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Planning and building a fantasy world can be tricky, and it’s easy to get lost in the details. In a universe full of strange and magical creatures, each bit of lore deserves equal respect and thought. After all, the best world-building comes from creating and following believable cultures! So when you’re looking to name a gnome city, what should you be considering?
Gnomes are popular creatures in fantasy settings, but where do they live? Many popular takes on gnomes have them living in a variety of locales, like deep in the woodlands, underground in vast, sprawling cave systems, and even in technologically advanced cities or towns! With such a variety of locations, there are bound to be many options for gnome city names out there.
Gnomes can be tinkerers, engineers, miners, and more! It’s no surprise that the names of their cities would reflect their propensity for craftsmanship, ingenuity, and just plain fun. Gnomes are also known to be quirky creatures, reminding us of fairytales and nursery rhymes. They also have a mischievous nature and can sometimes be looked down upon as tricksters!
The big question is this: how do I apply all of this information to naming my gnome cities? If all of this seems like a lot to handle, don’t worry! I’ve broken all this information down into handy lists of gnome city names for your to peruse and use at your leisure!
At the end of the lists, I’ll go into more detail about finding inspiration for your gnome city names through art, landscapes, and character traits. I’ll also detail how to work out the kinks in your naming process and where to go for help if you can’t get through it.
So let’s move on to the lists!
Forest Gnome City Names
Many people typically think of gnomes as mischievous fey creatures who reside in magical woodlands.
Does that sound about right for your setting? Then check out these forest gnome city names!
- Fiddleleaf
- Budhelm
- Greenbark
- Bizzlebee
- Stickleville
- Tubertown
- Fizzlebark
- Snuggleseed
- Hillville
- Snarglesap
- Giggleroot
- Twiggleville
- Flushmere
- Chungusfungus
- Billowburg
- Cloverfell
- Knurlyroot
- Brinkenstick
- Broadleaf
- Bushington
- Shroomglen
- Thimbleweed
Cave Gnome City Names
Gnomes are no strangers to cave life. Many gnomes work in mines, fishing out precious gems and valuable minerals for their stone cities.
Here’s a list of names for gnome cities in the deep underground!
- Gougepoint
- Grottafendel
- Emeraldia
- Rockswiddle
- Deepstone
- Stonezapat
- Ametrine Hill
- Azurizt
- Rhinetown
- Quartzton
- Berylton
- Falzilhala
- Horngulz
- Feldsparn
- Blingderstone
- Ziddlestack
- Understen
- Selenia
- Tourmaland
- Kraksonville
- Carbonacht
- Pickspire
- Stalagton
- Stalakmitzil
Urban Gnome City Names
Gnome cities can be sprawling urban demonstrations of technological advancement, containing massive towers, metal machinery, and more!
So what do you name a city full of grand feats of magical engineering? Here are a few ideas!
- Gnomenstad
- Brassburough
- Ginzberg
- Barblestreet
- Wundertrundle
- Bizzport
- Gearbyshire
- Shiftwitch
- Flickerhold
- Fizzgatan
- Flargenshtaff
- Krankendale
- Gizzleton
- Coghaven
- Tinkward
- Gnomengraad
- Dynawinch
- Tinkerton
- Stadenhard
- Brightpoint
- Vaxeldaxel
- Bellhaven
- Uppfinnaria
- Mekaniklotz
- Ubergrond
Funny Gnome City Names
Everyone likes a bit of humor, and gnomes lend themselves well to a laugh with their quirky nature.
If you or your audience aren’t in the business of taking things too seriously, I’ve got you covered—here’s a list of silly gnome city names for you and your friends to enjoy!
- Dillomire
- Humpsburg
- Gargleswallow
- Skipperhum
- Tiddlebits
- Wumplefuzz
- Moomberg
- Spoonspickle
- Fragglefrack
- Toodletown
- Dipperfjord
- Gazapple
- Cruddybumps
- Willydilly
- Lobbindop
- Vandersludge
- Gnomancia
- Gnomehome
- Scuttleberry
- Gumsburg
- Ungnome Town
- Fimblegoo
- Flummabird
- Tiddlywiddly
Evil Gnome City Names
Not all gnomes are nice! Gnomes are sometimes seen as tricksters, so it isn’t a huge stretch to think some gnome societies take it a little too far!
Want to introduce some evil gnomes into the mix? Have an idea for a corrupt city of war-machine tinkerers? Well, here are the names to finish the job!
- Razerwallow
- Boorsbury
- Skallbarrow
- Kuklesgraad
- Shtabbenville
- Glockhollow
- Aetherstorm
- Murkwater
- Vexcairn
- Shtinkenmire
- Slumhallow
- Bellowburn
- Koffingate
- Etherdin
- Krankenshank
- Muzzlefell
- Rankwater
- Flammstein
- Grubmoore
- Narkleshtav
- Bomblopolis
- Emberpoint
Short Jokes
Yes, gnomes are short. It might be an overdone joke, but if you need a quick fix, these gnome city names will get a laugh out of your audience!
- Shortchange
- Miniopolis
- Shortfey
- Kneepunch
- Stoopslow
- Smalleaf
- Smalland
- Overlooken
- Anklegnaw
- Littlefaith
- Littlegather
- Shinkick
Real-World Places Gnomified
These hilarious names are puns on real-world locations that your audience will get a kick out of!
These are super easy to create yourself, too—just take any place name starting with N and add a G! Here are a few suggestions to get you started!
- Gnome Orleans
- Gnairobi
- Gnewport
- Gnewcastle
- Gnagasaki
- Gnomingham
- Gnew Delhi
- Gnewark
- Gnashville
- Gnew York
- Gnorfolk
- Gnaples
- Gnormandy
Gnome Town Names
- Shady Dell
- The Gilded Gnome
- Crystal Grotto
- Whispering Willows
- Winding Woods
- Lonely Grove
- Dappled Dale
- Rustling Ridge
- Gnomehollow
- Gnomestead
- Gnomeville
- Gnome Acres
- Gnome Glen
- Gnome Woods
- Gnome Hollow
- Gnome Hill
- Gnomeshire
- Gnomerica
- Gnomeland
- Gnomeburg
- Gnomedale
- Gnomestead Heights
- Cloudy Peak
- Mystic Meadows
Gnome Village Names
- Gnomeville
- Gnome Court
- Gnome Woods
- The Grove of the Gnomes
- The Enchanted Forest of the Gnomes
- Tinker’s Glenn
- Ferndale
- Crystal Glen
- Glade of the Gnomes
- Gaea’s Garden
- Shire of the Gnomes
- Moonridge
- Nymphwood
- Pixie Hollow
- Elfin Glen
- Aspen Glen
- Fawn Glen
- Birchwood Forest
- Briar Rose Glen
- The Garden of the Unicorns
- Unicorn Glade
- Thistle Glen
- Hillcrest Manor
- Brookglen
- Willowmere
Gnome City Name Inspiration
There are many ways to get inspired to create the perfect gnome city name.
If you’re designing your own world, think about what you want your gnome city to emulate. Is there a certain look or feel you’re trying to capture, and can that be reflected in a real-world location? Check out pictures of landscapes or fantasy art to find inspiration.
Use the geographic features and colors of landscapes to inform your naming conventions. Earlier in this article, I wrote about gnomes living in forests, caves, and urban environments. So how can you use that to create unique and exciting names for your gnome cities? Well, let’s get into it!
So, let’s say you need to figure out a name for a gnome city in the woods. Let’s begin with the basics: a gnome city in a forest may have a more magical feel as it’s steeped in nature. The gnome citizens of this city are probably down-to-earth and homey.
How do we go about naming this city? Let’s start with natural-sounding names using the colors or materials of the woods as inspiration: think deep greens, browns, and neutrals with natural elements like wood, grass, leaves, and dirt.
You can apply this strategy to other locales as well. There can be other factors that come into play as well, depending on your world-building.
For example, gnomes sometimes live with dwarves underground or in mining colonies. Are your gnomes integrated with other fantasy races? How does that work?
Gnome cities can be sprawling with technology, inventions, and whimsy regardless of the location!
When finding inspiration for your gnome city names, it helps to remember what gnomes are typically known for and how they interact with their environment.
Here’s a shortlist of gnome activities and traits that can inspire you:
- Mining
- Tinkering
- Inventing
- Engineering
- Magical
- Trickster
- Small
- Fey
Help Choosing the Right Name
Naming things is a difficult part of the process—sometimes, it’s the most challenging hurdle to overcome during worldbuilding! But, in this case, a little bit of help really does go a long way.
Fortunately, you have a ton of resources at your disposal. Official sourcebooks for table-top roleplaying games can provide you with name tables, example language snippets, or even fully fleshed out cities for you to use!
Books and movies can offer great inspiration when naming gnome cities. If you have a favorite fantasy author, movie, or TV show, look to them!
Engaging with and thinking about other creators’ ideas is a great way to spark your own imagination and bring new flavor to your work. Borrow little snippets from multiple sources, add your own spin on things, and you’ve got something new to work with!
The online community of fantasy writers, gamers, and fans is more active than ever. You can join a discussion community for creators to bounce ideas off of one another, workshop names and concepts, and get help when you don’t know what else to do.
If you’re hosting a fantasy game with friends, you can collaborate with them to workshop ideas! In the end, the people engaging with your story are the ones getting the most out of it, so involving them in world-building can really heighten their investment and bring them further into your creative vision! Be careful with this approach, though—you don’t want to spoil too much for your audience!
It can also be helpful to use name generators to provide yourself with inspiration. You may be stuck on a name and just can’t find the perfect concept, but a randomized name generator can bring new words, combinations, or ideas to your attention.
Of course, you want to make these names your own, so take any concepts you like and tailor them to your specific needs!
Conclusion
Gnomes are wonderful fantasy folk who live in rich, exciting cities in all kinds of environments. The possibility for naming gnome cities is virtually endless, but remember to keep it fun and on theme!
There’s no shortage of information out there, but it’s up to you to use it to make the best gnome city you can!
Still, struggling for names? Worry not! Why not try a name generator!