Wheel of Names – Free & Ad-Free Random Name Picker

What is a Wheel of Names?

A wheel of names is a tool for randomly selecting names or items from a list of options presented as sectors on a wheel. It's commonly used in raffles, educational activities, team games, and decision-making. By spinning the wheel, you can make unbiased, transparent selections while adding an element of excitement. It is free, with no ads and no sign-up.

Here's a short tour video going through the main features of the wheel of names.

Who is behind this Wheel of Names? Is it free?

This Wheel of Names is a free tool provided by Seating Chart Maker. Check out our about page for more information.

If you have any feedback or ideas, please feel free to contact us via the contact form.

Applications of the wheel

The wheel of names has a variety of applications across different fields:

• Educational use: Randomly select students for participation or activities.
• Business promotions: Choose winners for giveaways or contests.
• Personal decisions: Decide on meals, activities, or other personal choices.
• Work settings: Determine the order of speakers in meetings.
• Fun and games:
  • Use it as an n-sided die for board games or role-playing games.
  • Use it to assign teams or pairs for games and activities randomly.
  • Use it to select challenges or dares in party games.
  • Use it to choose songs for karaoke sessions or dance-offs.
  • Use it to select pairs for Secret Santa gift exchanges.

Why use a wheel of names in these settings?

• The wheel is unbiased.
• It makes random selection exciting, fun, and transparent if you show the wheel to the audience.

Using the wheel in the classroom

The wheel of names is a versatile tool for classroom activities. Here are some ways you can use it, inspired by Teacher Michelle Emerson:

• Cold calling: Using the wheel of names is a great way to call on students, as it shifts the responsibility away from you. Students understand that it's the wheel selecting them, not you! Especially if you share the wheel when you spin it.
• Selecting problems or writing prompts: Spin the wheel in front of the class to pick a writing prompt for the day. You could also share a link and let the students spin the wheel themselves to select an individual prompt. One idea is to use the wheel to generate numbers for math problems.
• Random groups: Use the wheel to randomly assign students to groups for activities, projects, or presentations.

Wheel examples and templates

Here are some common examples and templates you can use with the wheel.

Click a link below to load a pre-configured wheel!

• 'Yes' or 'No' ❓
• Heads or Tails 🪙
• Deck of Cards 🃏
• True or False ✅❌
• 6-Sided Die 🎲
• Prize Wheel with a Jackpot 💰
• Literary Characters 📚
• Lucky Draw with Bonus & Bust 🏆☠️
• Sports Teams 🏈⚽
• Numbers 1–10 🔢
• Alphabet A–Z 🔤
• Dinner Options 🍽️

Features, customization, and how to use the wheel

Our Wheel of Names offers several features to enhance your wheel-spinning experience.

• Unbiased, transparent selection: Ensures fair outcomes with a statistically random algorithm.
• Physics model-based simulation: The randomly assigned initial spin power determines the selection randomness. As a result, the wheel sometimes spins longer than at other times. On average, the wheel spins for about 10 seconds (customizable). The spin slows down realistically according to the laws of physics. The pointer is realistic too: if the wheel runs out of momentum before it can push past the next peg, the pointer nudges the wheel back a little, just like it would on a physical wheel.
• Adding and editing items (slices): Enter one item per line in the text area. You can edit items even while the wheel is spinning, and the slices will update in real-time. Emojis are also supported. You can arrange the items in the text area in sections by using a blank line between sections.
  

  
• Per-slice colors and sizes: Press the Slices button in the top-right corner of the text area to give any item its own color or a wider or narrower slice. This is perfect for creating a highlighted special sector, like a grand prize. See Per-slice colors and sizes for details.
  

  
• Shuffle the slices: Press the shuffle button in the top-right corner of the text area to randomize the slice order.
  

  
• Clear the text area: Use the clear button next to the text area to remove all items. You can then choose from our examples and templates or type a new list of items.
  

  
• Displaying the selected item: When the wheel stops, the selected item pops up in the center of the screen in its own slice color. Tick Remove winner from the wheel before pressing Continue if you want to avoid duplicate selections in consecutive spins. This preference is remembered, so it stays on for the following rounds until you turn it off. Dismissing the dialog any other way (clicking outside it or pressing Esc) simply closes it and keeps every item on the wheel regardless of the 'Remove winner from the wheel' setting.
  

  
• Oops! No worries! Undo your last edit in the text area by pressing Ctrl + Z or selecting Undo from your browser's menu.
• Spin the wheel: Press the button in the center of the wheel to spin it. When it stops, the selected item will be displayed. You can either continue with the same items or remove the selected item to avoid duplicate selections in consecutive spins.
  

  
• Adjustable spin time: Customize spin duration with three settings:
  • Quick (about 6 seconds),
  • Normal (about 11 seconds), and
  • Long (about 19 seconds).
  Longer spin times can build suspense, while shorter times are great when time is of the essence.
  

  
  

  
• Sound and readability:
  • Mute the tick sounds by pressing the volume button next to the text area.
    

    
  • The wheel size automatically adjusts to your screen size. Resize your browser window to scale the wheel.
  • Text color and font size on each slice are automatically adjusted for optimal readability against that slice's color and the available space.
• Appearance:
  • For color themes, backgrounds, and light/dark mode, see Themes, dark mode, and appearance below.
• Use full-screen mode by pressing the button with expanding arrows to present the wheel without distractions expanded to fit the available screen space.
  

  

Themes, dark mode, and appearance

The wheel is fully themeable. Open the settings dialog (the gear icon next to the text area) to change the appearance, pick a ready-made theme, or build your own. Your choice is saved locally and travels with your shared links, embeds, and bookmarks, so the wheel looks the same wherever it's opened.

Light and dark mode

The wheel supports light and dark appearances. Use the sun/moon button next to the text area to cycle between three modes:

• Light ☀️. Always use the light appearance.
• Dark 🌙. Always use the dark appearance.
• System (Auto). Follow your browser or device setting.

Ready-made themes come as light/dark pairs.

Ready-made themes

The theme picker offers several themes, each available in a light and a dark variant. Open the picker to see a preview of each theme.

Building a custom theme

Want something of your own? Expand Customize theme in the settings dialog to control every part of the look. The border and button colors follow your background automatically, and text stays readable against whatever colors you pick.

• Wheel slice colors: Pick up to 6 colors with the color pickers (or type a hex value). The wheel assigns colors to slices in order and repeats the pattern when there are more slices than colors. To give one specific item its own color or slice size instead, use the Slices button next to the items list (see Per-slice colors and sizes).
• Background color: Choose any background color. The page automatically switches to the matching light or dark appearance to keep the contrast right.
• Background style: Choose how the background is painted. Split (color-and-texture split), Color gradient (a mild gradient based on selected color), Texture on color (a texture applied over the background color), or Transparent (the wheel uses the page background). Transparent is especially handy for embeds that need to blend into the host page.
• Accent color: Sets the color of the center spin button and the wheel's pointer. The label on the button automatically stays readable.

Per-slice colors and sizes

Themes color the whole wheel, but sometimes a single sector should stand out: a grand prize, a bonus round, a wildcard.

Press the Slices button in the top of the text area and pick a color or a slice size for any individual item.

• Slice size scales how much of the wheel the slice takes: 2x spans the width of two normal slices, 0.5x half of one. Because the wheel is a fair physics simulation, a bigger slice also has proportionally higher odds of being picked.
• Prefer typing? The customizations are stored right in the items text, at the end of the item's line: Grand Prize [color:gold, size:2x]. Both settings also work alone, like Alice [color:#ff0000] or Bonus [size:1.5x]. The Slices menu is just a convenient way to pick colors and sizes without typing the brackets by hand; the end result is the same. The brackets with valid customization settings are automatically hidden from items shown on the wheel.
• Sharing: because the customizations live in the items text, they automatically travel along in shared links, embeds, and bookmarks.

See it in action with the Prize Wheel with a Jackpot 💰 and Lucky Draw with Bonus & Bust 🏆☠️ example wheels.

Sharing and embedding

Sharing your wheels or embedding them on your website is straightforward. Generally, the same data-containing URL is used for both sharing and embedding. Thus, the general information below applies to both sharing and embedding. However, embedding requires a bit more code than just the URL, but don't worry, no coding skills are required!

• Sharing wheels: The URL in your browser's address bar dynamically updates to include your wheel data, including your full theme (slice colors, background, accent color, and light/dark appearance). Simply copy and share this URL; recipients see the wheel exactly as you styled it. You can also get the share URL by clicking the share icon next to the text area.
• Managing shared and personal wheels: Shared links create local copies for recipients. To share updates, generate and send a new link. Links persist for as long as the site is available.

There are limits to how many items you can have on a shared wheel. You have about 2000 characters(*) to work with, usually allowing for over 100 items.

For example, writing “Harry Potter” on 50 slices uses around 700 characters (including line breaks). So, 100 Harry Potters would take about 1400 characters. You can effectively share a wheel with over 100 Harry Potters!

Why you'd want a wheel with 100 Harry Potters, I have no idea, but the option is there!

Special characters and emojis may count as more than one character.

A wheel can exceed the share limit locally, but you won't be able to generate a share link for it.

However, beyond 100 slices, the wheel becomes crowded and less visually appealing for most use cases anyway.

One note: We apologize for the long and ugly share URLs. If they cause issues, let us know, and we'll consider alternative link generation methods.

(*): The limit comes from common, non-standard, limits to how long a URL can be. The character limit includes also theme and any customizations. We use a compressed format to fit more content into the URL, so the exact limit may vary.

Embedding a Wheel of Names

General steps for embedding a wheel of names on your website (works for most platforms, such as WordPress, Wix, and Squarespace):

1. Copy the provided code snippet. Make sure to copy the entire code.
2. Find the "embed" or "HTML" option in your blog or website editor.
3. Paste the code.
4. Preview and adjust as needed.
5. Publish and watch your wheel spin into internet fame!

Embedded wheels carry your theme too. The colors, background, and light/dark appearance you picked are baked into the embed snippet, so the wheel on your site matches the one you designed.

Before copying the code snippet, you can adjust the embedded wheel's size, though we recommend the default size for most cases. If you notice that the wheel is too small for the space on your website or parts of the wheel are cut off, you can adjust the size by changing the width and height values in the code snippet. Make sure to copy and paste the snippet again after adjusting the size.

If someone uses the wheel on your website, their spins or changes are local and not visible to others. Similarly, the changes won't be reflected in the embedded wheel if you edit the wheel after copying the code snippet. If you want to apply changes to the embedded wheel, you need to copy the code snippet again and replace the old one.

Saving (bookmarking) wheels

Bookmarkable wheels: Thanks to dynamic URLs that reflect the current state of the wheel, including content, your full theme (slice colors, background, accent color, and light/dark appearance), and spin time settings, you can bookmark your custom wheel for quick access.

Because the bookmarked URL contains all the wheel data, you can save multiple wheels and switch between them by clicking the bookmarked links.

To update a bookmarked wheel, simply bookmark the new state and remove the old one. If you don't update the bookmark, you'll always return to the last state you saved when you open the bookmark.

Click on the bookmark icon near the text area or read forward for more information.

How to save your wheel

1. Make sure your wheel is set up as you want it.
2. Press Ctrl + D to bookmark the page, or use your browser's bookmark button.
   

   

Tip: Name the bookmark something meaningful. Example: "Wheel - Class 1A Spring 2024"

Tip: Create a bookmark folder to keep your saved wheels organized.

How to open your saved wheel

1. Go to your browser's bookmarks bar or bookmarks menu. Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl + Alt + B.
2. Click on the bookmark you saved. Your Wheel of Names will open with the settings and names it had when you saved it.

Tip: You can share the bookmarked URLs with others to share your wheel.

How to update your saved wheel

Bookmark the page again and remove the old bookmark.

1. Make changes to your wheel.
2. Press Ctrl + D or your browser's bookmark button to bookmark the page again.
3. Go to your bookmarks and delete the old bookmark.

Why use bookmarks?

Using bookmarks, you can save your wheels without signing up.

• No need to remember login details.
• Quick and easy access to your saved wheels.
• Your data is saved directly in your browser, not on our servers.

Privacy and technical details

This wheel runs locally in your browser. Its content is never sent to our servers.

When sharing a wheel, all item data (the text written in the text area) is encoded in the URL with a Base64 scheme. While items are not directly human-readable from the URL, they are not encrypted. Opening a link does not require authentication or authorization, so anyone with the link can view your list of items, either by opening the link or by inspecting the URL and decoding the items from it.

However, with a link, no one can see your history on the wheel or what you have done with it after copying the link. The link only contains a static state.

Although many systems support much longer URLs, the standard safe URL length limit is 2048 characters. Your item list must be below about 1800 characters to share (we must allow for some other characters besides your encoded items). Special characters and emojis can take up more space when encoded.

For more site-wide privacy information, see our privacy policy and terms of use linked in the footer.

The wheel uses JavaScript's Math.random function from your local machine for randomness. The Math.random function is suitable for this purpose but not for cryptographic security. Please don't use the wheel to implement your online bank's encryption algorithm!

We don't offer tools for rigging the wheel, but as the wheel fully runs on the user's local machine, we can't prevent local code or environment modifications that could affect it.

Additional tools and integrations

Users of Seating Chart Maker can use the wheel easily via an integration from the application. You can easily open the Wheel of Names with any of your rosters in Seating Chart Maker. There is a button to open the wheel in the seating chart view.

Seating Chart Maker also supports a quick random name pick if you need a name without the bling.

The wheel tool's data-containing shareable link format is simple. See the section on technical details. Generating custom links is a viable option for generating custom wheels on external systems, thus building a simple integration.

Let us know if you want more information on how to generate links to custom wheels on this page.

FAQs and troubleshooting

Here are answers to common questions about functionality and troubleshooting tips.

Is the Wheel of Names free to use?

Yes. It is free, with no ads and no registration required.

How do you adjust the size or weight of slices?

You can adjust the size of a slice by clicking the Slices button above the text area and picking a size for any item. A bigger slice has proportionally higher odds of being picked. You can also type it directly at the end of a line, like "Grand Prize [size:2x]". Another option is to simply enter the same item multiple times in the list.

How do I remove a slice?

Delete the item from the text area. You can also select 'Delete winner and continue' after a spin to remove the most recently picked item.

How do I undo a change?

Press Ctrl/Cmd + Z to undo the last change in the text area. You can also use the undo option in your browser's Edit menu.

When I share a link, do the same items get selected in the same order for anyone using the link?

No. The wheel is spun independently for each user, so results differ every time. The randomness depends on each user's exact environment and timing. There is no multiplayer or shared state; each person spins their own local copy.

Can the wheel be rigged? Can I select the seed for the random function?

No. The wheel uses JavaScript's Math.random, which does not support setting a seed, so results cannot be pre-determined from within the app.

Can I select or change the colors for the slices?

Yes. Choose from multiple preset color schemes or customize the slice colors with up to six different colors. The color pattern loops back to the first color after the last, repeating the sequence. In addition to themes, you can also give individual slices their own color by clicking the Slices button above the text area and picking a color for any item. You can also type it directly at the end of a line, like "Grand Prize [color:gold]".

Can I give one slice its own color or size?

Yes. Click the Slices button above the text area and pick a color or slice size for any item. This is handy for highlighting a special sector like a grand prize. You can also type it directly at the end of a line, like 'Grand Prize [color:gold]' or 'Grand Prize [color:gold, size:2x]'. A bigger slice also has proportionally higher odds of being picked. Items without their own settings keep following the theme colors and normal width, and the customizations travel along in shared links and embeds.

There are two slices with the same color touching each other. How do I fix that?

Customize the color scheme. Increase or decrease the number of slice-colors used. Using more the right number of cycling slice colors will prevent adjacent slices from sharing a color. You can also always customize the color of individual slices by clicking the Slices button above the text area and picking a color for any item.

Can I change the size of the wheel? Can I show just the wheel without any distractions?

Press the button with expanding arrows to enter full-screen mode. The wheel expands to fill the available screen space without distractions. Outside full-screen mode, the wheel automatically adjusts to your browser window size. You can also use browser zoom to scale the wheel up or down.

Can I add the wheel to my website?

Yes. The share dialog contains an embed code snippet you can copy and paste into your website. It works with most platforms such as WordPress, Wix, and Squarespace. No coding skills required.

Can I use the wheel offline?

Yes. If you already have the page open and lose your internet connection, the wheel will continue to work.

I came back to the tab and immediately got confetti and a winner. What happened?

The wheel's physics simulation is time-based but pauses when the tab is inactive. If you spun the wheel and switched tabs, the simulation catches up when you return: it detects that the wheel has stopped and the confetti goes off.

What's new (changelog)

Recent updates to the Wheel of Names that you might care about.

Contact us for feedback or feature ideas

We're always open to feedback and new feature ideas. Visit our contact page to share your thoughts.

Our main app, Seating Chart Maker, has added many features based on user feedback. In fact, this Wheel of Names was partly created based on user requests.

So, don't think your message will go unnoticed!

Mobile and desktop apps

While we don't have specific apps for the Wheel of Names, the page is available on mobile devices and desktops alike.

If you want a shortcut to the wheel on your device, you can add it to your home screen on most devices.

Seating Chart Maker's Wheel of Names vs. other wheels

We focus on a simple user experience with a detailed and fun wheel implementation.

• The wheel uses a physics-based deceleration model. Spin duration varies based on the starting velocity, so some spins are short and others run longer, similar to how an actual wheel behaves.
• There are no excessive sounds or visual distractions. Just soft ticks as the wheel's pegs pass the pointer.
• A realistic, moving pointer adds excitement and realism to the wheel. If the wheel doesn't have enough momentum to spin past the final peg, the pointer pushes the wheel back a little, as can happen on an actual wheel.
• Self-contained share links allow you to share the link with anyone without any extra steps. They can start with your shared name list and edit their local copy freely.
• Our Wheel of Names is free, with no ads and no registration.

If you need any new features, let us know!

If you want to help support our wheel, please share it with others.