Perfect Knight Names for Your Next Character
Knights are often known as venerable warriors in a kingdom. In most novels and movies, they are depicted to be fearsome warriors skilled with swords and shields, riding their gallant stallions into battle.
Table of Contents
Article Summary:
- Knightly Code of Chivalry and its Importance in medieval society
- Famous knights in history such as Sir Lancelot, Sir Gawain, and William Marshal
- Different types of armor and weapons used by knights
- The role of knights in medieval society and their duties towards their lords and the common people
- The training and education of knights, including pagehood, squirehood, and knighthood ceremonies
- The decline of knighthood and the reasons behind it, such as the rise of gunpowder and changes in warfare tactics
- Knights in popular culture, including movies, TV shows, and video games
- Knights in non-European cultures such as the samurai in Japan or the Mamluks in the Middle East
- Knights in literature, including chivalric romances and epic poems like the Song of Roland and the Arthurian legends.
Knight Names Generator
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Orville
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Sir Urien
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Sir Leodegrance
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Sebastian
The concept and idea of knights originated in Europe in the early 8th century, the early era of the medieval period.
First Existence of Knights
Knights are also known as a chevalier in the French language, where the word chivalry is derived. It is a title granted to a person for their outstanding service to the kingdom. The first known knights are warriors that are skilled in horseback riding, often referred to as cavaliers or cavalry warriors. Most of them were vassals claiming a hold on a fief granted by a ruler. Entering knighthood became a tradition for most young boys during this era, which then encourages them to enter military service when they reach the age of 12.
The idea of knighthood also evolved, as Christianity becomes more influential in most European lands. Christian ideology and behavior become a well-accepted characteristic for a knight which made knighthood a more sacred and holy oath in the eyes of many. During the time of King Charles the Great, also known as King Charlemagne, elite warriors on horseback were enlisted as the king’s vanguard and the king’s bodyguards. This was believed to be the first set of knights to ever existed, as they are superior in skill, equipment, and influence compared to a common cavalryman or bodyguard.
Knights in the Modern Era
Knights now only exist in fantasy novels and games today. They are a playable character class that players can pick at the start of the game. A few examples of RPG games with knights are Dungeons and Dragons, Ragnarok Online, Albion Online, Diablo Series, and many more. In-game, the knights wear heavy armor, wields long swords, and great shield, and knows miracle spells. Because knights are defined to be righteous and selfless, they are often taken for the defensive tank and team support roles. Learn how to create your version of knight names by studying the next section.
How to Create Names for a Knight
To be able to create knight names, we must first understand how knights are named in the first place. Often, we see movies that affix the title “Sir” at the beginning of the knight’s name. While this is a common cue for a knight’s name, it was not a standard among the knights during the medieval era. The most common and obvious way to distinguish a knight is to affix the “Knight” title instead at the beginning of their names. Examples are Knight Roderick, Knight John, and Knight Brand.
The next step is to consider the main name of the knight. Since the concept of knighthood came from medieval Europe, you will most likely encounter knight names with European influence. For example, a good knight name coming from Britain is Knight Wyatt Smith. A French knight may be called Knight Theodore Jaques, while a Spanish knight can be Knight Ricardo Dela Rosa.
Lastly, the surnames of knights may also be omitted. We do this by replacing their surnames with their land of birth or specific description or feats. Before the medieval ages, people are distinguished by their land of birth or the name of their fathers. For example, a kid named Harry born in Southside is named Harry of Southside. Thus, his knight name would be Knight Harry of Southside. Specific descriptions and feats may also be used as a replacement for the actual surname. The best example is Knight William the Marshal, the 1st Earl of Pembroke. He is considered England’s greatest medieval knight.
Knightly Names You Should Consider in Your Next Game
Now that we learned some basic Knight naming conventions, here are some of the knightly names that readers can consider as a quick reference for a knight character. Take note that the word knight was omitted from the names because they are only titles and the focus should be on the names of the knight alone.
- Emilio of North Harbor
- Cillian the Ravager
- Levi of the Forests
- Lars of Cardine
- Eros the Bold
- Gunmar the Stonehide
- Howard the Ravel
- Erobalt the Agile
- Clifford Kindheart
- Charles of Nadine
Dame: The Female Knight Names
Men are not the only people eligible for knighthood. Women are also given the chance to enter knighthood given the right opportunity or exceptional achievements. Females who were recognized to be at par with a knight are given the title Dame. During the medieval ages, the Dame title is said to be earned easily through marriage. But there are also other means such as earning a name for themselves which are very unlikely during this time. Dame names follow the same naming conventions as the knight, and the only difference is having a female base name instead of a male.
- Jona the Silent
- Honorata of the West Lands
- Jaina the Proud
- Alianor la Paz
- Rosaria the Frowned
- Anya the Young
- Crissanta the White
- Isabel the Rose
- Sylvana the Sharp
- Cara of the Mountains
Dark Knights and Death Knight Names
We’ve known knights to be divine in terms of their duties and role, but have you heard of fallen knights that succumb to the darkness and stray away from the light? In fantasy novels and games, we call these knights Dark Knights or Black Knights. Take note that Dark Knights or Black Knights might have different definitions depending on authors and sources in novels and games.
A Death Knight is a fallen knight likely involved with dark magic or necromancy. The best example of a Death Knight in video games is Arthas Menethil from Warcraft III: Frozen Throne. Since Dark Knights and Death Knights are evil knights, we can have comparable names for both of them. Below are the names of knights for Dark Knight and Death Knight characters.
- Sagdal Nightcrawler
- Hegvel the Merciless
- Kharal Bloodstained
- Ashdar the Beheader
- Lordan Deathstalk
- Martineu the Harbringer
- Didier the Bewilder
- Antonius Soulreap
- Jaragar Deathrider
- Lothvig the Impaler
Using Knight Name Generators
Name generators are designed to provide random names meeting specific criteria or topics. In this case, we use a knight name generator to generate random names of a knight. Knight name generators are easy to use and save us time in formulating names ourselves. It can also help suggest possible names in cases where we want inspiration for creating newer names. Since name generators are now AI-powered, they can provide names with no repetition with other generators, making the name unique and uncommon.