Planet Name Generator

About planet names

Sci-fi planet naming has converged on three patterns since the genre’s golden age (1940s-60s):

1. Mythological — borrowing real Greek, Roman, Norse, or Egyptian deity names (Hyperion, Pandora, Andromeda). Familiar, evocative, public domain.
2. Compound descriptive — “[Adjective] [Noun]” or “[Direction] [World-type]” (New Eden, Iron World, Sacred Frontier, Last Horizon).
3. Alien-sounding procedural — invented words built from suggestive syllables (Vrakar, Xerion, Krelvor).

Real-world astronomy uses a fourth pattern — formal catalog designation (Kepler-186f, TRAPPIST-1e) — but it’s intentionally sterile and rarely used in fiction.

This generator produces all three FICTION-USABLE patterns, plus each result includes a star system / sector tag for full sci-fi worldbuilding flavor.

How this generator works

Five output patterns with weighted probability:

1. Pure mythological (~30%): real names from Greek/Roman/Norse/Egyptian/Mesopotamian myth — Hyperion, Pandora, Andromeda, Persephone, Asgard
2. Mythological + suffix (~15%): adds numeric or ordinal suffix — Hyperion II, Pandora Prime, Andromeda V
3. Compound descriptive (~20%): adjective + noun — New Eden, Lost Frontier, Sacred Horizon
4. Compound + suffix (~20%): three-part name — New Eden Prime, Iron World III, Last Paradise Alpha
5. Alien procedural (~15%): invented syllabic — Vrakar, Krelvor, Xerion, Phyrath

Each generated planet also receives a sector suggestion — “Hyperion in the Orion system” — drawing from real star sectors (Andromeda, Orion, Cygnus, Lyra, Pegasus, Phoenix, Centauri, Vega, Sirius, Polaris, Antares, Rigel).

Use cases

Sci-fi novels — Hard sci-fi (Hyperion by Dan Simmons, The Expanse series) and space opera (Mass Effect-style settings) alike need many named planets. Generator produces dozens of unique names per session.

Tabletop RPGs — Starfinder, Stars Without Number, Cyberpunk RED (with off-world expansions), Coyote & Crow all need planet names for star system maps.

Star Wars / Star Trek fanfic — Original planets within those universes. Generator avoids canon names; output is generic enough to fit any franchise.

Strategy games — Stellaris, Mass Effect modding, Eve Online corp planets. All need named worlds.

Worldbuilding for novels — A space-faring civilization needs many planet names. Generate 50+ to populate a galaxy map.

RPG planet sheets — D&D Spelljammer (5e space campaign rules) needs planet names for the Astral Sea.

Tips for picking

Mythological for memorable places. Real myth names (Hyperion, Andromeda) are easier to remember than invented ones (Vrakar, Krelvor). Use mythological for major plot planets; alien-sounding for background worlds.

Numerals for sequels / colonization. When a planet gets resettled or has multiple colonies, the “Prime / II / III” suffix pattern adds depth. Earth leads to Earth Prime (alternate timeline) or New Earth.

Avoid franchise echoes. Generator avoids canonical planet names from major franchises (Tatooine, Coruscant, Vulcan, Arrakis). If a generated name accidentally matches, regenerate.

Sector + planet for full address. “Hyperion in the Orion system” gives more flavor than just “Hyperion.” Use the sector suggestion in your worldbuilding.

Match name to environment. Iron World suggests harsh, mining-heavy. Sacred Frontier suggests pastoral, settler-colony. Vrakar suggests alien, dangerous. Pick names that hint at what the planet is like.

Related tools

For spaceships that travel to these planets, use Ship Name Generator with mode = spaceship. For fictional countries within a galactic federation, use Country Name Generator. For cyberpunk characters living on these worlds, use Cyberpunk Name Generator. For plant inhabitants, use Random Name Generator or Character Name Generator.

Last updated: May 24, 2026