Random Name Picker — Spinning Wheel
Paste a list of names, spin the wheel, and pick one at random — the classroom and raffle favorite, with an option to remove each winner.
Type or paste names (one per line) and this wheel picks one at random with a satisfying five-second spin. Teachers use it to choose who answers next, teams use it for stand-up order and giveaways, and families use it to settle who picks the movie. Remove each winner to draw without repeats.
Great for classrooms, raffles, and picking who goes first. The wheel is drawn on your device — the list never leaves your browser.
How to use this calculator
- Type or paste your names in the box, one name per line.
- Check the wheel — every name becomes one equal-sized segment.
- Press Spin the wheel and wait for the five-second spin to settle on the pointer.
- Announce the winner, then remove them and spin again if you need more picks.
The formula
Each spin picks a uniformly random index: winner = floor(random × number of names), so every name has probability 1/N. The wheel then rotates 5 full turns plus the exact angle that brings the winner's segment center to the pointer.
Worked example
Paste a class list of 24 students and each name covers a 15-degree segment with a 1-in-24 (about 4.2%) chance per spin. Spin once for who presents first, remove the winner, and spin again — the remaining 23 each now have a 1-in-23 chance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the wheel pick a winner?
When you press Spin, a winner is chosen uniformly at random from the list — every name has the same 1-in-N chance — and the wheel's spin is then animated to land exactly on that name. The result is decided by the random draw, never by where the wheel happens to stop, so the animation can't bias the outcome.
Can I pick several winners without repeats?
Yes. After each spin, the winner card offers 'Remove and keep spinning', which deletes that name from the list and redraws the wheel. Repeat until you've drawn as many distinct winners as you need — that's the standard way to run a raffle or pick classroom groups fairly.
How many names can the wheel hold?
The list accepts as many lines as you paste, and labels are trimmed to fit their segment. In practice the wheel stays readable up to about 30 names; for a whole school or a huge raffle, split the list into rounds and spin the round winners against each other.
Is my class list uploaded anywhere?
No. The wheel is drawn and spun entirely in your browser with the canvas element — the names are never sent to a server, stored, or shared. Refreshing the page resets the list to the sample names, so paste your list again if you reload.
Can I use this for a giveaway or raffle?
For informal drawings, absolutely — it's fast and visibly fair on a shared screen. For regulated promotions with prizes of real value, check your local rules first: some jurisdictions require specific drawing procedures or records that a browser wheel doesn't provide.