Heads Up Word List: 250 Words And Names By Category

Heads Up is the game where you hold a phone on your forehead and your team describes the word on screen. You don't need the app - a notes app and someone reading works just as well.

Here are 250 words by category. Sixty seconds a round, tilt down for right, up to pass.

Famous people

This stellar category suits celebrity spotters and multigenerational family gatherings, making it brilliant for lively Sunday lunches or weekend get-togethers. It works best when players of all ages can pitch in with clues. To win quick points, try describing the person's most famous achievements or mimicking their signature voice rather than spending precious seconds listing their filmographies.

• David Attenborough, Adele, David Beckham, Judi Dench, Idris Elba, Stephen Fry, Ricky Gervais, Tom Hardy, Elton John, Keira Knightley.
• Paul McCartney, Helen Mirren, Kate Moss, Liam Neeson, Dolly Parton, Daniel Radcliffe, Ed Sheeran, Emma Thompson, Olivia Colman, Michael Caine.
• Freddie Mercury, Charlie Chaplin, Winston Churchill, Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Florence Nightingale, William Shakespeare, Alan Turing, Emmeline Pankhurst, Captain Tom.
• Beyoncé, Tom Cruise, Leonardo DiCaprio, Meryl Streep, Will Smith, Taylor Swift, Serena Williams, Lionel Messi, Usain Bolt, Michael Jordan.

Animals

Perfect for nature lovers and younger players, this classic category brings instant energy to rainy afternoon family games nights. It is an ideal starting point for mixed-age groups as everyone can join in. For a speedy round, try combining physical gestures like trunk movements or wing flaps with distinct animal noises to help your team guess correctly in seconds.

• Elephant, giraffe, penguin, kangaroo, hedgehog, badger, otter, squirrel, fox, owl.
• Shark, dolphin, octopus, jellyfish, crab, seahorse, whale, turtle, starfish, eel.
• Tiger, lion, panda, koala, sloth, meerkat, gorilla, camel, zebra, rhinoceros.
• Robin, seagull, pigeon, duck, swan, peacock, flamingo, ostrich, woodpecker, eagle.
• Sheepdog, guinea pig, hamster, goldfish, tortoise, pony, donkey, goat, bat, mole.

Films and TV

This silver screen selection suits movie buffs and television addicts down to the ground, making it a fantastic icebreaker for cosy winter evenings or dinner parties. It is wonderful for testing your pop culture knowledge with friends. A great tip is to hum famous theme tunes or recreate iconic, dramatic moments to get your teammates shouting out the right titles.

• Titanic, Jaws, Grease, Rocky, Frozen, Shrek, Up, Alien, Gladiator, Braveheart.
• Harry Potter, Jurassic Park, Star Wars, The Lion King, Toy Story, Home Alone, Mary Poppins, Notting Hill, Love Actually, Paddington.
• Doctor Who, Only Fools and Horses, Fawlty Towers, Blackadder, The Office, Friends, Strictly Come Dancing, Bake Off, Gavin and Stacey, EastEnders.
• The Crown, Sherlock, Line of Duty, Peaky Blinders, Downton Abbey, Poirot, Blue Peter, Top Gear, Countdown, The Chase.

Act it out

This hilarious physical round suits energetic players and drama enthusiasts who love a bit of charades-style comedy. It is guaranteed to liven up birthday parties and festive celebrations when energy levels are high. To score highly, keep your movements large and expressive, and do not be afraid to use nearby household objects as imaginary props to get your message across.

• Brushing your teeth, parallel parking, making a bed, carving a turkey, doing the ironing, putting up a tent, walking a stubborn dog, changing a tyre, wrapping a present, mowing the lawn.
• Waiting for a bus in the rain, losing your keys, sneezing repeatedly, eating something too hot, watching a penalty shootout, getting into cold sea water, carrying too much shopping, assembling flat-pack furniture, defrosting a windscreen, arguing with a self-service checkout.
• A cat waking you up, a toddler refusing to put shoes on, a first driving lesson, a bad haircut reaction, a long queue, a job interview, a school sports day, a karaoke performance, a Christmas jumper, the last day of a holiday.

Accents and impressions

Ideal for budding actors and natural mimics, this entertaining category brings heaps of laughter to lively dinner parties and friendly get-togethers. It suits confident groups who do not mind sounding a bit silly. A helpful tip is to focus on iconic regional catchphrases or highly exaggerated vowel sounds to help your team identify the voice as quickly as possible.

• Yorkshire, Scouse, Geordie, Brummie, Cockney, West Country, Welsh, Glaswegian, Northern Irish, Received Pronunciation.
• Australian, American, French, Italian, Spanish, German, Russian, Irish, Canadian, South African.
• A newsreader, a football commentator, a nature documentary narrator, a weather forecaster, a train announcement, a satnav, a call centre hold message, a pantomime villain, a Shakespearean actor, a bedtime story.

For children

Tailored especially for little ones, this gentle category is perfect for birthday parties, rainy weekends, and after-school playtime. It suits early readers and younger children who want to join in the fun without feeling overwhelmed. Keep your clues simple and encouraging, perhaps comparing the mystery words to familiar things they enjoy in their everyday lives or at school.

• Dinosaur, unicorn, robot, pirate, wizard, mermaid, superhero, astronaut, fairy, monster.
• Ice cream, chocolate, birthday cake, sandwich, apple, spaghetti, popcorn, jelly, chips, banana.
• Swing, slide, trampoline, bicycle, football, skipping rope, water fight, sandcastle, snowman, kite.
• Teacher, doctor, firefighter, postman, farmer, chef, footballer, singer, bin man, vet.
• Brushing hair, tying laces, riding a scooter, blowing bubbles, doing a cartwheel, hiding, tickling, yawning, stamping, dancing.

Christmas round

This festive selection suits the entire family and is the ultimate game to play on Christmas Day afternoon or Boxing Day while relaxing together. It brings instant holiday cheer to any seasonal gathering. For a winning strategy, focus on sensory clues like describing the smells of festive food, the sounds of seasonal music, or the sights of holiday decorations.

• Father Christmas, Rudolph, elf, snowman, sleigh, chimney, stocking, cracker, mistletoe, wreath.
• Mince pie, turkey, sprouts, pigs in blankets, trifle, mulled wine, Christmas pudding, chocolate coins, gingerbread man, Quality Street.
• Carol singing, wrapping presents, putting up the tree, the King's speech, Boxing Day walk, Christmas jumper day, nativity play, Secret Santa, Christmas markets, midnight mass.

How to run it without the app

This handy guide suits tech-free gaming purists, budget-conscious hosts, and anyone wanting a break from screen time. It is perfect for camping trips, train journeys, or impromptu pub nights when you have no signal. A practical tip is to nominate an enthusiastic referee to keep time, manage the scoring, and ensure everyone follows the rules without any cheeky cheating.

• Type the list into a notes app in a big font, one word per line, and scroll.
• Or write them on cards and hold them to your forehead - the original version and it costs nothing.
• Sixty or ninety seconds, one point per word.
• Set the rules first: for names you may not say any part of the name; for act-it-out, no words at all.
• Pass limit of three per round, or people skip everything hard.
• Film it if everyone's happy to be filmed. The facial expressions are the game.

Key things to remember

• A notes app in big font is all you need.
• Three passes a round, no more.
• Mix the categories or one person wins everything.

Frequently asked questions

What are good Heads Up words?

Famous people everyone knows, animals with distinctive features, well-known films, and act-it-out phrases like parallel parking or carving a turkey. Mix categories so no one person's specialist subject dominates.

Can you play Heads Up without the app?

Yes. Type a list into a notes app in a large font and scroll through it, or write words on cards and hold them to your forehead. Sixty seconds a round, one point per word.

What are the rules of Heads Up?

Hold the phone or card on your forehead so you can't see it. Your team describes the word without saying it. Tilt down for a correct guess and up to pass, and keep going until the timer ends.

What Heads Up categories work for children?

Animals, characters like dinosaurs and superheroes, foods, playground things and simple actions. Avoid celebrity rounds - children don't know the names and the round dies.

Do you sell games or party packs?

No - we make greeting cards, art prints and pin badges in the UK. Every list here is free to read, print or copy, and the only products on this page are our own cards.

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