Whether you’re a gamer, a dungeon master, or a writer of fantasy novels and movies, there’s no denying that dwarves can inspire some great character names.
Considering the small size of these characters in the massively popular Lord of the Rings universe (and its many spinoff series), their prominent personalities make them all the more memorable.
A Dwarf name is tricky to come up with; it must be meaningful and straightforward, yet not too over the top and silly. There’s no need to put yourself through the stress of coming up with names when the Dwarf Name Generator is here to help.
The name has to reflect your dwarf’s personality, for sure! That is where our Dwarf name generator comes in handy!
Table of Contents
What Is A Dwarf?
Dwarves are a fantasy race in European and Scandinavian folklore, poetry, and fiction. In Germanic mythology, folklore, and fairy tales, a dwarf is portrayed as a short humanoid inhabiting remote mountains, underground caves, or other secluded places.
The word dwarf has multiple meanings in different contexts in Old Norse: some are related to old age, while others refer to social status; J. R. R.
Tolkien’s fiction has led to a modern perception of dwarves as small gnarled creatures with unusually long- life spans.
It is said that dwarves are sons of the earth. The concept of the dwarf has origins in Norse mythology and was later carried over into Scandinavian folklore.
Dwarves are a staple of fantasy fiction, appearing in the works of J. R. R. Tolkien and Terry Pratchett. You’ll also find them in D&D, as well as video games such as World of Warcraft.
They are usually depicted as small humanoids somewhere around three feet tall (1 meter). They have also been described as grotesquely ugly or mischievous creatures with magical powers and evil temperaments.
Origins
The etymology of the word dwarf is uncertain. It may derive from the Old Norse dvergr or Middle Low German dwarre and means something like “spirit of the earth.”
Old Norse and Old English could refer to multiple creatures: specifically those of mythological origin, such as álfar (elf) or demons.
The word dwarf also comes from dweorg, or dwer, which in Old English means “dwarf” and is related to Old Norse dvergr.
Norse Mythology And Later Folklore Of Dwarves
The dwarves’ origin in Germanic mythology and their later development in folklore has been a matter of debate.
In Old Norse sources, dwarfen (pl.) are the same as dvergar (sing.), with both referring to beings with magical qualities, having the ability to shape-shift, and being skilled blacksmiths.
You may find the oldest dwarven stories in Snorri Sturluson’s Elder Edda, composed in the 13th century.
The Edda poem (Völuspá) details that the first dwarves were made by the old pair Dvalin and Duneyrr from the flesh of Ymir and his blood to move the rocks around as they created the earth from his body.
The dwarfs formed out of the primordial maggots that wriggled out of Ymir’s flesh.
Dwarfs have no leader; each dwarf is a law unto himself. They live in their communities beneath the ground or within mountains.
Described as being short, bearded, humanlike but smaller than humans, they are skilled in magic and are also related to the origin of humans.
They are also skilled metalworkers, having forged many magical artifacts for gods and giants alike.
There were two types of dwarves in Norse mythology: the Dvergar and the Svartálfar.
The Dvergar were the first dwarves to exist and the ancestors of all other dwarves; they lived in their colony under the ground, called Álfheim (“World of the Light-Elves”). The Svartálfar were black elves who lived in Svartálfaheimr, literally meaning the “dark elf world.”
Physical Appearance Of Dwarves
Dwarves are short, and they’re not very attractive.
- The average height of a dwarf is between 3’6 and 4 feet, but some grow to 5 feet.
- They are stocky and muscular, with thick legs and arms but shorter torsos. The standard dwarf is between 150 and 200 lbs, with men slightly heavier than women.
- Their ears are small, but they have a keen sense of hearing.
- The eyes of dwarfs are usually deep-set and dark and are commonly either a light brown or blue. Combined with shaggy eyebrows, it gives them a disdainful appearance.
- Dwarfs have thick, lustrous hair that comes in various colors, including red, brown, blonde, and black, although it’s rare for them to be completely bald. Most have dark, thick, long beards.
- Their skin tone can vary from pale white to deep ebony.
Characteristics Of Dwarves
1. Lifespan
They have a lifespan of 250 years, but most of them are middle-aged by the time they reach adulthood. They also breed very slowly since they have few females.
2. Settlements
Dwarves live in mountains, caves, and underground realms and have very little tolerance for the open world.
In Tolkien’s Middle-Earth, they are called the “Deep-Elves” and live in the mountains. In the Dungeons & Dragons setting, they reside in mountain fortresses and caverns, and many fantasy settings have dwarves living in similarly mountainous areas.
3. Clothing
For clothing, dwarves usually wear practical clothing that doesn’t restrict their movements and is easy to remove. They might wear leather armor, heavy cloaks, or light jackets over their clothes. Their boots are usually knee-high and sturdy enough to protect them in combat.
4. Work
Their sturdy physique makes them well-suited to physical labor such as mining and smithing. They are known for their mining abilities and expertise in weaponry and blacksmithing.
A fair number of them are blacksmiths, who create potent weapons and armor and are often associated with weapons such as axes, swords, bows, and hatchets.
5. Strong and resilient
Despite their smaller size, they tend to be stronger than humans; their short stature hides excellent strength and resilience.
6. Resistant to poison and magic
Dwarves have a natural resistance to magic and poison and are associated with the element of earth.
7. Pastime
Their favorite pastime is drinking beer, and they have deep laughs. They are also notoriously stubborn, with a reputation for being greedy. Dwarves have many cultural differences from other races, including their language.
Subraces Of Dwarves
1. Mountain dwarves
Mountain dwarves are the most well-known subrace of dwarves, and their culture is the purest. They are grander in stature and more resilient against the elements. Mountain dwarves live in isolated regions where they thrive.
2. Hill dwarves
The hill dwarves are the most conservative subrace of dwarfs. They live in the hills, preferring the lonely lifestyle for centuries. They exist in relatively isolated communities that rarely contact other races.
The hill dwarves are smaller, slimmer, and more agile than their mountain-dwelling kin. They are generally peaceful folk, with a great deal of skill in agriculture and farming.
3. Badlands dwarves
These dwarves have adapted to the harsh conditions of their environment and have acquired some unique traits such as finding water and tolerating heat.
They also have a more pronounced beard and hair growth, which help them retain heat during the cold nights on the badlands.
4. Deep dwarves
These dwarves live underground and can see in the dark. Their eyes have adapted to the lack of light in their environment and are sensitive to light.
5. Dream dwarves
Dream dwarves are the subrace of dwarves that have been called to the realm of dreams. They are rare, but some of the most potent and influential dwarven artisans and alchemists are among their ranks.
6. Frost dwarves
They make their home in the tundra and the Iron wastes of the infinite layers of the abyss.
7. Glacier dwarves
These dwarves live in glaciers and are used to the cold. They are associated with the mining of blue ice.
8. Seacliff dwarves
As the name suggests, they live on high cliffs along the seas and are great swimmers.
9. Duergar
The duergar are a dour race. They live in the Underdark, away from the other races of dwarves. They are known to be evil, sadistic, enjoy torture, and are cruel beyond measure.
Dwarf Names
The gender of a dwarf is usually derived from the name itself. For example, mahal is a male name, suggesting a male dwarf; similarly, Nandini is a female name, suggesting a female dwarf.
However, most dwarf names are unisex and therefore make your work easier. These include;
- Brokk; this an Old Norse name meaning breeches.
- Bomburr; this name means the drummer or the swollen one.
- Duneyrr; means thundering ear.
- Durinn; mean sleeper or door.
- Gidal; derived from Hebrew meaning giant.
- Gog; also derived from Hebrew Gowg, meaning mountain.
- Eitri; in Old Norse, this means the freezing one.
- Farli; means the fair one.
- Uri means the smith or the blacksmith.
Conclusion
Of the many ways to generate dwarf names, our name generator does a pretty good job at creating believable and incredible names for dwarves. It is time to give your character a name, and we’ll help you with that by providing you with a great list of dwarf names. The names created by dwarf name generator are carefully chosen to reflect the personality, history, and identity of the character.
Consider using the name generator and good luck in creating your dwarf character. Thanks for reading this article and we hope you got some good information out of it!
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