Random name generator American names
Names that sound like the United States today
Most name generators mix fantasy names, old favorites and spellings nobody uses. This one starts from the public records. The first names come from the Social Security Administration, which counts the names given to babies born in the country, and the surnames from the Census Bureau, which counted the family names of the whole population. Both are public domain, so the lists can be used freely.
That is why the names feel current. In Popular you get the names of today's kindergarten classes, the Olivias, Liams and Harpers; in Less common the names a few rows further down, still real but rarer. Surnames follow the country as it is: Smith and Johnson, but also Garcia, Nguyen and Patel, because those are common American family names too.
Writers use it for side characters who need to sound believable, game masters for a sheriff or a shopkeeper in a modern setting, and developers for test users that look like real customers. Switch to Male or Female names with Boy or Girl, or keep Any for a mix.
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Getting a random American name
- Press Generate a name for one full name, or set How many to 20 for a whole list.
- Under Options, choose Girl or Boy for female or male names, and First name or Last name if you need only one part.
- Copy the names with Copy, or open History to find a name you passed over earlier.
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Questions about American names
Are these real American names?
Yes. Every first name was given to babies born in the United States, according to the counts of the Social Security Administration, and every surname is among the most common family names of the US Census. The pairs are put together at random.
Why are there Spanish and Asian surnames?
Because the Census lists the surnames Americans actually carry. Garcia, Rodriguez, Nguyen and Kim are among the most common, so a random American surname sometimes has Mexican, Vietnamese or Korean roots, just like the people on any American street.
Can I get only male or only female names?
Yes. Under Options, pick Boy for male names or Girl for female names. Surnames are the same for everyone in the United States, so only the first name changes.
Does it give middle names?
No, the records count first names and surnames only. If you want a middle name, draw two first names with First name and use the second one in the middle.
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Other ready-made name generators
- British namesFirst names from the baby name statistics of England and Wales.
- Last names onlySurnames from the US Census or four other countries on the list.
- Random girl namesReal girls' first names from US birth records
- Random boy namesReal boys' first names from US birth records
- Random baby namesBoys' and girls' names from US birth records, to start a shortlist
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