thousands of ideas for your project, so feel free to keep clicking and at the end use the handy copy feature to export your goblin names to a text editor of your choice. Enjoy!

What are good goblin names?

There's thousands of random goblin names in this generator. Here are some samples to start:

More on goblin names across the web

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• codexnomina.com