How to use the name wheel
- Paste your names
One name per line. You can copy a column straight from a spreadsheet or a class roster.
- Check the count
The counter under the box shows how many names are on the wheel. Remove duplicates cleans up a list that was pasted twice.
- Set your rules
Turn on Remove winner after each spin so everyone is picked once before anyone goes twice.
- Spin
Press Spin or tap the wheel. The chosen name appears in large text under the wheel.
Where a name wheel helps
Calling on students
A spin feels less personal than the teacher choosing, and with winner removal on, every student gets a turn.
Meeting order
Decide who gives the first update at stand-up, or who takes notes this week.
Giveaways
Paste the names of everyone who entered and spin on a screen share or live stream, so the result is visible to all at once.
Gift swaps
Spin to set the order people choose gifts at a Secret Santa or white elephant party.
Team captains
Pick captains, then let them take turns choosing players. Or spin for turn order in a board game.
Shuffle, sort, and remove
Shuffle mixes the order of the names (using a fair Fisher-Yates shuffle), and Sort A-Z puts them in alphabetical order. Neither one changes anyone's odds. Every name still gets one slice, and the winner is picked at random no matter where the name sits. Sorting makes a long list easier to check, and shuffling makes the wheel look less predictable.
Removed winners are listed under the box. Press Put back removed to return them all to the wheel at once. If you need three winners in one go, the Random Name Picker draws several names at a time. For a tiebreak between two people, a Coin Flip is quicker.
Frequently asked questions
Is the name picked at random?
Yes. When you spin, a name is chosen with crypto.getRandomValues, which is built into your browser. We use rejection sampling so each name has exactly a 1 in N chance, where N is the number of names on the wheel. The animation only shows the result. It does not decide it.
Will my list of names be saved?
The list stays in your browser's local storage on this device and is never sent to us. Clearing your browser data removes it. A share link carries the names inside the link, so only share it with people who should see the list.
How many names can the wheel hold?
500. With a long list the slices get narrow and some labels are hidden to keep the wheel readable, but every name is still in the draw.
Can I use it on a phone or tablet?
Yes. Paste names from your notes app, then tap the wheel to spin. The layout fits small screens, and the wheel keeps working offline once the page has loaded.
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.