A wheel of names that everyone can see
Picking a person is where a random name picker earns its keep. When a teacher points at someone, or a manager asks “who wants to go first?”, people notice who gets chosen. A name spinner takes that choice out of anyone’s hands, and because the whole room watches the wheel slow down, the result is accepted without argument.
This wheel of names starts with ten sample names. Replace them with your own and the wheel redraws instantly, with one equal slice per name.
How to add names quickly
- Copy a column of names from a spreadsheet, a class register or a chat message.
- Click the entry box and paste. Each line becomes a separate name, and empty lines are skipped.
- Prefer typing? Enter one name and press Enter, then the next.
- Fix a typo with the pencil button next to a name, or remove someone with the cross.
- Press Spin, or the center of the wheel, to pick a name.
Your list is saved in your browser for this page, so the same class list is waiting next lesson. Use “Edit as text” to see the whole list in one box, which is handy for checking spelling or adding a late arrival.
Choosing students in class
Cold-calling works best when students trust that the choice is fair. Put the wheel on the projector, paste the class list and spin before each question. Some teachers spin first and then ask the question, so everyone stays ready; others ask first and spin to choose who answers.
- Turn on remove winner after each spin to work through the whole class without repeats.
- Use the history tab to see who has already answered today.
- Pair students by spinning twice and writing the two names together.
- For quick group work, load the team picker preset and spin once per student.
Meeting speakers, stand-ups and rotas
Daily stand-ups often fall into the same order, with the same person always going last. Spin the wheel to set a new speaking order each day, or to choose who facilitates the retrospective, takes the minutes or reviews the next pull request. Because each page keeps its own list, you can bookmark this page for your team and use the task picker wheel for the work itself.
Running a giveaway with a name picker
For a casual giveaway, paste the entrants’ names or usernames and spin live on stream or in a screen recording. Entering a name twice gives it two slices, which is useful if your rules give bonus entries.
Keep in mind that a browser wheel is a fun, visible way to draw a winner, not an audited raffle system. For prize draws with legal requirements, follow the rules that apply where you live. For prize lists rather than people, try the prize wheel.
Removing winners without repeats
With remove-winner mode on, the chosen name leaves the wheel when you close the result. The next spin is then a fair draw among the people who have not been picked yet. When the wheel is empty, everyone has had a turn; press Reset this wheel in Settings to bring back the starting list, or paste your list again.
With the mode off, every name stays on the wheel and can be picked again, which suits games where anyone can be chosen at any time.