Name 100 Challenge
♀ Name 100 Women Challenge

How to Play & Rules

Everything you need to know about the Name 100 Women Challenge — from basic rules to expert strategies.

Start the Challenge

What Is the Challenge?

The Name 100 Women Challenge is a free online quiz that tests your knowledge of famous women from history and today. Your goal: name 100 famous women — real female public figures verified by Wikidata, the free knowledge base behind Wikipedia.

Every name you submit is instantly checked against Wikidata's database of millions of entries. If the person is a real female human recorded in Wikidata, it counts toward your total. The clock tracks your time, and you can submit your score to the leaderboard when you finish.

No sign-up required. No downloads. Just open the page and start naming.

The Rules

  1. Goal

    Name 100 famous women — real female public figures verified by Wikidata.

  2. How to play

    Type a name and press Enter or click Add. Each valid name counts toward your total.

  3. No duplicates

    Each name can only be used once. Duplicates won't count toward your total.

  4. Timer

    The clock starts with your first submission. Try to finish as fast as you can!

How Name Validation Works

When you submit a name, the challenge sends a query to Wikidata, a free and open knowledge base that powers Wikipedia. Wikidata contains structured data about millions of people, places, and things.

The validation checks two things:

  • Is this a real person? The name must match a human ("instance of human") in Wikidata.
  • Is this person female? The entry must have a female gender classification in Wikidata.

If both conditions are met, the name is accepted. Otherwise, it's marked as invalid. Case and spelling variations are handled automatically — as long as Wikidata recognizes the name, it counts.

Tips & Strategies

The key to reaching 100 is to think broadly across categories. Here are some to get you started:

ScientistsMarie Curie, Rosalind Franklin, Ada Lovelace
Activists & Nobel LaureatesRosa Parks, Malala Yousafzai, Mother Teresa
ArtistsFrida Kahlo, Georgia O'Keeffe, Yayoi Kusama
AthletesSerena Williams, Simone Biles, Billie Jean King
WritersJane Austen, Maya Angelou, Virginia Woolf
Musicians & SingersAretha Franklin, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé
Actresses & PerformersMeryl Streep, Audrey Hepburn, Viola Davis
Politics & LeadersAngela Merkel, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Margaret Thatcher
EntrepreneursOprah Winfrey, Sara Blakely, Coco Chanel
Historical FiguresCleopatra, Joan of Arc, Empress Wu Zetian

💡 Pro tip: Start with broad, well-known names from each category, then drill deeper into areas you know well. Mix first and last names, and try different name formats if one doesn't work.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to create an account to play?

No! The challenge is completely free and requires no sign-up. Just visit the page and start naming.

Can I use nicknames or partial names?

The challenge checks names against Wikidata's database. For best results, use the person's commonly-known full name (e.g., "Taylor Swift" rather than just "Taylor"). Wikidata handles many name variations, but full names work most reliably.

What if a name I submit is marked invalid?

Invalid names don't count against you — they simply don't add to your total. You can keep trying with different names. The name might not exist in Wikidata, or the spelling might not match exactly.

Can I play on mobile?

Yes! The challenge works on desktop, tablet, and mobile devices. The interface adapts to your screen size.

How is the leaderboard ranked?

Players are ranked by completion time — the faster you name 100 women, the higher you rank. Only times in the top 100 appear on the leaderboard.

Can I replay the challenge?

Absolutely! Use the restart button to clear your progress and try again. Challenge yourself to beat your previous time.

Ready to Test Your Knowledge?

Think you can name 100 famous women? Put your knowledge to the test and see how you rank on the leaderboard.

Start Naming 100 Women