diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 9bd3c394..16e964ad 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ dependencies = [
     "pyyaml",
     "schema",
     "rich",
+    "randomname",
     "typing_extensions; python_version < '3.11'",
 ]
 
@@ -141,6 +142,10 @@ exclude = [
     "src/canary_gitlab/tests/*",
 ]
 
+[[tool.mypy.overrides]]
+module = "randomname.*"
+ignore_missing_imports = true
+
 [[tool.mypy.overrides]]
 module = "requests.*"
 ignore_missing_imports = true
diff --git a/src/_canary/plugins/subcommands/selection.py b/src/_canary/plugins/subcommands/selection.py
index 4a27a701..6ab67700 100644
--- a/src/_canary/plugins/subcommands/selection.py
+++ b/src/_canary/plugins/subcommands/selection.py
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ def execute(self, args: "argparse.Namespace") -> int:
                 raise ValueError(
                     logging.colorize(
                         f"Selection {args.tag!r} already exists, run "
-                        f"[bold]canary refresh {args.tag}[/] to regnerate specs"
+                        f"[bold]canary selection refresh {args.tag}[/] to regnerate specs"
                     )
                 )
             if not args.scanpaths:
diff --git a/src/_canary/util/names.py b/src/_canary/util/names.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1b054116
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/_canary/util/names.py
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+# Copyright NTESS. See COPYRIGHT file for details.
+#
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+from typing import Any
+from typing import Iterable
+
+import randomname
+
+default_groups = ["a/colors", "n/apex_predators"]
+
+
+def random_name(groups: Any = default_groups, seed: int | None = None) -> str:
+    """Generate a random name with one random entry from each of the provided groups"""
+    return randomname.generate(*groups, seed=seed)
+
+
+def unique_random_name(
+    existing_names: Iterable[str],
+    max_samples: int = 20,
+    groups: Any = default_groups,
+    seed: int | None = None,
+) -> str:
+    """Attempt to generate a random name that is not in `existing_names` within `max_samples`.
+
+    Raises `ValueError` if unable to generate a unique name
+    """
+    for _ in range(max_samples):
+        name = random_name(groups=groups, seed=seed)
+        if name not in existing_names:
+            return name
+    else:
+        raise ValueError(
+            f"unable to generate name outside {existing_names} in {max_samples} attempts"
+        )
diff --git a/src/_canary/workspace.py b/src/_canary/workspace.py
index a381c01a..98c139c5 100644
--- a/src/_canary/workspace.py
+++ b/src/_canary/workspace.py
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@
 from .util.filesystem import write_directory_tag
 from .util.graph import TopologicalSorter
 from .util.graph import static_order
+from .util.names import unique_random_name
 from .version import __static_version__
 
 logger = logging.get_logger(__name__)
@@ -403,7 +404,7 @@ def create_selection(
         regex: str | None = None,
     ) -> list["ResolvedSpec"]:
         """Find test case generators in scan_paths and add them to this workspace"""
-        tag = tag or datetime.datetime.now().isoformat(timespec="microseconds")
+        tag = tag or unique_random_name(self.db.tags)
         collector = Collector()
         collector.add_scanpaths(scanpaths)
         generators = collector.run()
@@ -429,6 +430,7 @@ def create_selection(
             owners=owners,
             regex=regex,
         )
+        logger.info(f"Created selection '[bold]{tag}[/]'")
         return specs
 
     def apply_selection_rules(
diff --git a/tests/util/names_tests.py b/tests/util/names_tests.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0c6b5949
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/util/names_tests.py
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+# Copyright NTESS. See COPYRIGHT file for details.
+#
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+from _canary.util import names
+
+
+def test_random_name_with_seed_is_repeatable():
+    seed = 1
+    assert len({names.random_name(seed=seed) for _ in range(10)}) == 1
+
+
+def test_random_name_does_not_repeat_for_small_count():
+    N = 30
+    # set the random number generator seed so this test is repeatable
+    names.random_name(seed=1)
+    random_names = {names.random_name() for _ in range(N)}
+    print(random_names)
+    assert len(random_names) == N
+
+
+def test_unique_random_name_raises_if_unable_to_generate_name():
+    seed = 1
+    existing_names = {names.random_name(seed=seed)}
+    try:
+        _ = names.unique_random_name(existing_names, seed=seed)
+        assert False
+    except ValueError as e:
+        print(e)
+        assert True
+    except:
+        assert False
+
+
+def test_unique_random_name():
+    seed = 1
+    N = 20
+    names.random_name(seed=seed)
+    existing_names = {names.random_name() for _ in range(N)}
+
+    # reset the seed
+    names.random_name(seed=seed)
+    unique_name = names.unique_random_name(existing_names=existing_names, max_samples=N + 1)
+
+    assert unique_name not in existing_names