BYTETOOLS

Letter Avatar Generator

Create Gmail-style initial avatars from a list of names, with colors hashed from each name and text contrast picked automatically, exported as PNGs.

58
45
40

Type at least one name above to generate an avatar.

What is the Letter Avatar Generator?

The ByteTools Letter Avatar Generator turns a list of names into the initial-based avatars used as placeholders across web apps.

  • Up to 24 avatars generated at once from a plain list of names
  • Background hue hashed from the name, so it is stable across devices and sessions
  • White or near-black text picked by WCAG contrast, with the ratio shown
  • Circle, squircle, rounded square and square shapes
  • Automatic letter shrinking so wide initials always fit inside the shape
  • Transparent PNG export at any size from 32 to 1024 pixels

How to use the Letter Avatar Generator

  1. 1

    Type or paste names into the text area, one per line, up to 24 at a time.

  2. 2

    Set the avatar size in pixels and choose a shape: circle, squircle, rounded square or square.

  3. 3

    Choose how many initials to take from each name, and pick a font weight.

  4. 4

    Tune the background saturation and lightness and the letter size sliders.

  5. 5

    Click Download under any avatar to save it as a PNG.

About the Letter Avatar Generator

The ByteTools Letter Avatar Generator turns a list of names into the initial-based avatars used as placeholders across web apps. Paste up to 24 names, one per line, and each one gets one, two or three initials drawn centred on a circle, squircle, rounded square or plain square at whatever pixel size your interface needs.

Background colors are not random. The name is hashed to a hue on a fixed saturation and lightness ring, so the same person always gets the same color on every device with no lookup table to maintain. The text color is then chosen as whichever of white or near-black has the higher WCAG contrast ratio, and that ratio is printed under each avatar.

Every avatar is drawn 100% locally in your browser on a canvas and nothing is uploaded to a server, which matters because a list of real names is personal data. Adjust the saturation, lightness, letter size and font weight, then download any avatar as a PNG with a transparent background, ready to drop into your app.

Frequently asked questions

How do apps generate avatars from initials?

They take the first letter of the first and last name, then pick a background color by hashing the full name onto a fixed palette or hue ring. Because the hash is deterministic, the same user always gets the same color without anything needing to be stored.

Why is the background color always the same for a name?

The name is hashed to a number, and that number is mapped onto a hue ring at a fixed saturation and lightness. The calculation is deterministic, so an identical name produces an identical color in every browser and on every device.

What size should a letter avatar be?

Export at least twice the size you display, so the avatar stays sharp on high-density screens — 128 or 256 pixels covers most list and profile use. The default of 256 pixels works well for both a small comment thumbnail and a larger profile header.

Can I use these avatars in a commercial product?

Yes. The avatars are drawn from your own text using system fonts and procedurally generated colors, with no stock artwork involved. There is nothing to attribute and no licence to buy.

Are the names I enter sent anywhere?

No. The names stay in your browser, the avatars are rendered on a local canvas element, and no network request is made. That matters because a list of real names is personal data you should not be pasting into a remote service.

Related tools