Wheel of Names

Free random name picker - spin the wheel to choose a person fairly.

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What Is the Wheel of Names?

The Wheel of Names is a free random name picker designed for selecting people fairly and transparently. Add names to the spinning wheel, click Spin, and the wheel randomly selects one person from the list. Whether you are a teacher choosing a student to answer a question, running a raffle or giveaway, assigning tasks to team members, or picking teams for a game, the Wheel of Names ensures every person has an exactly equal chance of being selected. Import entire class rosters or participant lists from a file, enable “Remove winner” mode for multi-round draws, and project the wheel on a screen so everyone can watch the fair selection happen in real time.

How to Pick a Random Name with the Wheel

Selecting a random name is fast and easy. Load your list of names, spin the wheel, and get a fair result that everyone can see and trust.

1 👥
Add Names to the Wheel
Type names one at a time and click Add, or click Import to upload an entire class roster, team list, or attendee list from a .txt or .csv file. The name wheel accepts up to 100+ names.
2 🎨
Customize the Name Spinner
Each name gets a unique color segment. Click any color dot to personalize individual colors, choose from five palette themes, or shuffle the name order so adjacent names get different colors.
3 🎲
Spin to Pick a Random Name
Press the Spin button or tap the center of the wheel. The name spinner rotates, slows, and lands on a randomly selected name. Enable “Remove winner” for multi-round draws where no one is picked twice.

Popular Ways to Use the Wheel Spinner

Education
Random Student Picker for Classroom
Teachers add their class roster to the name wheel and spin to call on students randomly. It encourages equal participation, eliminates bias in who gets called on, and students find the spinning wheel more engaging than other random selection methods.
Events
Raffle Winner Spinner & Prize Draws
Enter participant names for a transparent, visual raffle. Audiences love watching the wheel of names spin live. The “Remove winner” feature ensures fairness in multi-prize events, charity draws, and door prize giveaways.
Workplace
Fair Task & Duty Assignment
Randomly distribute rotating tasks like meeting notes, coffee runs, on-call duties, or presentation slots. The name wheel ensures no one feels singled out unfairly and creates a transparent, equal assignment process.
Sports
Team Captain & Draft Order Picker
Add player names to the wheel and spin to pick team captains, determine fantasy draft order, assign positions, or create random teams. Works perfectly for pickup games, intramural sports, fantasy leagues, and office tournaments.
Social
Secret Santa & Gift Exchange Generator
Add names of all participants and spin one at a time with “Remove winner” enabled to create random Secret Santa or gift exchange pairings. Each person gets assigned without anyone knowing who has whom until the reveal.
Family
Chore Assignment & Turn Picker
Enter family member names and spin to assign household chores, decide who picks the movie, or determine whose turn it is for any activity. Kids find the spinning name wheel more fun and fair than being told directly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I import a class roster or name list?

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Yes. Click the Import button and select a .txt or .csv file with one name per line (or comma-separated). All names will be added to the wheel instantly. This is the fastest way to load a large class roster, team list, or event attendee list.

Can the Wheel of Names prevent the same person from being picked twice?

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Yes. Enable “Remove winner after spin” in Settings. Each name that is selected is automatically removed from the wheel. This is perfect for raffles, classroom activities, and any multi-round selection where you need unique winners.

How many names can the Wheel of Names hold?

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There is no hard limit. The name wheel handles anywhere from 2 to over 100 names. For large lists, text automatically resizes to fit each segment. We recommend under 40 names for the best readability, but the wheel works with any number.

Is the random name selection fair and unbiased?

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Completely fair. Each name occupies an exactly equal segment of the wheel, and the stopping position is determined by your browser’s random number generator with zero bias. Every person has the same probability of being selected on every spin.

Will the names be saved for my next session?

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Yes. All names and settings are stored in your browser’s local storage and persist between sessions on the same device and browser. Your name list will be exactly as you left it when you return. No account or sign-up required.

Can I project the Wheel of Names on a screen for a class or event?

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Yes. The name spinner is designed to be projected on a screen or shared via screen sharing in Zoom, Google Meet, or Teams. The large visual display, colorful animation, and sound effects make it engaging for audiences of any size, from classrooms to conference halls.