Random Name Picker — Free Wheel of Names
Drop names in, hit Spin, and let the wheel of names pick one fairly. Works for raffles, classrooms, team picks, and giveaways.
The Random Name Picker is a free wheel of names that chooses one person at random from any list you paste in. Each name gets an equal slice of the wheel, the spin uses a crypto-secure random generator, and the result is reproducible from the URL — so you can share the exact same wheel with your audience before you spin.
How to use it
- Type or paste your names, one per line, in the panel.
- Switch to Cards mode if you want to hide a name or duplicate one.
- Press Spin (or Ctrl/Cmd + Enter) and wait for the pointer to land.
- Use Elimination mode if you want the winner removed for the next spin.
Use cases
- Picking a student to answer a question without bias.
- Drawing a raffle winner in a live stream or webinar.
- Deciding who buys coffee for the team this morning.
- Choosing the next speaker in a brainstorming session.
- Selecting a Secret Santa giver without printed slips.
- Running a giveaway where every entrant has exactly one shot.
- Picking the order people present in a remote workshop.
Frequently asked questions
Is this random name picker really random?
Yes. The wheel uses the browser crypto API (the same source used for cryptographic keys) to pick the winner, with rejection sampling to avoid modulo bias. Every name has the same probability — exactly 1 / N.
How many names can I add to the wheel of names?
Up to 200 names per wheel. Past 100 we show a small performance warning, but the wheel still works smoothly. If you need more, group names into batches and spin twice.
Can I share my wheel of names with someone else?
Yes. The URL updates automatically as you edit; press Share to copy it or open the QR code. Anyone who opens the link sees the same names, in the same order, with the same theme.
How do I make the picker remove the winner after each spin?
Switch the mode tab to Elimination. The winning name will be greyed out and skipped on the next spin until you press Reset.
Is the random name generator wheel free?
Yes — completely free, no signup, no paywall, no ads on the wheel itself. We keep it that way because a name picker should never get in the way of the people using it.
Can I use it offline or embed it in a presentation?
The wheel runs fully in your browser — no server round-trip per spin — so it works on a flaky conference Wi-Fi. For presentations, open the URL in a new tab and switch to it when you need to draw a name.