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Monikers rules (2026) — the same name cards across three rounds that get harder: describe, one word, then charades. This guide is for groups who already know the basics and still argue about skips.
Nearby games, different loops: Telestrations draws instead of talks. Wavelength is a dial, not a name list, and it is not Codenames.
Name-game kit
Monikers is the main pick. The others cover drawing and spectrum clues if you want a second box.
- Names: Monikers — 4 or more, about 45 minutes for all three rounds
- Sketch: Telestrations 8-player — no talking in the pad
- Spectrum: Wavelength — not a Codenames grid
- Filler: Flip 7 — if you only have 15 minutes
Setup
Split into two teams. Deal out a pool of name cards — about 8 to 12 per player is a full night; use fewer if you promised a short game. Each person secretly chooses which of their cards enter the hat (or bowl). Those cards are the only cards for all three rounds. Teams sit so the opposing team can hear.
Three rounds, one deck
- Round 1: say anything except the name on the card. No rhymes that are the whole name. No “sounds like” that is the name.
- Round 2: one word only. The word can change between turns. Names you already used as the one word are now illegal if the table wants to be strict — we recommend strict.
- Round 3: no words. Gestures only. Sounds are a house rule; ban them if you want real charades.
- A one-minute timer per clue-giver. Skips are allowed but the card goes back in the bowl, not out of the game. Unlimited skips let a team burn the clock on purpose; cap skips at three.
Score
One point per card your team guesses. Same cards return every round, so a card you nailed in round 1 is still in round 3. Highest total after three rounds wins. Do not drop cards “because everyone knows them”; that is the joke of round 3.
Mistakes
- Starting round 3 with people who did not play round 1. The callbacks are the game.
- Letting the clue-giver say the name “by accident” and still take the point. No point. Card stays in.
- Mixing in a second name game’s cards. Different difficulty, messy skips.
FAQ
What if we hate a card?
House rule we like: during the initial select, each player may discard one card from their hand before the bowl locks. After that, the bowl is law.
