Ancient City Name Generator

Five real ancient cities a press, each with its old name and where it stood, about half with a meaning.

Ancient City Name Generator

  1. ConcangisA Brittonic name, possibly from a root meaning horse. Now Chester-le-Street, England.
  2. Castellum apud ConfluentesThe fort at the confluence. Now Koblenz, Germany.
  3. HatraProbably enclosure, hedge or fence. In Iraq.
  4. MariNow Tell Hariri, Syria.
  5. ChalkedonFrom a Phoenician name meaning new town. Now Kadıköy, Turkey.

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How it works

This ancient city name generator deals real cities of Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece and Rome under the names their own people used, with the meaning where the city's Wikipedia article gives one. Nothing is invented.

Read the full guide

How ancient names were built

The parts repeat, which is what lets a writer build a name. Egyptian Per- means house of: Per-Bast is the house of Bast and Per-Ramessu the house of Ramesses. Greek -polis is city, so Neapolis is the new city. Celtic -dunum is a fort, as in Lugdunum and Noviodunum, and Dur- opens the name of a fortress in Mesopotamia.

Use it as an ancient Egyptian town name generator

Choose Egypt in the menu under the button and every card is an Egyptian town under its own name, most with a better-known name and the modern place beside it: Waset for Thebes, Abu for Elephantine, Zawty for Asyut.

Tips
  • A card with no meaning is a city whose article gives none. The page does not guess.

Questions and answers

What did ancient city names mean?

Many described the place or honored a god or a ruler. Waset was the city of the scepter, Per-Bast the house of Bast, Neapolis the new city, Placentia the pleasant one and Dur-Kurigalzu the fortress of Kurigalzu.

What were ancient Egyptian towns called?

By Egyptian names that later gave way to Greek ones. Thebes was Waset, Memphis was Men-nefer, Hermopolis was Khemenu and Elephantine was Abu. Many names begin with Per-, house of, followed by the name of a god.

Does this ancient city name generator make names up?

No. Every card is a real city from Wikipedia's lists of ancient Egyptian towns, cities of the ancient Near East, ancient Greek cities and cities founded by the Romans.

How can I make my own ancient-sounding city name?

Borrow a real part and add your own: Per- and a name for Egypt, -polis for a Greek city, -dunum for a Celtic fort under Rome, Dur- for a fortress in Mesopotamia. The cards show how each part was used.

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All 161 city names

Egypt 70

  • Abdju Better known as Abydos. Near El Balyana, Egypt.
  • Abu Elephant. Better known as Elephantine. Now Aswan, Egypt.
  • Akhetaten The horizon of the Aten. Better known as Amarna. Now Tell el-Amarna, Egypt.
  • Behdet Better known as Edfu. Now Naga el-Goneima, Egypt.
  • Berenice Now Medinet-el Haras, Egypt.
  • Buhen On the Nile in what is now Sudan.
  • Chenem-Waset Better known as Amara West. Now Amara, Sudan.
  • Djanet Better known as Tanis. Now San al-Hagar, Egypt.
  • Djedet Better known as Mendes. Now Tell El-Ruba, Egypt.
  • Djerty Better known as El-Tod. In Egypt.
  • Gebtu Better known as Koptos. Now Qift, Egypt.
  • Gesy Better known as Qus. In Egypt.
  • Hebenu Now Kom el Ahmar, Egypt.
  • Henen-nesut Child of the King. Better known as Herakleopolis Magna. Now Ihnasiyyah al-Madinah, Egypt.
  • Herwer Now Hur, Egypt.
  • Hut-hery-ib Better known as Athribis. Now Banha, Egypt.
  • Hut-waret House of the Region. Better known as Avaris. Now Tell el-Dab'a, Egypt.
  • Iken Better known as Mirgissa. In what is now Sudan.
  • Ipu Better known as Akhmim. In Egypt.
  • Itjtawy In ancient Egypt.
  • Iunet Better known as Dendera. In Egypt.
  • Iuny Better known as Hermonthis. Now Armant, Egypt.
  • Iushenshen Now Khozam, Egypt.
  • Khasut Better known as Xois. Now Sakha, Egypt.
Show all 161 city names (137 more)

Egypt, continued

  • Khem Better known as Letopolis. Now Ausim, Egypt.
  • Khemenu Eight-Town. Better known as Hermopolis Magna. Now El Ashmunein, Egypt.
  • Khito Better known as Rosetta. Now Rashid, Egypt.
  • Madu Better known as Medamud. In Egypt.
  • Men-nefer Better known as Memphis. Now Mit Rahina, Egypt.
  • Menouthis In ancient Egypt.
  • Nekheb Better known as El Kab. In ancient Egypt.
  • Nekhen Better known as Hierakonpolis. Now el-Kom el-Ahmar, Egypt.
  • Nubt Better known as Kom Ombo. In Egypt.
  • Per-Amun Better known as Pelusium. Now Tell el-Farama, Egypt.
  • Per-Atum House of Atum. Better known as Pithom. Now Tell-el-Maskhuta, Egypt.
  • Per-Bast House of Bast. Better known as Bubastis. Now Tell-Basta, Egypt.
  • Per-Hathor Better known as Aphroditopolis. Now Gebelein, Egypt.
  • Per-Medjed Better known as Oxyrhynchus. Now el-Bahnasa, Egypt.
  • Per-Nemty Better known as Hieracon. Now al Atawla, Egypt.
  • Per-Ramessu House of Ramesses. Better known as Pi-Ramesses. Now Qantir, Egypt.
  • Per-Sopdu House of Sopdu. Now Saft el-Hinna, Egypt.
  • Per-Wadjet Better known as Buto. Now Tell al-Fara'in, Egypt.
  • Piemro Better known as Naucratis. Now Kom Gieif, Egypt.
  • Pikuat Better known as Canopus. Now Aboukir, Egypt.
  • Ptkheka Now Tanta, Egypt.
  • Qis Better known as Cusae. Now el-Qusiya, Egypt.
  • Raqote Better known as Alexandria. In Egypt.
  • Saka Better known as Cynopolis. Now El Kays, Egypt.
  • Semabehdet Better known as Diospolis Inferior. Now Tel El Balamun, Egypt.
  • Seshesh Better known as Hu. In Egypt.
  • Šetennu Better known as Pharbaetus. Now Horbeit, Egypt.
  • Shashotep Better known as Hypselis. Now Shutb, Egypt.
  • Shedet Better known as Crocodilopolis. Now Faiyum, Egypt.
  • Sumenu Better known as Crocodilopolis. Now el-Mahamid Qibly, Egypt.
  • Swenett Better known as Aswan. In Egypt.
  • Ta-senet Better known as Latopolis. Now Esna, Egypt.
  • Tamiat Better known as Damietta. In Egypt.
  • Taremu Its Greek name means city of lions. Better known as Leontopolis. Now Kafr Al Muqdam, Egypt.
  • Tayu-djayet Better known as El Hiba. In Egypt.
  • Tepihu The first of the cows, a title of Hathor. Better known as Aphroditopolis. Now Atfih, Egypt.
  • Thonis Better known as Heracleion. In ancient Egypt.
  • Timinhor Better known as Damanhur. In Egypt.
  • Tjaru Better known as Sile. Now Tel el-Habua, Egypt.
  • Tjebnutjer City of the sacred calf. Better known as Sebennytos. Now Samanud, Egypt.
  • Tjebu Better known as Qau. Now Qaw el-Kebir, Egypt.
  • Tjenu Better known as Thinis. In ancient Egypt.
  • Waset City of the was, the scepter of the pharaohs. Better known as Thebes. Now Luxor, Egypt.
  • Yamu Better known as Apis. Now Kom el-Hisn, Egypt.
  • Zau Better known as Sais. Now Sa el-Hagar, Egypt.
  • Zawty Guardian. Better known as Asyut. In Egypt.

Mesopotamia, the Levant and Persia 25

  • Assur It shares its name with the god Ashur. Now Qal'at Sherqat, Iraq.
  • Babylon Gate of the god, as its own people explained the name. Near Hillah, Iraq.
  • Dur Untash Town of Untash. Now Chogha Zanbil, Iran.
  • Dur-Kurigalzu Fortress of Kurigalzu. Now Aqar Quf, Iraq.
  • Dur-Sharrukin Fortress of Sargon. Now Khorsabad, Iraq.
  • Ebla Perhaps white rock, for the limestone outcrop it was built on. Now Tell Mardikh, Syria.
  • Ekallatum The palaces. Upper Mesopotamia, in Iraq.
  • Ganzak Treasury. In Iran.
  • Gebal The Phoenician name; Byblos is the name the Greeks gave it. Now Byblos, Lebanon.
  • Hagmatana The place of gathering. Ecbatana to the Greeks. Now Hamadan, Iran.
  • Halab Perhaps from a Semitic root meaning milk. Now Aleppo, Syria.
  • Harran From a word meaning journey or caravan. In Turkey.
  • Hatra Probably enclosure, hedge or fence. In Iraq.
  • Mari Now Tell Hariri, Syria.
  • Nineveh Opposite Mosul, Iraq.
  • Nippur In Iraq.
  • Parsa Persepolis, the Persian city, to the Greeks. In Iran.
  • Raqmu Its Nabataean name; Petra is Greek. Now Petra, Jordan.
  • Sur Possibly rock, after the rocky formation the town was built on. Now Tyre, Lebanon.
  • Susa Now Shush, Iran.
  • Tabriz By some sources, flowing hot, for the thermal springs of the area. In Iran.
  • Tadmor Palmyra is its Greek and Latin name. Now Palmyra, Syria.
  • Ugarit Now Ras Shamra, Syria.
  • Ur In Iraq.
  • Uruk In Iraq.

The Greek world 20

  • Amphissa From a verb meaning surround: the city is surrounded by mountains. Now Amfissa, Greece.
  • Byzantion Perhaps from the Thracian personal name Byzas. Now Istanbul, Turkey.
  • Chalkedon From a Phoenician name meaning new town. Now Kadıköy, Turkey.
  • Chersonesos Peninsula. On the Crimean Peninsula.
  • Didyma In Greek, twins. Now Didim, Turkey.
  • Edessa Tower in the water, a name thought to be Phrygian. In Greece.
  • Emporion Trading place. Now Empúries, Spain.
  • Heliopolis Sun city, its name in Greek. Now Baalbek, Lebanon.
  • Hyele Later the Roman town of Velia. Near Ascea, Italy.
  • Kallipolis Beautiful city. Now Gelibolu, Turkey.
  • Katane A word of the Sicels, the first people of Sicily. Now Catania, Italy.
  • Lychnidos Probably city of light. Now Ohrid, North Macedonia.
  • Marathon Fennel. In Greece.
  • Myrmekion From the Greek for ant, or from a word for an underwater reef. On the Crimean Peninsula.
  • Naupaktos Boatyard. Now Nafpaktos, Greece.
  • Neapolis New city. It stood in Chalcidice. Now Polychrono, Greece.
  • Phasis The etymology is a matter of scholarly dispute. Now Poti, Georgia.
  • Syrakousai The origins of the name are highly uncertain. Now Syracuse, Italy.
  • Thessalonike Named for Thessalonike, a sister of Alexander the Great. Now Thessaloniki, Greece.
  • Zankle From a Siculian word meaning scythe, for the shape of the natural port. Now Messina, Italy.

The Roman world 46

  • Albanianis Settlement at the white water. Now Alphen aan den Rijn, Netherlands.
  • Aquae Sulis The waters of Sulis. Now Bath, England.
  • Aquileia In Italy.
  • Artaxata The joy of Artaxias. Now Artashat, Armenia.
  • Augusta Taurinorum Now Turin, Italy.
  • Augusta Treverorum The city of Augustus among the Treveri. Now Trier, Germany.
  • Aurelia Aquensis Aurelia of the waters, for its springs. Now Baden-Baden, Germany.
  • Belum Shining hill. Now Belluno, Italy.
  • Bononia Now Bologna, Italy.
  • Caesaraugusta Named for Caesar Augustus. Now Zaragoza, Spain.
  • Camulodunum Stronghold of Camulos. Now Colchester, England.
  • Castellum apud Confluentes The fort at the confluence. Now Koblenz, Germany.
  • Colonia Narbo Martius Now Narbonne, France.
  • Colonia Patricia Corduba Now Córdoba, Spain.
  • Concangis A Brittonic name, possibly from a root meaning horse. Now Chester-le-Street, England.
  • Condate Confluence. Now Northwich, England.
  • Deva Victrix Now Chester, England.
  • Eboracum Perhaps place of the yew trees; the meaning is disputed. Now York, England.
  • Emerita Augusta Founded for the emeriti, veteran soldiers of Augustus. Now Mérida, Spain.
  • Florentia Flourishing. Now Florence, Italy.
  • Forum Livii Now Forlì, Italy.
  • Isca Augusta Isca means water and refers to the River Usk. Now Caerleon, Wales.
  • Isca Dumnoniorum From a Brittonic name for flowing water, the River Exe. Now Exeter, England.
  • Italica Now Santiponce, Spain.
  • Londinium Now London, England.
  • Lugdunum Fortress or hill of the god Lugus. Now Lyon, France.
  • Luguvalium Strength of Lugus. Now Carlisle, England.
  • Mamucium Perhaps from a Brittonic word for a breast-like hill. Now Manchester, England.
  • Mediolanum In the middle of the plain. Now Milan, Italy.
  • Modoetia Now Monza, Italy.
  • Mogontiacum Named for the Celtic god Mogons. Now Mainz, Germany.
  • Noviodunum New fort, a name of Celtic origin. Now Nyon, Switzerland.
  • Noviomagus New field, a name of Celtic origin. Now Speyer, Germany.
  • Palma Now Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
  • Placentia Pleasant, from a Latin verb meaning to please. Now Piacenza, Italy.
  • Regium Lepidi Now Reggio Emilia, Italy.
  • Regulbium Great headland, from the local Brythonic language. Now Reculver, England.
  • Salernum Now Salerno, Italy.
  • Scalabis Now Santarém, Portugal.
  • Sopianae Possibly from a Celtic word meaning marsh. Now Pécs, Hungary.
  • Tarraco Now Tarragona, Spain.
  • Valentia Edetanorum Valentia means strength or valor. Now Valencia, Spain.
  • Venta Belgarum Venta is market: the market of the Belgae. Now Winchester, England.
  • Venta Silurum The town of the Silures. Now Caerwent, Wales.
  • Vesontio First recorded by Julius Caesar; the etymology is uncertain. Now Besançon, France.
  • Volubilis Perhaps from an Amazigh word meaning oleander. Near Meknes, Morocco.

How this list was compiled: A list of 161 real cities of the ancient world, built on 2026-10-03 from English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0), read that day. Egypt: 70 towns of Wikipedia's list of ancient Egyptian towns and cities (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ancient_Egyptian_towns_and_cities), which holds a few more, under the Egyptian name that list gives, with the name it is better known by and the modern place. Where a town's own article places it differently from the list's table, the card follows the article: Tanis, Hierakonpolis and Abydos, and three towns of Nubia that stand in what is now Sudan. The other three groups are our choice of cities from Wikipedia's list of cities of the ancient Near East (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_of_the_ancient_Near_East), list of ancient Greek cities (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ancient_Greek_cities) and list of cities founded by the Romans (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_founded_by_the_Romans): the cities whose own article explains the name, and a number of well-known cities besides. The meaning on a card is our short wording of what the city's own Wikipedia article says, and a script checked its words against that article; 83 cards carry one. A card without a meaning is a city whose article gave none we could check: the page does not guess. Scholars often offer more than one reading of an old name, and the card gives one; the article has the rest. The place named after Now is the modern town or site the list or the article names. Nothing on this list is made up. Licence: Facts from English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); the selection and the wording of every line are ours.