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When it comes to creating an exciting fictional setting, the importance of names cannot be understated.
A cool and interesting name can make or break the overall atmosphere of a location, and this is especially true when it comes to medieval town names.
That said, inspiration can be hard to come by at the best of times.
If you’re stuck trying to come up with some unique medieval town names, take a look at some of these neat examples.
Feel free to use the ones provided here for yourself, or just use them as inspiration to come up with your own.
The opportunities are limitless once you get those creative juices flowing!
Cool Medieval Town Names
- Axminster – The obvious ax reference is perfect for a logging town, but it could be used for a town of warriors too!
- Silverkeep – Ideal for a town or city that is home to an order of knights. Could also be used for a town heavily associated with silver.
- Wealdstone – A weald is a fancy name for a heavily wooded area, so this would be fitting for a town deep in the woods.
- Wavemeet – It may be on the nose, but this would be a fitting name for a town on the shore of a beach!
- Eldham – “Eld” often elicits thoughts of the word “elder.” Town names that start with “Eld” are often suitable for long-established or historic locations.
- Aysgarth – Reminiscent of the word “Asgard,” this town name would fit well with a settlement heavily associated with warriors or fighting.
- Bellechulish – This name doesn’t sound friendly or charming, making it great for a town with a troubled history, or even an evil overlord!
- Redwater – A good name for a town that was the location of a particularly bloody battle, though it could be used for any town with a reason for alluding to crimson water.
- Castwrfirth – If you have a race with a language that is supposed to sound alien, a town name that uses consonants in a unique way such as this fits town names for that race.
- Lordslane – A good bit of alliteration can easily make a town name fun to say and easy to remember. This one is perfect for a town important to nobility or the crown!
- Bredwardine – A name can be less than subtle if you want. This name could imply that a town is a safe place to raise a family (ward refers to protection, bred doesn’t need explaining!).
- Blackburn – It may sound like a basic name, but attach it to a ton that was once scorched to the ground, and it carries a lot more weight!
- Wolford – No fantasy world is complete without a reference to wolves somewhere. If you want a town associated with wolf symbolism, a name like this will work wonders.
- Briar Glen – Sometimes, an obvious name referring to the terrain (full of briar patches and hedges, for instance) can be a good way to give a town an identity.
- Arkala – Many names end in consonants, so having a town that ends in a vowel makes for a location that sounds a little more exotic. This is true of all vowels, not just the letter “A!”
- Oar’s Rest – If you need an aptly named harbor town where ships often make a stop, you can’t do much better than a name like this!
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Interesting Medieval Town Names
- Helmfirth – A “firth” is a long and narrow inlet of the sea. If you have a town near such a location, names utilizing “firth” both sound medieval and have a literal meaning.
- Alryne – Not all names really need to have some special meaning behind them. Sometimes, just having a name that is fun to say is more than enough for a fictional setting!
- Kincardine – Names that start with C or K often sound “harder” than others, which makes them good names for towns of great lore importance.
- Caerdydd – If you’re struggling to come up with a good name, consider using the same letter several times in a row to create something unique and memorable like this!
- Terth – Sometimes, a short town name can pack a lot of punch. A lot of people expect long, fancy names in a fantasy setting, but a name like this can add some more variety.
- Laewaes – Playing with an unusual number of vowels can make a name very unique, standing out against normal naming conventions. Names like this one are sure to be noticed.
- Threlkeld – Names like this one don’t sound familiar or ordinary, making it suitable for towns that need to seem mysterious or foreign.
- Hogsfeet – Ideal for a town of farmers, though you could make it a play on the actual villagers if you wanted to!
- Jarren’s Outpost – The word “outpost” always has a nice ring to it. Of course, you can replace “Jarren” with any name you want and it will still sound pretty good!
- Warlington – Some towns just like war. Don’t be afraid to make it obvious what kind of town people are walking into!
Memorable Medieval Town Names
- Peterborough – “Borough” often evokes images of a larger, more established town. You can add whatever prefix to it that you want and still get a pretty cool name.
- Zeffari – This name could be a cheeky play on the word “safari,” making it a good choice for a town associated with the wild or with animals in general.
- Goldenleaf – This name could be fitting for a town that is famous for its beautiful trees in the fall, though it could also be a reference to gold leaf metal, and be a town of wealth.Veritas – A derivative of “verity,” a word related to truth and conviction. Ideal for a religious town or one that adheres to strict beliefs.
- Frostford – A town in the frozen north, situated near a ford that has been covered in ice for millennia. Sounds like an intriguing place to visit!
- Roselake – As the name outright states, this could be a good name for a town known for its lakes and its roses.
- Whitebridge – Many towns in real life have been named after a single defining feature. Guess which feature a town like this would probably sport?
- Penrith – The pen is mightier than the sword! This could be a town known for its poets, writers, and playwrights.
- Rochdale – A “dale” is another word for valley. If you have a town in such a place, consider adding dale to its name, and use whatever prefix you think sounds the best.
- Wellspring – Many towns spring up around sources of fresh water, so a town named for the spring that allowed it to start makes a lot of sense.
Town Name Inspiration
Coming up with a good name for a fictional town may seem hard, but all you have to do is look in the right places for inspiration.
An important thing to keep in mind is that names don’t have to possess special meaning or have deep, lore-heavy explanations in all cases.
Sometimes, a name is just a name.
That means there are many ways to come up with a good name.
You can alter a name that exists in the real world.
You can string random words and letters together.
You can name a town after the environment it is in, or even after its purpose in a narrative.
Keep in mind that the importance of a town is very relevant to how meaningful its name needs to be.
If you are making a world with many locations, not all of them will be super important.
It’s alright to give towns simple, straightforward names if their overall importance in a story isn’t that great.
Help Choosing the Perfect Name
Ultimately, there is no such thing as a “perfect” name.
The truth is, a name is meaningless until a story gives it weight.
Think of a well-known fantasy location. What comes to mind? Hogwarts, maybe? Gondor, perhaps? Maybe it’s Narnia?
Regardless of what comes to mind, those names aren’t “perfect.”
They are memorable and well-known because of the stories that were told about them.
But they could have been named anything and reached the same level of fame thanks to the narrative that surrounded them.
The most important thing is to pick a name that you, the creator, like.
Ultimately, you should be the one who enjoys your creation the most.
Therefore, a perfect name is whatever you feel is most fitting for the story you want to tell.
Conclusion
There are many types of medieval town names up for grabs when it comes to making a fantasy world.
Some are grounded and realistic, others are fantastical, and some may even be silly.
But any of them can work so long as they fit the setting you are trying to put together.
Play around and find the name you like the most!
If all else fails try an online town name generator!