How to pick names at random
- Paste your list
One name per line, up to 500.
- Choose how many
Set How many to pick. A single draw never picks the same line twice.
- Turn on no repeats
Picked names leave the pool for later draws too. The counter shows how many are left, and Reset picked brings everyone back.
- Press Pick
The wheel stops on the first winner and every winner is listed in order. Tick Instant results to skip the spin.
Picking several winners fairly
When you ask for 3 names, the picker does not spin three times and hope there are no duplicates. It shuffles the list with a Fisher-Yates shuffle driven by crypto.getRandomValues and takes the first 3. Every group of 3 names is equally likely, and the order (1st, 2nd, 3rd) is random too. That makes the order useful for prize tiers: the first name drawn gets the top prize.
If the same person appears twice in your list, they have two chances. Press Remove duplicates first if everyone should have exactly one entry.
What a name picker is good for
Raffles with several prizes
Draw all the winners in one go. For numbered tickets, the Number Picker Wheel is a better fit.
Splitting into groups
Set the count to the group size and draw with no repeats until the pool is empty, or let the Random Team Generator split everyone at once.
Volunteers and reviewers
Choose who presents, reviews code, or brings snacks this week without anyone feeling singled out.
Running order
Set the order for an open mic night, a recital, or class presentations.
Prefer one name per spin?
The Wheel of Names is built for single picks with a bigger wheel and a remove-the-winner option. For a plain heads or tails call between two people, use the Coin Flip.
Frequently asked questions
How does the picker make sure the result is fair?
Every random number comes from crypto.getRandomValues. To turn those numbers into a position in your list we use rejection sampling, which discards the small range of values that would otherwise make the first few names slightly more likely. Then a Fisher-Yates shuffle gives every possible set of winners the same chance.
Can I save the list and the names already picked?
Both stay in this browser's local storage, so you can close the tab and continue the draw later on the same device. Nothing is uploaded.
How many names can I enter, and how many winners can I pick?
Up to 500 names, and up to 100 winners per draw (never more than the names left in the pool).
Does it work on phones?
Yes. The layout stacks on small screens with the wheel first, and you can tap the wheel or the Pick button to draw.
Can I put this wheel on my website or in Google Slides?
On a website, yes. Press Embed this wheel and copy the iframe code. Paste it anywhere that accepts HTML or embed code, such as a blog post, a Google Sites page, or a course page in a learning platform like Canvas, Moodle, or Schoology (some schools turn embeds off, so check with your admin if it does not show). The embedded wheel keeps the entries you had when you copied the code, and visitors spin it right on your page.
Google Slides does not accept iframe code, so the wheel cannot run inside a slide there. Copy the link code or the share link instead, add it to a slide, and click it while you present. Slide and whiteboard tools that accept embed code or a web address, and PowerPoint with a web viewer add-in, can show the live wheel.