Random Name Picker for Classrooms

Paste your class list, press Spin, get a random student. The list is saved in this browser only — no account, no upload.

0 names

Saved to this browser. No account, no upload, no signup.

Useful for cold-calling — each student is picked at most once until you re-paste the list.

Add names above to spin

How to use this classroom name picker

  1. Paste your class list into the textarea — one name per line, or comma-separated from a spreadsheet column. Duplicates are removed automatically.
  2. Press Spin. The wheel turns for about five seconds and lands on a random student.
  3. Repeat for the next question.If the "Remove name after spin" toggle is on (default), the picked student is dropped from the wheel — useful for cold-call rotations where every student gets called once.
  4. Close the tab when you're done.Your class list is saved in your browser; come back tomorrow and it's still there. Clear it with the Clear button or by emptying the textarea.

Why teachers use a wheel instead of mental random

Teachers calling on students from memory unintentionally bias toward the same five or six high-confidence kids per class. A randomised picker breaks this pattern. Research summarised in Doug Lemov's Teach Like a Champion found that cold-call rotations increase participation for previously-quiet students and that the social cost of being called on falls when every student knows the call is random rather than directed at them.

Cold-call best practices

  • Pose the question first, then spin. Every student must process the question. The wheel selects who answers, not who thinks.
  • Use wait time after the pick. Three to five seconds of silence after the name lands lets the chosen student gather their thought. Avoid jumping in to rephrase.
  • No gotcha. A wrong answer is feedback. Move on, but come back to the same student later that period with a related, slightly easier question so they end on a win.
  • Reset the list each period or unit. Re-paste the full class list to start a fresh rotation. Some teachers keep separate rotations per period using browser bookmarks with different names.
  • Pair with random groups. After a cold-call session, shift to random groups for the collaborative portion of the lesson — the same shuffling principle applies.

Privacy and what we don't do

Your class list is stored in your browser's local storage on this device only. It is not sent to a server, not synchronised across devices, and not visible to anyone but you. We do not require a Google Classroom or other roster sync. We do not store student PII. If you clear browser data or use a different machine, the list resets.

For substitute teachers and shared computers

Save the regular teacher's class list on the classroom computer and a substitute can use the wheel the same way without re-typing anything. Different browser profiles (or incognito mode) keep separate lists, so shared-computer setups don't leak rosters between teachers.

Related Tools

Group Generator

After picking individuals, generate random groups from the same class list.

Classroom Noise Meter

Project a noise meter during quiet-work transitions after a cold call.

Tally Counter

Keep a tally of which students answered correctly during cold calling.

Classroom Timer

Projectable countdown for transitions, tests, and group work.

Toolkit Hub

All four free classroom tools in one place.

Random Name Picker for Classrooms FAQ

Does this name picker save my class list?
Yes. The list you paste into the box is saved in this browser's local storage and re-loads automatically the next time you visit the page. The list never leaves your computer — it's not sent to any server. Use a different browser profile or clear local storage to reset it.
How do I keep the wheel from picking the same student twice?
Turn on the Remove name after spin toggle. The picked name disappears from the wheel until you re-paste the list (or refresh the page if you haven't edited it). This is the standard cold-call rotation pattern — every student gets called once before any repeat.
Can I share a wheel with a colleague?
Bookmark the page after pasting your list — the list is in your browser only, so the bookmark just opens the wheel. To share a class list with a colleague, copy the names from the textarea and email them; they paste into their own browser and the wheel populates.
Why a wheel instead of just flashing names?
Either works for fairness — both produce uniformly random picks. The wheel adds visible suspense (good for elementary engagement) and gives students a clear "process is happening" signal that flash-name lacks. If you prefer minimal animation, sit on the start screen and the result is functionally a random pick when you press Spin.
Will the wheel work on my old Chromebook?
Yes. The wheel is rendered as an SVG and animated using a CSS transform — the GPU handles the rotation, so even an Intel Celeron N4020 Chromebook runs the spin at 60fps. Canvas-based wheels (which some competitor sites use) drop frames on the same hardware.
Is there a limit to how many names I can add?
Practically, 60 names is the readable upper limit on a 13" classroom Chromebook screen — beyond that, names start being truncated in the wheel slices. The data structure itself has no fixed cap, so 100+ works if you only need the spin animation rather than legible labels.
Can I use nicknames or numbers instead of last names?
Yes. The picker treats whatever you paste as opaque labels. First names, nicknames, student numbers, table numbers, or any combination work fine. For privacy in a publicly-projected setting, first-name-only or numbered placeholders (Student 1, Student 2…) keep last names off the screen.
Does this work offline?
Once the page loads, the picker runs entirely in your browser — no internet required for the spin itself. You do need internet for the initial page load. To use truly offline, load the page once on the classroom computer while connected, then the browser cache will serve subsequent visits.