Hi there! This is the home of the Public Radio Name Generator, which was originally launched in 2011. We took it down for a little while and recoded it, since it was a little outdated.
Here’s a little walk down memory lane/ case study of the PRNG, in case you miss it!
Background
The Public Radio Name Generator was a lighthearted, satirical website created to poke fun at the distinct and often quirky naming conventions associated with public radio personalities. Launched over a decade ago, the site quickly gained popularity for its humor and shareability, drawing in thousands of visitors and generating buzz across social media platforms.
Concept and Features
The generator allowed users to enter their first and last names, which were then transformed into whimsical public radio-style names. The algorithm used a mix of real public radio trends (like unusual or poetic-sounding names) and randomized elements to produce names such as “Crispin Starling” or “Rowena Finch.” The playful simplicity of the tool was a major part of its charm.
Key Features:
- Randomized Output: Users could refresh for new names or tweak their inputs for variations.
- Social Sharing: A one-click feature to share generated names on Facebook, Twitter, or via email.
- Minimalist Design: The site’s simple layout kept the focus on the generator, with no distractions.
Success Metrics
- Traffic:
- Within its first month, the site attracted over 500,000 unique visitors.
- Viral sharing led to traffic spikes, with peaks of up to 100,000 daily visitors during key moments of media coverage.
- Media Mentions:
- Featured in prominent publications such as The New York Times, NPR, and BuzzFeed.
- Public radio personalities even shared their generated names, further boosting the site’s visibility. I think our finest moment was when Peter Segal Tweeted us that he put his own name in and it didn’t come back “Peter Segal,” so he was disappointed.
- User Engagement:
- Average session duration exceeded 5 minutes, indicating that visitors enjoyed experimenting with the tool and re-naming themselves multiple times.
- The social sharing feature accounted for 30% of all traffic.