List of unicode character names

Question

In Python I can print a unicode character by name (e.g. print(u'\N{snowman}')). Is there a way I get get a list of all valid names?

Answer 1

Every codepoint has a name, so you are effectively asking for the Unicode standard list of codepoint names (as well as the *list of name aliases, supported by Python 3.3 and up).

Each Python version supports a specific version of the Unicode standard; the unicodedata.unidata_version attribute tells you which one for a given Python runtime. The above links lead to the latest published Unicode version, replace UCD/latest in the URLs with the value of unicodedata.unidata_version for your Python version.

Per codepoint, the unicodedata.name() function can tell you the official name, and unicodedata.lookup() gives you the inverse (name to codepoint).

Answer 2

If you want a list of all unicode character names, consider downloading the Unicode Character Database.

It is included in the base repositories of many linux distributions (ex. "unicode-ucd" on RHEL).

The package includes NamesList.txt, which contains the exhaustive list of unicode character names.

Caution: NamesList.txt need some times to be downloaded (size > 1.5 MB).

Example:

21FE    RIGHTWARDS OPEN-HEADED ARROW
21FF    LEFT RIGHT OPEN-HEADED ARROW
@@  2200    Mathematical Operators  22FF
@@+
@       Miscellaneous mathematical symbols
2200    FOR ALL
    = universal quantifier
2201    COMPLEMENT
    x (latin letter stretched c - 0297)
2202    PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL
2203    THERE EXISTS
    = existential quantifier
2204    THERE DOES NOT EXIST
    : 2203 0338
2205    EMPTY SET
    = null set
    * used in linguistics to indicate a null morpheme or phonological "zero"
    x (latin capital letter o with stroke - 00D8)
    x (diameter sign - 2300)
    ~ 2205 FE00 zero with long diagonal stroke overlay form