How to use the name picker
Paste the names you want to include before your lesson, using first names or classroom numbers rather than full names with personal details. The tool accepts up to 200 names and draws 1 to 10 names at a time.
- Choose Names and paste your list into Names, one per line, with one name per line.
- Set Names per pick to the number of names you want in each draw.
- Select Pick to draw names. By default, those names are set aside so they cannot be picked again during the same round.
- Continue picking from the remaining names as you work through your class list.
- When everyone has had a turn, select Start over to return all names for another round.
How picking without repeats works
In the default mode, each picked name moves out of the available pool. Once everyone has been picked, use Start over to return all names; the tool does not automatically begin another round.
You can draw several names together by changing Names per pick. The same no-repeat rule applies, so those names are set aside together rather than remaining available for the next pick.
For numbered seats, tasks, or questions, switch to Numbers. Enter your limits in From and To, set How many, and select Draw. These fields accept whole numbers, not decimals.
In number mode, No repeats makes all numbers within a single draw different; it does not promise different numbers across separate draws. If your range contains fewer numbers than you request, the tool tells you instead of repeating them. Use Sort from smallest to display the results from smallest to largest.
Ways to use it in class
Choose the list and draw size to match the classroom task. For a projected activity, Full screen shows only the tool, keeping this explanatory text off the board.
- Warm-up responses: draw a name when you are ready for someone to explain an answer, then continue through the remaining names during the warm-up.
- Review partners: draw several names to compare their reasoning on the current question before you move on.
- Classroom jobs: draw from the students available for a task when it is time to hand out materials or organize a center.
- Numbered review questions: use number mode during review to choose which question your class discusses next.
Common questions
Will the random name picker pick the same student twice?
Not during the same round with the default no-repeat mode on. Picked names are set aside until everyone has had a turn, and Start over returns them for another round.
Can I pick several names at once?
Yes, you can draw 1 to 10 names at a time from a list of up to 200 names. Change Names per pick before drawing; in the default mode, all names in that result are set aside.
Can I pick numbers instead of names?
Yes, switch to Numbers and enter your lower and upper limits. You can draw 1 to 100 whole numbers at once. With No repeats on, numbers are unique within that draw, but may appear again in a later draw.
Where are my class lists saved?
Lists stay in this browser; a share link carries the list after the # sign, and that part of the address is not sent to the site. There are no accounts or server copies of your lists. Use Download file to save a JSON file and Open file to open it in another browser.
Will my list save in a private window?
If the browser blocks storage, the tool still works until you close the page and tells you that your work was not saved. Download your list before closing the page if you need to keep it.
How does the tool choose a random name?
Each draw uses the browser's cryptographic random generator with a method that avoids favoring any name or number. The flashing names are a display effect: the result has already been drawn before the flashing starts. With reduced motion, the result appears at once.