Wheel of Names
A beautiful, private random name picker. Spin the wheel to pick a winner — your list is saved in your browser, never on a server.
Names
How to Use the Wheel of Names
- Add your names — one per line, or paste a comma-separated list.
- Pick a theme — Classic, Pastel, Dark, or Neon.
- Spin the wheel — click the wheel or the Spin button.
- Remove the winner or spin again — your list and theme are saved automatically.
Try a Sample
One click loads a starter list so you can spin right away.
Privacy by Design
Your list and settings stay on your device:
- No sign-up, no account. Open the page and start spinning.
- Names, theme, sound, toggles, and last winner are saved only in your browser via localStorage.
- No analytics ever record the names you enter; the wheel makes no network calls with your list.
- Works fully offline after the first load — disconnect your network and verify yourself.
Is this wheel truly random?
Yes. The picker uses crypto.getRandomValues, a cryptographically secure random number generator built into your browser — the same kind of randomness used by encryption software. Each spin is independent and unbiased; we never use Math.random in the selection path.
Are my names saved on a server?
No. Your names never leave your device. Everything is stored in your browser via localStorage. The wheel makes no requests carrying your list, so the page works fully offline after the first load.
How do I save my list of names so it's there next time?
Your list is saved automatically as you type. Come back to this page in the same browser and your names, theme, sound preference, the "remove winner" toggle, and your last winner will be right where you left them.
Can I remove a winner after they're picked?
Yes. After a spin, click "Remove Winner" in the result popup to take that name off the wheel. You can also turn on the "Remove winner after spin" toggle to have winners removed automatically — useful for classroom call-on-a-student or sequential giveaways.
How do I add many names at once?
Paste a list into the textarea. The wheel accepts both newline-separated and comma-separated paste — for example "Alice, Bob\nCarol, Dan" — and merges the result. Duplicates are preserved on purpose: the same name twice gets two slices and double the odds.
Can I use this for a giveaway? Is it fair?
Absolutely. The wheel uses cryptographic randomness, which makes it suitable for giveaways, raffles, and any situation where fairness matters. Every entry on the wheel has an exactly equal chance per spin.
Can I share the wheel with my list?
A shareable URL feature is coming soon. For now, you can share the page link and have others enter the same names — your list never leaves your browser, so a sharable link will only ever encode the names directly into the URL when we ship it.
Does it work on phones, tablets, and smartboards?
Yes. The layout is mobile-first and responsive from 320 px wide up to large displays. For projectors and smartboards, use the fullscreen presenter mode to hide the side panel and let the wheel fill the screen.
How do I change the theme or colors?
Click one of the colored dots in the top-right of the wheel area to switch between Classic, Dark, Pastel, and Neon. Your choice is saved automatically. Each theme is tuned for legibility and meets WCAG AA contrast for the labels and primary buttons.
Can I pick more than one winner?
A "Pick N winners" mode is coming soon. For now, turn on "Remove winner after spin" and spin multiple times to pick several winners in a row — the wheel removes the previous pick automatically.
Who Uses the Wheel of Names
- Use the fullscreen button when presenting on a projector or smartboard.
- Toggle "Remove winner after spin" for classroom call-on-a-student so each name is picked only once.
- Paste a comma- or newline-separated list to add many names at once; duplicates are intentional.
- Pick the Dark theme for dim rooms and the Pastel theme for younger audiences.
- Press Space or Enter on the Spin button to spin without leaving the keyboard.