This random name picker turns a plain list of names into a wheel you can spin. The eight names on it now are only placeholders. Clear them, paste in your own group, and the wheel redraws with one slice per person. A spin picks one name, and the result is decided before the animation starts, so nobody can time a click to steer it.
People use it to choose who goes first, who takes the next task, who wins a small prize, or who answers the next question in a meeting. It is handy any time a choice between people should be quick and clearly fair. Since everyone can watch the wheel spin, there is less arguing about the outcome than with a name pulled from a hat.
How to pick a name from your own list
Copy the names from a spreadsheet, chat, or sign-up sheet and paste them into the entry box. Each line becomes one slice.
- Paste or type one name per line.
- Press Shuffle if you want the slices in a new order.
- Spin and read the winning name in the result window.
- Turn on remove-winner to draw a full order with no repeats.
Drawing several names in a row
If you need a speaking order or a list of three winners, keep remove-winner on and spin again after each result. The picked name leaves the wheel, so it cannot come up twice. The results history keeps the order in which names were drawn, which you can copy into notes or read out to the group.
When two people share a first name, add a last initial, like "Emma R" and "Emma T". Duplicate lines are treated as separate slices, so a name entered twice gets twice the chance.
Saving and sharing a name list
For a group you pick from every week, save the wheel in this browser and open it again next time. To let someone else run the same draw, copy the share link. The list travels inside the URL, so nothing is stored on a server. Keep that in mind before sharing a link with full names in public.
Frequently asked questions
Is the random name picker really fair?
Yes. Each name gets an equal slice and an equal chance. The pick comes from your browser's cryptographic random generator and is made before the wheel starts turning, so the speed of the spin or the moment you click does not change the result.
How many names can I put on the wheel?
A typical class or team fits easily. With many names the slices get thin and the text gets small, so for very large groups it helps to use full-screen mode or split people into two wheels and spin each one.
Can I stop the same person from being picked twice?
Turn on remove-winner. After each spin the chosen name is taken off the wheel, so the next spin only picks from the names that are left. You can restore the full list from the entry box at any time.
Are the names I type uploaded anywhere?
No. Names stay in your browser. They only leave your device if you choose to copy a share link, because that link carries the list in the URL so another person can open the same wheel.