Random Joke Generator

How the random joke generator picks a joke

The page holds 30 jokes in three categories of 10. On “All Jokes” each one has a 1 in 30 chance on every press; in a single category, 1 in 10. Each pick is an unbiased draw from the browser's cryptographic random generator, as described in how our randomness works.

Every press is independent, and the page does not remember what it has shown. That makes repeats come early, for the same reason as in the birthday problem: with 30 jokes the chance of seeing one twice is 29.6% within five presses and 81.5% within ten.

Dad jokes, science jokes and puns: the three categories

• Dad Jokes: short groaners in the classic dad joke style, often a question and answer (“What do you call a fake noodle? An impasta!”).
• Science Jokes: chemistry, physics and biology jokes for people who will appreciate “fission chips”.
• Puns: general word play, not tied to one subject. A pun plays on a double meaning or a similar-sounding word, and most jokes in the other two categories rest on one too.

Selecting “Science Jokes” and pressing the button might return: “Why don't scientists trust atoms? Because they make up everything!” On “All Jokes”, any of the three categories can come up.

What the joke generator does not do

The list is fixed at 30 jokes written into the page. It does not fetch new jokes or take suggestions, and it keeps no history between presses.

Two pairs share a punchline: the two bicycle jokes in Dad Jokes and the two atom jokes in Science Jokes. For a longer list that never repeats until you have seen it all, use the dad joke generator.

Ways to use a random joke

Use one to break up a meeting, start a “joke of the day” message or fill a corner of a kids' activity sheet. For a famous line instead of a laugh, the random quote generator shows one of 26 quotes with its source.