OneTaskBy Tim King · Updated
Frontier Town Name Generator
Old West Towns, Boomtowns and Founding Stories for Westerns
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How the Frontier Town Name Generator works
A frontier town name generator for Old West settlements and boomtowns. Pick a detail and generate a town name, a town and its main trade, how it was founded, or the trouble brewing. Every town is original, for Western novels, tabletop campaigns, video games and roleplay servers.
How the frontier town name generator works
Frontier towns were named after landmarks, animals, luck, hopes and accidents, Coyote Springs, Tin Cup or Redemption. Many were named in a hurry by miners or railway crews. Trades explain why the town exists, founding stories give it a legend and trouble gives your plot a starting point. For the saloon on Main Street, try the saloon name generator.
Boomtowns and ghost towns
Many frontier towns grew overnight when gold or silver was found, then emptied just as fast when it ran out. That rise and fall is a strong backdrop for any Western story.
FAQ
How were Old West towns named?
Settlers named towns after nearby landmarks, animals, founders, lucky strikes or their hopes for the future. Railway surveyors and miners often chose names quickly, which is why so many sound blunt, funny or strange today.
What is a boomtown?
A boomtown is a town that grows very fast, usually after gold, silver or oil is found nearby. Boomtowns filled with miners, saloons and gamblers, then often became ghost towns when the resource ran out.
Can I use these towns in a Western game?
Yes. The town names, trades, founding stories and troubles are original and free to use in tabletop games, video games and roleplay. The trouble option gives a ready-made adventure hook for a session.
Are these real towns?
No. They are fictional, but they use the same naming habits as real frontier towns. A few use common words, so a real town with a similar name may exist somewhere in the American West.
See also: all Places & Things tools, People, Fantasy & RPG, Sci-fi, Culture & Language, Online & Social, Business & Brand.
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