This guide covers everything the Random Name Wheel Generator can do, from entering your first list to fixing common problems.
Quick start
- Open the Entries tab and type or paste your names, one per line.
- Click the wheel, press SPIN, or use Ctrl+Enter.
- Read the winner in the pop-up. Close it and spin again, or remove the winner first.
The wheel starts with sample names. Select the text in the Entries box and paste your own to replace them.
Entering names
- One entry per line. Paste a column from a spreadsheet or a list from a document and each line becomes a segment.
- Cleanup is automatic. Extra spaces and blank lines are ignored, and entries longer than 80 characters are shortened.
- Duplicates count separately. If a name appears twice, it gets two segments and two chances to win. Delete repeats for equal odds.
- Weights. Type x and a number after a name, like Maria x3, to give that entry three times the space on the wheel.
- Shuffle and sort. Use the buttons above the Entries box to mix the order or sort it from A to Z.
- Clear. The Clear button empties the list, so copy anything you want to keep first.
Spinning the wheel
Click the wheel, press the SPIN button in the center, or press Ctrl+Enter while your cursor is in the tool. The wheel needs at least two entries. While it is turning, the list is locked so the winner always matches the segment under the pointer.
Picking without repeats
To make sure each name is picked only once, tick Remove winner after spin. You can also leave it off and click Remove & close in the winner pop-up when you want to take a particular winner off the list.
Results and records
Open the Results tab to see your spins, newest first, with the time and a short reference code. Results are stored in your browser on this device. You can download them as a CSV file or clear them.
Make teams
Open the Teams tab, choose from 2 to 20 teams, and click Make teams. Your entries are shuffled and dealt out evenly, so team sizes differ by at most one person. You need at least as many entries as teams.
Generate names
In the Generator tab, choose a name type and how many names you want, then replace the wheel’s list or add to it. Types include first names, full names, last names, boy names, girl names, pet names, team names, and fun nicknames. Names in one batch do not repeat.
Customize the wheel
- Choose a color theme: Classic, Pastel, Neon, Ocean, or Sunset.
- Turn the tick sound, confetti, and voice announcement on or off.
- Use Fullscreen to fill the screen for a classroom, meeting, or live stream.
Share your list
Click Share link to copy a link that contains your entries and theme. Anyone with the link sees the same wheel, so avoid sharing it if the list includes names that should stay private.
Keyboard shortcuts
- Tab and Shift+Tab move between controls.
- Ctrl+Enter spins the wheel.
- Esc closes the winner pop-up.
Troubleshooting
- The wheel will not spin. Add at least two entries. Blank lines do not count.
- My list disappeared. Your list is saved in your browser. A private browsing window, cleared site data, or a different device or browser will start with the sample names.
- I hear no sound. Make sure Sound is ticked and your device volume is up. Some browsers only play sound after you have clicked on the page.
- A shared link shows the wrong list. A link carries the list from the moment you copied it. Copy a fresh link after you make changes.
- Labels are hard to read. Long lists make segments narrow. Shorten names, split the list into groups, or use Fullscreen.
Ready to try it? Go to the Random Name Wheel.