Tieflings inhabit intricate roles across fantasy realms. With infernal origins binding them to sinister planes, many Tieflings face bias. However, numerous embrace their fate as outsiders with rare talents.
Vibrant Tiefling names strengthen backstories and growth. We’ll explore their rich history, styles, and meaning to spark creative gameplay and writing.
Understanding Tieflings
Tiefling lineage traces back to humans’ coupling with friends. They inherit mystic gifts from this ancestry – not innate evil. Common Tiefling features include horns, tails, fangs, and striking skin hues from red to purple. Their talents often involve fire, darkness, and magic.
Their names echo this complexity. Some traditional options come from human tongues infused with a wicked twist. Others reference the Hellish home Baator, the land of archdevils. Modern Tieflings may break conventions, yet still nod to their origins.
Types of Tiefling Names
Across the multiverse, Tieflings display great diversity in their cultural traditions and naming conventions. Here are some common patterns:
Traditional Tiefling Names: Heavily influenced by human languages like Infernal with an edgy, diabolic twist. Often includes dark imagery related to fire, sin, secrets, etc.
Examples: Malphas, Ahriman, Kallista, Anakis
Region-Specific Names: Tieflings living in secluded enclaves may adopt local naming conventions. These names reflect regional stories and environments.
Examples: Winterfell (cold region), Sunlight (desert region), Gloomweed (swamp region)
Lineage Names: Common in old Tiefling bloodlines. Usually based on ancestors who made diabolical pacts that shaped the family’s destiny.
Examples: Asmodeus, Zepar, Pazuzu, Bist, Dispater
Virtue Names: Some Tieflings use convention-defying names reflecting positive traits to challenge preconceived notions.
Examples: Glory, Verita, Valora
Nicknames: Many Tieflings acquire informal nicknames that lean into their mystical talents or disposition.
Examples: Blackhorn, Goldeyes, Pyra (means “fire”)
50 Popular Tiefling Names
Here are 50 memorable and popular names covering a diverse range of styles:
| Tiefling Name | Meaning | Origin or Inspiration |
| Ahriman | “Dark spirit” | Persian mythology |
| Zariel | “Commander of infernos” | Original creation, infernal sounding |
| Malphas | “Tower master” | Goetic demon |
| Baalzephon | “Captain of guard” | Biblical reference |
| Belphagor | “Lord of the gap” | Goetic demon |
| Zaebos | “Grand count of Hell” | Goetic demon |
| Astarion | “Eternal beauty” | Greek mythology, altered |
| Cairon | “Guide to the underworld” | Inspired by Charon, Greek mythology |
| Etrigan | “Mystical knight” | Original creation, mythical sounding |
| Sycorax | “Powerful witch” | Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” |
| Pyra | “Fire” | Greek word for fire |
| Kallista | “Most beautiful” | Greek origin |
| Gadreel | “Wall of God” | Biblical apocrypha |
| Lilith | “Night demon” | Jewish mythology |
| Abadon | “Destruction” | Biblical reference |
| Akta | “Eagle” | Original creation, powerful sounding |
| Anakis | “Sea of stars” | Original creation, celestial sounding |
| Baaza | “Falcon” | Original creation, predatory sounding |
| Alya | “Sky”, “heaven” | Arabic origin |
| Namaah | “Pleasant” | Biblical reference |
| Astarte | “Goddess of war and love” | Near Eastern mythology |
| Abyzou | “Demon of miscarriage” | Jewish mythology |
| Empusa | “One-footed demon” | Greek mythology |
| Eisheth | “Queen of demons” | Jewish mythology |
| Naamah | “Pleasant” | Biblical reference, alternate spelling |
| Lilitu | “Night wind” | Sumerian mythology |
| Samanel | “Poison of God” | Original creation, infernal sounding |
| Shax | “Shadow” | Goetic demon |
| Ereshkigal | “Queen of the underworld” | Sumerian mythology |
| Sytry | “Prince of lust” | Goetic demon |
| Yama | “Twin”, “restraint” | Hindu mythology |
| Agrat | “Dancer” | Jewish mythology |
| Andrealphus | “Master of disguises” | Goetic demon |
| Andromalius | “Catcher of thieves” | Goetic demon |
| Bathin | “Astral travel” | Goetic demon |
| Bane | “Source of harm” | English origin |
| Lechies | “Spirit of the forest” | Slavic mythology |
| Masih | “Messiah” | Arabic origin |
| Pyrros | “Flame-colored, fiery” | Greek origin |
| Raxath | “Vengeful spirit” | Original creation, infernal sounding |
| Seth | “Appointed” | Egyptian mythology |
| Valafar | “Grand duke of Hell” | Original creation, infernal sounding |
| Zagan | “Turns water into wine” | Goetic demon |
| Eurynomus | “Feaster upon the dead” | Greek mythology |
| Ipos | “Revealer of all secrets” | Goetic demon |
| Kai | “Sea” | Hawaiian origin |
| Lao | “Lion” | Chinese origin |
| Scox | “Sunset” | Original creation, celestial sounding |
| Aeshma | “Wrath” | Persian mythology |
| Angra | “Destructive spirit” | Persian mythology |
Male & Female Tiefling Names
| Female Tiefling Names | Male Tiefling Names |
| Kallista | Ahriman |
| Pyra | Malphas |
| Sycorax | Baalzephon |
| Akta | Belphagor |
| Anakis | Zaebos |
| Gadreel | Bane |
| Lilith | Abadon |
| Baaza | Etrigan |
| Alya | Cairon |
| Namaah | Scox |
| Astarte | Aeshma |
| Abyzou | Angra |
| Empusa | Azael |
| Eisheth | Iados |
| Naamah | Kai |
| Lilitu | Lao |
| Samanel | Lechies |
| Shax | Masih |
| Ereshkigal | Pyrros |
| Sytry | Raxath |
| Yama | Seth |
| Agrat | Valafar |
| Andrealphus | Zagan |
| Andromalius | Eurynomus |
| Bathin | Ipos |
Badass Tiefling Names
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Choosing a Tiefling Name
Tiefling names hold power. The perfect one can enrich tales and development. Tips:
Tell Their Story: Reflect on their talents, values, and journey.
Instantly Intrigue: Peculiar names attract curiosity. Strange suits them!
Set Destiny: In some cultures, names shape paths. Pick one that empowers.
Match Region: Integrate home environment.
Respect Lineage: Ancestral ties provide blessings and burdens.
Brainstorming, let innovation guide you. Use tools to give common names a devilish edge. Study myths worldwide for compelling references. Note evocative foreign words capturing a mood. Mash up odd syllables until a winner emerges!
Most vitally, choose meaningfully.
Naming Dos and Don’ts
Here are final Tiefling naming best practices:
DO:
- Research carefully
- Credit cultures
- Consider pronunciation
- Embrace tongue-twisters
DON’T:
- Appropriate closed cultures
- Pick unreasonably complex names
- Sound too human
- Ignore canon needlessly
The most magnetic names walk the line between unexpected and meaningful. Follow your intuition, not overthinking it! Fantasy offers infinite space for creativity free of rules!
Conclusion
As this deep dive has shown, Tiefling names offer enormous – and fun! – creative possibilities. From paying homage to bloodlines, matching environments, or just getting delightfully weird with it, names provide fertile ground for rich character development and memorable fantasy. Hopefully, the framework, ideas, and resources presented here provide helpful guidance on your naming journey. Most importantly, embrace this as an act of imaginative joy and self-expression – this will lead you to names with real magic. Destiny awaits! Now let your Tiefling’s epic story unfold…
