- Aim for 1-2 words, under about 12 letters, that someone can spell after hearing it once.
- Check that the name, the domain and the Discord and social handles are all free before you commit.
- Don't make the name look official: Mojang's guidelines say names and domains can't appear to be from Mojang.
- Turn it into an address like
play.yourname.net, with an SRV record so Java players don't need a port.
The best Minecraft server name ideas are short, easy to say out loud, hint at your game mode, and come with a free domain name you can turn into an address like play.yourname.net. Below you'll find the seven rules that decide whether a name works, more than 150 ideas sorted by mode and mood, a do-it-yourself name generator, and the exact steps to check a name is free and set up the address.
All ideas here are made up for this page. Some may already be taken by a server somewhere, so run every favorite through the availability check further down.
The 7-point name test
Before you fall in love with a name, run it through this list. A name that fails two or more is going to cost you players.
- Short. One or two words, ideally under 12 letters. It has to fit in a server list, a MOTD, a Discord name and a domain.
- Spellable after hearing it once. Your players will tell friends in voice chat. "Mossgate" survives that. "Xx_Myth1cK_xX" doesn't.
- No numbers or odd spellings unless the number is the whole idea. People type "Craftz" as "Crafts" and land on someone else's server.
- Fits the mode. A prison server called "Cherry Hollow" confuses people. Words like Cell, Mine or Yard do half your marketing.
- Room to grow. "Lanternfall SMP" can add minigames later. "Lanternfall Bedwars" can't.
- Domain available. A matching .net, .gg or .com you can afford.
- Doesn't look official. More on that next.
What Mojang allows in a server name
Mojang's usage guidelines cover names and domains. In short, and read the official text for the exact wording:
- A domain can include the Minecraft name as long as it doesn't appear official and isn't used in a way that appears official, and isn't registered to cybersquat or mainly to make money.
- Names that are confusingly similar to Mojang's count as Mojang's names under the guidelines.
- Server currencies can't look like, or be named like, Minecoins.
So "Official Minecraft Survival" or "MojangCraft" is asking for trouble. Plenty of servers use "MC" or "Craft" in their names without implying they're official. The safest move is a name that is entirely your own, with "SMP" or "Network" after it if you want the mode to be obvious.
Minecraft server name ideas by mode and vibe
SMP and friends servers
Warm, small-town names work well for a group of friends. They sound like a place you'd want to log into after school or work.
Hearthside SMP, Lanternfall, Mossgate, The Quiet Acre, Oakhollow, Kettle Creek, Pinewick, Campfire Circle
Driftwood Isles, Slowbloom, Meadowlight, Tidepool Town, Fernbrook, Riverbend SMP, Birchway, Foxglen
Survival
Longwinter, Frostmark, Deepfall, Wildreach, Thornwall, Nightbreak, Coldharbor, Last Torch
Emberveil, Ironroot, Farwater, Graystone Wilds, Rootbound, Hollowmere, Outpost Nine, Far Lands Trail
Factions, PvP and HCF
Warbanner, Ironclad, Siegebreak, Rampart, Vanguard PvP, Havocfall, Crossfire, Bannerfall
Obsidian Throne, Redstone Riot, Blastline, TNT Kingdom, Cannon Coast, Breachpoint, Fuse Box, Powder Keg
Skyblock and OneBlock
Cloudhaven, Skyloft Isles, Floatstone, Voidgarden, Nimbus Isles, Stratos Skyblock, Skybound Acres, Cobble & Cloud
One Block Wonder, Driftblock, Islehop, Last Island, Single Block Society, Blockseed, Tiny Island Co., Block by Block
Prison
Cellblock Nine, Iron Bars, Lockdown Mines, Block C, Warden's Rest, Shackle Falls, Breakout Bay, Cell Seven
The Pickaxe Yard, Mine Row, Rankup Row, Quarry Hill, Dig Time, Deep Shaft, Ore Yard, Rock Pile Prison
Anarchy and semi-anarchy
No Man's Chunk, Lawless Lands, Spawnwreck, Ruinfield, Scorched Earth, Wasteland Zero, Bedlam, Ashworld
The Deep End, Cinder, Rubble, Free Fall, Crater, Old Spawn, Burnt Map, Nullpoint
RPG, fantasy and medieval
Runeholt, Eldermoor, Starfall Keep, Wyrmwood, Mythsong, Gloamreach, Dragonspire, Aetherwild
Crownfall, Spellbrook, Silverquest, Emberrealm, Thronewood, Kingsreach, Banner Hill, Oathmark
Minigames and networks
Arcade Block, Party Pixel, Game Night, Funhouse, Knockout Arcade, Brawl Bay, Playpen, Ten Second Games
Quickplay Network, Rush Hour, Jumpstart, Blockbuster Games, Queue Up, Round Two, Final Whistle, Level Select
Creative, plots and building
Blueprint, Plotline, Scaffold, Drafting Table, Blank Slate, Buildwell, Mason's Row, Palette
The Workshop, Studio Block, Sketchpad, Canvas Isle, Grid Street, Makers Yard, Build Bay, Floorplan
Modded and tech
Gearworks, Cogsmith, Steam & Stone, Circuit Hollow, Fluxfield, Brass Valley, Rivetworks, Clockwork Coast
Voltage Valley, Piston Point, Automata, Kinetic SMP, Lab Nine, Coil Town, Signal Hill, Dynamo Isles
Aesthetic and funny name ideas
If your server is about a vibe more than a mode, lean into it.
Honeydew, Moonpetal, Cherry Hollow, Softlight, Lavender Lane, Mistvale, Pastel Grove, Starlit Meadow, Dewdrop, Willowmere, Cloudberry, Velvet Moss
Creeper Therapy, Dirt House Deluxe, Skill Issue SMP, Oops All Creepers, Punch Tree Inc., Gravel Trust Issues, Fall Damage Club, Villager Union, Two Brain Cells SMP, Emotional Support Axolotl, Lava Bucket Regrets, Nether Bedtime
Make your own: a name generator you can run in your head
Online name generators mostly glue two random words together. You can do the same with better words, because you know your server. Pick one column from the left and one from the right, then say the result out loud.
| First part (place, mood or material) | Second part (landform or building) | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Moss, Ember, Frost, Iron, Willow | -gate, -fall, -hollow, -mere, -reach | Embermere |
| Lantern, Oak, Pine, Birch, Stone | -wick, -haven, -brook, -field, -keep | Lanternkeep |
| Sky, Cloud, Void, Star, Moon | Isles, Acres, Garden, Harbor, Point | Void Harbor |
| Rune, Wyrm, Myth, Crown, Oath | -holt, -wood, -spire, -mark, -song | Crownsong |
| Cell, Quarry, Shaft, Ore, Lock | Row, Yard, Hill, Bay, Block | Quarry Row |
Three other patterns that work:
- Place plus mode: "Riverbend SMP", "Cloudhaven Skyblock". Clear and easy to search.
- An invented word: blend two words into one ("Glimmerhold"). Great for domains, since invented words are rarely taken.
- A Minecraft thing, twisted: "Last Torch", "Old Spawn", "Nether Bedtime". Players get it instantly, and it doesn't lean on Mojang's brand name.
Generate ten, cross out anything that fails the 7-point test, then ask three friends which one they remember an hour later. That's your name.
How to check a name is free
- Search server lists. Try our server search and a web search for the name plus "minecraft server". If an active server already uses it, move on.
- Check domains. Look up yourname.net, .gg and .com at any domain registrar. You only need one, but owning the .net and .gg stops copycats.
- Check Discord and socials. Make sure you can get the name, or a close match, on the platforms your players use.
- Check for trademarks. If you're building a big business, search the US Patent and Trademark Office's database for the name, or ask a lawyer.
- Grab everything the same day. Domains and handles disappear fast once a name gets out.
How to make a Minecraft server domain name
Your name becomes your address. The usual format is a subdomain like play. or mc. in front of your domain, so play.mossgate.net instead of a raw IP and port.
| DNS record | Name | Points to | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | play | Your server's IP address | Makes play.mossgate.net reach your server |
| SRV | _minecraft._tcp.play | Priority 0, weight 5, port (for example 25566), target play.mossgate.net | Java players connect without typing a port, even if you don't use 25565 |
If your Java server uses the default port 25565, the A record alone is enough. Bedrock players always enter the port separately in Add Server (the Bedrock default is 19132), so print both on your website. Many hosting companies set these records up for you if you ask.
Adding color to your server name
You can't color the name in a player's own server list (they type it themselves), but you can color the MOTD, the two lines of text under it. That's where your name really shows off. Classic formatting codes use the section sign: §6 is gold, §b is aqua, §l is bold and §r resets. So §6§lMossgate §r§7Survival SMP shows a bold gold name followed by gray text. Our MOTD guide has the full color table and gradient tips, and our banner and icon guide covers the 64x64 server icon that sits next to it.
Discord server and team name ideas
Most owners use the same name for their Discord. If you want something different for a Discord community or for in-game teams, here are ideas:
Mossgate Tavern, The Campfire, Lanternfall Hub, Blueprint Lounge, Skyloft Docks, The Town Square, Crafting Table Club, Night Shift
The Creeper Crew, Diamond Diggers, Ender Pearls, Redstone Rebels, Nether Nomads, Obsidian Order, Golden Carrots, Bed Defenders
Quick questions
What is the name of the Minecraft server with no rules?
That's usually 2b2t, the oldest anarchy server, running since 2010. If you want a name for your own no-rules server, try the anarchy ideas above, and read our anarchy server guide first.
Can I change my server name later?
You can change the name in your MOTD and on your listing any time. Changing the domain is harder, because players' saved entries and old links stop working. Settle the domain before you advertise.
Should I put "SMP" or "MC" in my server name?
It helps if your name doesn't hint at the mode. "Riverbend SMP" tells players what to expect. Keep it as a suffix so the name itself stays yours.
What does "Failed to verify username" mean?
That's not about your server's name. It means the server couldn't confirm the player's Minecraft account with Mojang's login servers. Players can usually fix it by restarting the launcher or signing out and back in.
Where do I list my server once it's named?
You can add it to our list for free. We ping it, show its real player count, and you can claim the listing with a code in your MOTD.