Classrooms
Choose who answers next, pick a class helper or set the presentation order. Save one list per class and go full screen on the projector.
Random Name Picker
Type or paste your names into this random name picker, spin the wheel and get a fair winner. Perfect for classrooms, giveaways, team captains and tough decisions.
Winner
History
Winners will appear here.
How to pick a random name
- Type or paste your names into the box, one per line. Commas and tabs from a spreadsheet work too.
- Choose how many winners you need and whether winners leave the wheel.
- Press SPIN or Ctrl + Enter. The winner shows when the wheel stops.
- Save the list with a name, such as your class, to use it again next time.
What people use the name wheel for
Giveaways and raffles
Paste the entrants, set the number of winners and spin. Add a name more than once for extra tickets.
Teams and games
Pick team captains, decide who goes first or turn on Remove winners to set a full playing order.
Decisions
Can't choose a restaurant, a film or a baby name? Put the options on the wheel and let it decide.
Try these free tools next
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Spin a ready-made wheel of every country, with no list to type.
Random name generator
Need names for your wheel? Generate boy, girl and pet names with meanings.
Raffle and bingo number draw
Have ticket numbers instead of names? Draw them with no repeats.
Random photo picker
Run a photo contest by picking a random picture from your entries.
Random pictures for class
Show a random photo as a writing or drawing prompt after you pick a student.
Random team colors
Give each team a random color, complete with its name and code.
What is a random name picker?
A random name picker chooses one name from your own list. Type or paste the names, spin the name wheel and it lands on a winner. People also call it a wheel of names, a name spinner or a random name selector.
It is used by teachers, streamers, event hosts and anyone who needs a choice that everyone can see is fair. There is nothing to install, no sign-up, and your names stay in your browser.
Random name picker for the classroom
A random student picker keeps everyone alert, because anyone could be next. It also takes away any feeling that the teacher has favourites.
Save a list for each class, so you only type names once. Press full screen to show the wheel on your board or projector, and switch on Remove winners so every student gets a turn before anyone is picked twice. Teachers use it for:
- choosing who answers the next question or reads aloud
- setting the order for presentations
- picking classroom helpers and line leaders
- choosing a winner in review games and quizzes
Pick a giveaway or raffle winner
Copy your entrants from a spreadsheet, a sign-up form, or the comments on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook or X, and paste them in with one name per line. Then set Winners per spin to draw one, two, three, five or ten winners at once.
Use the Remove duplicates tool if each person may only enter once. If someone earned extra entries, leave their name in the list as many times as they have entries. For a transparent draw, share your screen or record the spin.
Random name picker with no repeats
Switch on Remove winners and each name leaves the wheel after it is picked, so no one is chosen twice. This is sometimes called elimination mode. Keep spinning to set a complete random order for a draft, a turn order or a running order.
The History panel records every result, so nothing is lost if you need to check who was picked.
Team picker, captains and draft order
Use the wheel to pick team captains, then let captains take turns. To split a list into teams by hand, keep Remove winners on and spin, placing each name into Team A and Team B in turn. It also works for a fantasy football draft order, a game night, or who goes first.
Not only names: spin the wheel for anything
The wheel accepts any text, so it works as a general random picker from a list. Add restaurants, films, chores, questions, prizes or dares, then spin. Need names to start with? Try the Random Name Generator, and for numbered tickets use the raffle number draw.
Frequently asked questions
Is the random name picker fair?
Yes. The winner is chosen with your browser's cryptographically secure random generator before the wheel starts, so every entry has exactly the same chance.
How do I give someone more chances?
Add their name more than once. Each line is one entry, so a name that appears three times has three times the chance. Use Remove duplicates to undo this.
Can I pick more than one winner?
Yes. Set Winners per spin to 2, 3, 5 or 10 and the picker draws that many different names at once, which is ideal for giveaways.
Can I save my class list?
Yes. Give the list a name and press Save. Saved lists stay in your browser, so you do not need an account, and you can switch between them any time.
How many names can I add?
Up to 1,000 entries. With very long lists the wheel shows a sample of names, but the winner is always drawn from the full list.
Can the wheel be rigged?
No. There is no setting that favours a name. The result comes from your browser's secure random generator before the wheel starts, and the only way to change the odds is to add a name more than once, which everyone can see in the list.
How do I remove a name after it is picked?
Switch on Remove winners. The picked name leaves the wheel automatically. If you change your mind, press Put back to return the latest winner to the wheel.
Can I use it on a projector, in PowerPoint or in Microsoft Teams?
Yes. Open the picker in your browser, press full screen and share that window in Teams, Zoom or Google Meet, or switch to it during a slideshow.
Can I use it for Secret Santa?
You can use it to draw the order or pick names aloud. It does not send each person a private match, so a dedicated Secret Santa tool suits draws that must stay secret.
Does it pick from Instagram comments automatically?
No. It does not connect to social media accounts. Copy the entrants' names and paste them into the box.
Can I share my wheel?
Yes. Use the share option to copy a link that opens the same list of names.
Need names to put on the wheel?
Use the Random Name Generator to find names with meanings, save your favourites, then load them here with My name shortlist. Or spin the Random Country Generator.