What is the Random Name Picker?
Paste one item per line or separate them with commas. The picker shuffles the list with the Fisher–Yates algorithm and cryptographic randomness, so every entry has an identical chance. Your list stays in your browser and is never uploaded.
For a giveaway, fairness is only half the job — participants also need to trust the draw. Show the full list on screen before you press the button, or record the draw, and announce the rules in advance: one entry per person, the closing time and how many winners you will pick. Remove duplicate lines first unless extra entries are allowed, because every line counts as a separate ticket. Afterwards, export the result so you keep a record of who won and when the draw took place.
How to use the Random Name Picker
- Adjust the options above to match what you need.
- Press Generate (or hit Enter / Space) to create fresh results instantly.
- Click any result to copy it, or use Copy all.
- Download everything as CSV, JSON or TXT, or share a link with your settings.
Popular uses
- Giveaways — pick Instagram or YouTube contest winners.
- Classrooms — choose who answers next.
- Teams — decide who presents in stand-up meetings.
- Choices — where to eat, which movie to watch.
Why use RandNow?
- Instant & unlimited — no sign-up, no daily caps.
- Private by design — results are generated in your browser, not on our servers.
- Export-ready — copy, CSV, JSON and TXT downloads built in.
- Cryptographically random — powered by the Web Crypto API.
How the Fisher–Yates shuffle works
The shuffle walks through the list from the last item to the first. At each step it picks a random position between the start of the list and the current item, then swaps the two. When it reaches the top, every possible ordering of the list has been equally likely — no entry gains an advantage from being near the beginning or the end. The method only stays fair if the random numbers themselves are unbiased, which is why RandNow draws them from the browser’s cryptographic generator rather than a simple pseudo-random function. Winners are then read from the top of the shuffled list.
Running a fair classroom or team draw
For cold-calling in class, keep “No repeats” on and pick several names at once, so everyone gets a turn before anyone is asked twice. In meetings, shuffle the whole team to set the speaking order for stand-up. When a prize has a runner-up, draw extra winners as reserves in case someone cannot be reached. Paste your list, choose how many winners you need and press Generate to make the draw.
Frequently asked questions
Is the picker fair?
Yes. Every entry has exactly the same probability of being picked.
Can I pick multiple winners?
Yes, set “How many winners?” and keep “No repeats” on to avoid duplicates.
Is my list stored?
No, everything happens in your browser.
What should I do about duplicate entries?
Each line is treated as a separate entry, so a name that appears twice has twice the chance. Remove duplicates before drawing unless multiple entries are part of your rules.
How can I prove the draw was fair?
Share your screen or record the draw, show the complete list beforehand and export the result afterwards so participants can see exactly what happened.