Random Name Picker
Paste your own list over the eight sample names, then one spin draws a single person at random from the enabled lines.
How to draw a name
- Get the list in
Paste one name per line, straight from a spreadsheet column or a sign-up sheet, then delete any lines you did not mean to include.
- Decide about repeats
Leave every name in place when each draw should include the whole group. Turn on auto remove winner when nobody should win twice.
- Draw and record
Spin, read out the name in the winner box, and check the Results tab later if anyone asks about an earlier draw.
For a no-repeat order, assign the final two names yourself because automatic winner removal stops when two choices remain.
For lists you will only use once
This random name picker suits jobs you do once and move on: today's raffle, who presents first, which name comes out of the hat. Paste names from a spreadsheet or chat, one per line, and spin. Each enabled line has exactly the same chance until a duplicate or an Advanced weight changes the math.
If you reopen the same roster every week, Wheel of Names paired with My Wheels is a better home for it. For prize draws built from entrant lists, the Giveaway Winner Picker explains what informal draws can and cannot prove.
Names are personal data. On a projector or a shared machine, first names or initials usually do the job, and clearing the list and the Results tab afterward takes seconds. When two people share a first name, add a last initial so nobody disputes the winner.
Starting entries
This template starts with 8 ready-made entries. Keep it or edit the list next to the wheel.
- James
- Maria
- David
- Sarah
- Michael
- Anna
- Chris
- Nina
Common questions
Is every name equally likely to be drawn?
Each enabled line begins with an equal chance. The odds move only when a name appears on more than one line or carries an Advanced weight, so scan for duplicates before an important draw.
How do I stop the same person winning twice?
Switch on auto remove winner, and a winner is taken off the wheel before the next spin. Removal halts when only two names are left, so settle the last two by hand.
Where do my names and results go?
They stay in this browser on this device. Download gives you a .wheel backup file, and where this environment has hosted sharing enabled, Share can produce a private link.