Put everyone's name on the wheel, give it a spin, and let the pointer choose. Each name gets the same slice and the same chance.
A wheel of names is about the simplest fair way to choose a person. You list the names, the wheel splits into one slice per name, and a spin lands on one of them. The twelve names here are only examples. Replace them with your own group and the wheel redraws right away. The winner is picked with your browser's crypto random generator before the wheel starts turning.
Teachers spin a name wheel to call on students. Teams use one to decide who runs the standup or takes notes. Friends use it to settle who pays, who drives, or who picks the movie. Because everyone watches the same wheel slow down and stop, the result feels fair in a way a name picked in secret never quite does.
Setting up your name wheel
The entry box takes one name per line. You can type names in, or copy a column from a spreadsheet or a list from a group chat and paste it all at once.
- Clear the sample names and add your own.
- Add a last initial when two people share a first name.
- Press Shuffle to mix up where each name sits.
- Spin, then read the winner in the pop-up.
Spinning names for a group in the room
When you spin the wheel for names in front of a class or a meeting, make it big. Full-screen mode fills the display, and a longer spin time builds a bit of suspense. Pick a winner sound like applause or a ding so the result lands even for people who are not looking.
To go through everyone once, turn on remove-winner or switch to Elimination mode. Each picked name drops off, so nobody is called twice until the list is used up. The results history keeps the order, which is handy for presentation slots.
Keeping the same list for next time
If you spin the same names every week, save the wheel in this browser and reopen it with one click. A free account can sync saved wheels between your devices. A share link copies the whole list into the URL, so think twice before posting a link with full names in a public place.
Frequently asked questions
Is every name on the wheel equally likely?
Yes, by default each name has the same chance. The result is drawn with a cryptographic random number before the animation starts, so the spin speed or when you click has no effect. Typing a name twice gives it two slices and double the chance.
How many names fit on one wheel?
Up to a few dozen names read well. With a large group the slices get thin and the text shrinks, so full-screen helps. For very big lists, split people into two wheels or use the team generator first.
Can I pick several names in a row without repeats?
Yes. Turn on remove-winner, or choose Elimination mode, and spin again after each result. Each picked name leaves the wheel. Restore the full list when you want to start over.
Do the names I enter get stored on a server?
No. Names stay in your browser. They only leave your device if you copy a share link, since the link carries the list in the URL, or if you sign in to sync saved wheels.