15 dummy text generators you should know

As designers attempting to creating functional work, oftentimes we are required to make our designs look as finished as possible.

For example, if you are designing a brand new website for someone, most times you will have to make sure the prototype looks finished by inserting text or photos or what have you. The purpose of this is so the person viewing the prototype has a chance to actually feel and understand the idea behind what you have created.

Now in some circumstances, designers may use squares and rectangles to help you visualize what should and could be in a specific location.

We all have our own techniques, but one of the most effective techniques is to actually put some text where text goes and some pictures where pictures go to make sure everyone can see the vision you’ve created.

Coming up with filler text on the fly is not easy, but it is becoming more and more of a requirement. Fortunately, some designers and developers around the web know this and have put together a bunch of text generators to help you present your vision.

Some are standard (like the always popular ‘Lorem Ipsum’ generators) and some are really fun. Either way, pick one of your favorites from below and start generating text and completing your vision.

No-frills Text Generators

These text generators are solid (and serious) in nature. Most of which have great features to help increase the effectiveness of your vision.

Blind Text Generator

This is one of the better text generators with 10 different languages (or language styles) to generate. They also include the CSS parameters in case you are interested in styling everything correctly. Of course, the features are pretty standard with options like define the amount of words or characters and the amount of paragraphs.

Example (Li Europan lingues):

Li Europan lingues es membres del sam familie. Lor separat existentie es un myth. Por scientie, musica, sport etc, litot Europa usa li sam vocabular. Li lingues differe solmen in li grammatica, li pronunciation e li plu commun vocabules. Omnicos directe al desirabilite de un nov lingua franca: On refusa continuar payar custosi traductores. At solmen va esser necessi far uniform grammatica, pronunciation e plu sommun paroles.

Lipsum

This is one of the simpler, no-frills text generators based only on Lorem Ipsum. You basically are only able to adjust the amount of paragraphs or words. You can also create bulleted lists or generate your text based on how many bytes it should be. A nice addition here, is that it offers you some background information on the use and history of ‘Lorem Ipsum.’

Example (standard):

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Aenean ultrices bibendum mollis. Sed aliquet, enim at vulputate porttitor, felis nunc vehicula ante, blandit lobortis mi massa non leo. Sed dui enim, interdum non rhoncus vitae, blandit eu eros. Nulla facilisi.

Lorem Ipsum Generator

This is again your standard text generator, but what’s different here is it’s available in more than 10 different languages (including Morse Code). You are also able to download or just copy and paste the HTML code or just the words.

Example (Esperanto):

Meta komentofrazo ci cis, negativa antaŭmetado la oni, havi frida aga ac. Jeso senforte iam ci. Sep mo danki lanta. Ist aliel afrikato ko, finno franjo kondicionalo os vic. Malantaŭe subtegmento co bio, plus artefarita ko tre. Tiel responde nv cis, estiel decimalo iv nia.

Dummy Text Generator

What I liked about this one was the English option. It’s pretty similar with most of these generators in their function and features—but this one simply asks whether you want the ‘lorem ipsum’ gibberish or do you want your gibberish in English words. You are also able to insert random styling, which is extremely useful.

Example (English):

Life. Spirit second Whales under sea unto creature made second without you’ll and own fowl yielding own great fill creepeth in moving sixth every it evening gathering let light moving cattle.

Cameron Creative Filler Text

This isn’t a text generator at all but what this person did was put together some English gibberish in the form of what we use and create the most. For example instead of just paragraphs of ‘lorem ipsum’, we have text put together that simulates real uses—for example, they have created a Terms and Conditions ‘excerpt’—most of which also includes some HTML and CSS styling.

Example (Terms & Conditions):

This product is meant for educational purposes only. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead is purely coincidental. Void where prohibited. Some assembly required. List each check separately by bank number. Batteries not included.

Random Text Generator

Random yet simple, this text generator is perfect for those of us that don’t need or require a ton of features. It has several other languages you can use to generate your text, however, that could possibly benefit those of us that work with international clients.

Example (French):

Nouvelle trouvait supplice lupanars revendre me la. Crispent ethiopie philippe ses essaiera aux physique negation ces eux. Gagnent car elancer moi effraie ici entendu entrevu. Cravaches annoncait ah epluchant ce. Ans chambrees mal dentelles tiendrons mystiques. Habilement crispation au ne asiatiques un pressaient tu renferment.

Fillerati

This text generator strays away from the usage of faux languages. Here, the developer decided to use passages from various famous stories to create randomly generated text. The features and interactivity here are wonderful as you can generate text for headings as well as paragraphs by using sliders. This one is perfect for your modern designer.

Example (The Wizard of Oz):

The woman now gave Dorothy a bed to sleep in, and Toto lay down beside her, while the Lion guarded the door of her room so she might not be disturbed. The Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman stood up in a corner and kept quiet all night, although of course they could not sleep.

MaleVole Text Generator

This text generator claims to have been based on years of research and can improve the most lackluster of designers. Whether that’s solid sarcasm or fact, this text generator is pretty simple and quite interesting to read.

Example:

This is my boss, Jonathan Hart, a self-made millionaire, he’s quite a guy. This is Mrs H., she’s gorgeous, she’s one lady who knows how to take care of herself. By the way, my name is Max. I take care of both of them, which ain’t easy, ’cause when they met it was MURDER!

Loripsum.net

This is kind of the fancier, easier to use version of the ‘Lipsum.com; generator. You can add different kinds of tags as well as your unordered lists and even placeholder code. Loripsum.net is actually one of the best generators you will find, as long as you’re cool with keeping the ‘Lorem ipsum…’ type of text.

Example (with unordered lists):

Quis est tam dissimile homini. Invidiosum nomen est, infame, suspectum. Quam ob rem tandem, inquit, non satisfacit? Aliter autem vobis placet.

• Ut necesse sit omnium rerum, quae natura vigeant, similem esse finem, non eundem.
• Eam si varietatem diceres, intellegerem, ut etiam non dicente te intellego;

HTML-Ipsum

Sometimes it’s not about just filling up the text, you may need actual HTML elements to help you, especially if you want to show off some of the CSS styling you may use. HTML-Ipsum gives you plenty of tags to choose from (forms, menus, etc.) to use to bring your design to real life.

Example (short sentence):

Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas.

Just-for-fun Text Generators

These text generators add a bit of comic relief to your web designs. They aren’t for every situation or client but hey, if you can get away with it, use it!

Gangsta Lorem Ipsum

Some of us may know that popular rapper Snoop Dogg coined his own language. Why he did it, no one is really sure, but it’s something that spread like wild fire. Commonly called the ‘izzle’ language, this text generator takes normal ‘lorem ipsum’ talk and converts it into the eloquent ‘izzle’ language.

Example:

Lorem ipsum ghetto you son of a bizzle amizzle, consectetuer adipiscing owned. Shut the shizzle up sapizzle velizzle, yo volutpizzle, pimpin’ quizzle, own yo’ bow wow wow, arcu. Pellentesque gizzle we gonna chung. Sed erizzle. Mammasay mammasa mamma oo sa izzle dolizzle dapibus dizzle tempizzle i’m in the shizzle.

TV Ipsum

I’m sure I’m not the only one that knows the theme song to most of my favorite shows, or their popular catch phrases. This text generator puts them on display by rendering random theme song lyrics, titles and catch phrases. It’s kind of fun to go through them and figure out where each phrase comes from.

Example:

They call him Flipper Flipper faster than lightning. No one you see is smarter than he. In a freak mishap Ranger 3 and its pilot Captain William Buck Rogers are blown out of their trajectory into an orbit which freezes his life support systems and returns Buck Rogers to Earth five-hundred years later. Didnt need no welfare states.

Bacon Ipsum

For the meat lovers out there, this one is just for you. This generator randomly throws in some names of the best cuts of meat around. This would be great for a restaurant. And don’t fret: there’s Vegan Ipsum for those of who don’t get down like that.

Example (from BaconIpsum):

Short ribs andouille pig shankle, spare ribs anim enim eu dolore deserunt. Eu do et spare ribs, consectetur esse short ribs short loin id boudin. Venison quis pork loin excepteur pastrami enim, laborum occaecat eu magna aute.

Example (from VeganIpsum):

Miner’s Lettuce orache lagos bologi ensete broadleaf arrowhead canna wild leek chinese artichoke. Hamburg parsley, tarwi, broccoli rabe greater plantain welsh onion water chestnut onion. Moth bean, burdock, polk elephant foot yam elephant foot yam asparagus black-eyed pea good king henry.

Twipsum

Twitter is really taking over and here’s just another reason why and how. This text generator allows you to insert a phrase or word, and it generates paragraphs based on what people are talking about on Twitter at the moment. It’s actually extremely neat and really fun to play with.

Example (phrase was ‘web design’):

99% of the time I love web design. I’m just glad I have a gym membership for the 1% that I don’t..sabado começo o curso de Web design. Done doing web design tonight.. let’s see what tomorrow morning brings!. Profit By Outsourcing, The Web Design India Company Sought to Sculpt The Prominent Property Portal. Took a web design class once coming in handy for my tumblr :).

Conclusion

All of these tools can help you at some point during your design career. Whether the dummy text be standard or creative and funny none of these sites will let you down. The key is just finding one that works for you and meets the needs of you can your client! If you have to use dummy texts, why not use the best of the best?

What is your favorite dummy text generator? Did we miss any good ones?

Kendra Gaines

Kendra Gaines is a freelance designer from Virginia, USA. Connect with her.