Last updated 2026-05-25

Classroom Name Picker

A free classroom random name picker. Verified fair, ad-free results, projector-ready high-contrast theme, works offline. No signup, no tracking.

A classroom name picker is a tool that randomly selects a student from your class roster. NamesOnWheel runs entirely in your browser using crypto.getRandomValues — the same cryptographic randomness used by online banking — so the pick is provably fair. The result screen is always ad-free, the high-contrast Classroom theme is built for projectors, and the whole thing works offline once loaded. Tap names in, tap Spin, and use 'Remove winner' to make sure every student gets a turn.

Preset: Classroom roster

Auto-spin

Pick winner(s)

Tip: click a name to rename it · drag to reorder · tap N× to cycle chances · right-click the color dot to reset it.

Why teachers switched from Wheel of Names

Three feature gaps drive the switch: ad-free result screens, verifiable fairness, and offline support. When you're standing in front of 25 nine-year-olds, the result screen needs to look professional. When a parent asks "is the wheel really random?" you should be able to point to a chi-square chart, not a marketing claim. And when school Wi-Fi has a bad morning, your morning routine should still work.

Real classroom uses

Cold-call fairness: spin to pick the student answering the next question, no bias toward eager hands.
Student of the day / line leader: guarantee everyone gets a turn over the year.
Random reading partners: spin twice to make pairs, or use the team generator.
Pop-quiz volunteer: low-stakes way to keep students attentive without singling out by name.
Brain-break activity picker: load 10 stretches and let the wheel choose.

Privacy: COPPA-friendly by design

Names you enter never leave the device. There is no account, no analytics on student rosters, no cloud sync. Your class list is stored in your browser's localStorage only — clearing your browser cache deletes it. The shareable URL encodes the roster directly into the link, so a wheel you share with a colleague does not pass through our servers either.

How to use this picker

1

Type or paste your roster

Add names one by one with the text input, or switch to the Bulk edit tab and paste your full gradebook or Google Classroom export — one name per line. Click any name in the list to rename it.
2

Pick the Classroom theme

Click the theme button in the header until 'Classroom' shows. High-contrast yellows and oranges that look great on a projector and read clearly from the back of the room.
3

Spin and reveal the winner

Tap Spin. The result modal stays ad-free so the moment of reveal is clean and professional.
4

Tap 'Remove winner'

The winner gets removed from the wheel so you can give every student a turn over time without repeats.

Frequently asked questions

Is this free for teachers, or is there a school license to buy?

Free. Forever. There is no paid tier. No login, no email, no school subscription. We're funded by a single non-intrusive ad below the wheel — never on the result screen, so projecting to a class is always clean.

How is this different from other name pickers?

Three differences teachers report. (1) The result screen is always ad-free — no awkward banner next to the picked student's name on the projector. (2) The Classroom theme uses high-contrast colors specifically tested on common classroom projectors. (3) It works offline as a Progressive Web App, so flaky school Wi-Fi can't break your morning routine.

Can I save my class roster so I don't retype it every day?

Yes. Your most recent wheel is saved automatically in your browser's localStorage and reloads when you return. Open the share dialog to copy a permanent URL or QR code that contains the full roster — bookmark it once and you're set for the whole year.

How do I make sure every student gets a turn before any repeats?

After each spin, tap 'Remove winner' in the result modal. The student is removed from the wheel until you reset it. Once everyone has had a turn, refresh and the original list is back. This is the simplest way to guarantee fair rotation across the class.

Is the randomness actually fair, or could it favor certain students?

Every spin uses crypto.getRandomValues — your browser's cryptographically secure random source — combined with rejection sampling to eliminate modulo bias. We publish a public Fairness page that runs 100,000 live spins in your own browser and shows a chi-square test result so you can verify yourself. No other classroom name picker offers this.

Can I use this with younger students who can't read fast?

Yes. Spin time is intentionally 4-6 seconds with audible ticks, giving young students time to track the wheel. The winner reveal modal uses an oversized font, optional vibration on supported devices, and a confetti burst that's celebrated but not overwhelming. Sound can be muted for quiet classrooms.