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Creating a fictional setting for a book or a game is not easy in the slightest. A lot of work goes into it, and there are many things to take into consideration.
One of those things is names: names for people, and names for towns. In this case, you may be in need of a good pirate town name. What is in such a name, anyway?
Well, if you are starved for inspiration in the realm of naming a pirate town, we are here to provide you with this nifty list, which will give you plenty of examples of cool names that you are more than welcome to use yourself!
Of course, you can also choose to alter them to suit your needs. One way or another, you’ll probably find something you like!
Let’s dive in.
Catchy Pirate Town Names
- Cay of Dead Whales – The most important thing about a pirate town name is that it sounds like it belongs to pirates. What else would you expect to find in a town with a name like this?
- The High Sand Lagoon – There are all sorts of cool oceanic features to name a town, and a lagoon is one of them. Just throw whatever descriptors in front of “lagoon” that you want!
- Island of Scuttlebutt – Scuttlebutt is a real word that means “gossip,” but the word scuttling is often associated with ships and sailors. This name would just be outright amusing.
- Ahoy Reef – This name might sound a little basic, but being a little campy is really fitting for pirates if you are going for the lighter-hearted variety.
- Swashbuckler Port – It’s a port where swashbucklers gather. That name kind of speaks for itself, doesn’t it?
- Peril Reef Cavern – Pirates that are hiding from the law often do so in hidden locales, like caverns. They also like to tack on scary words to keep wayward adventurers away.
- Dead Kraken Island – A town like this could be the site of a legendary battle, where a pirate crew slew a dreadful Kraken.
- Blimey Haven – Everyone knows pirates need a safe haven from the law, and they often have a potty mouth. Stick to the curse words that don’t offend people and sound fitting for a pirate.
- Cove of Parrots – This could be a funny pirate town in which only those with a parrot companion are allowed in. Or maybe the town is known for selling the parrots every pirate seems to have?
- Old-Salt Reef – This town could be known for having a high number of retired pirates, or perhaps it used to be a buzzing pirate town but is now run-down and fading?
- Corsair’s Abode – Corsair is pretty much another word for a pirate, though it sounds a lot fancier. An abode is where someone lives, so this town’s name is essentially “home of pirates.”
- Leviathan’s Maw – A town near an intimidating feature, such as an array of sharp rocks that could easily crush ships, would do very well with a name like this.
- Lauretta – Imagine a town that was formed from a beached pirate ship (named Lauretta, of course) on an abandoned island. The crew became the original townsfolk.
- Rumrunner’s Sands Anchorage – In a world of pirates, whoever founds a town will probably name it after what they do there. Take a guess as to what this town is most known for?
- Isle of Broken Teeth – This town name would be perfect for a location where may ships have sunk, with their hulls pointing up into the sky like broken teeth.
- Island of the Jolly Roger – The Jolly Roger is the name of the skull and crossbones black flag most often associated with pirates, making it a fitting name for any pirate town.
- Black Water Enclave – Water enclave sounds like a normal place, but black water enclave sounds like it would be scary. One adjective or word can make all the difference in a name.
- Weary Pirate Cove – Why would a town for pirates even exist unless they needed to do town things like everyone else? A simple name is fitting for those who don’t care for fancy things.
Interesting Pirate Town Names
- Gunpowder Gallows – Pirates tend to be a rough bunch that like to fight. A town with this name could be a location known for frequent conflicts between pirate crews.
- Shark’s Nest – If pirates wanted to keep their town concealed from prying eyes, they might give it a name that makes it sound like a dangerous place to come to.
- Doubloon’s Delight – Where do pirates go to spend all of the money they illicitly acquired? Why, to a town dedicated to that kind of commerce and entertainment, of course!
- Broken Mast Bay – Any location can be spiced up if you add some half-sunken ships into the mix, and a fitting name can let people know that the waters are rough in these parts.
- Knave’s Anchorage – A “knave” is someone dishonest, and an anchorage is a place that is suitable for a ship to dwell. It’s easy to put two and two together!
- Sailor’s Scourge – A fitting name for a town where many a pirate has met their end, though it could be another intimidating cover name to keep people away.
- Raider’s Refuge – Alliteration does wonders for a name. Such names are fun to say and easy to remember, especially when an audience has to remember many locations!
- Ship’s Sanctuary – When a pirate ship is damaged in a battle, where does it go for repairs? A town with a name like this would probably be a pretty good guess.
- Anchor Atoll – An atoll is a ring-shaped island. This town could be an out-of-the-way stop for pirates traveling between more important locations in the ocean.
- Siren’s Call – The siren is a well-known mythical creature that lures men to their death. This name is perfect for a dangerous pirate town where no one’s life is safe.
- Barnacle’s Bastion – A bastion is a place of refuge, like a fortress. Ships often get barnacles stuck to their side. Most importantly, this name is just fun to say, which makes it memorable.
- Storm’s Eye – When all the ocean is a raging storm, a town where a pirate can find safety and refuge will seem very peaceful indeed!
- Mutineer’s Trove – Many pirates were once legitimate sailors who mutinied against their captain, and a trove of treasure would certainly be of great interest to them.
Town Name Inspiration
Generally speaking, pirate town names don’t have to be particularly subtle.
After all, you are trying to make it obvious that the town is not just a location near an ocean, but that it specifically serves as a hotbed for swashbuckling activity.
That being the case, it’s actually alright to look to cliches for inspiration.
For instance, think of anything that screams “pirate” to you. Peg legs? Parrots? Black flags? Cannons, stealing, eyepatches, or cutlasses?
Whatever comes to mind, don’t be afraid to add such things to your town name.
Also, keep in mind that ocean towns in fiction often have something tied to the ocean in their name.
For an easier time achieving your aims, try to combine the two.
Pick something related to pirates, then pick something related to the ocean, and simply combine them.
The names that come out might be pretty straightforward, but who is going to miss that “Skull Cove” is a pirate location?
Sometimes, simple is better.
Help Choosing The Perfect Name
A perfect name is in the eye of the beholder, so don’t get too hung up on the idea of coming up with something absolutely perfect.
There will always be someone who thinks your name idea is silly. You must ignore those naysayers!
A perfect name is whatever you believe is most fitting for the town in question.
Maybe you want the name to tie into the town’s narrative purpose.
Maybe you just want the town to sound cool Whatever your motivation is, any town name that you are content with is the perfect name.
Names can be obviously tied to the narrative, but they don’t have to be.
After all, too many places with obvious narrative names can make things feel a little campy.
Conclusion
Pirates are often perceived as flamboyant and showy. You always know who they are and what they do, so there is no reason to avoid going the same route with the names of pirate towns.
Feel free to select names that are so obviously related to pirates that no one could miss it. These are people waving big black flags to alert their prey, after all.
Of course, that doesn’t mean there is no room for subtlety, but at the end of the day, you can go either route and still come up with a fantastic name for a pirate town that everyone will remember.