Orc Names: Generators for Orc Type Monster Characters in LOTRO Online: Mordor, Land of the Shadows: Using Black Speech
What’s in a Name? Does an Orc by Any Other Name smell so foul?
In LOTRO, your smell- or stench- can depend on whether you are playing as a creep or a freep.
In LOTRO’s version of player vs. player, you have the choice of creating a monster character- or six. There are six types of monsters, and once you reach level 10, you can have one character of each type. There are no harmful consequences that affect the rest of the game, and you also gain Destiny points, which can be used outside the Ettenmoors. At level 10, the lack of a suitable name is the only thing holding you up. With the relatively recent addition of the Orc Reaver, there are six choices.
From the LOTRO monsters you can roll one character each of an Orc Reaver, Orc Defiler, Spider Weaver, Uruk Blackarrow, Uruk Warleader, or Warg Stalker.
Since there are four characters who are orcs, we’ll look at orc name generators here.
Mordor, Land of Shadows
Mordor, The Land of Shadows, a site containing as much as they can research of Sauron’s Black Speech, has a mapping name generator for orcs. It gives you a name and an appellation or nickname, and your orcish race. All of the names I tried out in the generator resulted in the race Uruk of Mordor, so this site could be considered especially suitable for Uruk Blackarrow and Uruk Warleader characters, although the names certainly could be used by Orc Reavers and Orc Defilers as well.
The names are created from elements of the Black speech and what orcish speech is found in the LOTRO books, but there is no attempt by the generator to give meanings to your name. However, Scatha, a member of the site, has compiled a dictionary of all that is known of the Black Speech, as well as lessons in how to use the speech grammatically. You can use the dictionary to see if you can find meanings for the elements in the name that is mapped to yours.
The site not only generates you an orc name, but a nickname as well. All of the names it generates are Uruk names.
My first try, with Rebecca Scudder is Shelobzagh, the plump - Uruk of Mordor. My next try with Rebecca Scudder, also gives me the same name, definitely making it a mapping generator. Plump does not seem to make me extremely threatening- unless it is meant to imply that I win fights, and have first choice of food. Still. Plump! At least Shelob the spider is a frightening being, so being named after her is not all bad
With a few more tries, I get these results:
Henry Johnson - Dâgalûr, the evil seed - Uruk of Mordor. Evil seed isn’t bad, but those accented letters will need to go.
Mary Smith - Badzûrz, the groveler - Uruk of Mordor. Hmmm. Groveler sounds more like a snaga, or slave, to me. Not a true Uruk. Mary Smith, you’d best pick an alias and try again.
Peter Snyder - Ghaash, the cook - Uruk of Mordor. Kill ’m and cook ’m I guess- Or does a REAL orc even bother to singe his food?
Harry Potter - Fotkûrz, the slasher - Uruk of Mordor. More like it. Harry- I knew you had a dark side in you.
Mary Potter - Nazg, the hidden power - Uruk of Mordor. Works better than Mary Smith did.
Mary Johnson - Radbug, the dog - Uruk of Mordor. Some dogs can be fierce.
And we seem to have proved that the first name Mary doesn’t automatically get you a specific part of your name. Henry Johnson didn’t share any elements of your mapped name. It is a fairly sophisticated mapping generator. I’ll try a variety of names.
Juliet Johnson - Dalug-hai, the faceless - Uruk of Mordor / Susan Smith - Riink, the shiftless - Uruk of Mordor / Ann Peterson - Lûrûrz, the nugget - Uruk of Mordor / Jean Amprimoz - Lûrûrz, the nugget - Uruk of Mordor.
Ann Peterson and Jean Amprimoz don’t seem to have anything obvious in common to give them the same name and nickname. Perhaps the nickname choice is somewhat limited.
Jean Jenkins - Shatogtar, the loner - Uruk of Mordor / Zoe Williams - Lughorn, the vicious - Uruk of Mordor / Eofn Williams - Kraibag, the wistful - Uruk of Mordor.
OK, someone with a perverse sense of humor picked these nicknames. Orcs are not wistful.
Eofn Scudder - Sharkû, the ancient one - Uruk of Mordor. Seems to me someone important ends up getting called that name eventually. I don’t think it is a keeper.
Michael Scudder - Saakaf, the winged - Uruk of Mordor / Michael Peterson - Craklash, the whip - Uruk of Mordor. Nice combo there.
Robert Peterson - Thagûrz, the thirsty - Uruk of Mordor / Robert Stevens - Ugûrz, the mouthless - Uruk of Mordor. Hope he doesn’t get hungry often.
Robert Jones - Lûrûrz, the nugget - Uruk of Mordor. I am not sure what Robert Jones has in common with either Ann Peterson or Jean Amprimoz. My guess is that there is a slight glitch in the mapper, since it is a single name that repeats, every once in a while. Either that, or Sauron has discovered cloning.
More names from Mordor on the next page.
Additional trials from Mordor’s generator, with commentary.
Susan Jones - Naakhûrz, the thief - Uruk of Mordor / Susan Smith - Bashkuga, the tongue - Uruk of Mordor / Danielle Smith - Anghâsh, the crusher - Uruk of Mor
dor / Lamar Stonecypher - Talûn-karkû, the white worm - Uruk of Mordor / Jennifer Horace Anghâsh, the crusher - Uruk of Mordor
OK, now another repeater. Danielle Smith and Jennifer Horace don’t have anything obvious in common either.
Maeve Smythe - Bagûrz, the snake - Uruk of Mordor / Robert Horace - Lugdush, the witless - Uruk of Mordor / Susan Smythe - Fotkûrz, the slasher - Uruk of Mordor. Seems to me Harry Potter turned out to be a slasher too.
Well, The orc names are great. Very Tolkienish in feel, and with a couple of exceptions, a goodly variety. I think this is an excellent resource for an orc name. Just vary your alias if you get one of the repeaters. The names still sound well without the accented characters, so that should not be a problem in the game. I do think it might be wise to ignore their choices in nicknames. Wistful! Ha!
There does seem to be a universal theme that all their generated orcs hail from Mordor, not Orthanc. Still, it it seems to be logical for a site calling itself Mordor Land of the Shadows.
Sometime my family and friends are going to Google themselves and find their name in one of these name generator articles. I expect I will hear their opinion of my trial choices then, :D.
Orc names from the Orc Roleplaying Community
The Orc Roleplaying Community says its name generator gives Random Orc Name and clan names . The generator was originally created by Johan Danforth, with help from Jeroen Kessels, and Kor- scrollkeeper of Orcs.
You have a choice of random Tolkien-style names, or random War Hammer style names. You can generate multiple names at a time, and select the ones you like the best.
A selection of Tolkien -style names:
Kurt Korg Puuurk Kig Huudish Briurk Horbag Krashnak Buuol Kok Braagash Vadash Gugor Hirbag Brok Baaurk Erugar Koshnak Hoshnak Hunak Krort Buurz Progar Prugash Rugdush Bruurk Rigar Kurk Kuuol Kragash Prigash Bung Gaarz Balo Rank Vrunak Kruug Ving Podish Grurg Erinak Bruurag Prank Huudish Bak Hugar Grudash Poshnak Kruur Kradash Groshnak Buurbag Hilg Grodush Kagdush Gaashnak Hurk Hunak Krishnak Godash Praagdush Krigash Bronk Erar Krig Rudash Erudish Eragdush Haadish Kaurk Por Vuugar Erirag Bool Gishnak Kurug Gaagdush Vuugor Gak Brur Haagdush Erigdish Vang Prarag Vragar Gruushnak Vruugdush Vaurk Eragdush Brugdish Prinak Hiurk Kurk Krak Grishna
k Bark Bourk Vug Pink Bashnak
That was two sets of names. They don’t have the problem with accented characters, and it seems to be doing a good job combining orc speeh elements with each other. Grishnak, however, seems to strike a familiar chord.
There are a couple problems. One is fairly obvious- some of the combinations are creating actual English words and names- and while Rank might not be an impossible choice, I think Pink is right out. I didn’t notice any exact repeats, which is useful. Eventually, the elements will combine into the same name again, but it certainly is not occurring often, so there are a lot of choices in there for the random generator to pick from.
The other problem is only going to matter to the a Tolkien fanatic. Scatha, mentioned in the section above, who has put together a set of lessons for learning the Black speech, says the letter e is not found in the Black speech. So if you are a purist, don’t use any of the names with an e in them. That still offers a lot of choices.
I also ran a set of the war hammer orc names:
Axe-hater Rot-bearer Power-slayer Rot-killer Evil-raper Hair-stalker Head-raider Teeth-hunter Tree-throttler Deamon-slayer Fire-killer Enemy-puncher Earth-hater Storm-torturer Bone-thrower Skull-stalker Goblin-lover Power-stomper Claw-destroyer Nail-throttler Snotling-basher Skull-raider Shadow-killer Glory-hammer Skull-crawler Dark-raider Nail-basher Talon-torturer Moon-basher Spear-mangler Rat-hunter Horse-cutter Axe-crusher Blade-bringer Face-torturer Toe-raper
These are much better than a lot of the orc war hammer names I have seen- and they actually could produce a fine choice of nicknames for names for this generator or the one in Mordor The Land of Shadow. I particularly liked Tree-throttler myself. Shelobzagh Tree-throttler, Uruk Reaver. That’s a name I could live with.
I don’t think I would advise going the otherway though. Pink the Wistful. A name to strike terror down through the ages- and helpless laughter aoung the freeps you gather to battle with. Of course, you could always strike them down while they rolled helplessly on the ground.
Random Exotic Orc name generator
The Random Exotic Orc name generator says author unknown. It is found at RPG Inspiration.com. It came up with:
Thomok K’duk Mugguth Cruggang Thromak Brogok Bruggorth Groth Krogok K’marth G’ggang Tamoth K’ggak Throggok Soguk Somoth Braduk Goggung Braguk Togok Toggung Magong Gugguth G’ggar Thragak Bramok Kruk Bradar Saggang Gagung Thugung Sudarth G’ggok Bromur Groggak Bradak Kragguk Godok Gak Sudath Brumong Gong Mumok G’k Sodok Bradok K’ng Samung Gragarth G’guk Sogok Mudarth K’mak Uggaodong Tudath K’gok Thradung Sogang G’k K’ggok Crumuk Guggang Mumok Gromok Krok Tuggar Bragok Gramang Uggoang K’ggong Muggak Agaodath Thruk Eggoodung Thodong K’k Tomak K’k Brumor Thragong Amooggak Brumoth Ogguogur Krang Graduk Brugung Cramong Brumak G’duk Tadak Guth Cragarth Thramok Krugong
This was programmed by someone with an over fondness for apostrophes, but the names aren’t bad. A few of them come up with a second part to the name, and those were the only elements I saw any repetition in.
Purists, remember to avoid names with e in them. There are very few in this sampling anyhow. Again, like the generator just above, some elements will eventually combine in the same form, but there are a lot of nice gutteral names to pick from.
Some of the consonant clusters are probably only pronounced correctly by a orc native speaker- G’ggar just doesn’t roll off the tongue.
Slack ’n Hash Orc name generator.
Those of you who have read other articles in this series will recognize Slack ’n Hash as providing some other very good name generators of different types. Their Orc name generator gives you some choices.
You select gender, group (Warhammer 40,000 Clanz AD&D 1st Edition Tribes No group), nickname (noun + ver / no nickname), and click on Name that Orc.
Female, no group, nickname gave:
Mauowvh-urdra Corpseruina / Uhgxêa Llamabita / Dhúra Llamachompa / Drêra Armmelta / Upa Elfburna / Augrmêa Nymphcleava
Even with no group selected, these are typical war hammer nicknames. However, the first elements are possibilities that could fit comfotably in LOTRO.
Male, no group, nickname gave:
Ilvôp Badgaslamma / Ig Monstasmacka / Ghôw Alpaca’urta / Chêr ‘alflingbeata / Aghargh Boarmelta / Khuhegrersl Alpacaboila / Angshooww Shinchoppa / Lgô Advenchuragrinda
Again, war hammer style nicknames. I am not clear on the difference between male and female names- my guess is that the female names here ended in -a, while the male names end in consonants most of the time.
However, once you remove the accented character from Chêr to get Cher, it is again not a viable choice for a male. Cher the wistful, Uruk Blackarrow just doesn’t make the grade.
This wouldn’t be my first choice, but if I was having trouble coming up with a name not already taken, it might come in handy.
Seventh Sanctum goblin namer
Seventh Sanctum is also a name readers may recognize from other of my name generator articles.
Orcs, in the Hobbit, were called goblins pervasively. This goblin name generator gives names which look like they would work in LOTRO, as long as you stick to first name. The names are random, and you can request 1.5.10. 15, 20 or 25 names at once. Your choices are first names, full names, last/clan names.
.
This is two sets of 15 names, first and full name:
Bkosd Madgut Gazn Damnshade Groxez Dreadbrain Gzasm Darkclub Ker Boneclaw Mxotub Greatdoom Natorm Ironcraze Norm Bonelurker Rekuts Dreadsteel Rogb Metalclaw Smotuk Sickfart Tek Damnbasher Xer Giantrender Zemutg Madrant Znams Darkeye Dern Ironchaos Dzogn Dreadarm Gnokr Metalhand Mezt Greattracker Mkar Foulbane Nasozg Sickburner Nrebk Greatchain Ntarom Metalyell Nusr Sickheart Sgazd Metaldamn Sug Evilcut Sux Greatmaw Xudetk Sickfury Zteg Sickdweller Ztug Foulclaw
The full names could be used for nicknames in many cases, and it looks as if it also has a wide selection of elements it uses for first names. Last names are a combination of two words, randomly. It looks like someone spent some time with a good thesaurus, because the thirty names above had no repeats on the full names.
Seventh Sanctum’s names with an evil sound
Lastly, I suggest you could look at Seventh Sanctum’s generator for names with an evil sound, based on Tolkien’s languages. I don’t think they are anything that, despite being taken from Tolkien’s languages, follow any language’s rules for creation of words or grammatical correctness. However, some of them are definitely orcish sounding, and I think the use of Tolkien language elements, rather than random combinations of letters allows for the creation of names which sound appropriate in the LOTRO context.
Again, the names are random, and you can request 1.5.10. 15, 20 or 25 names at once. This is two sets of 15 names:
Baugori Baurgwelungu Etuglora Glor Gorchak Gurmat Gutunduriala Ilarndego Ingrch Irnanil Labauael Maulkodro Narodu Ndrnagba Ngot Eglkorth Fathaz Itulael Mimalanau Moronguria Ndor Obelri Othugila Rororgu Sandu Thamobantuli Ulaeg Ungo Vauritu Wengli
A few of these sound a little too smooth sounding and even elvish to pick for a creep, but others will work well for your orc’s name.
Creeps and Freeps
Whichever name you pick, from any of these generators, enjoy your stint as a creep in the Ettenmoors, knowing that you can return to freeing Middle Earth from other creeps at any point- with a few Destiny points to spend as well.
Additional Resources
A good book to read on Tolkien’s languages, or at least the state they were in when writing the LOTR is Jim Allan’s book, An Introduction to Elvish, Other Tongues, Proper Names and Writing Systems of the Third Age of the Western Lands of Middle-Earth as Set Forth in the Published Writings of Professor John Ronald Reuel Tolkien. It contains information on his languages in general, and also provides dictionaries for multiple Tolkien languages, as well as information on the naming of different races in LOTR. It is quite comprehensive in what it covers on the languages and names allowed to be used in the creation of LOTRO, although there is not a lot on Black Speech.
For a more specific look at the name conventions and languages spoken by orcs, this is probably the bept site I have found. I recommend looking though all the resources on the site Mordor The Land of Shadows. There is a really comprehensive look at the Black Speech, and even lessons on learning the Black speech. They also seem to be keeping up to date on the progress of any fiurther Tolkien movies.
For other name generators used for names of other races you can play in LOTRO, see these Bright Hub articles:
Check out the LOTRO topic for a number of articles on the LOTRO online MMO.
For other name generators you may find useful in other MMOs:
Additional Vampire Name Generators
Name generators in general
Names Require Thought and Creativity
Other MMO Reviews where role playing is encouraged
Guide to Effective Roleplay in Renaissance Kingdoms
The Bright Hub channel MMO is filled with articles on different MMOs, features inside different MMOS, and even information about designing MMO games, I suggest checking this channel often.
This post is part of the series: LOTRO Name Generators
A review of various name generators for Lord of the Rings Online.
- Elf Name Generators Inspired by Tolkien’s Languages For Characters in LOTRO
- A Review of Vampire Name Generators with Random Generators
- Vampire Name Generators for MMOs, Fun and Gothic Pleasures
- Dwarf Name Generators for LOTRO Characters
- Hobbit Name Generators for Tolkien Inspired Names and MMOs
- Orc Name Generators for LOTRO Player vs Monster Character Combat
