Random Name Picker
Pick random winners from a list of names with a fun shuffle animation. Choose multiple winners, remove them after each draw — free and fair.
About the Random Name Picker
This free random name picker draws one or more winners from any list of names, fairly and instantly. Paste your names with one per line, set how many winners you need, and hit Pick — a brief shuffle animation cycles through the entries before the winners are revealed with a highlight.
Fairness is built in: selection uses crypto.getRandomValues, your browser's cryptographically secure random source, combined with the unbiased Fisher-Yates shuffle. Every name has exactly the same chance on every draw, which matters when prizes or classroom turns are at stake.
The "remove winners" option deletes picked names from the list automatically, perfect for raffles with multiple prize rounds or for calling on every student exactly once. The remaining count updates live, and each winner gets a copy button for announcements.
How to Use the Random Name Picker
- 1Paste your list of names, one per line.
- 2Set the number of winners to pick.
- 3Optionally enable removing winners from the list after each draw.
- 4Click Pick and watch the shuffle reveal the winners.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I pick a random winner for a giveaway?
Paste all entrant names into the box, one per line, set winners to 1 and click Pick. After a short shuffle animation the winner is highlighted, with a copy button for your announcement post. For transparency, many hosts screen-record the draw so entrants can see the pick happening live.
Is the random name picker truly fair?
Yes. Winners are selected with crypto.getRandomValues — a cryptographically secure random number generator — feeding a Fisher-Yates shuffle, the mathematically proven method for unbiased ordering. Every name has an identical probability of winning regardless of its position in the list, and no history or pattern influences future draws.
Can I pick more than one winner at a time?
Yes — set the number of winners to any value up to the size of your list, and that many distinct names are drawn in a single shuffle, so the same person can never win twice in one draw. All winners are highlighted together, with individual copy buttons plus a copy-all button for announcements.
What does the remove winners option do?
When enabled, each drawn winner is deleted from your list automatically after the draw. This is ideal for multi-round raffles where earlier winners should not win again, for assigning tasks until everyone has one, or for teachers calling on each student exactly once. The remaining-names counter updates after every round.
Can I use this as a classroom student picker?
Absolutely — paste your class roster once, then click Pick whenever you need to call on someone. The shuffle animation builds anticipation, and enabling remove winners guarantees every student is chosen exactly once before the list empties. Because the list lives only in your browser tab, student names stay private.
Does it handle duplicate names in the list?
Duplicates are allowed and act as extra entries, which effectively gives that name a higher chance — useful when entrants earn multiple raffle tickets. If you want everyone to have an equal chance instead, remove duplicates first with the Sort Lines tool's remove-duplicates option, then paste the cleaned list here.