Imaginary Friend Name Generator

Real imaginary friend names follow kid logic, not adult logic. Surveys of parents turn up the same patterns again and again: a grown-up title stuck on something silly (Mr. Pickles, Doctor Doorknob), a nonsense sound a toddler can say (Moop, Boo, Zibbity), an ordinary name with one odd detail (Invisible Gary, Big Steve, Other Sam), or a household object that was promoted to friend (Sockmonster, Closet Charlie). The famous ones in fiction use the same tricks: Hobbes is a plain name on a tiger, Bing Bong is pure sound, Drop Dead Fred is a name with a threat attached.

The best names also hint at what the friend is like. Sir Reginald Featherbottom is pompous and probably wears a waistcoat; Fizzgig is small, fast and loud; Mr. Nobody is the one who broke the lamp. A one-word name suits a shy or very young child's friend, while a long triple-barrelled title suits a kid who likes to perform introductions.

Use this generator for a picture book sidekick, a character in a story about childhood, a tabletop game familiar, or simply to name the invisible friend who is sitting next to you right now. Mix registers freely: the funniest results usually come from putting a very serious title in front of a very silly word.