diff --git a/cromulant/game.py b/cromulant/game.py
index 3626862..0d0d05f 100644
--- a/cromulant/game.py
+++ b/cromulant/game.py
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ class Game:
             ant.hits += 1
             method = "hit"
         elif num == 3:
-            status = Utils.random_name([])
+            status = Utils.random_name([], Ants.get_names())
             method = "thinking"
         elif num == 4:
             status = Utils.rand_sentence.simple_sentence()
diff --git a/cromulant/utils.py b/cromulant/utils.py
index 188ea98..4acb91a 100644
--- a/cromulant/utils.py
+++ b/cromulant/utils.py
@@ -93,7 +93,14 @@ class Utils:
         return r, g, b
 
     @staticmethod
-    def random_name(ignore: list[str]) -> str:
+    def random_name(ignore: list[str], include: list[str] | None = None) -> str:
+        names = Utils.names
+
+        if include:
+            for name in include:
+                if name not in names:
+                    names.append(name)
+
         filtered = [name for name in Utils.names if name not in ignore]
         return random.choice(filtered)