diff --git a/scripts/test-names.mjs b/scripts/test-names.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5611baf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/test-names.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
+import { getAvatarForName, generateUsername, USERNAME_ADJECTIVES, USERNAME_NOUNS } from '../shared/names.js';
+
+// --- getAvatarForName (deterministic) ---
+
+// Exact matches
+assert.equal(getAvatarForName('Koala'), '🐨', 'Koala');
+assert.equal(getAvatarForName('Tiger'), '🐯', 'Tiger');
+assert.equal(getAvatarForName('Panda'), '🐼', 'Panda');
+assert.equal(getAvatarForName('Fox'), '🦊', 'Fox');
+
+// Case insensitive
+assert.equal(getAvatarForName('koala'), '🐨', 'lowercase');
+assert.equal(getAvatarForName('MyKoalaUser'), '🐨', 'embedded uppercase');
+
+// Longest match wins (caterpillar > cat)
+assert.equal(getAvatarForName('CaterpillarCat'), '🐛', 'caterpillar before cat');
+assert.equal(getAvatarForName('Cat'), '🐱', 'cat alone');
+
+// Emoji with ZWJ sequences (multi-codepoint)
+assert.equal(getAvatarForName('Polar'), '🐻\u200D❄️', 'polar bear ZWJ');
+assert.equal(getAvatarForName('Crow'), '🐦\u200D⬛', 'crow ZWJ');
+
+// Human-like characters
+assert.equal(getAvatarForName('Ninja'), '🥷', 'ninja');
+assert.equal(getAvatarForName('Wizard'), '🧙', 'wizard');
+assert.equal(getAvatarForName('Pirate'), '🏴', 'pirate');
+assert.equal(getAvatarForName('Alien'), '👾', 'alien');
+assert.equal(getAvatarForName('Robot'), '🤖', 'robot');
+
+// Fallback
+assert.equal(getAvatarForName(''), '👤', 'empty string');
+assert.equal(getAvatarForName('Xyzzy123'), '👤', 'unknown name');
+assert.equal(getAvatarForName(null), '👤', 'null');
+assert.equal(getAvatarForName(undefined), '👤', 'undefined');
+
+// --- generateUsername (format check) ---
+for (let i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
+    const name = generateUsername();
+    // Format: AdjectiveNoun (e.g. "HappyKoala")
+    assert.ok(/^[A-Z][a-z]+[A-Z][a-z]+$/.test(name), `format: ${name}`);
+    // Adjective from list
+    const adj = USERNAME_ADJECTIVES.some(a => name.startsWith(a));
+    assert.ok(adj, `adjective from list: ${name}`);
+    // Noun from list
+    const noun = USERNAME_NOUNS.some(n => name.endsWith(n));
+    assert.ok(noun, `noun from list: ${name}`);
+}
+
+// Every noun has an emoji (no broken usernames)
+for (const noun of USERNAME_NOUNS) {
+    const avatar = getAvatarForName(noun);
+    assert.notEqual(avatar, '👤', `noun "${noun}" has no emoji — add to ANIMAL_EMOJI_MAP`);
+}
+
+console.log('names tests passed');
diff --git a/scripts/verify-release.mjs b/scripts/verify-release.mjs
index 0ed31be..94ade13 100644
--- a/scripts/verify-release.mjs
+++ b/scripts/verify-release.mjs
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ const checks = [
   ['rate-limiter unit tests', 'node', ['scripts/test-rate-limiter.mjs']],
   ['episode-utils unit tests', 'node', ['scripts/test-episode-utils.mjs']],
   ['server WebSocket integration', 'node', ['scripts/test-server-ws.mjs']],
+  ['names generator', 'node', ['scripts/test-names.mjs']],
   ['content video finder', 'node', ['scripts/test-content-video-finder.cjs']],
   ['audio settings', 'node', ['scripts/test-audio-settings.mjs']],
   ['popup refresh cooldown', 'node', ['scripts/test-popup-refresh-cooldown.mjs']],