Imp Name Generator
Generate unique imp names for your fantasy characters, stories, and games. The perfect tool for writers, gamers, and world-builders.
Showing 527 names available in Imp Name Generator.
Curated Imp Name Generator List
| Name | Meaning / Origin | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| Ashclaw | Cinder scratching hand | Any |
| Ashencackle | Gray laughing fire demon | Any |
| Ashentrick | Gray deception master | Any |
| Ashpinch | Gray squeezing demon | Any |
| Ashsneer | Gray contemptuous mocker | Any |
| Ashvex | Gray annoying creature | Any |
| Ashwhip | Gray dust lash wielder | Any |
| Baneflicker | Curse that wavers | Any |
How to Pick a Good Imp Name
Understanding Imp Naming Conventions
Imp names draw from infernal linguistic traditions while incorporating elements of dark humor and mischief. Unlike greater demons with names rooted in ancient languages of power, imps often bear names that describe their behavior or appearance in blunt, sometimes crude terms. This reflects their lower status in demonic hierarchies and their closer connection to mortal troublemaking.
Key Characteristics of Imp Names
Effective imp names share several traits: they are relatively short and punchy, often two syllables or a quick compound; they suggest movement, fire, or trickery; they contain hard consonants mixed with sibilants; and they have a slightly comical edge that matches the imp's nature. The name should be memorable and easy to shout in frustration or command.
Choosing the Right Style
Match your imp's name to the tone of your story or game. A comedic fantasy might feature an imp with an obviously punny name, while darker settings call for names that are more sinister while still suggesting small-scale malevolence. Consider whether your imp is meant to be sympathetic, purely villainous, or somewhere between as comic relief with bite.
Practical Considerations
For gaming purposes, choose a name that is easy to remember and pronounce, as you will likely say it frequently. Consider how the name abbreviates for casual use since players and characters often shorten familiar names. Ensure the name is distinct from other characters in your campaign to avoid confusion during play.
Common Imp Naming Patterns
Popular patterns include action-object compounds (Firebite, Shadowpinch), trait-sound combinations (Wickedcackle, Cruelsnicker), and descriptive single words suggesting behavior (Skulk, Twitch, Singe). Some imps bear corrupted versions of innocent names, suggesting a fall from grace. Others have names that are crude descriptions in infernal tongues.
Making Your Final Choice
Test your imp name by imagining it in various scenarios: being summoned, being scolded, causing mischief, and interacting with other characters. The right name should feel appropriately small-scale evil, memorable without being overwrought, and fun to say. If saying the name makes you smile slightly, you have likely found a winner.
Key Considerations
- Names should reflect mischievous rather than terrifying nature
- Sharp consonants and hissing sounds work well for imp names
- Compound names combining traits and actions are effective
- Consider the imp's role as familiar, wild creature, or bound servant
- Avoid overly grandiose names better suited for greater demons
Famous Examples
Dretch
Dungeons & Dragons
While technically a type of demon rather than a specific name, Dretch has become synonymous with the lowest tier of demonic creatures in D&D. These pathetic, stinking creatures represent what imps might become if stripped of their cunning, serving as a reminder that intelligence and wit elevate imps above.
Fizban's Imp
Dragonlance
The bumbling wizard Fizban was occasionally accompanied by imps and other minor creatures in the Dragonlance saga. These imps represented the comedic potential of the creature type, causing chaos through incompetence as much as malice while serving masters of questionable capability themselves.
Quasit
Dungeons & Dragons
The quasit serves as the chaotic evil counterpart to the lawful evil imp in D&D lore. As demon familiars rather than devil familiars, quasits represent a different flavor of minor infernal creature, more unpredictable and less bound by contracts or hierarchies than their imp cousins.
Buer
Ars Goetia / Demonology
Listed in the Lesser Key of Solomon, Buer is described as a president of Hell commanding fifty legions of demons. While more powerful than a typical imp, Buer represents the historical naming conventions from which fantasy imp names often draw, combining ancient sounds with supernatural associations.
Familiar Imp
World of Warcraft
Warlock players in World of Warcraft receive an imp as their first summoned demon companion. These sarcastic, fire-hurling creatures established the modern gaming archetype of imps as useful but annoying allies, constantly complaining while reluctantly following orders and tossing fireballs.
Popular Imp Names
These imp names represent some of the most mischievous and memorable options from our collection.
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Twingecackle | Painful laughing fiend |
| Cindergrowl | Ash-covered angry sound maker |
| Whiskfire | Swift as whiskers with flame breath |
| Blacktrick | Dark deception master |
| Gobsmack | Mouth-hitting trickster |
| Scorchwhisker | Burning facial hair owner |
| Scorchvenom | Burning poison maker |
| Blistersnap | Burn-causing quick bite |
| Scorchfist | Burning punching demon |
| Scorchyell | Burning screaming demon |
Frequently Asked Questions
QWhat makes a good imp name?
A good imp name captures the creature's mischievous, infernal nature while remaining appropriate for their smaller stature in demonic hierarchies. Effective names use sharp consonants, hissing sounds, and abrupt syllables to suggest quickness and danger. The best imp names often have a slightly humorous edge, reflecting the imp's role as troublesome rather than truly terrifying. Compound names combining actions with objects or traits work particularly well, immediately communicating character through their components.
QHow do I choose the right imp name for my character?
Consider your imp's role, personality, and the tone of your story or game. A warlock's familiar needs a name that suggests bound service with underlying resentment. A wild imp causing chaos might have a name emphasizing destruction and disorder. Match the name's darkness level to your setting, choosing punnier names for comedic fantasy and more sinister options for darker tales. Test the name by imagining shouting it as a command or curse to ensure it feels right in use.
QCan I use these imp names commercially?
Yes, the imp names generated by our tool are original creations that you can freely use in commercial projects including games, books, and other creative works. Unlike specific named creatures from copyrighted properties like Dungeons and Dragons, our generated names are not protected intellectual property. However, if you create an imp character that closely resembles specific copyrighted creatures in appearance and abilities, the name alone will not protect you from other infringement issues.
QWhat are common imp naming patterns?
Imp names commonly follow several patterns: compound descriptors combining traits with actions or sounds (Flamesnicker, Ashgrab); single evocative words suggesting behavior (Skulk, Singe, Twitch); corrupted innocent names implying a fall (Sweetsting, Kindlebane); and harsh sounds mixed with hissing sibilants (Krixis, Zazzik). Many imp names reference fire, shadows, pain, or trickery, reflecting their infernal origins and mischievous nature. Names tend to be short and punchy rather than long and flowing.
QHow many imp names should I consider before deciding?
Generate at least a dozen imp names before making your choice, as the variety helps you identify what feels right for your specific character. Create a shortlist of your top five favorites, then test each by using them in sample dialogue or scenarios. Consider how each name sounds when spoken as a command, as a curse, and in casual conversation. Sometimes the perfect name is not immediately obvious but becomes clear through comparison with alternatives.
QWhere can I find inspiration for imp names?
Draw inspiration from historical demonology texts like the Ars Goetia and medieval grimoires, which contain naming conventions that have influenced fantasy for centuries. Video games featuring imps, particularly World of Warcraft and various Dungeons and Dragons adaptations, provide examples of modern imp characterization. Fire-related vocabulary, words describing sneaky behavior, and terms for minor annoyances all provide excellent building blocks for original imp names. Dark fairy tales and folklore about household spirits also offer naming inspiration.