How to use the Random Name Picker
- Add your class. Open Settings, click the pencil next to the class list and paste your students’ names, one per line. The list is saved in this browser for every tool on the site.
- Pick a name. Press Space, click Pick or click the cards. The deck shuffles to a drum roll, then a card flies out and flips to show the name.
- Choose the reveal. Switch between Card flip and Slot reel in Settings or with S, and set how long the suspense lasts.
- Keep it fair. Leave “Don’t pick the same name twice” on and nobody is picked again until everyone has had a turn. Press B to put an absent student back, or U to undo a pick.
Classroom ideas
- Cold calling without the groans: pose the question first, give thinking time, then pick. Everyone has to be ready because anyone could be next.
- Classroom jobs: pick this week’s line leader, messenger and board cleaner in turn — with no repeats, every child gets a job over the term.
- Share-outs: after a writing task, pick three names to read their opening line aloud.
- Order of presentations: keep picking until the list is done; the picked names on screen become the running order.
- Put it on the Classroom Board next to the timer for quick-fire review rounds.
Keyboard shortcuts
| U | Undo the last pick |
| B | Put the name on screen back in the hat |
| S | Switch between card flip and slot reel |
| H | Show or hide the picked names |
| F | Present full screen |
Frequently asked questions
Is the name picker really random?
Yes. The name is chosen with your browser’s cryptographic random generator before any animation starts, with every remaining name equally likely. The shuffling and spinning are just for show.
How do I stop the same student being picked twice?
Turn on “Don’t pick the same name twice”. Picked names are set aside until everyone has had a turn, then a message tells you every name is back in the hat. The list is kept for each class separately.
A picked student is absent. What do I do?
Press B or the Put back button. The name goes back in the hat so they can be picked another day, and you can pick again straight away.
Where are my students’ names stored?
Only in this browser’s local storage, on this computer. They are never uploaded. Use Export classes on the class list to move them to another computer.
Can I use it with other tools?
Yes. The same class lists work in the Group Maker and other tools, and the picker can sit on the Classroom Board as a widget.
Updated October 31, 2026 · Free to use in any classroom, no account needed.