Along with your play, gamertags are what set you apart on gaming platforms. These nicknames for games are what you’ll be known as to other players, so they’re your chance to set the tone for the sort of player you think you are or who you want to be.
The best gaming names are those that incorporate your personality, which means the best person to come up with gamertag ideas is you. But we’ve got a few suggestions to help you get started and a list of game name ideas to use for inspiration.
But first, check out this short, fairly humorous quasi-documentary on the evolution of gamertags.
How to Choose a Gamertag
When you pick a gamer tag, you’re not just going to pull it off of a list like this one. (You’re welcome to try, but they’ll likely already be in use.) Instead, you’re going to create something. That means you gotta put some thought into it.
1. Heed the requirements of the game or gaming system.
Before you start coming up with names, you need to know your limitations, so the first thing to do is note the rules for a gaming platform’s usernames.
Most platforms accept gamertags that include letters, numbers and characters, including dashes and underscores, but some don’t. All have maximum characters for gamer names, though.
2. Decide what you’re trying to say with your gamertag.
Do you want to make other players pee their pants when they see you coming or give them a laugh? Do you want to incorporate part of yourself, like your real name, or be a totally different person in-game?
Once you know the persona you’re trying to capture, it’ll be a lot easier to start narrowing down your potential gamer name list.
You may also want to consider the types of games you like to play. If you only play shooters, you probably want something cool or badass for your gamer name.
Badass Gamer Name Words
- Nitro
- Blast
- Blaze
- Inferno
- Pyro
- Flame
- Flare
- Spark
- Burst
- Eruption
- Surge
- Torrent
- Cyclone
3. Keep it short.
If you do want to use your own name, do yourself a favor and start with the shortest version of it.
The shorter a gamertag, the easier it is to remember and it leaves you more room to play around with other words.
If you’re Nicholas, be Nic. Unless you’re going to be Saint Nicholas and bring the gift of a butt-kickin’ for Christmas. Which would be pretty tight.
Playing with prefixes and suffixes is also a great way to come up with a good, short gamertag.
Best Word Additions for Gamer Names
- Pre-
- Post-
- Un-
- Dis-
- Extra-
- Super-
- Mega-
- Pro-
- Trans-
- Astro –
- -able
- -ant
- -ious
- -ary
4. Incorporate your personality.
Presumably gaming isn’t your sole interest. (It’s all right if it is!) Digging into your other hobbies, like skateboarding or music, is one way to add real-life personality to your in-game persona.
Just go for words that are lesser-known. Everyone jumps on major instruments, so go for instruments or terms a little more outside the box.
Musical is filled with instruments with unique and little-known names.
Musical Instruments and Terms to Consider
- Contrabass
- Clef
- Balafon
- Mbira
- Boobam
- Apinti
- Octoban
- Arghul
- Skater terms
- Fakie
- Goofyfoot
- Nollie
- Mongo-foot
5. Look for inspiration in the world (or universe) around you.
This can be anything. Your favorite video game. The weather. Gems. Medical terms. Places. When you start digging into a specific category, you’ll find there are LOTS of words that aren’t being widely used. For instance, there are over three hundred named stars, and most of those names are pretty cool sounding.
Constellation and Star Names
- Crux
- Lyra
- Cepheus
- Orion
- Grus
- Vela
- Acrab
- Alcor
- Ebla
- Izar
6. Be careful with special characters.
Movies like Se7en, which incorporate numbers into their titles look super cool. They can even be memorable.
But it can also be hard to remember the exact spelling of those words.
So, if you want people to be able to find you on a platform, use them with caution.
7. Don’t piggyback on a popular gamer.
It can be tempting to try to gain some notoriety or just get a piece of a cool gamertag by naming yourself after a popular player on a platform.
Not only will this create confusion, but a lot of other users will have the same idea.
Don’t get lost in the crowd.
8. Play with famous names and classic phrases.
A lot of names and phrases are so well-known, everyone will recognize them. You can take one of these names or phrases and make it your own.
Instead of Gilgamesh, you might be Gilgamark. (Perfect if you intend to rule.)
9. Use the thesaurus and other languages.
On longstanding platforms, many common words will be overused. So, don’t be afraid to go beyond everyday vocabulary.
Instead of blood, use a word like sanguine (the color of blood or related to blood). Or go even bolder with sanguinary (which means characterized by blood or bloodthirsty).
Devil and Diablo might be common in gaming, but what about the Latin version Diabulus?
Try these words from Latin, Gaelic (Scottish) and Gaeilge (Irish):
- Accendo (Latin; to set on fire)
- Acer (Latin; sharp or fierce)
- Aureus (Latin; golden)
- Basium (Latin; kiss)
- Custos (Latin; guardian)
- Deleo (Latin; to destroy)
- Orbis (Latin; circle)
- Bonnie (Scottish; beautiful)
- Ablach (Scottish; a mangled carcass)
- Mauchty/Michtie (Scottish; powerful)
- Airneánach (Irish; night owl)
- Beochaoineadh (Irish; elegy for the living)
- Draíocht (Irish; magic)
- Iarainn (Irish; forest of iron)
10. Use rhyme or alliteration to make your name more memorable.
Play the piccolo and your name is Joe?
Very nice, PiccoloJoe.
Cool Names for Games
Still looking for inspiration? We’ve tossed our ideas together to create some sample names.
Check out our options for you below.
(Literally) Cool Gamer Tags
- Coolhand Lonnie
- Arctic Fire (It’s an oxymoron!)
- IceDart
- OnyxIce
- Tundra Viper
Badass Gamer Names
- Basium Mortis (literally ‘kiss of death’)
- Angel of Pain
- Bloodfiend
- NitroBono
- Chupa alma (soul-sucker)
- Post-Beverly (tell them how you’ll leave them)
- Obsidian Inferno
- Pyro Monsoon
- Mauchty Mickey
- Superblastiary
- DeathOrbis
- Torrential Cobra
- EbonyDeath
- BallisticFury
- WarWraith
Weather Term Tags
- Crimson Eclipse (give ‘em the forecast)
- Noon Monsoon (let them know what time you’re coming)
- DarkSquall
- HurricaneLuke
- FistTsunami
- Thundervein
- Torrential Terry
- Sapphire Knot
- Amber Scorpion
- BrokenTopaz
- TurquoiseVapor
Plays on Classics
- ScarletPimpleman
- NicOTime
- GilgaMark
- Calamity James
- BellytheKid
“Dark” Words
- Gloomy Salamander
- ShadowLoch
- MidnightFool
- Dusty Steel
- Sanguine Ink
Cool Xbox Names
If you’re looking for good Xbox names, a lot of the names on this list will fit the bill. Xbox allows a generous 15 characters for your gamertag.
Many users will create Xbox gamer tags based on the most popular Xbox games, but lesser-known Xbox games can still be a great source of inspiration.
Any of the rune names in Arx Fatalis, for instance, could be added to your Xbox gamer name to keep it on-brand and pay homage to a game that doesn’t get enough props. The best part? The runes have super cool names.
Arx Fatalis Runes with Interesting Meanings
- Aam (the create rune)
- Cetrius (the poison rune)
- Folgora (the storm rune)
- Kaom (the protection rune)
- Stregum (the magic rune)
- Yok (the fire rune)
Basically, if there’s a game you love on Xbox that doesn’t have the fans you think it should, this is your chance to shout it out to the world.
Cool PS4 Names/PSN Names
Like Xbox, PlayStation Network has a generous gamertag limit. They allow 16 characters for your gamer name.
Also like Xbox, the platform’s games are a good place to look for inspiration.
Take the game Tenchu – pretty popular on the original PlayStation, but not as popular on subsequent PS consoles. The characters have cool names, the weapons have cool names.
Even the title is cool.
Tenchu translates as “divine retribution” in English.
Gamertag Word List
Since we can’t create your gamertag for you, we’ve instead created a list of words by category to help you on your mission.
Words That Sound Dangerous
- Outlaw
- Blitz
- Ratchet
- Bruiser
- Crank
- Tempest
- Fury
- Manic
Word for Weapons
- Bagh Naka (literally “tiger claws”)
- Cestus (a battle glove)
- Larim (a fighting bracelet)
- Cutlass (a sword)
- Saber (a sword)
- Falchion (a sword)
- Kopis (a knife)
- Labrys (two-headed axe)
- Kestros (a dart sling)
- Carbine (a gun)
- Culverin (a cannon-like gun)
- Snaplock/Snaphaunce/Flintlock (igniter for guns)
- Lantaka/Rentake (a ship-mounted gun)
Metal, Mineral and Material Words
- Ironside
- Radium
- Mercury
- Lithium
- Chromium
- Titanium
- Leaden
- Iridium
- Graphite
- Magnetite
- Quartz
- Gypsum
- Kevlar
- Silk
Mythical Creatures Words
- Bakhtak
- Kirin
- Ravenna
- Golon
- Rompo
- Acheri
- Bubak
- Sylph
Words That Are Titles For People
- Paladin
- Sentinel
- Warden
- Guerilla
- Cadet
- Merc
- Legionnaire
Some Random Other Words
- Soul
- Shore
- Hyper
- Unholy
- Socket
- Curator
- Gerent
- Sultana
- Pasha
With over 90 million active users on PlayStation Network and over 60 million users on Xbox Live, finding a unique gamertag can be a challenge.
We hope we’ve helped you think outside the box to find a name you love that’s truly memorable.
I need a username for call if duty mobile.
I’m Vihan
I need a name for clash of clans