Name Picker vs. Team Generator
These solve different problems. The Random Team Generator splits an entire list into groups — everyone gets placed on a team. This tool instead selects some names and leaves the rest unselected — a single raffle winner, a handful of prize winners, or picking one person at a time from a larger group.
How picks avoid repeating
Names are shuffled with the Fisher–Yates algorithm (the same provably-uniform method used across the randomizer tools on this site) and drawn without replacement, so a single "pick 3 winners" draw can never select the same name twice. With "Remove picked names from the pool" checked, that also applies across separate picks — clicking Pick repeatedly works through the whole list without ever repeating someone, until you click Reset Pool.
If you'd rather each pick be a completely independent draw — where the same name could come up again next time, like a daily random decision — uncheck that option.
When a pick order matters
Picking multiple winners at once shows them numbered in the order they were drawn, not as an unordered set — useful when it matters who's 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prize, not just who won something.
Frequently asked questions
How do I pick a random name from a list?
Paste your names above (one per line or separated by commas), leave "How Many to Pick" at 1, and click Pick.
Can I pick multiple winners at once?
Yes — set "How Many to Pick" to the number you need. They're drawn without repeats and shown in the order they were picked.
What happens if I ask for more picks than names remain?
You'll get everyone who's left rather than an error — useful for the last round of a full drawdown, where fewer names remain than your usual pick count.
Can I use this for a raffle with duplicate entries per person?
Yes — if someone has 3 raffle tickets, list their name 3 times. Each entry is treated independently, so the same person can still only be picked as many times as their name appears.