How it works
The last name wheel holds 150 of the most common surnames in the United States, taken from the census, from Anderson to Young. Press Spin the wheel for one, or choose a first letter in the menu and the slices show only those names.
Read the full guide
Name a character in two spins
Spin here for the surname, then spin the boy name wheel or the girl name wheel for a first name. Want initials that match? Pick the surname's letter group before you spin. Elimination mode hands out a different surname each time, which suits a whole cast.
Where the names come from
They are the surnames the US Census Bureau counted most often in 2000. Smith is first on that list, and Garcia, Nguyen and Kim are on it too. The card says whether a name is in the first 50, the next 50 or the last 50.
Tips
- For a role-play class or a mock election, give each student one spin in Elimination mode so nobody shares a surname.
Questions and answers
Are the last names on the wheel real?
Yes. Every one is a surname shared by many thousands of people in the United States. That also means a spin names nobody in particular: it is a family name, not a person.
Can I spin a last name that starts with a certain letter?
Yes. The menu groups the names by first letter: A and B, C and D, and so on to V to Y. Choose a group and every spin stays inside it, with all its names on the slices.
Can I add surnames from another country?
Yes. Open My list and type or paste your own, one a line, up to 100. They stay in your browser. The ready-made list is American because it comes from the US census.