If you've just bought a brand-new router, there are a handful of first steps that you should handle, such as picking a hotspot name for the network SSID (service set identifier). Or if your network has had a generic name for some time, you should consider changing it up, perhaps choosing one of the funny Wi-Fi network names below.

The best SSID names make it easier to identify your network when connecting new devices, and also serve as a conversation starter when friends come over. Here are some of the best Wi-Fi names you can use for your router.

117 Funny Wi-Fi Names for Network SSIDs

What is the best name for Wi-Fi? Router humor is subjective, so we'll cover as wide a variety of ideas as we can. Hopefully, you'll find at least one or two funny SSID names that really stick out:

  1. Mom Use This One
  2. I Now Declare You Husband and Wi-Fi
  3. Benjamin FrankLAN
  4. Keep It On The Download
  5. Martin Router King
  6. John Wilkes Bluetooth
  7. Pretty Fly for a Wi-Fi
  8. Bill Wi the Science Fi
  9. I Believe Wi Can Fi
  10. Tell My Wi-Fi Love Her
  11. No More Mister Wi-Fi
  12. LAN Solo
  13. The LAN Before Time
  14. Silence of the LANs
  15. House LANister
  16. Winternet Is Coming
  17. Every Day I'm Buffering
  18. The Ping in the North
  19. This LAN Is My LAN
  20. Get Off My LAN
  21. The Promised LAN
  22. Winter WonderLAN
  23. The LAN Down Under
  24. FBI Surveillance Van 4
  25. Area 51 Test Site
  26. Drive-By Wi-Fi (for automobile hotspot)
  27. Planet Express (for automobile hotspot)
  28. Wu Tang LAN
  29. Darude LANstorm
  30. Never Gonna Give You Up
  31. Hide Yo Kids, Hide Yo Wi-Fi
  32. Loading...
  33. Searching...
  34. VIRUS.EXE
  35. Virus-Infected Wi-Fi
  36. Starbucks Wi-Fi
  37. Text ###-#### for Password
  38. Wi-Fi Art Thou Romeo
  39. Yell ____ for Password
  40. The Password Is 1234
  41. The Password Is Gullible
  42. Panic At The Cisco
  43. Chance the Router
  44. Lord of the Ping
  45. Ludwig WAN Beethoven
  46. LAN Morrison
  47. Free Public Wi-Fi
  48. No Free Wi-Fi Here
  49. Get Your Own Damn Wi-Fi
  50. It Hurts When IP
  51. Linksys Lohan
  52. Dora the Internet Explorer
  53. 404 Wi-Fi Unavailable
  54. Porque-Fi
  55. Titanic Syncing
  56. Test Wi-Fi Please Ignore
  57. Drop It Like It's Hotspot
  58. Life in the Fast LAN
  59. Wi of the Figer
  60. The Creep Next Door
  61. Ye Olde Internet
  62. Spider-Man’s World Wide Web
  63. Skynet
  64. Router? I Hardly Know Her
  65. Obi-WAN Kenobi
  66. Rebellious Amish Family
  67. Byte Me
  68. Nacho Wi-Fi
  69. All Your Bandwidth Belong to Us
  70. Troy and Abed in the Modem
  71. I Can Haz Wireless?
  72. Wi-Fi Network? Why Not Zoidberg?
  73. America's Next Top Modem
  74. Connecto Patronum
  75. Where the Wild Pings Are
  76. AOL Dial-up
  77. The LAN of the Free
  78. Marty McWi-Fi
  79. No Laughing Router
  80. Routers Of The Lost Ark
  81. The Wi-Fi Must Go On
  82. Wi-Fight The Inevitable
  83. I'm Under Your Bed, FEAR ME!
  84. Totally Not a Virus
  85. The Joker's Wi-Fi Network
  86. Hide Yo Network, Hide Yo Wi-Fi
  87. Please Connect for Identity Theft
  88. It Burns When IPs
  89. Ye Olde Internet Cafe
  90. I Think Therefore I am…On The Internet
  91. Wi-Fi? I Hardly Knew Her!
  92. Network Not Found
  93. No Wi-Fi for You!
  94. MyOwnPrivateNetwork
  95. The Matrix Has You
  96. Trying to Connect...
  97. LAN of Milk & Honey
  98. No Signal Detected
  99. Searching for Wi-Fi Network…
  100. Network Connection Lost
  101. Wi-Fi? More Like Bye-Fi!
  102. 99 Problems But WiFi Ain't One
  103. God Is Our Rock. He'll Protect Your Data
  104. Feel The Sting Of My 802.11ac!
  105. Carpe Diem
  106. Hasta la Vista, Baby
  107. Is it Safe?
  108. Searching for Vibranium
  109. May the Password be With You
  110. NotTheWifiYoureLookingFor
  111. SeriousLAN
  112. Virus Infected Wi-Fi
  113. Malware Repository
  114. Skynet Global Defense Network
  115. Mom Click Here for Internet
  116. Taco Wi-Fi Truck
  117. Connection Failed Unexpectedly

Tips for Choosing a Clever Wi-Fi Name

Whether you decide to go with one of the funny SSID names above or something else of your own creation, there are a few important guidelines that you should also consider:

  • Aim for unique but memorable. Cool SSID names are only cool as long as you're able to remember them.
  • Make sure it’s family-friendly. Depending on who regularly accesses your network, you'll want to avoid anything too risqué or inappropriate.
  • The best Wi-Fi names never include personal information like your real name, address, apartment number, birthdate, etc.
  • Wi-Fi password names are not a thing. Never make the SSID related to the network password.
  • Avoid provocative SSIDs that might make your network a prime target for hackers.

As long as you take those tips to heart, there aren't many network security risks to worry about. And if you're thinking about hiding your SSID to keep hackers away, don't bother—even if the SSID isn't being broadcast, others can still find it using packet sniffers and probe requests.

How to Change Your Wi-Fi Name (Known as Network SSID)

Black and White Modem Router

Once you've gone through all of these SSID names and have picked one for your network, you actually have to change a setting on your router to make that name come to life.

This may not be as easy as snapping your fingers, but the process is rather straightforward—just follow the directions below closely and you'll be fine, even if you've never done it before.

1. Log Into Your Router as Admin

Every router manufacturer provides its own unique admin panel software, and sometimes it can even differ from model to model, but the overall login procedure is pretty much the same for all of them. In this case, we're on Windows 10 and will be using a TP-Link router.

Open up Command Prompt (access it via Windows key + X) and type in the ipconfig command.

Windows 10 command prompt ipconfig

In the results that show up, find Wireless LAN adapter Wi-Fi, and look under it for the item labeled Default Gateway. This is the IP address of your router. If you type it into the address bar of a web browser, you should see your router's admin login page.

TP-Link Windows 10 router config admin login

Most of the time, 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1 should work. If it doesn't, you'll need to look up the instructions in your router's manual to see if there are any special steps. For example, sometimes the login address is an actual URL, like routerlogin.com.

As for admin login credentials, you can find the defaults for your router in the manual as well. However, admin / admin is a popular combo used by many manufacturers, followed by admin / password and admin / 1234.

2. Change the Router's SSID

Once you've logged in, look for the navigation bar. For us, all of the options are along the left sidebar. For you, it might be sprawled across the top or bottom of the page, or it might be in a dropdown menu that's tucked away into a corner.

Windows 10 TP-Link router config sidebar navigation

Look for a section called Wireless, Wireless Networks, Wi-Fi, Wireless Settings, or anything along those lines. Click it and you should be brought to a page that lets you add any funny SSID names that you want. In some cases, it might have a more user-friendly label, like Wireless Network Name, in our case.

Windows 10 router wireless network SSID

Type in your funny SSID, click Save, and you're done. This will disconnect all of your devices, forcing them to reconnect to the newly-named network (because in the eyes of a device, the old network no longer exists; the different name indicates a new network).

3. Tweak Other Router Settings (Optional)

Since you're already logged into your router, we recommend tweaking a few other settings in order to optimize your internet performance and increase the security of your connections.

You definitely should change both the admin login password and the public-facing password that people use to connect to your network. The former should be under System Tools (or something similar), while the latter should be under Wireless Security (or something similar). In either case, make sure the password is a strong one.

You should also get acquainted with the page that shows all of the devices that are connected to the router. This can be an effective first step if you ever think there are suspicious devices on your network.

What Are the Best Wi-Fi Names You've Seen?

Can't find anything above that jives? The internet is full of funny Wi-Fi name suggestions. Wi-Fi SSID names should be a reflection of your innermost self, and if they make your neighbors laugh, then that's even better. But if you want to keep things a little more hidden, that's possible too.