In Dungeons & Dragons and plenty of other fantasy settings, tieflings are people with a fiendish bloodline somewhere in their family tree. It shows in horns, a tail, unusual skin or eyes, and often in how strangers treat them. That makes naming a tiefling more interesting than naming most characters, because the name says something about how they see their heritage.
Players tend to take one of three approaches. The first is a name that sounds openly infernal, with hard consonants, sibilant endings and unusual letter combinations that no human village would produce. The second is a word name: a virtue, a feeling or an idea, often chosen by the character themselves as a statement about who they intend to be. The third is simply an ordinary name from wherever they grew up, which can say a lot about a tiefling raised by humans who wanted them to fit in.
These names were written for this site, so they're yours to use. The generator above rolls a full tiefling character sheet for each name, with ability scores, a background and a plot hook, which is handy when you need an NPC on short notice.
Harsh infernal names
Hard stops, rolling Rs and Xs. These sound like they were spoken first in a place with a lot of fire.
- DreshOne blunt syllable. Good for a fighter or a brooding warlock.
- KazrethSharp at both ends, with a hiss in the middle.
- LethraxSounds dangerous, a little reptilian.
- RhazethRolls and snaps. Works for any class.
- VexlanThe Vex- start hints at trouble.
- XerithUnusual first letter, easy to say at the table.
- ZarkothHeavy and imposing. Villain-ready.
- BrakkusBlunt and strong, suits a barbarian.
- TorvexA name that sounds like a threat.
- GrazulGravelly, with a low, growling ending.
Elegant infernal names
Smoother sounds with the same otherworldly edge. Good for bards, sorcerers and schemers.
- AzratheSoft opening, lingering ending. Suits a sorcerer.
- CarrowynAlmost human, but not quite.
- IxandraRegal, with an unexpected X.
- MyrrhenNamed for something like incense and smoke.
- NyxaraDark and musical, built on the Greek word for night.
- OrvessaElegant and a little mysterious.
- SethrinSmooth and quiet, like a whisper in a crowded tavern.
- UzziraBuzzing consonants in a graceful shape.
- ZevrineSleek and sharp. Good for a rogue.
- IlvessaLight and lyrical, with a hint of danger.
Virtue and concept names
A single word the character carries like a promise, a warning or a joke only they understand.
- SolaceFor a healer, or a character searching for peace.
- VigilWatchful and steady. Great for a paladin or ranger.
- VerityTruth, for a character who never lies, or who always does.
- HushFor a rogue who moves without a sound.
- CinderWhat's left after the fire. Hints at a painful past.
- OmenFor a character others treat as a bad sign.
- MercyIronic for a ruthless fighter, sincere for a cleric.
- LamentFor a bard whose best songs are sad ones.
- RansomSuggests a debt, a bargain or a kidnapping in the backstory.
- HazardFun for a reckless character who knows exactly what they are.
- PromiseFor someone who's sworn to be better than their bloodline.
- CandorBlunt honesty, as a name and a personality.
- TruceFor a diplomat, or a character caught between two sides.
- RueRegret in one short syllable.
Family and house names
Surnames for tieflings from established families, or ones they've taken for themselves.
- AshvaneSmoky and aristocratic.
- DuskmireSuggests a family from somewhere gloomy and old.
- EmbercourtA noble house with a fiery secret.
- CoalbrightDark and bright at once, like the character.
- VantrethSounds old, foreign and wealthy.
- GrimwellA village family name with a dark twist.
- NightbarrowHints at graves and secrets.
- HollowmereQuiet and eerie, like a lake no one swims in.
- SorrowgateGrand and tragic.
- BlackspireSuggests a family that once ruled from a tower.
Short names and table nicknames
The name your party will actually shout in combat.
- VexIrritating to enemies, beloved by friends.
- AshSimple, human-sounding, with a fiery meaning.
- DrayQuick and a little rough.
- ZeeFriendly shorthand for any Z name.
- HexPerfect for a warlock.
- KitAn ordinary nickname that hides an unusual full name.
- NyxShort for Nyxara, or a name on its own.
- SinBold and a little tongue-in-cheek.
Tips for naming a tiefling
- Decide who chose the name. A name from loving parents, a name forced on them and a name they picked themselves each tell a different story.
- Match the sound to the character. Harsh names suit fighters and villains; smoother names suit bards, sorcerers and schemers.
- Give a virtue name a reason. Is Mercy a goal, an irony or a promise to someone they lost? Your backstory will write itself.
- Make it easy to say out loud. You'll hear it hundreds of times in a campaign, so test it before the first session.
Common questions
How do you pronounce tiefling?
Most tables say TEEF-ling. You'll also hear TEE-fling, and both are widely understood.
Do tieflings have last names?
They can, but it's up to you and your setting. A tiefling raised in a human family might use that family's surname, while one who left home might go by a single name or invent a house name like Ashvane.
Can a tiefling have an ordinary human name?
Yes, and it can be a great character choice. A tiefling named Martha or Tom says a lot about the people who raised them and how much they wanted that child to fit in.
What is a virtue name for a tiefling?
It's a single word used as a name, like Solace, Vigil or Mercy. Players often use one to show what the character hopes to be, or as a quiet rejection of the fiendish side of their heritage.