Fake Word Generator — Create random fake words

Fake Word Generator

This script generates a number of usually pronounceable and frequently amusing fake words loosely based on a specific language. They can be used, for example, to name characters in games and whatnot. Maybe you need to name a town or an NPC in your next campaign?

How does this app work?
The words are generated based on the frequency with which any given sequence of characters occurs in a language, based on data from a sample text (for example, for English, I used the full text of a public domain novel from Project Gutenberg).
The sample text is broken up into individual words, and then each word is broken up into overlapping 3-letter chunks. Given the word explain, it would get the “chunks” exp, xpl, pla, lai, and ain. A tally is kept of how often each 3-letter chunk occurs in the text. To generate a word, the script picks a random 3-letter chunk to start with. Next, it finds all other chunks in which the first 2 characters match the last 2 characters of the initial chunk — if it started out with maf, it would look for all chunks starting with af to see how often each one appears in the original source text:
The script selects a chunk randomly, but weights each one by their frequency. In this case, the sum of the frequencies is 101, so aff, which has a frequency of 43, has a 43 out of 101 chance of being selected — a bit less than 43%. Once it’s selected a chunk, it appends the last letter of that chunk to the word it’s building. If it started with maf and then selected afi, then the word-in-progress would be mafi. Then it repeats the process, looking for chunks that start with fi and repeating the process as described above until the word reaches the requested length.

Need a word that doesn’t exist? Press the button and the fake word generator creates a random made-up word that looks and sounds real. Keep generating until you find one you like. It’s useful for fantasy names, game items, writing prompts, party games and placeholder text.

How to Use the Fake Word Generator

  1. Press the Generate button.
  2. Read the word out loud. If it rolls off the tongue, it’s usually a keeper.
  3. Generate again for more options.

How to Give a Fake Word a Meaning

A made-up word becomes far more useful once it has a definition. Try this:

  1. Pick a word you like.
  2. Decide its part of speech (noun, verb or adjective).
  3. Write a one-sentence definition.
  4. Add an example sentence.

For example: flarnish (verb): to rearrange your desk without actually cleaning it.

Before You Use a Fake Word as a Brand Name

A word that isn’t in the dictionary can still be taken. Search the word on Google, check trademark databases, and see whether the domain name and social media handles are available before you commit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are the words really fake?

The words are built from letter patterns, not picked from a dictionary. A result may still match a real word in some language by coincidence.

Can I use the words in my novel or game?

Yes. Check the word is free to use before using it as a brand or product name.

Does the generator give meanings?

The generator creates the word. Use the steps above to add your own meaning, part of speech and example sentence.

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