petname
Generate human-readable, random object names
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
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.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
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 · maintenance · safety
Apache2 (permissive) — Licensed under Apache2 (permissive), allowing free use, modification, and distribution with minimal restrictions.
last release 2026-02-15 (180 days) · last repo commit 2026-02-15 · 58 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 536,565 downloads/mo, #6,125 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install petname
import petname
name = petname.Generate(2, '-')
print(name) # e.g., 'wiggly-yellowtail'- 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
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 on it.
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
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
| License | Apache2 permissive |
| Python support | Not specified |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained 180 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 536,565 / month, #6,125 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
Evidence: petname-2.9-py3-none-any.whl
Tags
Let your AI agent find packages like this
Example. Real query, live index.
You found this page by searching. An agent finds it by wishing: SkillFed indexes 14,416 PyPI packages by what they can do, searchable in plain language.
wish › “pronounceable pet names”
- petnameGenerates random, pronounceable names by combining adverbs,…
- getnameProvides random name generation for cats, dogs, superheroes, and…
- tuipetA terminal-based virtual pet game in the Digimon V-Pet style, with…
Give your agent the search over MCP, or paste the wish link into any chat.
More Utilities packages
Converts domain names between Unicode and ASCII-compatible encoding (Punycode) according to IDNA 2008 and Unicode Technical Standard 46, with security validation and broader script coverage than the standard library.
Install it if you work with internationalized domain names, need to validate domains, or use HTTP clients that depend on it transitively.
Detects and normalizes text encoding from unknown or ambiguous sources, supporting all IANA character sets that Python's core library provides codecs for, with the ability to register custom codecs.
Setuptools is a Python build backend and package management tool that handles building, distributing, and installing Python packages, including support for C/C++ extension modules.
Pluggy provides a plugin system that lets you define hook specifications and register implementations to be called in sequence, enabling extensible Python applications without tight coupling.
Install it if you're building an extensible application or framework.
Pygments is a syntax highlighter that colorizes source code and text in over 500 languages and formats, outputting to HTML, LaTeX, RTF, SVG, images, or ANSI terminal sequences.
Install it if you need to display or transform source code.
Six provides utility functions to write Python code that runs on both Python 2.7 and Python 3.3+, smoothing over language differences between the two versions.
See also coolname · randomname · random-slugs · friendlywords · unique-namer · wonderwords · codenamize · haikunator · rstr · xkcdpass