Random Name Picker
Paste a list of names (one per line), click Pick, and get a randomly selected winner. Remove picked names to pick again from the remaining list.
Paste names above and click
Pick Random Name
Remaining: 0 | Picked: 0
Pick History
How to Use the Random Name Picker
Enter a list of names or items in the text area (one per line), then click "Pick Random Name". The tool selects one name at random and displays it prominently.
Features
- Pick Again: Re-rolls from the full list (same name can appear again)
- Remove & Pick Next: Removes the current winner from the pool and picks from the remaining names — great for selecting multiple winners without repeats
- Pick History: Shows all previously picked names in this session
- Remaining count: Track how many names are left in the pool
Common Uses
- Classroom: Randomly call on a student to answer
- Giveaways and contests: Pick a random winner
- Secret Santa: Randomly assign pairs (use "Remove & Pick Next")
- Task assignment: Randomly assign tasks to team members
- Game order: Randomize player order
Random Name Picker Example
Class quiz: Enter all 30 student names, one per line. Click "Pick Random Name" to choose who answers next. Use "Remove & Pick Next" to ensure every student gets a turn without repeats.
Contest winner: Paste 100 participant names. Click once to instantly select a random winner. The selection is completely fair — every entry has an equal 1-in-100 chance.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Yes. Every name in the list has an exactly equal probability of being selected. We use Math.random() with Fisher-Yates shuffle logic to ensure uniform distribution.
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There's no hard limit — you can paste hundreds or thousands of names. For very large lists, the tool remains fast as selection is O(1) time complexity.
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Use "Remove & Pick Next" repeatedly to select multiple unique winners one at a time. Each picked name is removed from the pool so it can't be selected again.
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The list is stored in your browser session only. Refreshing the page will clear the list. For persistent lists, copy your names to a text file and paste them each time.