Every fantasy element builds together to create one, cohesive world. The world is the largest scale piece of worldbuilding in fantasy.
The nature of your world will define it. Is the world icy cold, or dry and deserted? Is it old enough for empires to have risen and fallen?
A world’s name should embody the same feeling you get from walking around in it, whether that is the presence of the world’s age or the languages of the people who live in it.
Good World Names
Your world name will be used a lot, so picking a good name is important. Look for names that evoke the defining traits of your world: for example, the name of a world covered in forests might sound like the word “tree.”
- Cleareta
- Bromidus
- Asina
- Tyndarus
- Atinen
- Dewan
- Ringterel
- Tertara
Caraforte
Trapped within the endless Ringwall Mountains, this world is characterized by its constantly fighting tribes of orcs and goblins. The fighting has gone on so long that the soil has begun to turn crimson from the spilled blood.
- Twiltrie
- Lashlodge
- Rosland
- Everto
- Gaulde
- Forlinet
- Litchnigan
- Savastone
Trensea
Spread over a massive warm-water ocean, this world has been at peace for centuries. The natives instead compete for trade opportunities in their shipping empires.
- Haverpar
- Verna
- Avonfil
- Warset
- Volatia
- Atmos
- Niamma
- Aralul
Old World Names
Long before the modern day, these worlds were home to gargantuan titans wielding advanced technology. As time marched on, these civilizations fell, leaving only their fossilized remains and ruined cities.
- Perdita
- Rumpitur
- Valens
- Sentius
- Contritum
- Vetus
- Cascus
- Profugae
Canesco
Metal wreckage the size of dragons litters the burnt fields of this world. Academics have tried to piece together their source, but few artifacts that were not melted beyond recognition have been found.
- Iovinius
- Foraminis
- Papus
- Mortuus Rex
- Diametros
- Asticus
Mellitus
The towering basalt pillars that mark this world have been rubbed smooth with millennia of erosion. The pillars are so polished, visitors report being able to see their reflection as they duck around the stones.
- Sigilis
- Placidia
- Myrrhina
- Naso
Frozen World Names
Not every world is like our own. Some worlds are stuck in constant winter where snow and ice are everyday phenomena. These worlds are inhospitable except to the most adaptable creatures.
- Niafell
- Petatonas
- Lusefell
- Nevermelt
- Ativer
- Clarenstall
- Frostfever
- Waketague
Savaney
Mile-thick glaciers coast around on the open seas of this world. No plants have room to thrive, but thick blubbery seals make their homes in the underwater caves carved into the glaciers by the tides.
- Barnnach
- Meltwater
- Statnora
- Parrcana
- Berbo
- Emerraine
- Chillbreath
Fransano
The horizon in this world is nearly invisible through the constant snowstorms that blow across the tundra. Towns can only keep standing if built in divots between hills which act as windbreaks.
- Cresbel
- Niameda
- Asrich
- Frostflurry
- Nokocroft
Krystallis
As a world wrapped in sheets of sparkling ice, Krystallis is not for the faint-hearted. But for those willing to endure, the entire planet is an ever-changing panorama of shimmering snow and everlastingly beautiful ice sculptures, all naturally crafted by the world’s severe but breathtaking weather patterns.
Desert World Names
On the other end of the uninhabitable-world-spectrum, desert worlds are far too hot for anything to survive. The sun dries everything up and reduces it to sand, which then forms massive dunes.
- al-Karam
- Shuraih
- Muhaajir
- Sama’la
- Bozorgi
- el-Wahba
- Kamaal
- Al’ufuq
Baghaii
Laying at the intersection of the Fire and Earth planes, this world is made of brutally-hot deserts. What living creatures there are have escaped the heat by burrowing underground.
- al-Khawaja
- Khashayar
- Hadiyya
- el-Beydoun
- Ghaaliya
- Vakili
Pahlevan
The sand dunes of this world roll downhill toward the Harmuz Sea, where the sandy shores often see floods. This has created fertile soil where local peoples have begun rudimentary agricultural settlements.
- Kaskhouli
- Hasa’ard
- Aljafa
- Maksur
Tharanduil
Tharanduil is a desert world known for its age-old, sun-blasted ruins that hint at a once-thriving Elven civilization. The occasional sandstorms reveal hidden, ancient artifacts, sparking dangerous hunts for treasure and knowledge.
- Ergothasol
- Mord’Sirocco
- Xer’Sai
- Jakkuëa
Haradrimos
Haradrimos, a barren world shaped by wind and time, is said to be cursed by an ancient deity. Nomadic tribes speak of monstrous, shadowy creatures that roam beneath the ever-shifting sands, a reminder of the god’s wrath.
Did you enjoy this guide? Creating a vibrant world is key to all fantasy worldbuilding, and getting the name right is a strong first step. If you liked this guide, share it with your friends and leave a comment below.
