Tiefling Names: 90 Dark & Striking Ideas for D&D and Fantasy

Tieflings have one of the most interesting naming situations in all of fantasy, and it's worth understanding before you pick. Born with infernal heritage — horns, tails, glowing eyes, the works — tieflings often grow up treated as outsiders, and that shapes how they name themselves. Some keep a name from the human culture that raised them. Some lean into the infernal and pick something dark and otherworldly. And some — this is the best part — choose their own name as a teenager: a single powerful word that announces exactly who they've decided to be.

That third option is what makes tiefling names so striking. A tiefling named Hope or Sorrow or Carrion is telling you their whole story in one word, on purpose. It's a name with a thesis statement.

So below are 90 tiefling names across all three styles — infernal names, those wonderful self-chosen "virtue" names, and given names that lean dark and elegant. Whether your tiefling is a brooding warlock, a charming rogue with a chip on their shoulder, or a paladin out to prove everyone wrong, there's a name here with real edge.

Self-chosen "virtue" names (the signature tiefling move)

This is the iconic one. Many tieflings pick a single meaningful word as their name — sometimes a virtue they aspire to, sometimes a defiant reclaiming of how the world sees them. It's dramatic, it's personal, and it instantly tells you who they are:

Hope, Sorrow, Art, Glory, Random, Open, Carrion, Mercy, Reverence, Quest, Chant, Creed, Music, Nowhere, Temerity, Torment, Ideal, Poetry, Fear, Wonder, Vengeance, Grief, Bliss, Echo, Ruin.

The trick is the gap between the word and the person. A gentle healer named Carrion (reclaiming an insult). A cynical rogue named Hope (sincere, or sarcastic — your call). A warlock named Mercy who has none. Sorrow, Vengeance, and Ruin lean full brooding-antihero; Hope, Wonder, and Music go the bittersweet route. Either way, one word does the work of a whole backstory.

Infernal & dark names

For a tiefling who leans into their otherworldly heritage — these sound ancient, smoky, and a little dangerous:

Damakos and Mordai are excellent brooding-warlock material. Zariel carries a fallen-angel grandeur (and is a nod to a famous archdevil, if your players know their lore). Nyxara is gorgeous for a tiefling who weaponizes charm.

Dark-elegant given names (male)

For a tiefling who kept a "normal" name but wears it with a shadowy edge — these lean gothic and refined:

Lucian and Dorian are perfect for the charming-but-dangerous type. Malachar practically twirls a moustache — lean into it for a villain.

Dark-elegant given names (female)

Lilith and Morgaine carry serious dark-feminine power. Vesper ("evening star") is lovely and brooding for a quieter loner.

How to name your tiefling

Three roads, all valid — pick the one that fits your character's relationship with their heritage:

• The virtue name (most iconic): one meaningful word — Hope, Sorrow, Carrion. The drama is in the gap between the word and the person.
• The infernal name: dark, ancient, otherworldly — Damakos, Nyxara, Zariel. For a tiefling who owns their fiendish side.
• The kept name: a gothic-elegant given name — Lucian, Lilith, Morgaine. For one raised in (and shaped by) human society.
• Mix it up. A human first name + a virtue name they chose later (Lucian, who calls himself Vengeance) is a fantastic two-layer character.
• Lean on the tension. Tieflings are defined by being caught between worlds. The best names carry that — defiant, reclaimed, or quietly hopeful.

The most memorable tiefling names tell you how the character feels about the world that fears them. "Carrion" is a snarl. "Hope" is a quiet act of defiance. Pick the word that captures their stance — and the whole character snaps into focus.

Famous tieflings & where the style comes from

Tieflings have become one of the most popular options in modern fantasy — thanks in no small part to Baldur's Gate 3 and a wave of beloved actual-play shows — and the famous ones are a great guide to the vibe. You'll spot all three naming styles out in the wild: characters who kept an elegant human-ish given name, ones who lean fully infernal, and the iconic self-named "virtue" tieflings whose single word is their whole arc. The reclaimed-insult name (a sweet character defiantly calling themselves something dark) shows up again and again, because it's such a perfect little character beat.

So when you're choosing, think less about which list sounds coolest and more about your tiefling's relationship with the world. A tiefling raised lovingly in a human city might keep a name like Lucian and barely think about their horns. One who grew up hunted might pick "Carrion" as armor. One who's made peace with it might choose "Hope" and mean it. That's the real secret here — for tieflings, the name isn't just decoration, it's a statement. Pick the one that says what your character has decided about a world that judged them on sight, and you'll have a name with genuine weight behind it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are good tiefling names for D&D?

You've got three great options: a self-chosen virtue name (Hope, Sorrow, Carrion), an infernal name (Damakos, Nyxara, Zariel), or a dark-elegant given name (Lucian, Lilith, Morgaine). Pick based on how your tiefling feels about their fiendish heritage.

What are tiefling virtue names?

Virtue names are single meaningful words many tieflings choose for themselves — like Hope, Sorrow, Art, Glory, Mercy, Carrion, Vengeance, and Wonder. They can express an aspiration or defiantly reclaim how the world sees the tiefling. The drama comes from the gap between the word and the person.

What are good infernal tiefling names?

Infernal tiefling names include Damakos, Mordai, Kairon, Akmenos, Zariel, and Nyxara — dark, ancient, otherworldly names that suit a tiefling who leans into their fiendish heritage. They sound smoky, proud, and a little dangerous.

What's a good female tiefling name?

Lilith, Seraphine, Morgaine, Vesper, and Nyxara are striking female tiefling names, or go with a virtue name like Mercy or Sorrow. For a commanding presence try Lilith; for a brooding loner, Vesper.

Why do tieflings choose their own names?

Many tieflings grow up as outsiders, treated with fear or suspicion because of their infernal appearance. Choosing their own name — often a single powerful word — is a way to define themselves on their own terms, reclaiming their identity rather than accepting how the world labels them.

How do I make up a tiefling name?

Pick a single evocative word for a virtue name (Ruin, Bliss, Echo), or build an infernal name with dark, smoky sounds (Damakos, Therai), or choose a gothic-elegant given name (Cassius, Drusilla). The best tiefling names carry the character's stance toward a world that fears them.

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Go name your tiefling

A defiant Carrion, a brooding Damakos, an elegant Lilith, or a quietly hopeful Hope — there's a striking name here for your tiefling, carrying all the edge and tension of someone the world misjudged.

👉 Open the free Fantasy Name Builder to find one by style and vibe — infernal, virtue, or dark-elegant, in a click, no signup. ⚔️

Which word felt like a whole backstory? That's your tiefling. Now go prove everyone wrong.