mythnamer

Tavern Name Generator

Get tavern and inn names your players will remember, each with the picture on the sign and, when the name needs one, a landlord.

Generate tavern names

12 names per batch. Lock the ones you like, then generate again to replace only the rest.

  1. The Nine RosesFine coaching inn · Sign: nine roses
    What it means
    • Nine“number on the sign”English
    • Rose“rose”English
  2. The Three FamiliarsMagical tavern · Sign: three familiars
    What it means
    • Three“number on the sign”English
    • Familiar“familiar”English
  3. The Twelfth RuneMagical tavern · Sign: a black rune on a green board
    What it means
    • Twelfth“twelfth”English
    • Rune“rune”English
  4. The Thundfield ArmsFine coaching inn
    What it means
    • Thundinvented sound, no fixed meaningInvented (English-sounding)
    • field“open land”Old English feld
    • Arms“a coat of arms on the sign”English
  5. The Twelve LighthousesHarbour tavern · Sign: twelve lighthouses
    What it means
    • Twelve“number on the sign”English
    • Lighthouse“lighthouse”English
  6. Ethelmund's CellarFine coaching inn · Landlord: Ethelmund
    What it means
    • Ethel“noble”Old English æþel
    • mund“protection”Old English mund
    • Cellar“cellar”English
  7. The Caywick HouseFine coaching inn
    What it means
    • Cayinvented sound, no fixed meaningInvented (English-sounding)
    • wick“dwelling, dairy farm (from Latin vīcus)”Old English wīc
    • House“house”English
  8. The Blind RogueShady den · Sign: a gold rogue on a blue board
    What it means
    • Blind“blind”English
    • Rogue“rogue”English
  9. The Salty LobsterHarbour tavern · Sign: a red lobster on a blue board
    What it means
    • Salty“salty”English
    • Lobster“lobster”English
  10. The Seven GallowsShady den · Sign: seven gallows
    What it means
    • Seven“number on the sign”English
    • Gallows“gallows”English
  11. The Silver UnicornFine coaching inn · Sign: a blue unicorn on a black board
    What it means
    • Silver“silver”English
    • Unicorn“unicorn”English
  12. The Sutford InnHarbour tavern
    What it means
    • Sut“south”Old English sūþ
    • ford“river crossing”Old English ford
    • Inn“inn”English

Same seed and settings always give the same names, so you can come back to them or share the link. Your atlas is stored in this browser only. Print a d100 table with these settings.

Why tavern names work the way they do

Real inn names come from signboards. In 1393 an English law required alehouse keepers to hang a sign outside, and most customers could not read, so the sign had to be a picture. A red lion, a white hart, three tuns, a bell. The name was just what people called the picture. That is why the classic pattern is The + colour or adjective + thing, and why it still sounds right in a fantasy town.

The generator keeps that link: most names come with a line describing the sign, so you can describe the place to your players the moment they arrive.

Fantasy tavern names by tone

The Tone setting changes both words of the name, so the name tells your players what kind of night they are in for.

  • Cozy village inn: hearths, hens, teapots and badgers. Somewhere to rest.
  • Rowdy alehouse: boars, axes, tankards and anvils. Somewhere to start a fight.
  • Fine coaching inn: stags, swans, crowns and griffins. Somewhere a noble would stay.
  • Harbour tavern: anchors, mermaids, gulls and krakens. Somewhere to hire a ship.
  • Magical: grimoires, comets, cauldrons and familiars. Somewhere strange happens.
  • Shady den: rats, daggers, crows and nooses. Somewhere to buy what you should not.

Five patterns behind real inn names

The Golden Stag

Adjective plus noun is the most common pattern. The Red Lion is often said to be the most common pub name in England.

The Hen and Kettle

Two things joined by “and”. Some real examples came from two inns merging, or a sign repainted over an older one.

The Three Crows

Numbers are easy to paint and easy to remember. Several came from coats of arms: the Vintners’ Company arms show three tuns, and plenty of inns were called The Three Tuns.

The Ashford Arms

“Arms” means a coat of arms, usually the local landowner’s. The generator builds the place name in your chosen culture.

Brannoc’s Rest

The owner’s name with a word for the house. It suits a small place where everyone knows the landlord.

Tips for naming a tavern in your campaign

For a whole city of inns at once, print a d100 table of tavern names and roll when the players need one.

  • Make it sayable. Players will repeat it for months. Two or three words is plenty.
  • Hide a hook in the sign. A tavern called The Hanged Weasel needs a story, and your players will ask for it.
  • Match the town. A Norse fishing village gets a harbour tavern with a Norse landlord. Set the culture to match the town you made on the village and town name generator.

Example tavern names

Cozy inns

  • Leofric's Tavern"dear, beloved" + "ruler, power" + "tavern"
  • The Pipiford Inn"river crossing" + "inn"
  • The Elmwick Tavern"elm tree" + "dwelling, dairy farm (from Latin vīcus)" + "tavern"
  • The Jolly Lantern"jolly" + "lantern"
  • The Acorn and Barrel"acorn" + "barrel"
  • The Woodford Arms"wood" + "river crossing" + "a coat of arms on the sign"

Rowdy alehouses

  • The Three Fists"number on the sign" + "fist"
  • The Keg and Bull"keg" + "bull"
  • Sigered's Taproom"victory" + "counsel" + "taproom"
  • The Thirsty Dog"thirsty" + "dog"
  • The Hog and Keg"hog" + "keg"
  • The Salham House"willow" + "homestead" + "house"

Fine coaching inns

  • The Noble Lion"noble" + "lion"
  • Osburh's Taproom"god" + "fortress" + "taproom"
  • The Griffin and Hart"griffin" + "hart"
  • The Crown and Swan"crown" + "swan"
  • The Kingswell Inn"king" + "spring, stream" + "inn"
  • The Royal Rose"royal" + "rose"

Harbour taverns

  • The Sunken Kraken"sunken" + "kraken"
  • The Anchor and Barnacle"anchor" + "barnacle"
  • The Tidal Anchor"tidal" + "anchor"
  • The Sea-Worn Lobster"sea-worn" + "lobster"
  • Godhild's Alehouse"god" + "battle" + "alehouse"
  • The Seven Oysters"number on the sign" + "oyster"

Magical taverns

  • Ethelstan's Alehouse"noble" + "stone" + "alehouse"
  • The Five Familiars"number on the sign" + "familiar"
  • The Enchanted Star"enchanted" + "star"
  • The Twelfth Phoenix"twelfth" + "phoenix"
  • The Whispering Cauldron"whispering" + "cauldron"
  • The Twelfth Crystal"twelfth" + "crystal"

Shady dens

  • The Rat and Dagger"rat" + "dagger"
  • The Seven Crows"number on the sign" + "crow"
  • The Black Cutpurse"black" + "cutpurse"
  • The One-Eyed Noose"one-eyed" + "noose"
  • The Skull and Cutpurse"skull" + "cutpurse"
  • The Skull and Weasel"skull" + "weasel"

Questions

What is the difference between a tavern, an inn and an alehouse?

In medieval England an inn offered beds and stabling for travellers, a tavern sold wine to drink on the spot, and an alehouse was often just a home brewing and selling ale. Fantasy games tend to blur them, and so can you, but the distinction gives each place a different crowd.

Why do so many inn names sound like “The Red Lion” or “The Three Crows”?

Signs had to work for customers who could not read, so names were things you could paint: an animal, an object, a colour, a number. That is why the generator gives you a sign description for most names.

Can I use these tavern names in my D&D campaign or published adventure?

Yes. Generated names are free for any use, including commercial products.

How do I get a tavern named after its owner?

Set Pattern to “Brannoc’s Rest”. The landlord’s name is built in the culture you pick, so a Norse town gets a Norse innkeeper.