Online Tool Store
Name Picker
Draw random winners from a pasted list, prevent repeats, save lists for later, and copy or download the selected names.
🔒 This tool runs entirely in your browser. Your files are never uploaded to a server.
Example shown — replace with your own list. Enter a name more than once to give it better odds, like extra raffle tickets.
Winner
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Winners so far
How it works
- Paste your list of names, one per line (or comma-separated) — or load a list you saved earlier.
- Choose how many winners to draw, and whether winners should be removed from the list afterward.
- Click Draw winner — the winner appears above, and every draw is added to the "Winners so far" list.
- Copy or download the winners list, and optionally save your name list under a name to reuse it next time.
How the draw works
The full list is randomly reordered with a Fisher-Yates shuffle — repeatedly swapping each entry with a randomly chosen earlier one — then the first however-many entries after shuffling become the winners:
for i from last index down to 1: swap entry[i] with entry[random index from 0 to i]
This gives every entry an equal, independent chance of ending up in any position — unlike repeatedly picking a random index and re-rolling on a collision, which can subtly favor whichever names happen to get checked first.
FAQ
How is the winner actually chosen — is it fair?
It uses a Fisher-Yates shuffle: the full list is randomly reordered using your browser's random number generator, and the first however-many entries after the shuffle are your winners. Every name has an equal chance of landing in any position, so it's not biased toward names typed first or last.
Can the same person win more than once?
Within a single draw, no — drawing 3 winners at once never picks the same entry twice. Across separate draws, that depends on "Remove winners from the list after each draw": checked, a winner is out for future draws; unchecked, the full list is available again next time.
Can I give someone better odds, like extra raffle tickets?
Yes — enter their name more than once. Each entry in the list is treated as one ticket, so a name listed twice is twice as likely to be drawn as a name listed once.
What happens if I edit the name list after drawing?
Editing the textarea resets the pool to exactly what's currently typed and clears the winners-so-far list — treat it as starting a fresh draw, not adjusting an in-progress one.
Is my list of names uploaded anywhere?
No. Parsing and drawing both happen locally in your browser — your list is never sent to a server, including when you copy or download the winners list, or save a named list for later.
Can I reuse the same list for a recurring draw?
Yes — type a name for it and click "Save list", and it stays in a dropdown on this device so you can reload it next time instead of re-pasting. Saved lists are stored in your browser only, not uploaded anywhere.
How we compare
| Feature | Online Tool Store | Typical giveaway picker sites | Picking a name "by eye" |
|---|---|---|---|
| No sign-up or ads | ✓ | Varies — many are ad-heavy | ✓ |
| Actually fair, not influenced by unconscious bias | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Draw multiple winners with no-repeat mode | ✓ | Varies — some are one-at-a-time only | ✗ (manual) |
| Save a name list on this device to reuse next time | ✓ | Varies — some have a template system | ✗ |
| Download the winners list, not just view it | ✓ | Varies — not every picker offers this | ✗ |
If you need a genuinely random, defensible winner for a giveaway or a raffle — not just "whoever I glanced at first" — Name Picker gets you there in one page, with a record of every winner so far.