Random Name Picker
NewPick a random student from your class list or split the class into fair groups, with no repeats until everyone had a turn.
How to use the Random Name Picker
- 1Paste your class list, one name per line, or load a saved class.
- 2Tap the names of absent students so they are left out today.
- 3Pick a student, or switch to groups and choose how many groups or how many students per group.
About Random Name Picker
The Random Name Picker chooses a student from your class list at random, so calling on students stays fair and nobody can say the teacher always picks the same people. Paste the list straight from a spreadsheet or a class roster, one name per line, and mark who is absent today with a tap.
With “no repeats” switched on, every student is picked once before anyone gets a second turn, and a counter shows how many are left in the round. Every pick is listed with its number, so you can see who already answered. In group mode the same list is shuffled and dealt into a chosen number of groups, or into groups of a chosen size, with group sizes that differ by at most one. Copy the groups to paste them into a slide or a message.
The tool is made for the projector, the interactive whiteboard and the teacher's laptop. Names stay in your browser. With a free account you can save each class list under a name and load it again on any device, so switching between classes takes one click. The picks use the browser's cryptographic random number generator, so every student has the same chance.
Frequently asked questions
How do I avoid picking the same student twice?
Keep “No repeats until everyone had a turn” switched on. Each student is picked once per round; when everyone had a turn, the next pick starts a new round. “New round” resets it at any time.
Can I leave out students who are absent?
Yes. Tap their names under “Who's here today”. Absent students are skipped for picks and groups until you tap them again.
How are the groups made?
The students who are here are shuffled and dealt one by one into the groups, so groups differ in size by at most one. Choose either the number of groups or the number of students per group, and reshuffle as often as you like.
Are the class lists stored anywhere?
Only if you choose to. The list stays in your browser. When you sign in and save a class list, it is stored with your account so you can load it on another device, and you can delete it there at any time.
Is the pick really random?
Yes. Every pick uses your browser's cryptographic random number generator without bias, so every student who is still in the round has the same chance.