Random · Picker
Random name picker.
Paste a list of names or words, one per line, and draw winners. Pick one or several, draw without repeats and optionally remove winners from the list so they cannot win twice.
Settings
Result
Add your list and press Pick.
How the random name picker works
Each line of the box is one entry. If there are no line breaks, the tool splits on commas and semicolons instead, so you can paste “red, green, blue” directly. Blank lines are ignored. The tool numbers the entries and picks positions with the browser’s secure random generator, so every entry has the same chance. Duplicate lines are separate entries: a name typed twice has twice the chance, which is a simple way to weight a draw.
Worked example. Eight names, Quantity 3, No repeats on: you get three different names in draw order (first, second and third). With Remove the winners on, those three disappear from the box, and the next click draws from the five who are left. Repeat until the list is empty to run a full raffle, or to assign turns without anyone going twice.
Picking from words, not just names
The list can hold anything: words for a classroom vocabulary game, restaurants for tonight, chores, topics for a talk, ideas for a brainstorm, prompts for a writing exercise. Turn No repeats off to allow the same entry to come up more than once, which suits “pick a topic for each round” games.
Fairness
With No repeats on, the tool draws positions without replacement using Floyd’s sampling algorithm and then shuffles them with a Fisher-Yates shuffle. With an unbiased random source, every ordering of winners is equally likely, so the first pick is no more likely to be a particular person than the last. The source is crypto.getRandomValues(), not Math.random().
Privacy
The names stay in your browser tab. They are not uploaded, saved in a cookie or kept in storage; reload the page and the box returns to the example list. The draw history on this page lives in memory only.
Want a spinning wheel instead? Use the wheel spinner. Want to divide everyone into groups? Use the team splitter.
Frequently asked questions
How do I pick a random name from a list?
Paste the names, one per line, and press Pick. Set How many to draw several winners at once, in draw order.
Can I stop the same person winning twice?
Yes. Turn on "No repeats" so each pick is a different entry, and turn on "Remove the winners from the list" so later draws exclude earlier winners.
Can I give someone better odds?
Yes. Enter their name more than once. Each line is a separate entry, so two lines mean twice the chance.
Is the draw fair?
Yes, as far as an unbiased random source allows. Each entry has an equal chance, and the tool uses the browser's secure generator with rejection sampling, not Math.random().
Does it work for words and other lists, not only names?
Yes. It treats every line as plain text, so it works for words, tasks, places or any list.
Are my names saved or uploaded?
No. The list stays in your browser and is not stored or sent. Reloading the page clears it.
How many entries can I use?
There is no fixed cap on the list, and you can draw up to 1,000 picks at a time. Very long lists are limited only by what your browser can handle.
Sources
Checked
Selection uses Floyd's sampling algorithm followed by a Fisher-Yates shuffle; Wikipedia notes the shuffle is unbiased when driven by an unbiased random source. Parsing, no-repeat behaviour and error limits are unit-tested. Everything runs in your browser. Nothing you enter or generate is sent anywhere or stored.
Scope
A general-purpose random tool for games, classrooms, sampling and everyday choices. It is not an audited lottery draw. For regulated contests, gaming or legal selections, follow the rules that apply to you.