Baby Name Generator

What this generator does

Draws from a curated list of given names chosen to work as a real first name in the UK today, rather than every name ever recorded. Use it to break a deadlock or widen a shortlist; the middle-name generator is the one to pair with it, and the full-name generator adds a surname if you want to hear how a whole name sounds.

What you'll get

This generator draws from a hand-checked list of 90 entries. Here is a spread of 8 of them, so you can see the style before you generate:

• Elodie
• Rhys
• Rosalie
• Aurelia
• Ember
• Indra
• Niamh
• Romilly

A fixed sample of the list, not a live draw — your own results are picked at random from all 90, without repeating until the list runs out. Original HEKNO-curated shortlist blending classic and modern given names. Last reviewed 2026-09-03.

How to use this tool

1. Set an initial or a length if the shortlist needs to fit around something, or leave the filters empty.
2. Choose how many name ideas you'd like.
3. Generate for a fresh shortlist any time.
4. Enter a seed word if you want the same list back later; leave it empty for a fresh draw.

Understanding the controls

Starting with

For a name that has to alliterate with a surname, or share a letter with a sibling. The count underneath says how many of the list are left, which is worth watching — a single letter can leave very few.

But not starting with

The more common case in a family: everything except the letter an older child already has.

At most this many letters

Letters only, so a hyphenated name is not penalised for its hyphen. A short given name is the usual answer to a long surname.

Common use cases

• Brainstorming baby name shortlists
• Breaking a naming deadlock between partners
• Finding inspiration outside your usual favourites

Randomness and fairness

Suggestions come from your browser's cryptographic random number generator. A seed makes a shortlist reproducible — the same word brings back the same names, which is easier than screenshotting a list you liked. The seeded draw is deterministic, not cryptographic, so it is not a way to keep a shortlist private.

For how randomness is produced across the whole site, see how Generate Random works.

Practical tips

• Say a shortlisted name out loud with your surname before deciding — a lot of combinations that read well do not sound well.
• Generate several at once and keep the ones you react to rather than the ones you can justify; a shortlist built from instinct is easier to narrow later.
• Check how a name shortens. Most names acquire a nickname whether the family chooses one or not.