diff --git a/src/ria_toolkit_oss/agent/cli.py b/src/ria_toolkit_oss/agent/cli.py
index 6b88473..dec8420 100644
--- a/src/ria_toolkit_oss/agent/cli.py
+++ b/src/ria_toolkit_oss/agent/cli.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import sys
 from . import config as _config
 from .hardware import available_devices
 from .legacy_executor import main as _legacy_main
+from .namegen import generate_agent_name
 
 _LEGACY_ALIASES = {"--hub", "--key", "--name", "--device", "--insecure", "--log-level", "--config"}
 
@@ -42,7 +43,8 @@ def _cmd_register(args: argparse.Namespace) -> int:
 
     hub_url = args.hub.rstrip("/")
     url = f"{hub_url}/screens/agents/register"
-    body = json.dumps({"name": args.name or ""}).encode()
+    name = args.name or generate_agent_name()
+    body = json.dumps({"name": name}).encode()
     req = urllib.request.Request(
         url,
         data=body,
@@ -66,8 +68,7 @@ def _cmd_register(args: argparse.Namespace) -> int:
     cfg.agent_id = agent_id
     cfg.token = token
     cfg.api_key = args.api_key
-    if args.name:
-        cfg.name = args.name
+    cfg.name = name
     cfg.insecure = bool(args.insecure)
     cfg.tx_enabled = bool(getattr(args, "allow_tx", False))
     if (v := getattr(args, "tx_max_gain_db", None)) is not None:
diff --git a/src/ria_toolkit_oss/agent/namegen.py b/src/ria_toolkit_oss/agent/namegen.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9d3299a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ria_toolkit_oss/agent/namegen.py
@@ -0,0 +1,147 @@
+"""Generate random human-readable agent names.
+
+Produces names in the form ``adjective-colour-animal``, e.g.
+``swift-teal-falcon`` or ``brave-coral-otter``.  All words are chosen
+to be friendly and inoffensive.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import random
+
+ADJECTIVES: list[str] = [
+    "brave",
+    "bright",
+    "calm",
+    "clever",
+    "cool",
+    "daring",
+    "eager",
+    "fair",
+    "fancy",
+    "fast",
+    "fierce",
+    "gentle",
+    "grand",
+    "happy",
+    "jolly",
+    "keen",
+    "kind",
+    "lively",
+    "lucky",
+    "mighty",
+    "noble",
+    "plucky",
+    "proud",
+    "quick",
+    "quiet",
+    "sharp",
+    "shiny",
+    "sleek",
+    "smart",
+    "steady",
+    "stellar",
+    "strong",
+    "sturdy",
+    "sunny",
+    "sure",
+    "swift",
+    "tall",
+    "vivid",
+    "warm",
+    "wise",
+]
+
+COLOURS: list[str] = [
+    "amber",
+    "aqua",
+    "azure",
+    "beige",
+    "blue",
+    "bronze",
+    "coral",
+    "copper",
+    "crimson",
+    "cyan",
+    "denim",
+    "gold",
+    "green",
+    "grey",
+    "indigo",
+    "ivory",
+    "jade",
+    "lemon",
+    "lilac",
+    "lime",
+    "maroon",
+    "mint",
+    "navy",
+    "olive",
+    "onyx",
+    "peach",
+    "pearl",
+    "plum",
+    "red",
+    "rose",
+    "ruby",
+    "rust",
+    "sage",
+    "sand",
+    "scarlet",
+    "silver",
+    "slate",
+    "steel",
+    "teal",
+    "violet",
+]
+
+ANIMALS: list[str] = [
+    "badger",
+    "bear",
+    "bison",
+    "crane",
+    "deer",
+    "dolphin",
+    "eagle",
+    "elk",
+    "falcon",
+    "finch",
+    "fox",
+    "gecko",
+    "hawk",
+    "heron",
+    "horse",
+    "ibis",
+    "jaguar",
+    "jay",
+    "kite",
+    "koala",
+    "lark",
+    "lion",
+    "lynx",
+    "marten",
+    "moose",
+    "newt",
+    "orca",
+    "osprey",
+    "otter",
+    "owl",
+    "panda",
+    "puma",
+    "raven",
+    "robin",
+    "salmon",
+    "seal",
+    "shark",
+    "stork",
+    "swift",
+    "wolf",
+]
+
+
+def generate_agent_name() -> str:
+    """Return a random ``adjective-colour-animal`` name."""
+    adj = random.choice(ADJECTIVES)
+    col = random.choice(COLOURS)
+    ani = random.choice(ANIMALS)
+    return f"{adj}-{col}-{ani}"