Thomas the Tank Engine Name Generator

Sodor engine names, from Thomas to brand new

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Browse 500 Thomas the Tank Engine names: the engines, coaches, vehicles, people and places of Sodor, from Thomas, Percy and Gordon to Sir Topham Hatt, plus new names in the same style, such as Whistling Wilf, Tilly the Tea Train and Driver Ackroyd, for toy railways, bedtime stories and fan-made engines.

About Thomas the Tank engine names

Thomas the Tank Engine began in The Railway Series, the books the Rev. W. Awdry started publishing in 1945, and reached television in 1984. Many American families know him as Thomas the Train. Either way the names work the same: almost every engine on the Island of Sodor has a plain, old-fashioned British given name. Thomas, Percy, James, Gordon, Henry, Edward, Toby and Emily could all come from one village school register, and that ordinariness is what makes a steam engine feel like a friend.

Around the engines the register shifts. Coaches get gentle names (Annie, Clarabel, Henrietta), twins come in matched pairs (Donald and Douglas, Bill and Ben), nicknames stick (Duck, Whiff, Scruff), and the people are titles and surnames: Sir Topham Hatt, also called the Fat Controller, Farmer McColl, Mrs. Kyndley. Later series brought engines from around the world, such as Nia from Kenya, Hiro from Japan and Ashima from India.

About 220 of the 500 names are characters and places from the books, the television series and its films. The rest are new and only written in the style: given names, engines named with their jobs, friendly nicknames, rolling stock, road and sea vehicles, railway workers, hill-line names, stations and visiting engines.

How to choose Thomas the Tank engine names

  • For a new engine, start with a plain given name from a great-grandparent's generation (Cuthbert, Winifred, Horace, Maisie) and stop there. On Sodor the simplest name is usually the right one.
  • Say what the engine does. A name like Tilly the Tea Train or Ewan the Dock Shunter gives a child the character and the job in one line, which is handy on a wooden railway layout.
  • Name coaches and trucks in pairs or groups. Dot and Dora or The Giggling Trucks are easier to remember at bedtime than six separate names.
  • Give the grown-ups a title and a surname, the way the stories do: Driver Ackroyd, Stationmaster Arkwright.
  • Read the name aloud in a storytelling voice before you keep it. These stories are made for reading aloud, and a good engine name is one a four-year-old can shout across the room.

Frequently asked questions

Which names on this list are actual Thomas the Train characters?

About 220 of the 500 names come from The Railway Series books and from the Thomas & Friends television series and films: engines such as Thomas, Edward, Henry, Gordon, James, Percy and Toby, plus diesels, narrow gauge engines, coaches, road and air vehicles, people and places. It is a starting point and not a complete roster. The rest are new and written in the same style: more old-fashioned given names, engines named with their jobs (Tilly the Tea Train), nicknames (Whistling Wilf), visiting engines (Kofi of Ghana), railway workers and stations. The full list on this page runs A to Z, so the two kinds sit side by side.

What are the names of the main engines?

The engines most stories center on are Thomas, Edward, Henry, Gordon, James, Percy, Toby and Emily, with Duck, Donald, Douglas and Oliver close behind, and newer series added Nia and Rebecca. Thomas's coaches are Annie and Clarabel, and the railway is run by Sir Topham Hatt, also known as the Fat Controller.

How do I name my own engine in the Sodor style?

Pick a short, old-fashioned British given name and resist the urge to decorate it: Albert, Basil, Florence and Nellie all fit. If you want more, add the job (Angus the Goods Engine) or a friendly nickname (Whistling Wilf, Old Puffer). Save titles and surnames for the humans, such as Stationmaster Arkwright.

Could one of the new names already belong to a character?

It could. The new names were written in the style of the stories and have not been checked against every book, episode and toy range, and the franchise is large enough that an everyday name like Albert or Dorothy may belong to a minor character somewhere. If that matters for your project, search the name before you settle on it.

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All 500 Thomas the Tank engine names

This is the complete list the generator above draws its random batches from, sorted A to Z and grouped by first letter.

Plain text, one name per line.

A: 20 names

  • 'Arry
  • Ace
  • Albert
  • Aled of the Mountain Line
  • Alfie
  • Alfred
  • Alice
  • Alicia Botti
  • Amelia the Boat Train Engine
  • Angharad
  • Angus the Goods Engine
  • Anneke of the Netherlands
  • Annie
  • Archibald
  • Arlesburgh
  • Aroha of New Zealand
  • Arthur
  • Ashby Quay
  • Ashima
  • Axel

B: 48 names

  • Barrowmere Docks
  • Bartholomew the Barge
  • Bash
  • Bashful Bea
  • Basil
  • Bear
  • Belle
  • Ben
  • Bernard the Breakdown Crane
  • Bernie the Bus
  • Bert
  • Bertha the Steamroller
  • Bertie
  • Bertram
  • Bessie
  • Bethan
  • Betsy the Branch Line Tank
  • Big Barney
  • Big Mickey
  • Bill
  • Billy
  • Biscuit the Bakery Van
  • Blue Mountain Quarry
  • Bluebell Cutting

B, continued

  • Bluebell the Branch Line Coach
  • Bobby the Breakdown Lorry
  • BoCo
  • Bonnie the Blue Tank Engine
  • Bradford
  • Bramley the Hot Air Balloon
  • Bramwell the Banking Engine
  • Branwen of the Lakeside Line
  • Brave Bridie
  • Brendam Docks
  • Bridget Hatt
  • Bruno
  • Bryn the Slate Engine
  • Bryony the Bulldozer
  • Buffers
  • Bulgy
  • Bulstrode
  • Burnett Stone
  • Buster
  • Busy Lizzie
  • Butch
  • Buttercup Bank
  • Button the Brake Van
  • Byron

C: 33 names

  • Caitlin
  • Captain
  • Captain Marlowe of the Docks
  • Careful Clarence
  • Carlos
  • Carly
  • Caroline
  • Carys
  • Cedric
  • Charlie
  • Cheerful Chas
  • Chester the Station Pilot
  • Chuffing Charlotte
  • Cinders
  • Clanking Clem
  • Clara
  • Clarabel
  • Clarice the Observation Coach
  • Clementine the Express Coach
  • Clinker
  • Clive the Colliery Tank
  • Colin
  • Connor
  • Constable Bright
  • Constance
  • Cranky
  • Crispin the Crane
  • Crovan's Gate
  • Crumbly Bridge
  • Crumpet the Breakfast Car
  • Culdee
  • Cuthbert
  • Cyril the Fogman

D: 31 names

  • Dafydd the Quarry Engine
  • Daisy
  • Daphne the Diesel Railcar
  • Dart
  • Dash
  • Den
  • Dennis
  • Derek
  • Dewi
  • Diesel
  • Diesel 10
  • Digby the Digger
  • Dilani of Sri Lanka
  • Dodge
  • Dolly the Dockside Tank
  • Donald
  • Dorothy
  • Dot and Dora
  • Dougal the Mountain Engine
  • Douglas
  • Dowager Hatt
  • Dr. Merriweather
  • Driver Ackroyd
  • Duck
  • Dudley
  • Duggie the Dumper
  • Duke
  • Dulcie
  • Duncan
  • Dunmere Castle
  • Dusty Dai

E: 12 names

  • Eager Ethel
  • Ealish
  • Edith and Enid
  • Edmund
  • Edward
  • Elizabeth
  • Elsbridge
  • Elspeth the Snowplow Engine
  • Emily
  • Emrys
  • Etienne
  • Ewan the Dock Shunter

F: 26 names

  • Farmer Bramble
  • Farmer Finney
  • Farmer McColl
  • Farmer Nettlefold
  • Farmer Oakley
  • Farmer Trotter
  • Felix the Fast Goods Engine
  • Fenella the Fire Engine
  • Ferdinand
  • Fergus
  • Ffarquhar
  • Fiddler's Green Station
  • Finlay the Branch Line Engine
  • Finn the Fishing Boat
  • Fireman Higgs
  • Flora
  • Florence
  • Flossie the Fish Train
  • Flynn
  • Foxglove Junction
  • Francis
  • Frankie
  • Freddie
  • Frederick
  • Freya the Ferry
  • Frieda

G: 21 names

  • Gator
  • Gentle Gwen
  • George
  • Geraint
  • Gertie the Green Goods Engine
  • Gilbert the Gasworks Shunter
  • Gina
  • Ginger the Steam Lorry
  • Gladys the Goods Van
  • Glynn
  • Gordon
  • Gordon's Hill
  • Grand Old Gideon
  • Great Waterton
  • Grumble the Ballast Truck
  • Grumbling Gus
  • Guard Nellie Marsh
  • Guard Pettigrew
  • Gullwing Bay
  • Gwendolyn
  • Gwilym

H: 27 names

  • Hamish the Highland Tank
  • Hank
  • Hannah
  • Harold
  • Harry the Saddle Tank
  • Harvey
  • Harwick
  • Headmaster Hastings
  • Heatherfell Summit
  • Hector
  • Helpful Hubert
  • Henrietta
  • Henry
  • Henry's Tunnel
  • Herbert the Heavy Goods Engine
  • Hetta the Helicopter
  • Hettie and Marigold
  • Hetty the Harvest Train
  • Hilda the Hay Wagon
  • Hiro
  • Hong-Mei
  • Horace
  • Huffing Hugh
  • Hugo
  • Humble Humphrey
  • Hurricane
  • Huw

I: 6 names

  • Idris
  • Ingrid of Norway
  • Iris the Ice Cream Van
  • Isabel
  • Isobella
  • Ivan

J: 10 names

  • Jack
  • James
  • Jed the Quarry Tank
  • Jem Cole
  • Jeremy
  • Jimmy the Diesel Shunter
  • Jock
  • Jolly Jonty
  • Josie the Junction Shunter
  • Judy and Jerome

K: 9 names

  • Kana
  • Kelly
  • Kevin
  • Kindly Kenneth
  • Kirk Ronan
  • Kit the Seaside Special
  • Kitty the Little Red Engine
  • Knapford Station
  • Kofi of Ghana

L: 18 names

  • Lady
  • Lady Ashcombe
  • Lady Hatt
  • Lambert the Stopping Train
  • Lavender and Lilac
  • Lawrence
  • Lenny the Pannier Tank
  • Leonard the Little Goods Tank
  • Lewis the Express Engine
  • Lexi
  • Little Gwyneth
  • Little Lil
  • Little Owain
  • Little Puddlecombe
  • Lord Callan
  • Lottie the Light Railway Tank
  • Lowri
  • Luke

M: 47 names

  • Madge
  • Maggie the Market Train
  • Mai of Vietnam
  • Maisie
  • Maple and Hazel
  • Margery
  • Marion
  • Marmalade the Mail Coach
  • Maron
  • Mateus of Portugal
  • Matteo of Italy
  • Maud
  • Mavis
  • Max
  • Merlin
  • Merrick
  • Merry Mildred
  • Mighty Mac
  • Mike
  • Millie
  • Mirabel
  • Miss Jenny
  • Miss Plumley the Schoolteacher

M, continued

  • Misty Island
  • Molly
  • Mona
  • Monty
  • Morag the Milk Float
  • Morris the Works Shunter
  • Mortimer the Mixed Traffic Engine
  • Morwenna the Lifeboat
  • Mossdale Water Tower
  • Mr. Beacon the Lighthouse Keeper
  • Mr. Bubbles
  • Mr. Conductor
  • Mr. Crabtree the Coalman
  • Mr. Gantry the Works Foreman
  • Mr. Hobbs the Lamp Man
  • Mr. Percival
  • Mr. Trumble the Bandmaster
  • Mr. Whistler the Ticket Clerk
  • Mrs. Appleby the Baker
  • Mrs. Kyndley
  • Mrs. Tibbet of the Tea Room
  • Mungo the Motor Coach
  • Murdoch
  • Myfanwy

N: 11 names

  • Nancy
  • Ned
  • Nell the Narrowboat
  • Nellie
  • Nelson
  • Neville
  • Nia
  • Niamh of Ireland
  • Nora the Night Express
  • Norman
  • Nutmeg the Spice Van

O: 15 names

  • Old Bailey
  • Old Creaky
  • Old Mr. Tweedy
  • Old Number Nine
  • Old Puffer
  • Old Slow Coach
  • Old Trundler
  • Olive the Orchard Line Tank
  • Oliver
  • Ollie the Little Shunter
  • Olwen
  • Orry
  • Oswald
  • Ottilie the Omnibus
  • Owen

P: 23 names

  • Patrick
  • Paxton
  • Pearl the Seaside Tank
  • Peggy the Post Train
  • Penny the Post Van
  • Percy
  • Peter Sam
  • Philip
  • Phyllis the Parcels Van
  • Pickle the Fish Van
  • Pierre of France
  • Pip and Emma
  • Piper the Seaplane
  • Plucky Pip
  • Polly the Pier Tram
  • Poppy the Picnic Train
  • Porter
  • Porter Jenkins
  • Porter Wilf Dobbs
  • Posy and Primrose
  • Proteus
  • Proud Priscilla
  • Prudence

R: 20 names

  • Rajiv
  • Ralph the Tender Engine
  • Rattles the Coal Truck
  • Rattling Ron
  • Raul
  • Rebecca
  • Reg
  • Reginald the Royal Train Engine
  • Rex
  • Rheneas
  • Rhiannon
  • Rhodri
  • Robbie the Railcar
  • Rocky
  • Rosalind the Dining Car
  • Rosie
  • Rowan the Road Roller
  • Ruby the Red Tender Engine
  • Rusty
  • Ryan

S: 46 names

  • S.C. Ruffey
  • Sailor John
  • Saltmarsh Sidings
  • Salty
  • Samson
  • Sandy
  • Scruff
  • Seren
  • Shane
  • Shepherd's Crossing
  • Shiny Sheila
  • Shunter Mick Dooley
  • Sidney
  • Signalman Alf Oakes
  • Signalman Tully
  • Sir Gethin
  • Sir Handel
  • Sir Handel Brown
  • Sir Humphrey Bracegirdle
  • Sir Llewelyn
  • Sir Lowham Hatt
  • Sir Robert Norramby
  • Sir Topham Hatt

S, continued

  • Skarloey
  • Skerry Point
  • Skiff
  • Sleepy Sam
  • Smoky Joe
  • Smudger
  • Sodor Steamworks
  • Sooty Sue
  • Speedy Stu
  • Spencer
  • Splatter
  • Squeak the Milk Wagon
  • Stafford
  • Stanley
  • Stationmaster Arkwright
  • Stationmaster Hilda Finch
  • Stefano
  • Stephen
  • Stephen Hatt
  • Stepney
  • Sturdy Seth
  • Sunny Susan
  • Susie the Sunday Excursion

T: 56 names

  • Tabitha
  • Tall Tamsin the Dockside Crane
  • Tansy the Tractor
  • Tarquin the Traction Engine
  • Tavish the Tugboat
  • Ted the Tram Engine
  • Terence
  • Thabo of South Africa
  • The Arlesdale Railway
  • The Boisterous Box Vans
  • The Brass Dome Twins
  • The Cheeky China Clay Wagons
  • The Countess of Larkhill
  • The Culdee Fell Railway
  • The Duchess of Boxford
  • The Duke of Boxford
  • The Duke of Dunmere
  • The Fat Controller
  • The Giggling Trucks
  • The Grumpy Gravel Hoppers
  • The Island of Sodor
  • The Jolly Stationmaster
  • The Little Yellow Tank
  • The Mayor of Sodor
  • The Muddled Milk Wagons
  • The North Western Railway
  • The Old Stone Viaduct
  • The Refreshment Lady

T, continued

  • The Skarloey Railway
  • The Sleepy Signalman
  • The Sleepy Sleeper Cars
  • The Spiteful Brake Van
  • The Tall Inspector
  • The Thin Controller
  • The Troublesome Trucks
  • Theo
  • Theodore
  • Thistle Hill Signal Box
  • Thomas
  • Thumper
  • Tidmouth Sheds
  • Tidwell Halt
  • Tiger Moth
  • Tilly the Tea Train
  • Timothy
  • Tiny Tess
  • Toad
  • Tobias the Timber Train
  • Toby
  • Tom Tipper
  • Tooting Tommy
  • Treacle the Tanker
  • Trevor
  • Trixie the Trolley
  • Trusty Tam
  • Tuppence the Guard's Van

U: 2 names

  • Ulfstead Castle
  • Upper Bramblewick

V: 5 names

  • Vicarstown
  • Victor
  • Victoria
  • Vinnie
  • Violet the Valley Line Railcar

W: 12 names

  • Wally the Wharf Tank
  • Wanjiru of Kenya
  • Wellsworth
  • Wesley the Water Tanker
  • Wheeltapper Sid
  • Wheezy Wallace
  • Whiff
  • Whistling Wilf
  • Willing Walter
  • Windy Ridge Tunnel
  • Winifred
  • Winston

Y: 2 names

  • Yong Bao
  • Young Davy the Engine Cleaner