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Drow naming tables

Ventana
Posts: 41
3/13/2026, 1:29:14 PM
I found this link on reddit and it seemed fun.
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From Reddit:

I just found my old Dragon Magazine issue 267 from January 2000 with a very helpful table for drow name elements and their meanings, both for first names and house names. Drow appears to be a very popular race choice here, so I thought I'd share.

Note that since the drow culture/society is what it is, the male/female distinction is actually important, and while it might be acceptable for a female to have a male element in her name, the reverse doesn't really apply. I mean, you do you, of course.

Prefix (Female/Male) - Meaning

Akor/Alak beloved, best, first
Alaun/Alton lightning, powerful
Aly/Kel legendary, singing, song
Ang/Adin beast, monstrous, savage
Ardul/Amal blessed, divine, godly
Aun/Ant crypt, dead, deadly, death
Bae/Bar fate, fated, luck, lucky
Bal/Bel burned, burning, fire, flame
Belar/Bruh arrow, lance, piercing
Briz/Berg graceful, fluid, like water
Bur/Bhin craft, crafty, sly
Chal/Chasz earth, stable
Char/Kron sick, venom, venomed
Chess/Cal noble, lady/lord
Dhaun infested, plague
Dil/Dur cold, ice, still
Dirz/Div dream, dreaming, fantasy
Dris/Riz ash, dawn, east, eastern
Eclav/Elk chaos, mad, madness
Elvan/Kalan elf, elven, far, lost
Elv/Elaug drow, mage, power
Erel/Rhyl eye, moon, spy
Ethe/Erth mithril, resolute
Faer/Selds oath, sworn, vow
Felyn/Fil pale, thin, weak, white
Filf/Phar dwarf, dwarven, treacherous
Gauss/Orgoll dread, fear, feared, vile
G'eld friend, spider
Ghuan accursed, curse, unlucky
Gin/Din berserk, berserker, orc, wild
Grey/Gul ghost, pale, unliving
Hael/Hatch marked, trail, way
Hal/Sol deft, nimble, spider-like
Houn/Rik magic, ring, staff
Iiv/Dip liege, war, warrior
Iim life, living, spirit, soul
Illiam/Im devoted, heart, love
In/Sorn enchanted, spell
Ilph emerald, green, lush, tree
Irae/Ilzt arcane, mystic, wizard
Irr/Izz hidden, mask, masked
Iym/Ist endless, immortal
Jan/Duag shield, warded
Jhael/Gel ambitious, clan, kin, family
Jhul/Jar charmed, rune, symbol
Jys/Driz hard, steel, unyielding
Lael/Llt iron, west, western
Lar/Les binding, bound, law, lawful
LiNeer/Mourn legend, legendary, mythical
Lird/Ryld brand, branded, owned, slave
Lua/Lyme bright, crystal, light
Mal/Malag mystery, secret
May/Mas beautiful, beauty, silver
Micar lost, poison, widow
Min/Ran lesser, minor, second
Mol/Go blue, storm, thunder, wind
Myr/Nym lost, skeleton, skull
Nath/Mer doom, doomed, fate
Ned/Nad cunning, genius, mind, thought
Nhil/Nal fear, horrible, horror, outraged
Neer core, root, strong
Null/Nil sad, tear, weeping
Olor/Omar skin, tattoo, tattooed
Pellan/Relon north, platinum, wind
Phaer/Vorn honor, honored
Phyr/Phyx bless, blessed, blessing
Qualn/Quil mighty, ocean, sea
Quar aged, eternal, time
Quav/Quev charmed, docile, friend
Qil/Quil foe, goblin, slave
Rauv/Welv cave, rock, stone
Ril/Ryl foretold, omen
Sbat/Szor amber, yellow
Sab/Tsab abyss, empty, void
Shi'n/Kren fool, foolish, young
Shri/Ssz silk, silent
Shur/Shar dagger, edge, stiletto
Shynt invisible, skilled, unseen
Sin/Szin festival, joy, pleasure
Ssap/Tath blue, midnight, night
Susp/Spir learned, skilled, wise
Talab/Tluth burn, burning, fire
Tal/Tar love, pain, wound, wounded
Triel/Taz bat, winged
T'riss/Teb blade, sharp, sword
Ulvir/Uhls gold, golden, treasure
Umrae/Hurz faith, faithful, true
Vas/Vesz blood, bloody, flesh
Vic abyss, deep, profound
Vier/Val black, dark, darkness
Vlon/Wod bold, hero, heroic
Waer/Wehl deep, hidden, south, southern
Wuyon/Wruz humble, third, trivial
Xull/Url blooded, crimson, ruby
Xun demon, fiend, fiendish
Yas/Yaz riddle, spinning, thread, web
Zar/Zakn dusk, haunted, shadow
Zebey/Zek dragon, lithe, rage, wyrm
Zes/Zsz ancient, elder, respected
Zilv/Vuz forgotten, old, unknown
Suffixes (Female/Male) - Meaning

a/agh breaker, destruction, end, omega
ace/as savant, scholar, wizard
ae/aun dance, dancer, life, player
aer/d blood, blood of, heir
afae/afein bane, executioner, slayer
afay/aufein eyes, eyes of, seer
ala/launim healer, cleric
anna/erin advisor, counselor to
arra/atar queen/prince
aste bearer, keeper, slaver
avin/aonar guardian, guard, shield
ayne/al lunatic, maniac, manic, rage
baste/gloth path, walker
breena/antar matriach/patriarch, ruler
bryn/lyn agent, assassin, killer
cice/roos born of, child, young
cyrl/axle ally, companion, friend
da/daer illusionist, trickster
dia/drin rogue, stealer
diira/diirn initiate, sister/brother
dra/zar lover, match, mate
driira/driirn mother/father, teacher
dril/dorl knight, sword, warrior
e servant, slave, vessel
eari/erd giver, god, patron
eyl archer, arrow, flight, flyer
ffyn/fein minstrel, singer, song
fryn champion, victor, weapon, weapon of
iara/ica baron, duke, lady/lord
ice/eth obsession, taker, taken
idil/imar alpha, beginning, creator of, maker
iira/inid harbinger, herald
inidia secret, wall, warder
inil/in lady/lord, rider, steed
intra envoy, messenger, prophet
isstra/atlab acolyte, apprentice, student
ithra/irahc dragon, serpent, wyrm
jra/gos beast, biter, stinger
jss scout, stalker
kacha/kah beauty, hair, style
kiira/raen apostle, disciple
lay/dyn flight, flyer, wing, wings
lara/aghar cynic, death, end, victim
lin arm, armor, commander
lochar messenger, spider
mice/myr bone, bones, necromancer, witch
mur'ss shadow, spy, witness
na/nar adept, ghost, spirit
nilee/olil corpse, disease, ravager
niss/nozz chance, gambler, game
nitra/net kicker, returned, risen
nolu art, artist, expert, treasure
olin ascension, love, lover, lust
onia/onim rod, staff, token, wand
oyss/omph binder, judge, law, prison
qualyn ally, caller, kin
quarra/net horde, host, legion
quiri/oj aura, cloak, hide, skin
ra/or fool, game, prey, quarry
rae/rar secret, seeker, quest
raema/orvir crafter, fist, hand
raena/olvir center, haven, home
riia/rak enchanter, mage, spellcaster
ril bandit, enemy, raider, outlaw
riina/ree enchanter, mage, spellcaster
ryna/oyn follower, hired, mercenary
ryne/ryn blooded, elder, experienced
shalee/ral abjurer, gaze, watch, watcher
ssysn/rysn artifact, dweomer, sorcerer, spell
stin/trin clan, house, merchant, of the house
stra/tran spider, spinner, weaver
tana/ton darkness, lurker, prowler
thara/tar glyph, marker, rune
thrae/olg charmer, leader, seducer
tree/tel exile, loner, outcast, pariah
tyrr dagger, poison, poisoner, scorpion
ual/dan speed, strider
ue/dor arm, artisan, fingers
uit/dar breath, voice, word
une/diin diviner, fate, future, oracle
uque cavern, digger, mole, tunnel
urra/dax nomad, renegade, wanderer
va/ven comrade, honor, honored
vayas forge, forger, hammer, smith
vyll punishment, scourge, whip, zealot
vyrae/vyr mistress/master, overseer
wae/hrae heir, inheritor, princess
wiira/hriir seneschal of, steward
wyss/hrys best, creator, starter
xae/zaer orb, rank, ruler, sceptor
xena/zen cutter, gem, jewel, jeweler
xyra/zyr sage, teller
yl drow, woman/man
ylene/yln handmaiden/squire, maiden/youth
ymma/inyon drider, feet, foot, runner
ynda/yrd captain, custodian, marshal, ranger
ynrae/yraen heretic, rebel, riot, void
vrae architect, founder, mason
yrr protector, rival, wielder
zyne/zt finder, hunter
House Name Prefixes - Meaning

Alean the noble line of
Ale traders in
Arab daughters of
Arken mages of
Auvry blood of the
Baen blessed by
Barri spawn of
Cladd warriors from
Desp victors of
De champions of
Do' walkers in
Eils lands of
Everh the caverns of
Fre friends of
Gode clan of
Helvi those above
Hla seers of
Hun' the sisterhood of
Ken sworn to
Kil people of
Mae raiders from
Mel mothers of
My honored of
Noqu sacred to
Orly guild of
Ouss heirs to
Rilyn house of
Teken' delvers in
Tor mistresses of
Zau children of
House Name Suffixes - Meaning

afin the web
ana the night
ani the widow
ar poison
arn fire
ate the way
ath the dragons
duis the whip
ervs the depths
ep the underdark
ett magic
ghym the forgotten ways
iryn history
lyl the blade
mtor the abyss
ndar black hearts
neld the arcane
rae fell powers
rahel the gods
rret the void
sek adamantite
th challenges
tlar mysteries
t'tar victory
tyl the pits
und the spider's kiss
urden the darkness
val silken weaver
viir dominance
zynge the ruins
So, according to this, 'Minthara' for example means essentially 'lesser rune', and if she were a dude her name would be 'Rantar'.

Add apostrophes etc. as desired, and there you have it! You can even roll a D100 for the first name if you're undecided.
Ventana
Posts: 41
3/13/2026, 4:07:33 PM
Well, shoot. The formatting got all messed up. Here's the link:

https://www.reddit.com/r/BaldursGate3/comments/15gb1sy/drow_name_tables_from_dragon_magazine/
dead
Posts: 113
3/13/2026, 4:08:10 PM
I literally have that pulled up in a browser window. Thats crazy.