Because I create lots of scenarios and stories for learning, I create lots of characters. Some of these characters are only mentioned for a sentence or two, while others drive the progress in extended narratives. All of those characters have one thing in common: they need names. Name generators make that process easier.

The image above was created in Ideogram. While I like Midjourney for most image generation tasks, Ideogram is the best at including accurate text.

Names make scenarios concrete and “sticky”

I usually avoid using generic characters in my stories. Part of the value of scenarios for learning is that they make abstract concepts concrete.

This is OK: “A manager is having trouble with an employee who’s late all the time.”

But this is better: “Tom is a new manager. He’s having trouble with one of his employees, Abbi, who has been late to work 3 times in the last 2 weeks.”

See how much more concrete the situation is in the second example? This isn’t just any manager and employee; this is Tom and Abbi. I added a few more specifics too (Tom isn’t just any manager, he’s a new manager; we know how often Abbi has been late).

The book Made to Stick by Chip and Dan Heath explains why some ideas “stick” and are memorable while others are quickly forgotten. One of the characteristics of “sticky” ideas is that they’re concrete. Giving characters names is the kind of detail that makes those characters and their situation more realistic and memorable.

Random name generators

But how do you come up with character names, especially if you have a large cast of characters?

I use a variety of name generators for my scenarios. Different tools may be better for different situations. You can use a general-purpose LLM like ChatGPT or Claude to create names, but I still find that specialized random name generators are better at this task.

General names

This UK Name Generator site has several options, including a quick name generator and a character name generator. Use the character name generator if you want to specify the starting or ending letters or create an alliterative name. This site provides multiple names at once, so you can compare options without having to regenerate every time. By default, this tool generates male and female names each time, but you can choose to limit it to one or the other. They also have an option for “unisex” names that could potentially be used by characters of any gender. (Of course, nonbinary characters can have typically masculine or feminine names too–you can’t tell a character’s pronouns just by their name.)

The Random Name Generator lets you generate multiple names at a time and choose a country of origin. I wish the list of nationalities was a little broader, but this at least has a dozen or so options.

Fake Name Generator: This site creates an entire profile for you at the click of a button–not just first and last names, but birthday, age, address, job, height and weight, car, and more. You can choose the gender, age range, name set, and country. Choosing the “name set” gives you names from different nationalities, making it easy to create diverse character names. I use this for creating fake user data for simulations and screenshots too. (Bonus tip: If a website requires you to enter a bunch of information and you don’t feel like creating a fake profile yourself, just copy and paste one from here.) Note that this is licensed CC-By, meaning it’s free to use, even for commercial purposes, but you have to provide attribution.

The Name Generator site has several variations of generators for full names, first or last names only, nicknames, baby names, and more. While a number of these are geared for fantasy and other personal purposes, the basic name generators and business name generators are good for scenarios.

Diverse Names Generator is a good way to generate first names from a variety of cultural backgrounds. This site was designed as a research project to reduce bias in names given in educational examples.

Names by age

Social Security Administration Names: This site is most helpful if you need popular names from a specific time period. For example, if your character is a new baby, Mia or Theodore might be a good choices. If I need a name for a 60-year-old woman, I can check popular names for the 1960s using their Popular Baby Names by Decade tool. I might choose Donna or Barbara for that character. (Thanks to Desiree Pinder, who I learned this tip from.)

History and meaning of names

Behind the Name: This random generator on Behind the Name lets you choose the background or nationality for your names. Some of the choices are perhaps less useful for corporate training scenarios and more useful for role-playing games (fairy or Xalaxxi names, anyone?). You can get some great diverse names here from other nationalities though.

I also use this site to research the history and meanings of names. Check out the categorized lists of names with different themes or meanings. This has some fun categories for searching for names (see the list of Doctor Who Companions or Song Titles). If you’re doing more creative writing, this is a helpful resource.

Business name generators

If you need a fictitious company name, look for business name generators. For example, this business name generator lets you enter a few key words. Select your options and get a number of options. I like this particular business name generator because it also looks for synonyms, rather than being entirely literal.

BusinessNameGenerator.net is another option for creating names of fake businesses based on a few key words.

Looka’s business name generator lets you create names by industry, abstract idea, or keywords.

How do you create names for the characters in your scenarios? Do you have a favorite name generator site? Share your suggestions in the comments.

Originally published on 9/2/2015. Updated and republished 10/15/2019, 7/23/2024

Upcoming events

Gathering SME Stories to Craft Relevant and Engaging Scenarios. Tuesday, October 22, 3:00 PM ET.

This webinar will focus on a common sticking point in creating scenario-based learning: working with SMEs. In it, you’ll learn how to ask focused questions and techniques to probe SMEs for additional details such as mistakes and consequences. You’ll learn ways for getting “unstuck” while working with SMEs, and why it’s better to interview SMEs rather than have them write scenarios themselves. You’ll leave this session with tactics to help you get the concrete examples and stories you need from SMEs. Register for this free webinar through Training Mag Network.

BYOD: Mini Is More: Create One-Question Scenarios for Better Assessment. Thursday, November 7, 3:00 PM PST. In this hands-on session, you’ll learn how to create mini-scenarios with just one question. These mini scenarios can be used for more effective, higher-level assessment than traditional multiple-choice questions. One-question mini-scenarios can provide relevant context and measure decision-making rather than simply recall. Plus, they don’t require much additional time, effort, or resources once you learn how to write them. DevLearn, November 6-8, MGM Grand Hotel, Las Vegas.

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