Ferroelectric relaxor ceramics with BaTiO₃-NaNbO₃-Bi(Mg 1/2 Ti 1/2 )O₃ ternary compositions (BT-NN-BMT) have been prepared by sol-gel powder synthesis and consequent bulk ceramic processing. Through the modified chemical approach, fine and single-phase complex perovskite compositions were successfully obtained. Temperature and frequency dependent dielectric properties indicated typical relaxor characteristics of the BT-NN-BMT compositions. The ferroelectric–paraelectric phase transition became diffusive when NN and BMT were added to form BT based solid solutions. BMT additions to the BT-NN solid solutions affected the high temperature dielectric properties, which might be attributable to the compositional inhomogeneity of the complex perovskite and resulting weak dielectric coupling of the Bi-containing polar nanoregions (PNRs). The temperature stability of the dielectric properties was good enough to satisfy the X9R specification. The quasi-linear P-E response and the temperature- stable dielectric properties imply the high potential of this ceramic compound for use in high temperature capacitors.