Random Team Generator

How to use the Random Team Generator

1. Type or paste your names into the box, one per line. Blank lines and extra spaces are cleaned up for you.
2. Leave Remove duplicate names on if the same person might be listed twice. Turn it off if two different people share a name.
3. Choose Number of teams or People per team, enter a number and click Make teams.
4. Click a team name to rename it, then use Copy teams to paste the result into a chat, email or document.
5. Need one volunteer or a speaking order instead? Switch to Pick random names, choose how many, and decide whether names can repeat or should be removed once picked.

How it works

The generator shuffles your list with the Fisher–Yates method, using your browser's cryptographic random number generator (crypto.getRandomValues) with rejection sampling so every ordering is equally likely. It then deals the shuffled names into teams like cards, one to each team in turn. Dealing this way guarantees the teams never differ in size by more than one person.

When you choose People per team, the tool works out how many teams are needed (the total divided by the team size, rounded up) and then balances them. For example, 10 people with 4 per team gives 3 teams. Instead of 4, 4 and 2, you get 4, 3 and 3, which is usually fairer for games and group work.

The name picker draws without replacement by default, so nobody is picked twice in one draw. Turn on repeats if you want each pick to be independent, like drawing a name from a hat and putting it back. Remove picked names takes the winners out of the list so the next draw only uses the people who haven't gone yet.

Teams are random, not skill-balanced. If you need even skill levels, a common trick is to split strong players into their own list, make teams from that list, then add the rest by hand.

Frequently asked questions

Is the split really random?
Yes. Each shuffle uses your browser's cryptographic random source with rejection sampling to avoid bias, and every possible ordering of your list has the same chance. Nothing about the order you typed the names in carries over.

Why are my teams different sizes?
If the number of people doesn't divide evenly, some teams get one extra person. The tool always keeps teams within one person of each other.

What happens to duplicate names?
With Remove duplicate names on, a name that appears twice (ignoring capital letters and extra spaces) is kept only once. Turn the option off if two people really share a name, and consider adding a last initial so you can tell them apart.

Are my names saved or sent anywhere?
No. The list stays in this page and is never uploaded or stored. Refreshing the page clears it.

Can I use it for a classroom or a raffle?
For classroom groups, game nights and choosing who goes first, yes. For anything with prizes or legal rules, follow the official rules that apply to your drawing.