Random Name Picker

How to use the random name picker

1. Type or paste entries into the box, one on each line, import a CSV file, or choose a ready-made wheel.
2. Press Spin in the middle of the wheel. Use Add wheel to show more wheels side by side, and Spin all to spin them together. The winner appears in a pop-up, where you can remove them or spin again.
3. Tick "Remove winner" if each person should only be picked once, or choose a style and press Full screen for a big display.
4. To choose several at once, raise the number of winners and press Pick. Every result is kept in the Results tab.

Who uses the Random Name Picker

Calling on students

Random selection keeps every student alert and takes the feeling of favouritism out of the room. Turn on "Remove winner" and everyone gets a turn before anyone is called twice. Your list stays in this browser, so it is still there for your next lesson.

Giveaways and raffles

Showing the wheel on screen lets people watch the draw happen, which feels more open than announcing a result. For a giveaway with legal rules or prizes of real value, check what your local rules and the platform you are using require.

Team meetings

Decide who speaks first at stand-up, who takes the notes, or who runs the next retrospective. It settles a small question in seconds and nobody has to volunteer.

Games and family decisions

Choose who goes first at a board game, whose turn it is to wash up, or which restaurant to try tonight. The list does not have to contain people at all: any set of options will work.

Forming groups

Use Shuffle to mix your names into a random order, then count off for presentation order, pairs or small groups.

Tips for a smooth draw

• Check the list first. Duplicates count as extra entries, so make sure that is what you intend.
• Bring in a list. Paste a column from Excel or Google Sheets, or use Import CSV with a file, including any list you download from our generators.
• Use it on the big screen. Press Full screen, and the wheel is easy to see from the back of a classroom or meeting room.
• Roll a die. Choose Dice from the ready-made wheels, or enter the numbers 1 to 6, and the wheel becomes a six-sided die.
• Keep several wheels. Press Add wheel to make one for each class, team or game. They appear side by side, and Spin all spins them together.
• Say the rules first. Tell people whether winners stay in or come out before you spin, so nobody can question the result.

Want something ready to go? See all the dice, coin and themed wheels.

For a quick group draw, set the number of winners above one. Several names are chosen at the same moment, with no repeated entries. If you want to build suspense instead, leave it at one and spin the wheel once for each prize, starting with the smallest. The Results tab keeps a running record, and you can copy or download it when you finish.

Random Name Picker questions

Is the wheel really fair?

Yes. The winner is chosen by your browser's cryptographic random number generator before the wheel starts turning, with an equal chance for every line. The animation simply lands on that result.

How many names can I add?

There is no fixed limit. Above 60 entries the labels no longer fit on the slices, so the wheel hides them, but the picking still works and the winner is shown in the pop-up.

Can I keep more than one wheel?

Yes. Press Add wheel to show up to 20 wheels side by side, each with its own entries, title and style. Spin one, or press Spin all to spin them together. They are saved in this browser, so they are there when you come back. Results for each wheel last until you close the page.

Can someone have a better chance of winning?

Yes. Each line counts as one entry, so a name added three times has three chances. That is useful for raffles where people earn extra tickets.

Is my list saved or shared?

Your wheels are saved only in this browser, so they are there when you come back. It is never uploaded to a server. If you copy a share link, the list and title are written into that link, so anyone you send it to can read them. Delete a wheel, or clear your browser data, to remove what is saved.

What happens if I remove winners?

Each winner's line is taken out of the list as soon as they are picked, and the wheel redraws without them. All winners from this visit stay in the Results tab until you clear it or close the page.