Imp Name Generator
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Create a character profileImp names are the infernal equivalent of goblin names: short, sharp, and slightly ridiculous. Medieval folklore gave imps names that were often diminutives of larger demon names, or onomatopoeic words suggesting their chittering, snickering nature.
About imp names
Medieval witch trial records contain numerous named imps, as accused witches were often said to have imp familiars. These familiars bore names that were sometimes ordinary pet names (Pyewacket, Vinegar Tom, Sack and Sugar) and sometimes nonsense words. The Pendle witch trials and the confessions of Matthew Hopkins' victims provide the richest historical source for imp names.
Imps occupy a specific niche in the infernal hierarchy: they are the lowest-ranking demons, servants and messengers for greater fiends. Their names reflect this subordinate status through brevity and a lack of the gravitas that higher demon names carry. An imp named "Fizz" serving a demon lord named "Asmodethian" immediately communicates the power dynamic.
The line between imps, familiars, and homunculi blurs in many traditions, and naming conventions overlap accordingly. Alchemical homunculi might carry Latin diminutives, witch familiars might have English pet names, and infernal imps might carry corrupted snippets of demon language. The naming source signals which tradition your imp belongs to.
Naming tips
Keep names to one snappy syllable
Imp names work best when they can be barked or snapped: "Zix," "Nib," "Squik," "Pox." Two syllables is the maximum before the name starts sounding too dignified for an imp. The name should feel like something you would shout at a misbehaving pet.
Let the name sound slightly comic
Imps are not meant to be terrifying; they are nuisances. Names with inherently funny sounds (repeated consonants, nasal endings, percussive stops) create the right tone. "Fizgig," "Blink," and "Snerk" each carry a comedic charge.
Derive from their master's name
A tradition where imps carry corrupted fragments of their master demon's name creates an interesting naming system. An imp serving "Malphas" might be called "Malp" or "Phax." This convention reinforces the imp's subordinate status and connects them to the larger infernal hierarchy.