Origins and Meaning
What inspires Weapon Names
Whether playing a tabletop RPG or reading an epic fantasy, weapons of note are often accompanied by grandiose names. These names are often literal and descriptive, representing properties of the blade or bow.
A weapon’s name can change over time, as heroic deeds and legends outstrip the original descriptors. Just like a car’s name, the name devoted to a character’s weapon is often deeply personal, and can change from owner to owner.
Use our name generator to help name your weapons, adding in information about physical or magical properties, the heritage, and the description of the weapon.
Weapons names for function
Popular for enchanted weapons, names that describe magical properties give enemies and allies a way to identify the wielder and blade coming towards them.
- Frostmourne (Warcraft), the Lich King’s icey, soul-stealing runeblade.
- Mjölnir, the hammer from Norse mythology, meaning “crusher”.
Weapons named after deeds
Even non magical weapons can gain fearsome names, once a trend is established in their use. These names often come not from the wielder, but those around.
- Dōjigiri Yasutsuna, a Japanese sword named “Dōji-Cutter,” said to have slain the demon Shuten-dōji.
- Hotarumaru, named after the fireflies that legend says repaired the blade.
Names taken from legends
A character might name their weapon from legends of old, wanting to lend their activities the gravitas that another’s history holds.
- M982 Excalibur, a US guided artillery shell, named after King Arthur’s sword.
- Kusanagi (Naruto) features a sword used by Orochimaru and Sasuke, named after the Japanese mythological blade.