Random Name Picker

Paste a list of students, questions or activities and draw one at a time. Free, no login required, and nothing is saved.

  • Free to use
  • No login required
  • No AI credits used

Your list

Paste a single column from a spreadsheet if you like. Commas stay part of the name. Up to 200 lines.

No list applied yet.

Example names, for trying the tool.

This list is only used, temporarily, by the classroom tools in this tab. Refreshing, changing language or leaving the classroom tools clears it.

Repeats

Result

Apply a list, or use the example list, to start drawing.

How to use the name picker

  1. Paste your list

    One name, question or activity per line, then Apply list. Up to 200 lines.

  2. Choose repeats

    By default nobody is drawn twice in a round. Allow repeats to draw from the whole list every time.

  3. Draw and present

    Draw one at a time on the page, or present the result full screen to the class.

Ways teachers use it

The list can hold anything, one item per line.

  • Cold calling

    Paste the class list and draw who answers next, without repeats until everyone has had a turn.

  • Question bank

    Paste review questions and draw one for the class to answer together.

  • Choosing an activity

    List a few warm-up activities and let the draw decide which one starts the lesson.

Questions about the name picker

Is the name picker free, and do I need to log in?

It is free, needs no account or login, and uses no AI credits. Everything happens in your browser.

How should I enter the list?

Put one entry on each line. Commas stay part of the name, so "Smith, Alex" is one entry. Paste a single column from a spreadsheet; a line with more than one column is not accepted. The list can have up to 200 entries of up to 80 characters each.

What happens with two students who have the same name?

Each line is its own entry, so two lines with the same name are both kept and marked with their row number. A name that appears on two lines has twice the chance of coming up, so check the list was not pasted twice.

Can the same name come up twice?

Not by default: in a round each entry is drawn once. Turn on Allow repeats and every draw is from the whole list, so the same entry can come up again, even twice in a row.

What happens when everyone has been drawn?

The page says the round is over and keeps the last result. It does not start again on its own; choose New round to draw from the full list again.

Is my list saved anywhere?

No. The list is not saved or sent anywhere, and there is no cloud copy. It stays in this browser tab while you move between the classroom tools, and is cleared when you refresh, change language or leave the classroom tools.

Can I show the result on the projector?

Yes. Present shows only the result and the draw buttons, full screen where the browser allows it. Press Space to draw and Escape or Exit to leave.

How random is the draw?

Each draw uses the random number source built into your browser, and every remaining entry has the same chance. If the browser cannot provide a random number, nothing is drawn and you can try again. It is a classroom tool, not a certified lottery.

More classroom tools

  • Classroom Timer

    A countdown and stopwatch for classroom activities, with a full-screen view for the projector.

    Open the timer

  • Random Group Generator

    Paste a class list and split it into random groups whose sizes differ by at most one, then present or copy them.

    Open the group generator

Before the next lesson

Plan the activities for your next lesson.

Use Teacher Planner to organize your lesson activities before class begins.