Island Name Generator

Generate thousands of random island names

Use this island name generator to grab thousands of name ideas. With so many options, it’s perfectly suited for your next story, pirate adventure or even to generate names for your Animal Crossing: New Horizons island.

This doubles as an Animal Crossing Island Name Generator

If you're here to look for a name, it's quite likely that it's meant for a particular Nintendo Switch title: Animal Crossing: New Horizons. This latest video game hit has you managing your own remote paradise and is a very cool twist to the Animal Crossing formula we all know. It's triggered plenty of new island name generators by various people, the foremost one definitely being Samuel Fine's over on glitch, which is very cleverly made.

Not only great for Animal Crossing, but also for any other kind of fictional island

New Horizons is a big thing right now, but surely there are also many people who are looking for island names to power their stories or roleplaying adventures (or maybe you bought an actual paradise for yourself). In that case you're still in the right place. With countless ideas, there's plenty of names to go around and all of them are free to use in any project you like, no strings attached.

How do islands form?

Islands are land masses that aren't connected to the mainland via a causeway or bridge but are surrounded with water. There are many different types of islands in every ocean and sea around the globe. They can be inhabited or uninhabited and may be large or tiny. There are many species of animal and plant life that can thrive in these islands, including tropical havens and rugged wildernesses.

But how did these islands form? Although there are many ways islands could form, the most common is when tectonic plate collide. The Earth's crust is made up of huge slabs of rock called "tectonic plates", which are constantly changing. A collision between two plates called tectonic can lead to an island or a depression that is filled with water. This can cause the land to rise and create mountains. This process is called plate tectonics. It can result in the formation of many islands around the globe.

Another factor that can cause islands to form is volcanic activity. When a volcano erupts it can release lava, ash and other materials, which can eventually harden into islands. These volcanic islands are known for their rugged terrain and lack soil. Examples of volcanic islands include Hawaii, the Galapagos Islands and the Canary Islands.

Another way islands can be formed is through erosion and sedimentation. The land can become eroded by wind and water over time. This creates a depression which eventually becomes an island. Coral islands are formed in this manner and are often distinguished by their low elevations and coral reefs. Two examples of coral islands are the Maldives, and the Bahamas.

Which types of islands exist?

You can categorize islands based on their size, shape, location, and many other characteristics. There are three types of islands that can be classified based on their location: island arcs and oceanic islands. Islands that are near the mainland but are not part of the same continent, are called continental islands. Two examples of islands located on the continent are Borneo and Madagascar. Oceanic islands are those islands that are surrounded by deep waters and are located far from the mainland. Examples of oceanic islands include Hawaii and the Galapagos Islands. Island arcs are formed when tectonic plates collide, which results in chains of islands. Examples of island arcs include the Aleutian Islands, and the Japanese archipelago.

There are three types of islands: small, medium, and large. Large islands are those that have a greater surface area than 10,000 miles. They are also frequented daily by large populations and diverse ecosystems. Large islands include Australia, Greenland and Borneo. Medium-sized islands are those that cover between 1,000 and 10,000 sq. miles. These islands often house smaller populations and more specialized ecosystems. Two examples of medium-sized island are New Guinea and Baffin Island. A small island is defined as an area less than 1,000 miles. These islands often have very small populations and highly specialized ecosystems. Two examples of small islands are the Galapagos Islands or Pitcairn Island.

5 questions to help you come up with island names

1. What type of environment does the island have?
2. What kind of natural features does the island have?
3. What type of animals inhabit the island?
4. What is the native culture of the island?
5. Does the island have any distinguishing historical elements?

Can I use the random island names that this tool creates?