friendlywords
Python package to generate random human-readable strings, e.g. project and experiment names
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, if you need simple, readable random names with no dependencies and don't require uniqueness guarantees or custom dictionaries. The low friction, active maintenance, and MIT license make it straightforward to adopt. No if you need collision avoidance, cryptographic strength, or extensive customization.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires Python 3.9 or later.
- Low install friction with no runtime dependencies.
- Active maintenance as of 2026-08-02, marked Production/Stable, and supports current Python versions.
License · maintenance · safety
MIT (permissive) — MIT license permits commercial and private use with minimal restrictions; attribution required but no copyleft obligations.
last release 2026-08-02 (12 days) · last repo commit 2026-08-02 · 11 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 75,980 downloads/mo, #14,662 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install friendlywords
import friendlywords as fw
fw.generate(1)
# 'square'
fw.generate('po', separator='-')
# 'better-tabletop'
fw.generate('po', rng=__import__('random').Random(42))
# 'tidal cardboard'- Whether word lists can be extended or replaced with custom dictionaries beyond the four built-in categories.
- Performance characteristics when generating large batches of names or with very long grammar patterns.
- Collision probability or uniqueness guarantees across repeated generations.
What it is and what it does
friendlywords is a lightweight Python library that generates random, human-readable strings by combining words from four predefined categories: predicates, objects, teams, and collections. It loads word lists (~41KB) once at import and offers a simple API to generate names by count, grammar pattern, or custom separator. The package has no runtime dependencies and is fully typed.
It's designed for naming projects, experiments, or temporary identifiers where readability matters more than cryptographic uniqueness. You can control randomness by passing your own random.Random instance for reproducibility, or return results as lists instead of strings. The author acknowledges it as a weekend side project and notes that generated names are readable, not unguessable—unsuitable as secrets or unique identifiers.
Use it for
- Generate readable project or experiment names for logs, dashboards, or user-facing labels.
- Create temporary identifiers for test runs or CI/CD pipeline stages that are easy to reference verbally.
- Build random team or collection names for gaming, simulation, or organizational tools.
- Seed reproducible name generation in tests by passing a seeded random.Random instance.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, if you need simple, readable random names with no dependencies and don't require uniqueness guarantees or custom dictionaries.
The low friction, active maintenance, and MIT license make it straightforward to adopt. No if you need collision avoidance, cryptographic strength, or extensive customization.
Install
friendlywords on PyPI
Before you install
Low install friction with no runtime dependencies. Active maintenance as of 2026-08-02, marked Production/Stable, and supports current Python versions.
Requires Python 3.9 or later.
License in practice
MIT license permits commercial and private use with minimal restrictions; attribution required but no copyleft obligations.
Quickstart
pip install friendlywords
import friendlywords as fw
fw.generate(1)
# 'square'
fw.generate('po', separator='-')
# 'better-tabletop'
fw.generate('po', rng=__import__('random').Random(42))
# 'tidal cardboard'Verify before relying
- Whether word lists can be extended or replaced with custom dictionaries beyond the four built-in categories.
- Performance characteristics when generating large batches of names or with very long grammar patterns.
- Collision probability or uniqueness guarantees across repeated generations.
Package facts
| License | MIT permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.9 |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained 12 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 75,980 / month, #14,662 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Development Status :: 5 - Production/StableIntended Audience :: DevelopersProgramming Language :: Python :: 3 :: OnlyProgramming Language :: Python :: 3.10Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12Programming Language :: Python :: 3.13Programming Language :: Python :: 3.14Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9Topic :: Software Development :: Libraries :: Python ModulesTyping :: Typed |
Evidence: friendlywords-1.3.0-py3-none-any.whl
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