This archer name generator makes up an archer for a story or a game: an invented first name, a byname from the craft, such as Longdraw or Threefeather, and a real kind of bow, from a longbow to a yumi.
Read the full guide
Name the archer, then pick the bow
Press New archer name. Tap a part to lock it, then press again. Lock the bow on recurve bow for a whole company that shoots alike, or keep a first name and press until the byname fits.
Bynames built on real archery words
Greyfletch comes from fletching, the stabilizing fins or vanes of an arrow. Upshot is the last shot in an archery contest. The lists under the tool explain each craft word and each kind of bow in one line.
Questions and answers
What is a good name for an archer?
On this page, a short first name with a byname from the craft: Orrith Longdraw, Ferrowin Threefeather, Cethren of the Long Mark. The first names are invented.
What are some fantasy names for female archers?
The first names here are invented and belong to no one, so any of them can be a woman's: Aldrewyn Greyfletch, Hobbrin Upshot. Tap a first name you like to lock it, then press for a new byname and bow.
What is the difference between a longbow and a recurve bow?
A longbow is a tall bow that makes a long draw possible. A recurve bow has limbs that curve away from the archer when it is unstrung, and it stores more energy than a straight-limbed bow of the same size.
Are these archers from a book, a film or a game?
No. The first names are invented and were searched on Wikipedia and on fantasy fan wikis. Search a name before you publish it, because no list is complete.
How this list was compiled: Our own list of 68 invented first names, written on 2026-10-03. Screened by script that day against an English dictionary and two lists of real names (US Census 2020 surnames and the 103,564 first names in the Social Security baby-name files); GeoNames places of 500 people and up with their alternate names (https://download.geonames.org/export/dump/, CC BY 4.0); every list on this site; a rude-word list; the archers of legend and of well-known books, films and games; every word of every page title of 16 fantasy fan wikis, and names one letter from the first word of one; English Wikipedia page titles and a full-text search of English Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/, CC BY-SA 4.0); and exact page titles on 12 fantasy fan wikis (lotr.fandom.com, forgottenrealms.fandom.com, elderscrolls.fandom.com, witcher.fandom.com, dragonage.fandom.com, gameofthrones.fandom.com, wot.fandom.com, harrypotter.fandom.com, wowpedia.fandom.com, pathfinder.fandom.com, criticalrole.fandom.com, zelda.fandom.com). 52 candidates were cut (25 a name from published fiction, or one letter from it; 12 on another list of this site; 6 found in the text of English Wikipedia; 5 a real first name or surname; 2 a rude word inside or across the join; 2 a Wikipedia page title), among them Caelith, Fennarel, Garrowen, Jorrick, Kelvara, Lorweth. No list of names is complete, so search a name before you publish it. Licence: own work
Byname: all 67 bynames
Built on a word of the craft 18
BrightcrestA crest is the heraldic marking on an arrow, used for identification or design.
CleanlooseTo loose is to shoot an arrow from a bow.
FistmeleFistmele is the proper distance between the handle of a strung bow and its string.
FullquiverA quiver is a container for an archer's arrows.
GreyfletchFletching is the stabilizing fins or vanes of an arrow.
Show all 67 bynames (62 more)
Built on a word of the craft, continued
LongdrawDrawing is the act of pulling the string that is attached to the bow.
OakbracerA bracer is a protective strap or sheath for an archer's forearm.
of the CloutThe clout is the center of a target; in clout archery it is a flag shot at from a long way off.
of the Last EndAn end is a round of arrows shot during an archery event, rarely more than six.
SteadylimbThe limbs are the upper and lower arms of a bow.
StiffspineSpine is the stiffness of an arrow shaft.
StillanchorThe anchor point is touched by the draw hand or string when the bow is fully drawn.
TallstaveA stave is a strip of wood from which a bow may be made.
ThumbringA thumb ring is a protective ring for an archer's thumb.
TruenockA nock is the notch at the rear end of an arrow.
UpshotThe upshot is the last shot in an archery contest.
WandsplitterA wand shoot is an event in which arrows are shot at a slat of soft wood.
YewbenderYew is a wood traditionally used to make bows.
Made up for this page 49
Ashshaft
Birchquiver
Dawnmark
Duskaim
Elmstave
Farmark
Gooseplume
Greygoose
Halfdraw
Hempstring
Highnock
Hillshot
Hornnock
Keenmark
Lastarrow
Markwise
Neverwide
Nockwell
Oakstance
of the Elm Stave
of the Far Hill
of the Greenwood
of the Grey Goose Wing
of the High Bank
of the Hundred Paces
of the Long Mark
of the Marsh Reeds
of the Ninth Ring
of the Old Range
of the Painted Shaft
of the Quiet String
of the Straw Target
of the Three Targets
of the Windy Range
of the Yew Wood
Onebreath
Quietstring
Reedarrow
Sinewback
Steadyeye
Stringcall
Stringsong
Swiftloose
Thistlefletch
Threefeather
Twiceshot
Waxstring
Whiteshaft
Windreader
How this list was compiled: 67 bynames, written on 2026-10-03. The lines of the first group follow the entries of English Wikipedia's Glossary of archery terms (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_archery_terms, read that day, CC BY-SA 4.0); a script checked the words behind each line. The rest are our own. Every byname was searched as an English Wikipedia page title and on 12 fantasy fan wikis; four craft words (Longdraw, Upshot, Fistmele, Thumbring) are page titles there as words of the craft and stay, and none is the name of an archer of legend or of a named book, film or game. 4 candidates were cut (2 on another list of this site; 2 a Wikipedia page title), among them Hollowreed, Crosswind, Goldfinder, Rangekeeper. Licence: own work; the craft words follow English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Bow: all 20 kinds of bow
B 1
barebowVery like a recurve bow, but with no sight, stabilizers or clicker.
C 3
cable-backed bowReinforced with a cable on its back, tightened to increase the strength of the bow.
composite bowMade from many materials, such as horn, wood and sinew, laminated together with glue.
compound bowBends its limbs with a levering system, usually of cables and pulleys; first developed in 1966.
Show all 20 kinds of bow (16 more)
D 3
daikyuThe longer of the two traditional Japanese bows.
decurve bowIts unstrung tips curve toward the archer.
deflex bowIts arms curve toward the archer at the base when it is unstrung.
E 1
English longbowA powerful medieval bow, about 6 feet long.
F 1
flatbowFlat, relatively wide limbs that do not recurve.
G 1
gakgungThe Korean bow: a composite reflex bow based on water buffalo horn.
H 1
hankyuThe shorter of the two traditional Japanese bows.
L 2
laminated bowIts stave is made of different materials laminated together.
longbowA tall bow that makes a long draw possible.
M 1
Mongol bowA recurved composite bow used by the horse archers of the Mongol Empire.
R 2
recurve bowIts limbs curve away from the archer when it is unstrung.
reflex bowThe whole length of its handle and arms curves away from the archer.
S 1
self bowMade from a single piece of wood.
T 1
takedown bowAssembled from a riser and two limbs, so it travels in a much shorter case.
W 1
Welsh bowA medieval bow; Gerald of Wales wrote around 1188 of bows made of elm.
Y 1
yumiThe Japanese bow: asymmetrical, and used in kyudo, Japanese archery.
How this list was compiled: 20 real kinds of bow. Each line says only what its English Wikipedia article, the Glossary of archery terms or the Bow shape article says (read on 2026-10-03, CC BY-SA 4.0; a script checked the words behind each line). Own selection; the bows are described as archery equipment. Licence: own selection and wording; facts from English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)