Wheel of Names

Free random name picker — paste your list, spin the wheel, and get a fair winner in seconds. Loved by teachers, raffle hosts, and anyone tired of saying "you pick this time."

How to Use the Wheel of Names

  1. Paste your names — type or paste a list of names into the textarea on the right (one name per line). The wheel updates as you type.
  2. Click "Spin" — press the center button or the Spin button below the wheel. It spins for 3 seconds and gradually slows down.
  3. Read the winner — the arrow at the top points to the picked name, and the name appears highlighted under the wheel.
  4. Spin again or remove — click "Spin" for another pick, or delete the winner from the list to run an elimination-style raffle.

Use Shuffle to randomize the visual order of names on the wheel, Sort A-Z / Z-A to arrange the list alphabetically, or Hide Names to collapse the list panel for a cleaner look when you're projecting the wheel to a class or audience.

Popular Ways People Use the Wheel of Names

Classroom Name Picker
Teachers paste a class roster and spin to call on a student fairly — no more "you always pick the same kids." Perfect for cold-calling, group formation, and presentation order.
Giveaways & Raffles
Drop in entrant names from a comment thread, email signup, or registration sheet and spin live on stream so everyone sees the draw is fair. Remove winners as you go.
Secret Santa & Gift Exchanges
Add everyone's name and assign gift recipients one spin at a time. Quick, transparent, and works without printing slips of paper.
Team Picker for Sports & Games
Split a group into teams or assign positions without anyone feeling singled out. Great for PE, board game nights, and office tournaments.
Standup & Meeting Order
Daily standups dragging because nobody wants to start? Spin the wheel of names to pick the first speaker — no more awkward silences.
Twitch & YouTube Picks
Streamers use the wheel of names to pick subscribers for shoutouts, free games, or coaching sessions. Add up to several hundred names — the wheel still picks fairly.

Why Use This Wheel of Names?

  • No signup, no ads in your face — open the page and start picking names immediately.
  • Truly random — selection happens before the visual spin, using the browser's Math.random(); position on the wheel doesn't influence the outcome.
  • Unlimited names — from 2 entries up to several hundred. The wheel auto-resizes labels and segment widths.
  • 100% private — everything runs in your browser. Names never touch our servers and nothing is saved when you close the tab.
  • Mobile-friendly — works on phones, tablets, and desktops with no app to install. Touch the center to spin.
  • Real-time editing — add, remove, shuffle, or sort names while the wheel re-renders instantly.
  • Projector-friendly — high-contrast colors and a "Hide Names" mode for clean presentation in classrooms or live events.

Tips for Better Spins

  • Keep names short. Names longer than ~18 characters are auto-truncated on the wheel face (the full name still shows in the winner card). For long full names, use first names or initials.
  • For raffles, remove winners after each spin. Just delete the picked name from the textarea — the wheel updates and that name can't be picked again.
  • Use Shuffle between spins if your audience suspects the wheel "knows" the order. Each Shuffle randomizes positions visually, even though the picker is fair regardless.
  • Hide the names panel before projecting to keep the focus on the wheel itself — especially useful for classroom name pickers and live giveaway streams.
  • Need decisions, not names? Try our decision spinner wheel — same engine, framed for "what should I eat / watch / do" prompts instead of name picking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Type or paste a list of names (one per line), then click Spin. The wheel rotates for three seconds with a smooth deceleration and the arrow lands on a random name. Each spin uses JavaScript's Math.random(), so every name has an equal probability of being picked regardless of position.
There is no hard limit. The wheel automatically resizes segments to fit your list — from a few names up to several hundred. For best on-screen readability, 2 to 30 names work well; for larger lists the wheel still picks fairly but individual labels become hard to read.
Yes. The selection is made before the visual spin, using the browser's Math.random() generator, so every name has the same chance of winning. The animation is purely cosmetic. Order, color, and position on the wheel do not affect the outcome.
No. The wheel runs entirely in your browser. Names are never sent to a server, no account is needed, and nothing is stored when you close or refresh the page.
Yes — it's one of the most common uses. Paste your class roster, click Spin to call on a student, and use Hide Names to keep the list private during projection. Hit Shuffle between spins to vary the visual order without reloading.
Yes — just delete the name from the textarea on the right. The wheel updates instantly and that name will not be picked again. This is useful for raffles where each name should win at most once.
Yes. The wheel is fully responsive and works in any modern mobile browser — Safari on iOS, Chrome on Android, Firefox, Edge — with no app to install. Touch-spin and pinch-zoom are supported.

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