Lake Name Generator

One press names a made-up lake on a real word for a lake and adds what people say of it.

Lake Name Generator: 20 lakes

Wissary Tarn: newcomers are rowed around it once for luck.

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LakeWissary Tarn
What is said of itnewcomers are rowed around it once for luck

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Every lake you make is kept here, newest first, up to the last 20. The list stays in this browser.

Lake of the day

Varrisk Pool: it turns the color of tea after rain.
Lake Ishlen: its level rises before rain, not after.
Kestary Tarn: children skip stones on it for luck before school.
Embrith Lake: dragonflies hatch on it in a single afternoon.
Loch Skellary: it shows a second moon on some clear nights.
Pennary Mere: it turns the color of tea after rain.
Loch Dunsary: a door stands in its shallows with no house around it.
Lake Thessarow: weddings are held on its jetty, whatever the weather.
Kervane Tarn: geese will not land on its eastern end.
Wennock Lake: skaters hold a fair on it every hard winter.
Achavane Linn: its level rises before rain, not after.
Loch Eskavey: newcomers are rowed around it once for luck.
Durrisk Linn: it shows a second moon on some clear nights.
Llyn Gwenlow: a rowboat is found on it each spring that no one owns.
Lake Anveth: its water is said to be warmer at the bottom.
Lake Sablen: a door stands in its shallows with no house around it.
Anselby Mere: weddings are held on its jetty, whatever the weather.
Lake Tolvary: it is clear enough to count pebbles from a boat.
Loch Garravale: no one fishes it on the first of May.
Lough Carrask: an islet on it drifts a little each year.

Next step Name the island in it Name the town on its shore

How it works

This lake name generator makes up a lake for a map or a story. Each name carries a real word for a lake, such as Loch, Mere or Tarn, placed where real names put it, with one line of lore.

Read the full guide

Name a lake and keep its story

Press New lake name. Tap the name or the lore to lock it, then press again for the other half. Lock a line of lore and press until a name suits it. The list under the tool groups the names by where their lake word is used.

Which lake word goes where

Loch, Lough, Lochan and Llyn usually stand before the name: Loch Tavock. Mere, Tarn, Water, Pond and Broad usually stand after it: Rathery Mere. Lake does both. A tarn is a small mountain lake; a mere is broad and shallow.

Tips

For fantasy lake names, give each region one lake word: Loch in the north, Mere in the lowlands.
A turlough is a lake only in the wet season, which suits a lake that comes and goes.

Questions and answers

What is another word for a lake?

Loch, lough, llyn, mere, tarn, water, broad, pond, pool, lochan, linn, turlough, lagoon and reservoir can all name a body of still water. Each is in the list under the tool with its dictionary meaning and where it is used.

What is the difference between a loch and a lake?

Loch is the word for a lake in Scotland and Ireland. It also means a bay or an arm of the sea, which lake does not. In a name it usually comes first.

What is a tarn?

A tarn is a small mountain lake. The word belongs especially to northern England, and in a name it usually comes last, as in Kervane Tarn.

Are these real lakes?

No. The names are made up, and each whole name was searched as a page title on Wikipedia. The lake words are real, and the lore is invented. Small lakes are named by the thousand, so search a name before you publish it.

Lake: all 94 lake names

Words used widely 36

Addery Pool Pool: a small and rather deep area of fresh water, such as one fed by a spring. The word stands after the name.
Brindlow Pond Pond: an inland body of standing water, natural or man-made, that is smaller than a lake. The word stands after the name.
Easterlow Reservoir Reservoir: a large natural or artificial lake used as a source of water supply. The word stands after the name.
Embrith Lake Lake: a large, landlocked stretch of water. Here the word stands after the name.

Show all 94 lake names (90 more)

Words used widely, continued

Hallowby Reservoir Reservoir: a large natural or artificial lake used as a source of water supply. The word stands after the name.
Hestary Lake Lake: a large, landlocked stretch of water. Here the word stands after the name.
Isaveth Lagoon Lagoon: a shallow body of water separated from the deeper sea by a bar. The word stands after the name.
Ivenny Lake Lake: a large, landlocked stretch of water. Here the word stands after the name.
Jessamer Lake Lake: a large, landlocked stretch of water. Here the word stands after the name.
Kessory Lake Lake: a large, landlocked stretch of water. Here the word stands after the name.
Lake Anveth Lake: a large, landlocked stretch of water. Here the word stands before the name.
Lake Corrowin Lake: a large, landlocked stretch of water. Here the word stands before the name.
Lake Hallith Lake: a large, landlocked stretch of water. Here the word stands before the name.
Lake Ilvany Lake: a large, landlocked stretch of water. Here the word stands before the name.
Lake Ishlen Lake: a large, landlocked stretch of water. Here the word stands before the name.
Lake Ostrell Lake: a large, landlocked stretch of water. Here the word stands before the name.
Lake Pellowen Lake: a large, landlocked stretch of water. Here the word stands before the name.
Lake Quorrin Lake: a large, landlocked stretch of water. Here the word stands before the name.
Lake Sablen Lake: a large, landlocked stretch of water. Here the word stands before the name.
Lake Thessarow Lake: a large, landlocked stretch of water. Here the word stands before the name.
Lake Tolvary Lake: a large, landlocked stretch of water. Here the word stands before the name.
Lake Vessamy Lake: a large, landlocked stretch of water. Here the word stands before the name.
Lake Yethel Lake: a large, landlocked stretch of water. Here the word stands before the name.
Nettlow Pond Pond: an inland body of standing water, natural or man-made, that is smaller than a lake. The word stands after the name.
Ormsey Reservoir Reservoir: a large natural or artificial lake used as a source of water supply. The word stands after the name.
Perrisk Lagoon Lagoon: a shallow body of water separated from the deeper sea by a bar. The word stands after the name.
Quenlow Pond Pond: an inland body of standing water, natural or man-made, that is smaller than a lake. The word stands after the name.
Tessick Pool Pool: a small and rather deep area of fresh water, such as one fed by a spring. The word stands after the name.
Thurnock Lake Lake: a large, landlocked stretch of water. Here the word stands after the name.
Ullenby Lake Lake: a large, landlocked stretch of water. Here the word stands after the name.
Varrisk Pool Pool: a small and rather deep area of fresh water, such as one fed by a spring. The word stands after the name.
Vessaline Lagoon Lagoon: a shallow body of water separated from the deeper sea by a bar. The word stands after the name.
Wennock Lake Lake: a large, landlocked stretch of water. Here the word stands after the name.
Wethery Reservoir Reservoir: a large natural or artificial lake used as a source of water supply. The word stands after the name.
Wrenlow Pool Pool: a small and rather deep area of fresh water, such as one fed by a spring. The word stands after the name.
Zarrowby Lake Lake: a large, landlocked stretch of water. Here the word stands after the name.

Scotland and Ireland 27

Achavane Linn Linn: in Scotland, northern England and Wales, a pool of water, especially one below a waterfall; the word can also mean the waterfall. It stands after the name.
Durrisk Linn Linn: in Scotland, northern England and Wales, a pool of water, especially one below a waterfall; the word can also mean the waterfall. It stands after the name.
Glennary Turlough Turlough: in Ireland, a temporary lake in limestone country, filled by rising groundwater in the rainy winter season. The word stands after the name.
Kilvaney Turlough Turlough: in Ireland, a temporary lake in limestone country, filled by rising groundwater in the rainy winter season. The word stands after the name.
Loch Brennoch Loch: the word for a lake in Scotland and Ireland, where it also means a bay or arm of the sea. It usually stands before the name.
Loch Dunsary Loch: the word for a lake in Scotland and Ireland, where it also means a bay or arm of the sea. It usually stands before the name.
Loch Eskavey Loch: the word for a lake in Scotland and Ireland, where it also means a bay or arm of the sea. It usually stands before the name.
Loch Fennoch Loch: the word for a lake in Scotland and Ireland, where it also means a bay or arm of the sea. It usually stands before the name.
Loch Garravale Loch: the word for a lake in Scotland and Ireland, where it also means a bay or arm of the sea. It usually stands before the name.
Loch Nethary Loch: the word for a lake in Scotland and Ireland, where it also means a bay or arm of the sea. It usually stands before the name.
Loch Orrask Loch: the word for a lake in Scotland and Ireland, where it also means a bay or arm of the sea. It usually stands before the name.
Loch Rannavey Loch: the word for a lake in Scotland and Ireland, where it also means a bay or arm of the sea. It usually stands before the name.
Loch Skellary Loch: the word for a lake in Scotland and Ireland, where it also means a bay or arm of the sea. It usually stands before the name.
Loch Tavock Loch: the word for a lake in Scotland and Ireland, where it also means a bay or arm of the sea. It usually stands before the name.
Loch Ullavoe Loch: the word for a lake in Scotland and Ireland, where it also means a bay or arm of the sea. It usually stands before the name.
Lochan Vennoch Lochan: a Scottish word for a small loch. It usually stands before the name.
Lochan Wethavey Lochan: a Scottish word for a small loch. It usually stands before the name.
Lough Carrask Lough: a lake or a long, narrow inlet, especially in Ireland. It usually stands before the name.
Lough Corravane Lough: a lake or a long, narrow inlet, especially in Ireland. It usually stands before the name.
Lough Derrisk Lough: a lake or a long, narrow inlet, especially in Ireland. It usually stands before the name.
Lough Fennavar Lough: a lake or a long, narrow inlet, especially in Ireland. It usually stands before the name.
Lough Illery Lough: a lake or a long, narrow inlet, especially in Ireland. It usually stands before the name.
Lough Kellowen Lough: a lake or a long, narrow inlet, especially in Ireland. It usually stands before the name.
Lough Tessaran Lough: a lake or a long, narrow inlet, especially in Ireland. It usually stands before the name.
Rathary Turlough Turlough: in Ireland, a temporary lake in limestone country, filled by rising groundwater in the rainy winter season. The word stands after the name.
Rennoch Linn Linn: in Scotland, northern England and Wales, a pool of water, especially one below a waterfall; the word can also mean the waterfall. It stands after the name.
Tullask Turlough Turlough: in Ireland, a temporary lake in limestone country, filled by rising groundwater in the rainy winter season. The word stands after the name.

England and Wales 31

Anselby Mere Mere: a literary or British dialect word for a body of standing water, especially a broad and shallow one. It stands after the name.
Corristone Water Water: a poetic, old or dialect word for a body of water, most often a river and sometimes a lake or reservoir, used especially in names. It stands after the name.
Dovering Tarn Tarn: a small mountain lake, especially in northern England. The word usually stands after the name.
Dunnoway Mere Mere: a literary or British dialect word for a body of standing water, especially a broad and shallow one. It stands after the name.
Gresswick Water Water: a poetic, old or dialect word for a body of water, most often a river and sometimes a lake or reservoir, used especially in names. It stands after the name.
Hartisk Mere Mere: a literary or British dialect word for a body of standing water, especially a broad and shallow one. It stands after the name.
Hemsary Broad Broad: a shallow lake, one of a number of such waters in eastern Norfolk and Suffolk in England. The word stands after the name.
Hovenny Broad Broad: a shallow lake, one of a number of such waters in eastern Norfolk and Suffolk in England. The word stands after the name.
Ivelock Water Water: a poetic, old or dialect word for a body of water, most often a river and sometimes a lake or reservoir, used especially in names. It stands after the name.
Kervane Tarn Tarn: a small mountain lake, especially in northern England. The word usually stands after the name.
Kestary Tarn Tarn: a small mountain lake, especially in northern England. The word usually stands after the name.
Llyn Arnwy Llyn: an upland lake in Wales. The word stands before the name.
Llyn Brenneth Llyn: an upland lake in Wales. The word stands before the name.
Llyn Culvary Llyn: an upland lake in Wales. The word stands before the name.
Llyn Eddoch Llyn: an upland lake in Wales. The word stands before the name.
Llyn Gwenlow Llyn: an upland lake in Wales. The word stands before the name.
Lunnet Mere Mere: a literary or British dialect word for a body of standing water, especially a broad and shallow one. It stands after the name.
Norvale Tarn Tarn: a small mountain lake, especially in northern England. The word usually stands after the name.
Ollaby Broad Broad: a shallow lake, one of a number of such waters in eastern Norfolk and Suffolk in England. The word stands after the name.
Orvesk Tarn Tarn: a small mountain lake, especially in northern England. The word usually stands after the name.
Pennary Mere Mere: a literary or British dialect word for a body of standing water, especially a broad and shallow one. It stands after the name.
Rathery Mere Mere: a literary or British dialect word for a body of standing water, especially a broad and shallow one. It stands after the name.
Sennoch Water Water: a poetic, old or dialect word for a body of water, most often a river and sometimes a lake or reservoir, used especially in names. It stands after the name.
Skarrow Tarn Tarn: a small mountain lake, especially in northern England. The word usually stands after the name.
Stennock Tarn Tarn: a small mountain lake, especially in northern England. The word usually stands after the name.
Tollandry Mere Mere: a literary or British dialect word for a body of standing water, especially a broad and shallow one. It stands after the name.
Underby Water Water: a poetic, old or dialect word for a body of water, most often a river and sometimes a lake or reservoir, used especially in names. It stands after the name.
Wendery Broad Broad: a shallow lake, one of a number of such waters in eastern Norfolk and Suffolk in England. The word stands after the name.
Wissary Tarn Tarn: a small mountain lake, especially in northern England. The word usually stands after the name.
Yarrisk Mere Mere: a literary or British dialect word for a body of standing water, especially a broad and shallow one. It stands after the name.
Yewlock Tarn Tarn: a small mountain lake, especially in northern England. The word usually stands after the name.

How this list was compiled: 94 made-up lake names, written on 2026-10-02. The names are our own; the 15 words for a lake are real, and each meaning and home was checked against the word's English Wiktionary entry that day (CC BY-SA 4.0), in our own wording. Where a word stands in a name follows real lake names in Wikipedia's lists of lakes of Scotland, Ireland, England and Wales. Each made-up name was screened by script: a dictionary, lists of first names and surnames, GeoNames places (https://download.geonames.org/export/dump/, CC BY 4.0), names from published fiction and every list on this site. Each whole name was then searched as an exact page title on English Wikipedia and on 6 fantasy fan wikis (forgottenrealms.fandom.com, elderscrolls.fandom.com, wowpedia.fandom.com, pathfinder.fandom.com, lotr.fandom.com, witcher.fandom.com). 56 candidates were cut (22 a name from published fiction, or one letter from it; 8 on another list of this site; 7 a real first name or surname; 6 a rude word inside or across the join; 2 a dictionary word; 2 a Wikipedia page title; 1 one letter from a real loch; 1 the name of a real settlement; 1 that said the lake word twice; 6 more after each made-up word was searched in Wikipedia's text, each a real place, a place or person in a published story, or a well-known surname), among them Lake Aldray, Lake Merrisk, Lake Umbrayne, Lake Dovrel, Garrowen Lake, Narrith Lake. No list of lakes is complete, so search a name before you publish it. Licence: own work

What is said of it: all 53 lines of lake lore

Ice, mist and weather 10

the first snow always falls on its north shore
fog rolls off it and stops at the churchyard wall
the ice on it sings on the first cold night
it freezes from the middle outward
it never freezes, even in the hardest winter
it stands a hand higher every seventh spring
its ripples run against the wind at dusk
locals read tomorrow's weather in its surface
mist stands on it until noon in every season
wind crosses it in a single line you can watch

Show all 53 lines of lake lore (43 more)

Its water 11

a stone thrown into it is heard twice
it has no stream in and no stream out
it is clear enough to count pebbles from a boat
it keeps the echo of a shout for a slow count of five
it reflects the hills even on a cloudy day
it turns the color of tea after rain
its level rises before rain, not after
its water is said to be warmer at the bottom
its water is said to keep a kettle from furring
nobody has found where its water goes
one spring feeds it, and nobody agrees which

What people do there 11

a lamp is lit on its shore each longest night
anglers will not say its name within earshot of it
children skip stones on it for luck before school
each family keeps one boat on it, painted its own color
every map draws it a different shape
newcomers are rowed around it once for luck
no one fishes it on the first of May
skaters hold a fair on it every hard winter
the village counts its swans on midsummer morning
walkers leave a pebble on the cairn at its foot
weddings are held on its jetty, whatever the weather

Its creatures 10

a kingfisher has nested in the same bank for forty years
a pike in it is said to be older than the village
dragonflies hatch on it in a single afternoon
frogs on it fall silent when a stranger passes
geese will not land on its eastern end
herons stand on it in a row each dawn
its trout are said to rise only for children
one white carp in it is counted lucky to see
otters slide on its banks all winter
swans come back to it on the same day each year

Strange tales 11

a church spire shows in it at low water
a door stands in its shallows with no house around it
a fiddle is heard across it on still evenings
a rowboat is found on it each spring that no one owns
an islet on it drifts a little each year
it is said to have a twin lake that nobody has mapped
it shows a second moon on some clear nights
its name is carved on a stone nobody can find twice
the old road runs straight into it and out the other side
the same heron has been painted on it for two hundred years
something large turns over in it every seventh year

How this list was compiled: Our own list of 53 things said of a made-up lake, written on 2026-10-02 and checked by script against every list on this site. They are invented lore, not facts about any real water. Licence: own work