Tips & Ideas For Naming Your Character In Baldur’s Gate 3

Highlights

• Choose a name that fits seamlessly into the world of Baldur’s Gate 3, drawing inspiration from mythology and folklore.
• Use dice to come up with a name for one’s character, either by choosing from a list of names or by using a lettered die to determine the starting letters.
• Consider the character’s class and race when naming them, as certain names can evoke characteristics associated with different classes and each race has its own naming traditions.

Baldur’s Gate 3 has taken fans of Dungeons & Dragons and the gaming world by storm, allowing players to weave their epic fantasy adventures in a dynamic world with a beating heart. The first step in each journey, unless players opt to play as one of the default characters, is character creation, and despite all the aesthetic options, one of the hardest bits of this is coming up with a good character name.

The main character’s name in Baldur’s Gate 3 will appear all the time, especially in the game’s frequent cutscenes and instances of dialogue, and as there is currently no way to change the name mid-game, this is one thing players will want to get right. While there is no correct way to name any character, these tips and ideas should help players struggling to come up with a name for their Baldur’s Gate 3 character.

Updated January 9, 2024 by Joe Grantham: Game of the Year winner Baldur’s Gate 3 is one of the most captivating experiences released in recent years. Whether players are preparing for their first adventure in Faerun or creating their tenth new character, finding the right name is the final piece of the puzzle that is BG3’s comprehensive character creation system.

While players can go in any direction they want, the best names for BG3 are beautiful, fit seamlessly into the world, and add even more character to each adventurer. If players are stuck or simply need some inspiration, the following ideas and tips should help them name their Baldur’s Gate 3 character.

1 Take Names From Mythology & Folklore

The Names Of Deities & Ethereal Beings Fit In Perfectly

From the deities and heroes of Ancient Roman and Greek mythology to legends of Celtic Folklore, there is a myriad of beautiful names that would be perfect for characters in Baldur’s Gate 3. To find these, players could look towards ancient literature such as epic poems or simply look at lists of mythological figures.

Alternatively, they could think about the folklore of their own culture or any they have a particular affinity for and name their character accordingly.

2 Use Dice To Come Up With A Name

Choose From A List Of Names Using Dice Or Choose The First Letter With Dice

Dice are used in almost every aspect of Baldur’s Gate 3, so why not use them for naming a character too? If, for instance, players have a shortlist of names to choose from, they could let fate choose for them. Alternatively, to come up with names from scratch, players could use a lettered die to pick the first and second letters and then go from there.

This would be particularly fitting for a playthrough where players completely let the dice decide everything, including their class, race, and even hair color.

3 Use Your Dungeons & Dragons Name

Players Can Entirely Carry Over Most DnD Characters Into BG3

While Baldur’s Gate 3 may perhaps be the best Dungeons & Dragons video game ever created, it is by no means the first. As with any D&D-inspired game, players should feel no hesitation in bringing over their tabletop character if that is what they desire, and the character’s name is as big a part of their adventurer as anything.

Players who have yet to sit down for their first Dungeons & Dragons experience are at no real disadvantage in BG3, but they could always use other people’s D&D names as inspiration when stuck.

4 A Name Based On Class

Certain Names Evoke Characteristics Associated With Classes

A character’s class is easily the biggest determining factor in how a campaign plays out in Baldur’s Gate 3, which features 12 classes. While parents naming their child can’t predict what career they will end up in, BG3 players do have this foresight and can select a name that suits their character’s class and play style.

For example, wizards often suit sophisticated, long names, whereas a paladin may want a strong and stalwart name that conjures up images of honor. Bards, in particular, would likely have a flowery stage name that they go by, and players can get really creative here.

5 A Name Based On Race

Different Races In BG3 Have Their Own Cultures & Languages

There are 11 playable races in Baldur’s Gate 3, and a character’s race is arguably the biggest factor for their name as the various races have different cultures and naming traditions.

This is arguably where name generators for Dungeons & Dragons characters can come in best, as players can be presented with fitting names for their race. Alternatively, players should be able to find plenty of examples of names for each race, which will likely be needed for the more obscure races such as githyanki.

6 A Name From Baldur’s Gate 3 Itself

It’s Realistic For People To Have The Same Names

Creators of fiction often avoid using the same names in their books, films, or games to avoid confusion. However, in any realistic world, people have the same first names, and in some cases, certain names can become exceedingly popular.

Therefore, players should not feel bad about simply taking a first name from Baldur’s Gate 3 itself for their character. Whether players want to take a name from one of the main companions in BG3 or some lowly NPC is completely up to them.

7 Take Names From Other Fantasy

DnD & BG3 Have Both Taken Inspiration From Fantasy Such As The Lord Of The Rings

There is no denying that D&D and, therefore, Baldur’s Gate 3 both take plenty of inspiration from other works of fantasy and regardless of the specifics, they all have plenty in common. As a result, players could use names from other fantasy books, films, and games for their Baldur’s Gate 3 hero; after all, it is their adventure.

Of course, if players wanted to, they could role-play as a character from Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones​​​​​​, for example, but just taking a name, either well-known or obscure, can be great for keeping the immersion intact.

8 Use Medieval Or Renaissance Names

The Game Is Set In A Fantasy Medieval World

Baldur’s Gate 3 is by no means a medieval game, however, there is no denying that both BG3 and D&D take inspiration from the Middle Ages and the following Renaissance. With this in mind, players struggling for names could look to either of these time periods for their inspiration, particularly for human or half-human characters.

By looking up names of kings and queens or other influential individuals such as artists, players should be able to find something just right. Of course, players can also look to other historical time periods for name ideas, either going back further to the classical period or to more recent times.

9 A Fantasy Spin On Your Own Name

Use Alternative Spellings Or Add Suffixes

In many RPG games, players love to create themselves or versions of themselves. However, some players may find their modern name a tad jarring in the fantasy world of Baldur’s Gate 3 and be deterred from using it.

In this case, players could instead look at the derivation of their name, finding older versions of it or even alternative spellings that might better suit the game. A great example of this is how one of the main characters is called Wyll rather than Will. Players could also add a fancy fantasy flourish to the end of their name.