TumbleDraw

Random name picker

Paste your list of names, then spin the wheel or draw a lotto ball. Every name gets the same chance, and your list is saved in your browser for next time.

0 entries Click the picker, press the button, or hit Ctrl+Enter

Tip: repeat a name on several lines to give it extra chances.

How many entries: the wheel stays easy to read up to about 50 names and shows names up to 200. The lotto machine holds up to 60 balls at once. Bigger lists work in both, and every entry keeps an equal chance.

How to pick a random name

  1. Type or paste names in the Entries box, one per line. A column copied from a spreadsheet works.
  2. Press Spin, click the wheel, or press Ctrl+Enter.
  3. The winner's name pops up when the wheel stops.
  4. Choose Remove this entry to pick a different name next time, or turn on automatic removal in Settings to go through the whole list.

Handy list tools

Shuffle mixes the order on the wheel, Sort A–Z puts it in order, and Remove duplicates cleans up a pasted list so nobody is in it twice by accident.

Ways to use a name picker

  • Classrooms: who answers next, who presents first, who gets the job of the day
  • Meetings: who runs the stand-up, who takes notes, the order of updates
  • Raffles and prizes: pick a winner in front of everyone so it's clearly fair
  • Home: whose turn it is for chores, the front seat or picking the movie
  • Games: who goes first, secret Santa draws, picking a team captain

Need groups instead of one name? Use the team generator.

Wheel or lotto balls

Both pick the same way. The wheel is quick and easy to follow on a projector. The lotto ball machine takes a little longer and builds more suspense, which is good for prize draws.

Your list stays private

Names are saved only in your own browser so they're there next time you visit. They are never sent to us. Press Clear to remove them.

Questions

Is the random name picker fair?

Yes. The winner is picked with the browser's cryptographic random generator, the same kind used for passwords, using a method that gives every entry exactly the same chance. The animation is played afterwards to land on that winner, so it never decides the result.

How do I stop the same name being picked twice?

Choose Remove this entry on the winner card, or turn on Remove the winner from the wheel automatically in Settings. Each picked name then leaves the wheel until you add it back.

How many names can I add?

As many as you like. The wheel stays easy to read up to about 50 names and shows names on slices up to about 200. Every name keeps the same chance however long the list is.

Will my list be saved?

Yes, in your own browser on this device. It is not uploaded anywhere. Clear it with the Clear button.

Can I give someone more chances?

Yes. Put their name on more than one line. Each line is one entry, so a name on three lines has three times the chance.

Can I use it on a phone or a classroom projector?

Yes. It works in any modern browser on phones, tablets, laptops and smart boards, with nothing to install.