Random Name Picker

How to use Random Name Picker

1. Paste your names, one per line.
2. Press the button and wait for the spin to settle.
3. Remove the drawn name before the next draw if everyone should get a turn.
4. Selection uses the browser’s cryptographic random source, so it is not a predictable sequence.
5. Blank lines are ignored; duplicate names get proportionally more chances, which is one way to weight a draw.
6. The list stays in your browser and is not saved — keep a copy elsewhere if you need it again.

The point is that everyone can see it was not you

Most uses of a name picker are not really about randomness; they are about legitimacy. Choosing who presents first, who takes the unpopular task, who wins the prize — a visible draw removes the suspicion of favouritism in a way that a private decision cannot. That is also why the brief spin matters: a result appearing instantly feels asserted, while one that visibly settles feels drawn.

Random means names can repeat across draws

Each draw is independent, so the same name can come up twice in a row, and over a term some students will be picked noticeably more than others. That is genuine randomness, not a fault — but it is frequently not what a teacher wants. If everyone should get a turn before anyone repeats, remove each name as it is drawn, which turns random selection into a shuffle. That is a different and usually better tool for a classroom.

Running a draw people will accept

Show the full list before drawing, so nobody can claim a name was missing. Draw once and accept the result — re-rolling until you like the answer is the failure mode this is supposed to prevent, and people notice. For anything with real stakes, have someone else press the button, or record the screen. For a prize draw of any size or legal weight, use a documented process with a verifiable seed; a web page is the right tool for a classroom, not for a regulated promotion.