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Random name picker from a list: draw names out of a hat on your phone

In Random, open List, tap New list, type a List title and one name per Item title field, then tap Create. Open the list and tap Generate: one name is picked at random and shown on screen. The list stays saved, so next week you only tap Generate.

3 min read · Updated 2026-09-15

Download on the App Store

When a name picker beats a hat

Drawing names from a hat means cutting paper, folding it and trusting nobody peeked. A saved list stays ready in the app for a recurring decision, such as where to eat on Fridays, without retyping a single name.

Every name in the list has exactly the same chance. With 8 names, each has a 12.5% chance on every draw.

How to create your list

  1. Open Random and tap List on the Home tab. The first time, the screen says Create a list.
  2. Tap New list.
  3. Type a name for the whole list in List title, for example Friday lunch.
  4. Type the first entry in the Item title field.
  5. Tap Add new item to get another field, and type the next entry. Repeat for every name.
  6. Tap Create. The button only works once there is a title and at least one entry. Empty fields are left out.

How to pick a random name

  1. On the List screen, tap the list you want. Its entries are shown.
  2. Tap Generate. The chosen entry appears in a message on screen.
  3. Tap Close to go back to the list, and Generate again whenever you need another pick.

To change a list, open it and tap Edit: rename it, change entries, add some with Add new item or swipe one away, then tap Save. To delete a whole list, swipe it on the List screen.

A worked example

Chance of each entry being picked on one draw
Entries in the listChance for each entryExample
425%Four friends deciding who drives
812.5%Eight restaurants for Friday lunch
128.33%Twelve chores for the week
303.33%A class of thirty

Random name picker with no repeats

Every pick is made from the whole list. The name drawn a moment ago stays in and can be drawn again, like putting the paper back in the hat. That suits who washes up tonight, but not a draw where everyone must get a turn or several prizes go to different people.

For those, number your list and use the bingo drum, which never repeats:

  1. Write the names in a fixed order and number them from 1, for example in a note or on paper.
  2. Open Bingo, type the number of names next to Max numbers: .
  3. Tap Generate for each turn or prize and read off the matching name. The board of called balls keeps the order.

Using it as a random winner picker

For a small giveaway among people you can type in, the list works as a winner picker. The app keeps no record of draws, so start a screen recording before you open the list, show all the entries, then tap Generate. Share that video as your proof.

It cannot read comments from social networks or import names from a spreadsheet or your contacts; you type the entries yourself. It also has no spinning wheel, no shuffle and no team maker.

Questions and answers

Can I paste a list of names?
Not as separate entries. Each name goes in its own Item title field, added with Add new item; text pasted into one field stays one entry.
Are my lists saved?
Yes, on the device, until you delete them. They are not synced to other devices or uploaded anywhere.
Can the same name be picked twice in a row?
Yes, every draw uses the whole list. For picks without repeats, number the names and use Bingo.
How many lists and names can I have?
The app sets no fixed limit on the number of lists or entries. Long lists just take longer to type, since each entry has its own field.

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