Help Needed: Fixing Indexing Error in MATLAB Random Name Generator Code

I am working on developing a name generator tool in MATLAB to produce random names for individuals or animals. I am inspired by the functionality of the website nameswhisperer.com and aim to create a similar tool.

I have written the following MATLAB code to generate random names:

function randomName = generateRandomName()
    % Define lists of name components
    firstNames = {'Alex', 'Jordan', 'Taylor', 'Riley', 'Morgan'};
    lastNames = {'Smith', 'Johnson', 'Williams', 'Brown', 'Jones'};
    
    % Generate random indices
    firstNameIndex = randi(length(firstNames));
    lastNameIndex = randi(length(lastNames));
    
    % Construct random name
    randomName = [firstNames(firstNameIndex) ' ' lastNames(lastNameIndex)];
end

% Example usage
name = generateRandomName();
disp(['Generated Name: ' name]);

However, I am encountering an issue with the code. Specifically, when I run the script, I receive an error related to the way names are indexed and concatenated.

Could you help identify and correct the mistake in the code?

Thank you for your assistance!

Answer 1

[Voss]

I'm not sure what the error is, but you should use curly braces {} to get the contents of a cell in a cell array.

function randomName = generateRandomName()
    % Define lists of name components
    firstNames = {'Alex', 'Jordan', 'Taylor', 'Riley', 'Morgan'};
    lastNames = {'Smith', 'Johnson', 'Williams', 'Brown', 'Jones'};
    
    % Generate random indices
    firstNameIndex = randi(length(firstNames));
    lastNameIndex = randi(length(lastNames));
    
    % Construct random name
    randomName = [firstNames{firstNameIndex} ' ' lastNames{lastNameIndex}];
    %                       ^              ^              ^             ^ curly braces
end

% Example usage
name = generateRandomName();
disp(['Generated Name: ' name]);

Generated Name: Riley Jones

https://www.mathworks.com/help/matlab/matlab_prog/access-data-in-a-cell-array.html

Answer 2

[Les Beckham]

You need to use curly braces instead of parentheses to extract the contents of the cell array of char vectors for the names.

% Example usage
name = generateRandomName();
disp(['Generated Name: ' name]);

    {'Generated Name: '}    {'Jordan'}    {' '}    {'Smith'}

nameFixed = generateRandomNameFixed();
disp(['Generated Name: ' nameFixed])

Generated Name: Morgan Williams

function randomName = generateRandomName()
    % Define lists of name components
    firstNames = {'Alex', 'Jordan', 'Taylor', 'Riley', 'Morgan'};
    lastNames = {'Smith', 'Johnson', 'Williams', 'Brown', 'Jones'};
    
    % Generate random indices
    firstNameIndex = randi(length(firstNames));
    lastNameIndex = randi(length(lastNames));
    
    % Construct random name
    randomName = [firstNames(firstNameIndex) ' ' lastNames(lastNameIndex)];
end

function randomName = generateRandomNameFixed()
    % Define lists of name components
    firstNames = {'Alex', 'Jordan', 'Taylor', 'Riley', 'Morgan'};
    lastNames = {'Smith', 'Johnson', 'Williams', 'Brown', 'Jones'};
    
    % Generate random indices
    firstNameIndex = randi(length(firstNames));
    lastNameIndex = randi(length(lastNames));
    
    % Construct random name
    randomName = [firstNames{firstNameIndex} ' ' lastNames{lastNameIndex}]; % <<< use curly braces
end

Answer 3

[Steven Lord]

Others have suggested using curly braces to extract the contents of a cell from the cell arrays firstNames and lastNames. Another option would be to make those two variables string arrays instead of cell arrays. If you did that, assembling the name from the two pieces could use string appending with the + operator. This would also require a slight change to how you use the generated name, also using + for appending.

% Example usage
for whichname = 1:10 % line added
name = generateRandomName();
disp('Now serving customer: ' + name); % line changed
end % line added

Now serving customer: Riley Williams
Now serving customer: Alex Jones
Now serving customer: Jordan Johnson
Now serving customer: Jordan Jones
Now serving customer: Riley Johnson
Now serving customer: Riley Jones
Now serving customer: Alex Jones
Now serving customer: Morgan Brown
Now serving customer: Jordan Jones
Now serving customer: Taylor Smith

function randomName = generateRandomName()
    % Define lists of name components
    firstNames = ["Alex", "Jordan", "Taylor", "Riley", "Morgan"]; % line changed
    lastNames = ["Smith", "Johnson", "Williams", "Brown", "Jones"]; % line changed
    
    % Generate random indices
    firstNameIndex = randi(length(firstNames));
    lastNameIndex = randi(length(lastNames));
    
    % Construct random name
    randomName = firstNames(firstNameIndex) + ' ' + lastNames(lastNameIndex); % line changed
end

Answer 4

[Image Analyst]

See the FAQ:

What is a cell array

It will give you a good intuitive feel for when to use braces { }, when to use brackets [ ], and when to use parentheses ( ).