System and method for generating Pulse Position Modulated (PPM) lidar waveforms generating Pulse Position Modulated (PPM) waveforms in a lidar includes: a) creating a modulation pool, based on a maximum nominal pulse repetition frequency (PRF); b) eliminating bad modulation levels from the modulation pool to generate a good modulation pool; c) selecting a modulation level from the good modulation pool to generate a PPM code element; d) repeating steps b and c N times to generate an N-element PPM code, wherein the PPM code is PRF independent; e) selecting a PRF less than the maximum nominal PRF; f) generating a PPM waveform by applying the N-element PPM code to the selected PRF; and g) transmitting the PPM waveform by the lidar toward a target to determine a range to the target.