diff --git a/src/newgrf_townname.cpp b/src/newgrf_townname.cpp
index 207114f61d..a7bc4deeaf 100644
--- a/src/newgrf_townname.cpp
+++ b/src/newgrf_townname.cpp
@@ -17,9 +17,12 @@
 #include "core/alloc_func.hpp"
 #include "string_func.h"
 
+#include "table/strings.h"
+
 #include "safeguards.h"
 
 static GRFTownName *_grf_townnames = nullptr;
+static std::vector<StringID> _grf_townname_names;
 
 GRFTownName *GetGRFTownName(uint32 grfid)
 {
@@ -101,16 +104,24 @@ char *GRFTownNameGenerate(char *buf, uint32 grfid, uint16 gen, uint32 seed, cons
 	return buf;
 }
 
-StringID *GetGRFTownNameList()
+
+/** Allocate memory for the NewGRF town names. */
+void InitGRFTownGeneratorNames()
 {
-	int nb_names = 0, n = 0;
-	for (GRFTownName *t = _grf_townnames; t != nullptr; t = t->next) nb_names += t->nb_gen;
-	StringID *list = MallocT<StringID>(nb_names + 1);
+	_grf_townname_names.clear();
 	for (GRFTownName *t = _grf_townnames; t != nullptr; t = t->next) {
-		for (int j = 0; j < t->nb_gen; j++) list[n++] = t->name[j];
+		for (int j = 0; j < t->nb_gen; j++) _grf_townname_names.push_back(t->name[j]);
 	}
-	list[n] = INVALID_STRING_ID;
-	return list;
+}
+
+const std::vector<StringID>& GetGRFTownNameList()
+{
+	return _grf_townname_names;
+}
+
+StringID GetGRFTownNameName(uint gen)
+{
+	return gen < _grf_townname_names.size() ? _grf_townname_names[gen] : STR_UNDEFINED;
 }
 
 void CleanUpGRFTownNames()
diff --git a/src/newgrf_townname.h b/src/newgrf_townname.h
index 6406e74345..d8fc462aae 100644
--- a/src/newgrf_townname.h
+++ b/src/newgrf_townname.h
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 #ifndef NEWGRF_TOWNNAME_H
 #define NEWGRF_TOWNNAME_H
 
+#include <vector>
 #include "strings_type.h"
 
 struct NamePart {
@@ -45,9 +46,11 @@ GRFTownName *AddGRFTownName(uint32 grfid);
 GRFTownName *GetGRFTownName(uint32 grfid);
 void DelGRFTownName(uint32 grfid);
 void CleanUpGRFTownNames();
-StringID *GetGRFTownNameList();
 char *GRFTownNameGenerate(char *buf, uint32 grfid, uint16 gen, uint32 seed, const char *last);
 uint32 GetGRFTownNameId(int gen);
 uint16 GetGRFTownNameType(int gen);
+StringID GetGRFTownNameName(uint gen);
+
+const std::vector<StringID>& GetGRFTownNameList();
 
 #endif /* NEWGRF_TOWNNAME_H */
diff --git a/src/settings_gui.cpp b/src/settings_gui.cpp
index 6f1901284e..5a095d9d8d 100644
--- a/src/settings_gui.cpp
+++ b/src/settings_gui.cpp
@@ -74,35 +74,10 @@ static const StringID _font_zoom_dropdown[] = {
 	INVALID_STRING_ID,
 };
 
-static StringID *_grf_names = nullptr; ///< Pointer to town names defined by NewGRFs.
-static int _nb_grf_names = 0;       ///< Number of town names defined by NewGRFs.
-
 static Dimension _circle_size; ///< Dimension of the circle +/- icon. This is here as not all users are within the class of the settings window.
 
 static const void *ResolveVariableAddress(const GameSettings *settings_ptr, const SettingDesc *sd);
 
-/** Allocate memory for the NewGRF town names. */
-void InitGRFTownGeneratorNames()
-{
-	free(_grf_names);
-	_grf_names = GetGRFTownNameList();
-	_nb_grf_names = 0;
-	for (StringID *s = _grf_names; *s != INVALID_STRING_ID; s++) _nb_grf_names++;
-}
-
-/**
- * Get a town name.
- * @param town_name Number of the wanted town name.
- * @return Name of the town as string ID.
- */
-static inline StringID TownName(int town_name)
-{
-	if (town_name < BUILTIN_TOWNNAME_GENERATOR_COUNT) return STR_GAME_OPTIONS_TOWN_NAME_ORIGINAL_ENGLISH + town_name;
-	town_name -= BUILTIN_TOWNNAME_GENERATOR_COUNT;
-	if (town_name < _nb_grf_names) return _grf_names[town_name];
-	return STR_UNDEFINED;
-}
-
 /**
  * Get index of the current screen resolution.
  * @return Index of the current screen resolution if it is a known resolution, _resolutions.size() otherwise.
@@ -244,9 +219,10 @@ struct GameOptionsWindow : Window {
 				int enabled_item = (_game_mode == GM_MENU || Town::GetNumItems() == 0) ? -1 : *selected_index;
 
 				/* Add and sort newgrf townnames generators */
-				for (int i = 0; i < _nb_grf_names; i++) {
+				const auto &grf_names = GetGRFTownNameList();
+				for (uint i = 0; i < grf_names.size(); i++) {
 					int result = BUILTIN_TOWNNAME_GENERATOR_COUNT + i;
-					list.emplace_back(new DropDownListStringItem(_grf_names[i], result, enabled_item != result && enabled_item >= 0));
+					list.emplace_back(new DropDownListStringItem(grf_names[i], result, enabled_item != result && enabled_item >= 0));
 				}
 				std::sort(list.begin(), list.end(), DropDownListStringItem::NatSortFunc);
 
@@ -331,7 +307,14 @@ struct GameOptionsWindow : Window {
 		switch (widget) {
 			case WID_GO_CURRENCY_DROPDOWN:   SetDParam(0, _currency_specs[this->opt->locale.currency].name); break;
 			case WID_GO_ROADSIDE_DROPDOWN:   SetDParam(0, STR_GAME_OPTIONS_ROAD_VEHICLES_DROPDOWN_LEFT + this->opt->vehicle.road_side); break;
-			case WID_GO_TOWNNAME_DROPDOWN:   SetDParam(0, TownName(this->opt->game_creation.town_name)); break;
+			case WID_GO_TOWNNAME_DROPDOWN: {
+				int gen = this->opt->game_creation.town_name;
+				StringID name = gen < BUILTIN_TOWNNAME_GENERATOR_COUNT ?
+						STR_GAME_OPTIONS_TOWN_NAME_ORIGINAL_ENGLISH + gen :
+						GetGRFTownNameName(gen - BUILTIN_TOWNNAME_GENERATOR_COUNT);
+				SetDParam(0, name);
+				break;
+			}
 			case WID_GO_AUTOSAVE_DROPDOWN:   SetDParam(0, _autosave_dropdown[_settings_client.gui.autosave]); break;
 			case WID_GO_LANG_DROPDOWN:       SetDParamStr(0, _current_language->own_name); break;
 			case WID_GO_RESOLUTION_DROPDOWN: SetDParam(0, GetCurRes() == _resolutions.size() ? STR_GAME_OPTIONS_RESOLUTION_OTHER : SPECSTR_RESOLUTION_START + GetCurRes()); break;