Cuneiform translator
Write English names and words in Unicode cuneiform signs, as a phonetic approximation. Free, private.
Your cuneiform will appear here.What the cuneiform translator does
Real Unicode cuneiform
Writes with characters from the Unicode Cuneiform block, so the result copies into any document.
Syllable-based spelling
Words are split into vowel and consonant-vowel syllables, the way the Akkadian syllabary actually worked.
Syllable reading
Paste signs back in to see their hyphenated Akkadian syllable reading.
Clear about its limits
It is an approximation, not a translation, and the page explains exactly how sounds are mapped.
Instant output
Signs appear as you type, with any unsupported character flagged instead of lost.
Fully private
The conversion happens in your browser. Nothing you type is uploaded.
Translate in three steps
- 1
Type a name or short phrase
Enter English text. Names such as Alexander or Gilgamesh work best, because the tool spells sounds, not meaning.
- 2
Read the cuneiform signs
Each word is split into syllables and written with common Akkadian syllabary signs, such as π (ba) and π (ki). Consonant clusters copy a nearby vowel.
- 3
Copy or check the reading
Copy the signs, or paste signs back in to see the syllable reading. Install a cuneiform font if you only see boxes.
What people use it for
Whether you're a developer sharing a UI preview on Twitter, a founder submitting to Product Hunt, a designer building a portfolio, or a content creator making YouTube thumbnails β PixelTools turns any plain screenshot into something worth sharing.
History class projects
Write a classmate's name or a short label in cuneiform for a Mesopotamia presentation or clay tablet craft.
Games and fantasy
Create ancient-looking inscriptions for tabletop campaigns, escape rooms and game props.
Art and display pieces
Draft a name in cuneiform for a poster, clay tag or decorative piece, and treat it as a stylised transliteration.
Curiosity and gifts
See what your own name looks like in the world's oldest writing system, as a fun, approximate keepsake.
Frequently asked questions
Is this real Akkadian or Sumerian?
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No. It is a phonetic approximation. The tool breaks an English word into consonant and vowel sounds and writes them with common syllable signs from the Akkadian syllabary, so "Hammurabi" becomes π©π¬ππ. Akkadian and Sumerian have their own words, grammar and spelling rules, and this does not translate into either language. Think of it as a name in cuneiform, not a sentence in Akkadian.
How are English sounds that cuneiform does not have handled?
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The syllabary has no f, v, c, q, x or o, and this tool uses only vowel and consonant-vowel signs, so it never writes a bare consonant. So f becomes p, v becomes b, c and q become k, x becomes ks, and o becomes u. A consonant followed by another consonant, or ending a word, borrows the vowel of the sign before it. Akkadian also writes e and i with the same sign for most consonants, so "be" and "bi" both give π.
Can I turn cuneiform back into English?
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Only roughly. Pasting signs shows each one's usual Akkadian syllable, joined with hyphens, for example ππ reads ba-a. Because the conversion discards spellings (for example, o and u share a sign), you cannot recover the exact original English word. The reading also only covers the signs this tool writes, not the thousands of other cuneiform signs.
Try the cuneiform translator now
Free, no account needed.