Name Generators FAQ

User input?

"Why can't I use my own ideas or names?"

I want to make it as simple as possible. Lot's of other name generators requires user input. Eg. input of names. I think they are a hassle to use. Much faster just to generate a new name, if you don't like the first one.

Bad names?

"The name generator make too many bad names. The names are stupid and make no sense at all!"

That's right! My name generator does make bad names. And many bad names. But in order to make unexpected names, surprising names, creative and interesting names I do take chances. Chances with words that obviously give bad name because of a risk of bad name combinations.

So if you come over some bad names just create another name. After all the name generator is blazing fast. ;)

True random name generator?

"Do the name generator use true randomness in the name generation"

No! To make a true random name generator, you need radioactivity, atmospheric noise etc. The name generator is based on the semi random functions in JavaScript. But as we're not gambling for millions, it really is enough to make random names.

Choose categories

"Why can't I choose different categories and decide myself, if the name generator make names from, colors, fruits, weapons?"

Again. I want to make it as simple as possible. Much faster just to generate a new name or 10 and find the right combination of names, than making a lot of choices. The name generator makes new names in a split second because I use JavaScript for name creation.

Long names?

"Your names are far too long. People want short names!"

If you think the name is too long, just shorten it your self. I do make many short names, but I also make long names. The goal is to create huge variation in the names I generate.

More name generators

"When do you make a Indian/Italian/Runescape name generator?"

As soon as I get the time. In the mean time use one of the other name generators and get inspiration from them. ;)

Cool ideas for names

Why use a name generator in the first place? People can make much better names than a stupid machine.

You're right again. But I bet the machine can come up with some wicked and sick ideas you didn't even consider. Just take the ideas and make the perfect name yourself.

Cool project

"Cool project! Can I do anything to help"

Thanks. :) I'll always be very grateful, if you give me a link or tell others about my site.

Name Generators project

My name is Niels Gamborg. I'm a danish web developer, interface designer and web programmer. I live with my wife and 2 sons in a suburb to the city of Aarhus.

Professional I work as a web developer and webmaster at the Danish State and University Library in Denmark.

I love user friendly web design and I think all web applications should be:

easy to use
easy to understand
simple and functional

At this page you can read a little about the project behind the name generators.

The Beginning

The Project started with an idea to make a handful of small useful web application like calculators, converters or random generators.

The first application was a random number generator. And soon followed the superhero and the code name generator.

Design and usability

My key philosophy in application design is that all the users should be able to use the application right away with no instructions.

For a simple application like a name generator the user should be able to generate a name within the first second after page load.

To achieve that it is crucial that the generator button are the first thing you notice on the page. And that you're not in doubt where the generated name appear afterwards.

I have done that with a bright red button to start the generator and huge typography on the generated names.

Programming

All name generators are programmed in JavaScript. It makes them bleeding fast because the JavaScript is run locally on the users computers. It makes it pretty easy to steal my code, but random name generation on a server is simply too slow.

Random name generators are easy to made. The first versions were simple though. Now I use a lot more complex random calculations to create the random names I want. E.g. 40% female names, 60% male names, 10% names with a title, 10% of names with an extra prefix. You can make a lot of variation in the names with complex algorithms.

Search engine optimization

After just a few weeks the first visitors start to stumble by. All the visits came from long tailed search strings, but it gave a good indication of witch search terms to use in the future project.

I optimized the text for some of these search terms for the existing name generators. And then I added the vampire names generator and the fantasy names generator.

To get a good rank in google's index, you have to write a lot of text. But users doesn't wanna read text. They just wanna make cool nicknames. Therefore most of the text are placed under the website fold, and is insignificant in size.

"Press" about the name generator

If you blog or write about the name generators please send me a mail, so I can make a link back to your blog or site.

Michael Van der Tol

Photographer Michael Van der Tol wrote on his blog:

"Now I'm not saying all the generated project names will work for you (i.e. "Forsaken Donut"), but one just might inspire you to go out and shoot. So give it a try and just maybe your "Cloudy Eyelid" will turn into a portfolio of a lifetime....hmmm...."Forsaken Donut"...I think I can make it work."

The very first "press" the name generator project got. :)

Code names

The code names did it to the front page of reddit.com's programming section. foxostro wrote about the code names:

"Out of Ideas? Generate your next project code name with this tool"

Gave a lot of sudden visitors and a good kick. :)

Business and project names for silicon valley

John Murrell from Good Morning Silicon Valley wrote about the name generators.

"When coming up for a name for that new business, secret project or fantasy game character gets to be too much of a chore, try the Online Name Generator."

Thanks for the support "Good Morning Silicon Valley". :)

Feedback to the Project

Laura

Laura sent me a mail. :)

"Thank you for a very cute name generater. I found some really nice and cute elf names. Your female elf names seems perfect and feminine.
With love
Laura"

Thank you very much for the support and feedback, Laura. It means a lot. :)

Brian

Met Brian at a danish multimedia design forum. I told him about the name generators and he told me loved WoW and fantasy games. Brian wrote

"Why don't you make a World of WarCraft name generator too. And maybe a Guild name generator, when the WoW name generator turns out to be a success."

Thank you Brian both for the suggestion and prediction. The Wow name generator was a success. And it's definitely one of my best generators today. I really love the wow names. They're are short and catchy and real cool names. And for that I also owes a lot to Brian. He gave a lot of constructive and very qualified feedback during the process of making the wow name generator.

Because of the success I also made the suggested Guild name generator and as a spin of from the clan name generator. Owes you one, Brian. :)

Just before Christmas I got this mail from Chris:

I like your web design, but I still couldn't find what I needed...a regular name generator.
Elf, WOW, Project, Business...all kinds of name generators, but not plain ol' name generator.

Thanks to Chris for suggesting it. Shortly after his mail made the random name generator, that makes plain American names. It was a lot of fun coding this generator. Instead of the usually creative process find and making base names, this one is based on some official American names list. So I got a lot of fun programming to make the script that could extract and formats the thousands of names used to make the ordinary names.

Contact and Feedback

If you care to give any feedback I would be glad to hear it.

If you write anything about one of the name generators send me mail, so I can link to your article or site.

Use the email form, and I'll get back to you as soon as possible.

I'll get back to you as soon as possible :-)