Ghost Town Name Generator
Our Ghost Town Name Generator creates names for abandoned mining camps, dried-up railroad stops and haunted settlements, from “Dunnville” to “Silver Gulch.” It suits D&D campaigns, western stories, horror games and any map that needs a place with something left behind.
Click for five names, click again for more, and copy any name with the icon beside it.
Why ghost towns have the names they do
Many boomtowns were named in a hurry by people who expected to get rich. The result is a pile of hopeful names: Eureka, Bonanza and Last Chance, which read differently once the town is empty.
Other names describe the ore, the founder or the ground. Silver City and Gold Hill name the metal, while Gulch, Flat and Bluff show up on maps of mining country because that is where the claims were.
Ghost town names by origin
Founder and boom names: Dunnville, Calton, Marburg, Tresfield, Lodeport, Bellridge
Ore and landform names: Silver Gulch, Dust Flat, Copper Wells, Lone Junction, Bitter Springs, Rusty Camp
Grim nicknames: Dry Gulch, Hangman’s Flat, Silver Bust, Last Chance, Bonanza Bluff, Boot Hill
Forgotten places: Old Ashville, Lost Lodeton, Forgotten Gulch, Dead Silver Camp
Build a ghost town in four steps
A name is easy to turn into a place if you follow the rise and fall of the town. Start with Silver Gulch.
| Step | Question | Answer for Silver Gulch |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Boom | What brought people here? | A silver seam found by a lone prospector |
| 2. Peak | What did the town have? | Two saloons, a bank and a bell tower |
| 3. Bust | Why did people leave? | The seam ran dry, then the mine flooded |
| 4. Leftover | What stayed behind? | The bell, which still rings at dusk |
The fourth row is the hook. One object left behind gives the players something to investigate.
Using a ghost town in play
The party arrives at dusk and finds every door unlocked, a meal still on a table and the street lanterns lit. The first thing they should learn is what the town was named for, because the name usually points to what went wrong.
For the people who passed through, try the Cowboy Name Generator and Bandit Name Generator. If a crew has taken over the empty buildings, the Gang Name Generator names them.
The land around matters too. A dry basin suits the Desert Name Generator, and a fresh settlement for contrast comes from the Town Name Generator. For the saloon on the corner, use the Tavern Name Generator.
What the buildings say about the name
A good ghost town tells its story through what is left. Once you have a name, decide which buildings survived and why.
In Silver Gulch, the bank might still stand because its walls are stone, while the saloon burned. A church that survived suggests the town cared about more than ore, and a jail with the door open suggests someone left in a hurry.
Signs can echo the name. A faded board that reads “Last Chance Saloon” means more once the players learn that the last chance was the mine, and that it failed.
If the town is haunted, the cause should connect to the name. A town called Hangman’s Flat practically writes its own ghost. For the spirit that remains, the Undead Name Generator supplies the name.
Ghost Town Name Generator FAQs
What is a good name for a ghost town?
A hopeful name that no longer fits works well, such as Bonanza Bluff or Last Chance. Names built from a metal and a landform, like Silver Gulch, also feel real.
What words are common in mining town names?
Gulch, Flat, Bluff, Creek, Camp and Junction appear often, along with metals such as silver, gold and copper.
Are these names real places?
They are made up for fiction, but a few may match real places by chance. Check a name first if you need to avoid real locations.
Can I use ghost town names in fantasy settings?
Yes. Swap the saloon for a tavern and the railroad for a trade road, and the names fit most fantasy borderlands.