The best female elf names carry a little music: three or four syllables, a bright vowel in the middle and an ending that lands softly. Below are 94 original names for elven women and girls, grouped by the kind of character they suit, from court ladies to rangers to half-elves raised in human towns.
Want a fresh batch? Set the elf name generator to Female and roll as many as you like.
All of these names are invented, and so are the meanings next to them. Keep the ones you like and rewrite the rest.
- Aelisse: could mean "dawn over still water"
- Evanthiel: could mean "gift of the evening"
- Lirasel: could mean "the song that returns"
- Nivaelle: could mean "snow-voiced"
- Saeriel: could mean "daughter of the sea wind"
- Thalindra: could mean "green crown"
- Maelithe: evokes soft rain on a slate roof
- Caliresse: suggests clear glass and a clear mind
- Ylvanne: could mean "friend of wolves"
- Orlissa: evokes the golden hour before sunset
- Faelenne: could mean "fair and far away"
- Wynlira: could mean "joyful string", a harper's name
- Esmyrae: could mean "emerald-eyed"
- Shaelith: could mean "shade of the willow"
Longer, slower names for queens, diplomats and anyone who is announced before entering a room.
- Aurelinde: could mean "gold among the linden trees"
- Celestriel: could mean "heir of the high stars"
- Isaveth: evokes a white hall with very tall doors
- Vaelisse: could mean "silver veil"
- Ellowyth: sounds like something embroidered on a banner
Amarisse, Belithiel, Corisenne, Delphiriel, Erynisse, Gwenlith, Irielle, Lysandrel, Mirabeth, Ophiriel, Rosalith
For young elves, little sisters and characters who haven't grown into a long name yet.
- Liri: could mean "little brook"
- Faya: could mean "spark"
- Wenna: could mean "white flower"
- Sivi: could mean "breeze"
Aeli, Elwy, Illa, Miri, Naeli, Rilli, Thessie, Vanni, Yllie, Deya, Luni, Sael
A harder consonant near the front makes the same elven sounds feel dangerous.
- Kaelissa: could mean "keen edge"
- Thornwen: could mean "she who guards the briar"
- Vaerith: could mean "true arrow"
- Brisaine: suggests someone who breaks the enemy line
Arrowyn, Draeva, Haelthra, Ivrenne, Kyrisse, Morvael, Rhiesa, Sindrae, Tavrielle, Zeveth
- Ysolwen: could mean "keeper of the cold flame"
- Mystriel: could mean "veil of morning"
- Quillithe: suggests someone who writes in starlight
- Aethrielle: could mean "of the upper air"
Arcaelia, Elixane, Glimaera, Illuvie, Lumithiel, Nethrae, Orphaelle, Runelis, Velyth, Wispara
Half-elves often carry a name that works in both worlds: a human root with an elven ending, or the other way around.
- Annelith: a plain human name with an elven tail
- Rosewyn: sounds at home in a village and in a forest court
- Elira: short enough for human neighbors to get right
- Brenwyth: could mean "hill joy", from a mixed border town
Carowen, Daelia, Hannariel, Jessamiel, Kathwen, Lorelith, Tamsiel, Wilowen
- Sylvesse Morningveil: a court lady with a very sharp memory
- Elowith Starcairn: sounds like old money and older grudges
- Nimrielle of the Ashen Bough: a title-style name for a priestess
Halieth Brightwater, Oressa Thistledawn, Vaelwyn Glimmerleaf, Maristelle Farwind, Thessaire Nightfern
Start with the ending, because the ending sets the mood:
- -iel is bright and formal: Celestriel, Lumithiel
- -wen is gentle and a little old-fashioned: Thornwen, Kathwen
- -eth and -ith are solemn: Isaveth, Shaelith
- -a and -ae are warm and open: Thalindra, Nethrae
- -isse and -elle are courtly: Vaelisse, Nivaelle
Then add one or two front syllables from a soft palette: Ae, Cal, El, Fae, Il, Lir, Mae, Nae, Sae, Syl, Thal, Vae, Wyn, Yl.
Put the stress on the second-to-last syllable (lir-A-sel, thal-IN-dra) and most combinations will sound right. If the result has more than four syllables, cut the middle one.
Last, make the nickname. Evanthiel becomes Eva or Thiel, Aurelinde becomes Auri. If you can't find a short form you'd actually say, the long form is probably too awkward.
- Decide who named her. Elven parents, a human foster family and a temple will each pick a very different name for the same child.
- Test it in dialogue. Write one line where another character shouts the name across a room.
- Watch the endings across your cast. Three women whose names end in -iel are hard to tell apart on the page.
- Avoid near-misses with real words. Check that the name isn't one letter away from a medicine or a car model.
For the other half of the cast, see male elf names. For every kind of elf in one place, start with elf names, or browse fairy names if your character is smaller and has wings. The elf name generator will keep producing names for as long as you keep clicking.
Lirasel, Evanthiel, Aurelinde and Thalindra are solid picks. Look for three or four syllables, soft consonants and an ending like -iel, -wen or -a.
Short ones with repeated sounds: Liri, Miri, Luni, Naeli, Rilli. They also work as nicknames for a longer formal name.
Blend the two cultures. Take a human name and give it an elven ending (Annelith, Rosewyn), or shorten an elven name until a human neighbor could spell it (Elira, Daelia).
In most settings, yes: a house name such as Morningveil or Starcairn, or a place, as in Nimrielle of the Ashen Bough. Wandering elves often go by a first name only.
