100 Orc & Goblin Names with Meanings for D&D and Fantasy

By Callum Thorne10 min readUpdated April 1, 2026105 names

Orc names are forged in the same fires as orcish culture itself: brutal, direct, and impossible to ignore. Where elven names flow like water, orcish names hit like a war-hammer. Hard consonants, guttural stops, and compound syllables built from the language of violence define the naming traditions of fantasy's most iconic warrior race.

The roots of orcish naming run deep through fantasy literature. Tolkien's orcs bore corrupted, harsh names like Grishnákh and Uglúk -- debased reflections of the Elvish tongues they once spoke before their corruption by Morgoth. Dungeons & Dragons expanded the orcish palette considerably, giving orcs a tribal society where names carry the weight of clan allegiance, battle honors, and divine favor from Gruumsh One-Eye. Warhammer's greenskins pushed naming into darkly comic territory, with phonetic brutality that matches their love of violence. The Elder Scrolls Orsimer, meanwhile, adopted a structured Orcish language with prefixes and suffixes denoting gender, parentage, and stronghold.

What unites all these traditions is the principle that orcish names must be spoken with force. They are declarations of strength, promises of violence, and warnings to enemies. A soft name is an insult among orcs. Whether you are building a fearsome warchief, a cunning goblin rogue, or a half-orc struggling between two worlds, the names in this collection will give your character the weight and menace they deserve.

This list presents over 100 orc and goblin names organized by type, each with its meaning and cultural context. Use them directly, combine elements from different entries, or feed them into our Orc Name Generator for endless variations.

Male Orc Names

Male orc names emphasize strength, aggression, and dominance. These names feature hard consonant clusters, abrupt syllables, and meanings rooted in warfare, predation, and raw physical power. In most orcish cultures, a male earns his true name through combat.

Gromash

Giant's Heart; a name suggesting immense courage and physical endurance

#1

Thokk

Thunder Strike; named for the sound of his blows in battle

#2

Urgash

Blood Fury; one who enters a berserker rage on the battlefield

#3

Durgat

Iron Fist; unyielding and merciless in combat

#4

Kragosh

Bone Breaker; feared for devastating strength

#5

Mogrul

Dark Chieftain; a name reserved for those who lead through fear

#6

Zurgha

Ash Walker; survivor of scorched lands and burned villages

#7

Skulbrag

Skull Boaster; one who wears the skulls of defeated chieftains as trophies

#8

Narzug

Fire Fang; one whose bite is as dangerous as flame

#9

Ghâshra

Terror; a name spoken as a curse by enemies

#10

Ruk'thar

War Born; delivered on the battlefield, destined to fight

#11

Vornak

Storm Bringer; associated with destruction and chaos

#12

Skalg

Skull Keeper; collects trophies from fallen foes

#13

Murgash

Death Howl; his war cry signals slaughter

#14

Grukk

Relentless; one who never stops advancing

#15

Thogar

Mountain Jaw; unbreakable, immovable in defense

#16

Azgrim

Bitter Blade; a warrior whose weapon has tasted too much blood

#17

Drago

Burning One; from the old tongue for dragonfire

#18

Lugdush

Tower of Ash; from Black Speech lug (tower) and dush (sorcery). A warrior-shaman who channels dark power through brute force.

#19

Gorlag

Gut Ripper; named for his preferred method of killing

#20

Lûgdash

Tower of Chains; a slaver and captor of enemies

#21

Snaga

Slave; an ironic name given to the fiercest warrior -- one who enslaves others

#22

Urzog

Old Scar; a veteran whose body maps every battle he has survived

#23

Krimpat

Binding Will; an orc shaman who bends spirits to his command

#24

Yagraz

Ragged Claw; a hunter who tears prey apart bare-handed

#25

Female Orc Names

Female orc names carry the same harsh phonetics as male names but often incorporate elements of cunning, endurance, and spiritual authority. In many fantasy settings, female orcs serve as shamans, war-mothers, and clan matriarchs whose names command deep respect.

Shel'ka

She-Wolf; fierce protector of her clan's young

#101

Borzighu

Steel Mother; unbreakable matriarch of a warband

#102

Lagash

Blood Song; her voice carries orcish war chants into battle

#103

Uzgha

Burning Eye; a seer whose visions come through fire

#104

Grosha

Hammer Maiden; first to breach enemy walls

#105

Mokha

Smoke Weaver; a shaman who reads omens in fire

#106

Ushara

Night Blade; an assassin who strikes under cover of darkness

#107

Dra'khi

Serpent Tongue; a diplomat feared for her cunning words

#108

Baghra

Crow Caller; a battlefield scavenger and omen reader

#109

Thraka

Spine Snapper; known for her brutal finishing moves

#110

Nazgha

Shadow Walker; moves unseen through enemy camps

#111

Yurga

Bitter Root; an herbalist who brews both medicine and poison

#112

Grisha

Red Hand; her hands are always stained with battle

#113

Ghorza

Iron Will; an unbreakable matriarch whose stubbornness outlasts every siege

#114

Okra

Fierce Speaker; her words cut deeper than blades

#115

Gashna

Fire Keeper; guardian of the clan's sacred flame

#116

Dushna

Thorn Queen; a leader whose defenses are impenetrable

#117

Brokha

Wound Stitcher; a healer who keeps warriors fighting

#118

Lurbuk

Song of Pain; a bard whose music drives orcs into frenzy

#119

Sharog

Dawn Fang; strikes at first light when enemies sleep

#120

Volga

Wide River; unstoppable force that carves through everything

#121

Kharza

Bone Reader; divines the future from cracked bones

#122

Orbakh

War Daughter; born during a siege and raised on the march

#123

Mughra

Swamp Mother; matriarch of a clan that dwells in marshlands

#124

Hrogsha

Iron Song; a smith who forges weapons while chanting war prayers

#125

Orc Clan & War Names

Orc clan names and compound war-names serve as both identity and intimidation. Clans take their names from legendary deeds, feared beasts, or the terrain they dominate. Individual war-names are earned through acts of exceptional brutality or cunning, replacing birth names entirely.

Skullcrusher

A clan or title earned by defeating an enemy champion bare-handed

#201

Bonegnaw

Clan known for chewing the bones of fallen enemies as a ritual

#202

Blacktusk

Clan whose warriors stain their tusks with warpaint before battle

#203

Gorefang

Tribe feared for their blood-soaked fighting style and red banners

#204

Ironhide

Clan whose warriors wear almost no armor, trusting their toughened skin

#205

Worg Riders

Nomadic clan bonded to giant wolf mounts, raiding across open plains

#206

Gutripper

War-name earned by disemboweling three enemies in a single charge

#207

Ashmouth

Clan from volcanic lands who breathe in soot and spit cinders

#208

Spinebreaker

Title given to the strongest wrestler in a tribe's proving grounds

#209

Rotfang

Clan that poisons their blades with decaying flesh

#210

Bloodaxe

Ancient clan whose ancestral weapon is a crimson greataxe

#211

Thunderfoot

Clan famous for their devastating cavalry charges that shake the earth

#212

Marrowsucker

War-name for a siege specialist who starves out fortress defenders

#213

Dreadmaw

Clan whose war-chief filed his teeth into razor points as a sign of rank

#214

Fleshrender

Title earned after surviving a trial of being wounded by every clan member

#215

Blackhand

Clan that marks allegiance by dipping their right hand in tar and ash

#216

Wyvern Skull

Clan that slew a wyvern and mounted its skull on their war-banner

#217

Shattered Shield

War-name for a berserker who broke through an enemy shield wall alone

#218

Headsplitter

Clan executioner title passed down through generations

#219

Grimtooth

Elder clan whose warriors sharpen their tusks before every battle

#220

Goblin & Hobgoblin Names

Goblin names tend toward the short, sharp, and slightly ridiculous -- reflecting their chaotic, opportunistic nature. Hobgoblin names are more disciplined, carrying a militant precision that mirrors their regimented society. Both favor sibilants, hard stops, and names that can be shouted as a warning or a command.

Snikkrit

Quick Cut; a goblin rogue known for his speed with a knife

#301

Mogwai

Little Demon; a cunning trickster who thrives on mischief

#302

Grikk

Finger Thief; named for his habit of stealing rings -- fingers included

#303

Zorba

Mushroom King; a goblin alchemist who brews potions from fungi

#304

Skritch

Scratch; a goblin whose claws leave marks on everything he touches

#305

Nix

Nothing; a goblin so small he was nearly overlooked at birth

#306

Ratfink

Informant; a goblin spy who sells secrets to the highest bidder

#307

Gnashtooth

Broken Bite; a goblin whose teeth never grew in properly but bites anyway

#308

Wikkle

Candle Keeper; the goblin responsible for maintaining tunnel lights

#309

Boggart

Marsh Ghost; a swamp goblin who ambushes travelers from the mud

#310

Spleenk

Lucky; named sarcastically after surviving a cave collapse

#311

Tiktik

Bomb Maker; a goblin engineer obsessed with explosive devices

#312

Hagrak

Iron Discipline; a hobgoblin commander who tolerates no disorder

#313

Krozarg

Shield Wall; a hobgoblin tactician famous for defensive formations

#314

Volkarr

Red Banner; a hobgoblin warlord whose standard has never fallen

#315

Dezark

Law Speaker; a hobgoblin judge who enforces the iron code

#316

Skizza

Poison Drip; a goblin assassin who coats everything in venom

#317

Mugwort

Weed Witch; a goblin herbalist with an unsettling knowledge of toxins

#318

Khardul

War Scholar; a hobgoblin who studies battle as an academic discipline

#319

Grizzik

Trap Master; a goblin who builds elaborate snares and pit traps

#320

Famous Orc Names from Fiction

The most iconic orc and goblin characters from literature, tabletop gaming, video games, and film. These names have shaped how we imagine orcish cultures and provide rich etymological insight into how different creators approach naming their greenskinned characters.

Azog

Unknown Tolkien coinage; the Defiler, pale orc chieftain who slew King Thrór and waged war against the Dwarves at the Battle of Azanulbizar

#401

Bolg

Possibly from Old English "bolga" (to swell); son of Azog, led the goblin army at the Battle of Five Armies in The Hobbit

#402

Uglúk

Black Speech derivation; Uruk-hai captain of Isengard who captured Merry and Pippin, known for his leadership and cruelty

#403

Grishnákh

Black Speech; orc captain from Mordor who pursued the hobbits and was killed by the Riders of Rohan

#404

Gothmog

Dread Voice in Sindarin; lieutenant of Minas Morgul who commanded Sauron's forces at the Battle of the Pelennor Fields

#405

Lurtz

Film-original creation by Peter Jackson's team; the first Uruk-hai, who slew Boromir at Amon Hen

#406

Thrall

Old Norse for slave; Warcraft's most famous orc, born Go'el, who freed the orcs from demonic corruption and founded Durotar

#407

Grommash Hellscream

Warcraft's legendary Warsong chieftain who drank Mannoroth's blood then redeemed himself by slaying the demon lord

#408

Garrosh Hellscream

Son of Grommash; Warchief of the Horde in World of Warcraft whose tyranny led to civil war

#409

Obould Many-Arrows

D&D Forgotten Realms orc king who forged an unprecedented orc kingdom through diplomacy and military genius

#410

Grimgor Ironhide

Warhammer Fantasy's greatest Black Orc warboss, whose name combines "grim" ferocity with an "iron" hide of near invulnerability

#411

Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka

Warhammer 40K's most feared Ork warlord; name roughly translates from Orkish as "I am slaughter" -- a prophet of the Waaagh!

#412

Mazoga the Orc

Elder Scrolls: Oblivion NPC who aspired to become a knight; name from Orcish language, meaning uncertain

#413

Urag gro-Shub

Elder Scrolls: Skyrim's Orsimer librarian at the College of Winterhold; "gro" prefix means "son of" in Orcish naming

#414

The Great Goblin

Tolkien's unnamed-yet-titled ruler of Goblin-town beneath the Misty Mountains, slain by Gandalf during the events of The Hobbit

#415

Conclusion

Orcish names work because they refuse to be polite. Every hard consonant, every guttural syllable, every compound war-title is designed to communicate one thing: power. The best orc names do not need translation -- their sound alone tells you what kind of creature bears them.

When crafting your own orc names, lean into the phonetics. Favor the letters K, G, Z, R, and Kh. Build compound names from violent imagery: body parts, weapons, predatory animals, natural disasters. An orc named Stormfang tells you everything in two syllables. An orc named Kragosh tells you everything in two syllables even if you do not speak the language.

Consider the culture behind the name. Tolkien's orcs bear corrupted Elvish names because they are corrupted Elves. D&D orcs carry clan names and titles earned through combat because their society revolves around tribal warfare. Warhammer orks spell everything phonetically because their culture is gleefully illiterate. Elder Scrolls Orsimer use structured patronymics because their society, despite its brutishness, maintains sophisticated traditions. The naming convention you choose tells your audience as much about your world as the name itself.

For goblin names, shift toward shorter, sharper sounds. Goblins are small, fast, and sneaky -- their names should be too. Sibilants like S, Z, and Sh work well. Hobgoblin names sit between orc and goblin conventions: disciplined, clipped, and military in feel.

Use our Orc Name Generator and Goblin Name Generator to produce endless variations, or mix and match elements from this list. Whatever you choose, make sure it sounds like it was growled across a battlefield, not whispered in a library.