A good villain name is pronounceable but wrong. It should sit comfortably in a sentence and still feel cold — harsh consonants, abrupt endings, and ideally an epithet the villain gave themselves.
Naming Traditions
Hard endings — names that stop dead: -ax, -oth, -ek
Self-given epithets — the Undying, the Merciless, Worldbreaker
Say it aloud — a villain name gets spoken at the table more than any other
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a villain name scary?▼
Hard consonants and an abrupt ending. Names that stop dead rather than trailing off feel colder, and they sound decisive when spoken aloud.
Should my villain have a title?▼
A self-given epithet tells you a great deal about the character. Someone who calls themselves the Undying is telling you exactly what they fear.
Can a villain have a soft name?▼
Yes, and the contrast can be very effective. A gentle name attached to appalling acts is unsettling in a way an obviously evil name is not.
How do I avoid a cliched villain name?▼
Avoid stacking dark words. One harsh element plus one ordinary one usually lands better than a name built entirely from doom and shadow.
