Potion names work like the labels on an old apothecary's jars: they name an effect and dress it in a form. Draught of Vigour, Elixir of Foresight, the Mistveil Brew. The form word, draught, elixir, tonic, brew, sets the register, while the effect tells a buyer, or warns them, what the bottle does.
Prefer to dive in? Generate a batch now and refine the best in seconds.
Open the potion name generatorThe shape of a potion name
The classic shape is "Form of Effect": Draught of Vigour, Elixir of Foresight, the Rite of an apothecary's craft. A second shape leads with a describing word: the Quicksilver Tonic, the Crimson Draught, Toadwort Brew. A third borrows a sinister phrase for poisons: Widow's Tears, Kiss of the Adder. Pick the shape to fit whether the label is meant to reassure or to deceive.
Pick a kind for the maker
A potion's name should suit who brewed it. Five kinds cover most shelves:
- Healing. Restoring brews: Draught of Vigour, the Mending Tonic.
- Poison. Deadly draughts: Widow's Tears, the Black Draught.
- Arcane. Magical elixirs: Elixir of Foresight, the Mistveil Brew.
- Alchemical. Bubbling concoctions: the Quicksilver Tonic, Phoenix Draught.
- Witchbrew. Strange hedge-magic: Toadwort Brew, the Crone's Cup.
The potion name generator builds names by kind, lets you choose the form, Draught, Elixir or Brew, and lets you save and refine the ones you like.
Draught, Elixir or Brew
The form word sets the register. A Draught is a single dose, an Elixir is refined and precious, a Brew or Tonic is rougher and homemade, a Philtre hints at charm magic. Leave the form off for a bare name like Widow's Tears. The generator lets you fix a form or shuffle them.
Stocking an apothecary
A shop or a witch's pantry needs a shelf of bottles at once. Vary the kinds so the healer's draughts do not blur with the poisoner's, and let a dubious brew sit next to a wholesome one for contrast. Generate a batch and keep the labels that make a player curious or wary.
A few pitfalls
Beware labels that promise the opposite of their contents unless you mean to deceive, and avoid a form word that fights the effect, an Elixir of Rot reads oddly. Keep the effect clear, or deliberately misleading, and the bottle does its job.
For the wider craft of naming, see the broader guide on how to name a fantasy character, the spell naming guide for the magic behind a brew, and the tavern naming guide for the inn that serves a dubious house special.