Random Name Picker
Pick a random winner, shuffle a list, or split names into fair teams.
How to use the Random Name Picker
- Paste your names, one per line.
- Choose to pick a winner, shuffle, or make teams.
- Click the button — click again for a new draw.
About the Random Name Picker
Paste a list of names — one per line, or separated by commas — and choose what to do with them. Pick one winner draws a single random name; shuffle reorders the whole list; and teams splits everyone into a number of groups you choose, dealing names out round-robin so the teams stay as even as possible. Click the button again any time for a fresh draw.
The randomness comes from your browser’s cryptographically secure source, crypto.getRandomValues, and the shuffle uses a proper Fisher–Yates algorithm, so every name has a genuinely equal chance and the result is not skewed the way a naive shuffle can be. That makes it well suited to classroom groups, standup order, secret-santa pairings or friendly giveaways.
Everything happens in your browser and no names are ever uploaded, which keeps it private — but that same fact means the draw is not independently witnessed. For a regulated raffle or prize draw where the law requires a publicly verifiable or audited result, use an official supervised process instead. Need raw values rather than names? Try the random number generator or the random string generator.
Frequently asked questions
How do I enter the names?
Type or paste them one per line, or separate them with commas — both work, and you can mix them. Blank lines and stray spaces around a name are ignored, so a copied list generally just works.
Is the draw actually fair and random?
Yes. It draws from crypto.getRandomValues, your browser’s cryptographically secure random source, and shuffles with the Fisher–Yates algorithm, so every name has an equal chance and the ordering is not biased the way a simple sort-based shuffle can be.
How does the team split work?
It shuffles everyone first, then deals names out to the teams one at a time in rotation. That keeps the group sizes as even as possible — if the count does not divide evenly, the earlier teams simply get one extra member.
Can I use this for an official raffle or prize draw?
It is fair and private, but because it runs on your own device the result is not independently witnessed or audited. For a regulated raffle or a draw that legally requires a verifiable outcome, use an official supervised process instead.
Are my names sent to a server?
No. The picking, shuffling and team-splitting all happen in your browser, so the list never leaves your device and is not logged or stored.