Thuum.org > Learn > Dragon Shouts & Names

Key Points

  • Dragon Shouts are made up of 3 Words of Power.
  • 3-word phrases can extend into conversational language.
  • A dragon's name is also a Shout.

About Dragon Shouts

A Shout, or Thu'um, is a form of magic performed by speaking specific phrases in the dragon language. Each Shout is made up of three Words of Power, called rotmulaag. Shouts demonstrate the power and meaning that can be packed into only a few words. Part of learning the dragon language is knowing how to say a lot with a little.

"When a dragon uses a breath attack like fire or frost, it is speaking in an ancient and powerful language. A battle between two dragons is actually a deadly verbal debate." - The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Below is an alphabetical list of all Shouts found in the game and their Words of Power.

Animal Allegiance R1N Raan (animal) M7 Mir (allegiance) T4 Tah (pack)
Aura Whisper L1S Laas (life) Y4 Yah (seek) N7 Nir (hunt)
Battle Fury MID Mid (loyal) V6 Vur (valor) SH1N Shaan (inspire)
Become Ethereal F2M Feim (fade) Z3 Zii (spirit) GRON Gron (bind)
Bend Will GOL Gol (earth) H4 Hah (mind) DOV Dov (dragon)
Call Dragon OD Od (snow) 4 Ah (hunter) V3NG Viing (wing)
Call of Valor HUN Hun (hero) K1L Kaal (champion) Z8R Zoor (legend)
Clear Skies LOK Lok (sky) V4 Vah (spring) K8R Koor (summer)
Cyclone VEN Ven (wind) G1R Gaar (unleash) NOS Nos (strike)
Disarm ZUN Zun (weapon) H1L Haal (hand) V3K Viik (defeat)
Dismay F1S Faas (fear) RU Ru (run) M1R Maar (terror)
Dragon Aspect MUL Mul (strength) Q4 Qah (armor) D3V Diiv (wyrm)
Dragonrend J8R Joor (mortal) Z4 Zah (finite) FRUL Frul (temporary)
Drain Vitality G1N Gaan (stamina) L4 Lah (magicka) H1S Haas (health)
Elemental Fury SU Su (air) GR4 Grah (battle) DUN Dun (grace)
Fire Breath YOL Yol (fire) T8R Toor (inferno) SHUL Shul (sun)
Frost Breath FO Fo (frost) KR4 Krah (cold) D3N Diin (freeze)
Ice Form 3Z Iiz (ice) SLEN Slen (flesh) NUS Nus (statue)
Kyne's Peace K1N Kaan (Kyne) DREM Drem (peace) OV Ov (trust)
Marked for Death KR3 Krii (kill) LUN Lun (leech) AUS Aus (suffer)
Slow Time T3D Tiid (time) KLO Klo (sand) UL Ul (eternity)
Soul Tear R3 Rii (essence) V1Z Vaaz (tear) ZOL Zol (zombie)
Storm Call STRUN Strun (storm) B4 Bah (wrath) QO Qo (lightning)
Summon Durnehviir D6 Dur (curse) NEH Neh (never) V3R Viir (dying)
Throw Voice ZUL Zul (voice) M9 Mey (fool) GUT Gut (far)
Unrelenting Force FUS Fus (force) RO Ro (balance) D4 Dah (push)
Whirlwind Sprint WULD Wuld (whirlwind) N4 Nah (fury) KEST Kest (tempest)

Other Shouts

There are additional Shouts in Skyrim that are used by enemies and NPCs such as Alduin or the Greybeards. They are listed below:

Alduin's Mist VEN Ven (wind) MUL Mul (strong) R3K Riik (gale)
Phantom Form F3K Fiik (mirror) LO Lo (deceive) S4 Sah (phantom)
Resurrect Dragon SLEN Slen (flesh) T3D Tiid (time) VO Vo (undo)
Soul Cairn Summon D3L Diil (undead) QOTH Qoth (tomb) Z1M Zaam (slave)
Tsun's Return N4L Nahl (living) D1L Daal (return) VUS Vus (Nirn)

Some dragon phrases can follow a Shout-like pattern. "Drem yol lok", which means "greetings", is a three-word phrase that means "peace fire sky".

The power of the Thu'um is not limited to three-word Shouts. In the Dragonborn expansion, Miraak uses a phrase to immediately devour the souls of dragons: "Ziil los dii du" ("Your soul is mine to devour").

About Dragon Names

"Ah, I forget how little you know of the dov. Our names are always made up of three Rotmulaag - Words of Power." - Paarthurnax

Most dragons have names that mean something in their own language. These aren't just names, but individual Shouts. We've seen two dragons' names among the Shouts already: Odahviing ("snow-hunter-wing") and Durnehviir ("curse-never-dying").

A dragon's name is not so much a name but a title given to reflect its deeds. Dragons may be nameless until they perform a feat worthy of such a title.

Most names consist of three words, but contrary to Paarthurnax's commentary this is not always the case. Below is a list of all named dragons found in Skyrim and their translations. Some names have no known translation.

Ahbiilok 4B3LOK hunter blue sky
Alduin ALDUIN destroyer devour master
Durnehviir D6NEHV3R curse never dying
Grahkrindrog GR4KRINDROG battle courageous lord
Kahvozein K4VOZ2N pride undo worship
Krahjotdaan KR4JOTD1N cold maw doom
Krosulhah KROSULH4 sorcerer day mind
Kruziikrel KRUZ3KREL ancient dominate
Lodunost LODUNOST ???
Mirmulnir M7MULN7 allegiance strong hunt
Naaslaarum N1SL1RUM ???
Nahagliiv N4AGL3V fury burn wither
Nahfahlaar N4F4L1R ???
Numinex NUMINEX ???
Odahviing OD4V3NG snow hunter wing
Paarthurnax P1RTH6NAX ambition overlord cruelty
Relonikiv RELONIKIV dominate enlightenment
Sahloknir S4LOKN7 phantom sky hunt
Sahrotaar S4ROT1R mighty servant
Viinturuth V3NT6UTH shine hammer rage
Vuljotnaak VULJOTN1K dark maw eat
Vulthuryol VULTH6YOL dark overlord fire
Voslaarum VOSL1RUM ???

An alternate interpretation of "Dovahkiin", "dragonborn", is "Dov Ah Kiin", or "born to hunt dragonkind".

Dragon Name Generator

This simple tool will generate dragon names following the examples shown in this lesson! See if you can learn some words by picking apart their meaning.

Generate Names

Exercises

1. Get creative! Create a name for each of the described dragons. Each name should be 2-3 words and usually no more than 4 syllables.

  1. His scales are as tough as steel.
  2. His wings will block out the sun.
  3. Has a single green eye.
  4. Burned down an entire forest in his rage.

See answer

Here are some possible names. See how yours compare:
  1. Qahmuldwiin ("armor strong steel")
  2. Vulnahviing ("dark fury wing")
  3. Graagahmiin ("green hunter eye")
  4. Kestrahgol ("tempest rage")

2. Translate your own name into the dragon language by giving yourself a dragon name. Look up the meaning of your name and give yourself a name like the exercise above that reflects the meaning of your own.

Take for example the name "Eric", which comes from Old Norse and means roughly "lone or eternal ruler/prince". From this we might make "Kulgeinul", or "prince one eternity".

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