120+ Knight Names for Characters, Games and Fantasy Stories
A knight's name has to sound good on a banner and in a battle cry. It needs weight, a hint of old steel and a rhythm that carries.
These names mix real medieval names with original fantasy names, sorted by the kind of knight you want to write or play.
Table of Contents
Classic Medieval Knight Names
Real names from the Middle Ages.
- Geoffrey – a common medieval name
- William – a knight's staple
- Roger – famous spear
- Hugh – heart, mind
- Walter – army ruler
- Reynold – wise ruler
- Godfrey – peace of God
- Bertram – bright raven
- Baldwin – bold friend
- Gilbert – bright pledge
- Ranulf – shield wolf
- Osbert – divine bright
- Piers – a form of Peter
- Aymer – a Norman name
- Guy – a medieval favourite
- Raymond – wise protector
- Roland – famed knight of Charlemagne's songs
- Hamo – a Norman short name
- Ralph – wolf counsel
- Thomas – a twin, and a common name
Arthurian-Style Knight Names
Names with the round table in their roots.
- Gareth – a young knight of the legends
- Percival – the grail seeker
- Lancelot – the great champion
- Gawain – nephew of the king
- Galahad – the pure knight
- Bedivere – the king's loyal friend
- Tristan – a tragic lover
- Kay – the king's foster brother
- Bors – a loyal knight
- Lamorak – a bold knight
- Gaheris – brother of Gawain
- Agravain – a proud knight
- Dagonet – the jester knight
- Palamedes – a Saracen knight
- Ector – the king's foster father
- Yvain – a lion knight
- Erec – a tale by Chretien de Troyes
- Mordred – the king's betrayer
- Pellinore – a questing king
- Lionel – a cousin of Lancelot
Fantasy Knight Names
Original names for your own order.
- Aldwyn Stormhart – a stout defender
- Brannoc Ironvale – a hill-lord's knight
- Caedmon Brightlance – a bright spear
- Dorian Ashgrove – a forest knight
- Eldric Vanemar – a pale rider
- Fenwick Hale – a loyal guard
- Garrick Dunmoor – a moor knight
- Halric Stonehelm – a stubborn captain
- Ivar Frostmane – a northern warrior
- Joren Emberfall – a fire-sworn knight
- Kellan Ravenmark – a scout
- Leofwin Thorne – a lord's champion
- Merrick Goldspur – a rising knight
- Nolan Highspire – a tower guardian
- Osric Greywatch – a veteran
- Perrin Oakhaven – a quiet protector
- Quillon Dawnblade – a sunrise swordsman
- Rhydian Voss – a rider of the border
- Sorin Hartwell – a heart-led knight
- Tavian Wolfsbane – a hunter
Female Knight Names
Names for women who carry swords.
- Alienor – the old Aquitaine spelling of Eleanor
- Isolde – a legendary heroine
- Eleanor – noble and strong
- Rowena – a legend's lady
- Matilda – mighty in battle
- Edith – rich war, an old English name
- Sybil – a prophetess
- Maud – short for Matilda
- Joan – the warrior saint's name
- Ysolde – an older spelling
- Elspeth – a Scottish form of Elizabeth
- Margery – a medieval pearl
- Philippa – lover of horses
- Beatrix – she who brings joy
- Cecily – from Saint Cecilia, a medieval name
- Adelaide – noble kind
- Gwenhwyfar – the Welsh Guinevere
- Ellenor – an old English spelling
- Bronwen – white breast, Welsh
- Rhiannon – a Welsh name, often read as great queen
Dark Knight Names
For the fallen and the feared.
- Mordain – a grim shadow
- Malvern – bare hill, bleak
- Draven – dark, from a modern coinage
- Vargas – stern and Spanish
- Morgrim – grim of heart
- Valdric – dark ruler
- Blackthorn – a thorny shield
- Grimwald – a stern forest
- Morcant – a dark Welsh name
- Dreadmoor – a haunted moor
- Nightfall Aric – dusk and steel
- Ravenscar – a black crow scar
- Skarn – dark and scraped
- Thornevald – thorn ruler
- Umbrael – shadow
- Vexor – a harsh edge
- Cinderhelm – burnt armour
- Gravewalker – a pallid rider
- Sable Hart – black deer
- Torvald Vale – a cold hollow
Knightly Titles and Epithets
Add one to any name above.
- the Bold – brave in the face of danger
- the Unyielding – never retreats
- the Just – fair in judgment
- the Red – a bloody sword or a red beard
- the Silent – speaks little, strikes once
- the Steadfast – loyal to the end
- the Pale – a grey-faced rider
- the Wanderer – no fixed lord
- the Grey – a veteran
- of the Hollow Vale – a place title
- the Iron – hard as armour
- the Lionheart – a famed king's epithet
- the Gentle – surprisingly kind
- the Black – dark armour
- the Fair – bright and honest
- the Swift – first on the field
- the Younger – second of the name
- the Oathkeeper – bound by promise
- the Lost – a mystery
- the Warden – guards the gate
How to Choose a Knight Name
Use a few quick rules before you commit.
1. Think of the order
A holy knight, a border guard and a wandering sellsword need different names.
2. Choose a real root
Medieval names like Geoffrey and Hugh ground the character in history.
3. Add a place or a trait
Of the Hollow Vale or the Bold gives a name memory.
4. Say the full title
Sir Gareth Stormhart should roll off the tongue. If it stumbles, change a syllable.
5. Check the setting
A gritty world takes short names. A high-fantasy world takes long ones.
FAQs
What are good knight names?
Gareth, Percival, Geoffrey and Roland are classic. For original picks, try a first name with a surname like Ironvale or Stormhart.
Do knights have last names?
In the early Middle Ages many knights had only a first name plus a place or title. Surnames became common later.
What is a good name for a female knight?
Matilda, Alienor, Eleanor and Joan fit well. They keep a medieval feel without losing strength.
Conclusion: Knight Names
Pick a root, add a place or a trait, and say the full title out loud. If it sounds right on a banner, it works. For rulers, see our king names.