petname

What it is and what it does

Petname is a lightweight name generator that produces random, human-readable identifiers by combining adverbs, adjectives, and animal names. It implements RFC1178 to ensure names are pronounceable and memorable while remaining decentralized and secure. The package works both as a command-line utility and as a Python library, with no external runtime dependencies.

Developers typically use petname to generate unique names for containers, virtual machines, hostnames, or any system that needs human-friendly random identifiers. It offers configuration options for word count, letter limits per word, custom separators, and complexity levels (easy, standard, or complex words). The package has been actively maintained since its initial release in 2014 and receives regular updates.

Use it for:

• Generate unique container or pod names in orchestration systems
• Create memorable hostnames for servers or network devices
• Produce random identifiers for test environments or temporary resources
• Build user-friendly naming schemes for cloud instances or virtual machines
• Generate pronounceable names for logging, tracing, or debugging contexts

Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying

Generates random, pronounceable names by combining adverbs, adjectives, and animal names following RFC1178, useful for hostnames, container names, and other identifiers.

Yes. Petname is a simple, dependency-free utility with active maintenance, no known vulnerabilities, and a permissive license. It solves a specific, practical problem (generating memorable random names) with minimal overhead. Install it if you need pronounceable identifiers for infrastructure, testing, or naming tasks.

Install

petname on PyPI

pip install petname

uv add petname

poetry add petname

Installing petname

Before you install

Low install friction with no runtime dependencies and a pure-Python wheel. Actively maintained with a recent commit on 2026-02-15.

License in practice

Licensed under Apache2 (permissive), allowing free use, modification, and distribution with minimal restrictions.

Quickstart

pip install petname

import petname
name = petname.Generate(2, '-')
print(name)  # e.g., 'wiggly-yellowtail'

Verify before relying

• Whether the package supports Python 3 only or maintains compatibility with Python 2 (requires_python is unspecified)
• Whether word lists (adverbs.txt, adjectives.txt, names.txt) are bundled or must be installed separately

Package facts

Evidence: petname-2.9-py3-none-any.whl

Keywords: random, name, uuid

Tags

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