Character Name Generator

How many different names can each setting produce?

Each origin holds 20 male first names, 20 female first names and 20 surnames. The gender-neutral list has 10 entries for most origins, 6 for Irish / Celtic and none for Historical / Victorian. With surnames switched on and "Mixed" selected, the English list alone offers 50 first names and 20 surnames, so about 1,000 first-plus-last combinations; a single gender is closer to 400. That is plenty for a cast list, but a long-running campaign will start to notice repeats.

What happens if I pick "Gender-neutral" for Historical / Victorian?

The historical list has no neutral names, so the code substitutes the first five male names (Ambrose, Benedict, Cornelius, Desmond, Erasmus) and the first five female names (Adelaide, Bernadette, Cecilia, Dorothea, Euphemia). You get a shuffled mix of those ten, which means the result is not actually gender-neutral. If you need neutral names for a period setting, choose another origin and adapt the spelling by hand.

Why did I get fewer names than I asked for?

With "First name only", the tool never repeats a first name within one run, so the number of results is capped by the size of the pool. Asking for 20 names from a 10-entry neutral list returns 10. With surnames switched on it keeps going past the pool size and reuses first names with different surnames, so you always get the full count.

Are the names checked against existing characters or trademarks?

No. Several entries are already attached to well-known fiction or myth: Nymeria, Morrigan and Maleficent all appear in the lists, for example. The tool does not know about published works, so search for a name before you commit to it, especially for something you plan to publish or sell.

Are the Japanese names written in Japanese order?

No. Every origin outputs first name followed by surname, so a Japanese result reads like "Haruto Tanaka" rather than the family-name-first order used in Japan. Names are also written in Latin letters only, with no kanji. For a story set in Japan, swap the two parts yourself if you want the native order.

Is the selection truly random?

It uses JavaScript’s Math.random inside a Fisher–Yates shuffle of the chosen pool, then draws each surname independently. That is fine for brainstorming. It is not seeded, so you cannot reproduce an earlier list, and it is not a cryptographic source, which does not matter for character names.

Do the origins reflect real naming traditions?

Only loosely. The English, American, Irish and Japanese lists are short samples of common given names and surnames, not a statistical model of a culture. Fantasy, Sci-Fi and Fantasy Villain are invented lists with surnames built from compound words such as Ashwood or Quantum. Treat them as prompts and adjust the spelling to suit your world.

Can I use the generated names commercially?

The tool imposes no restrictions, but it cannot give legal advice. Plain given names are generally not owned by anyone, while a full name that matches a famous character, brand or living person can raise other issues. Check the specific name you intend to use for a title, product or business.