Random Group Generator
This random group generator splits a pasted list of names into fair, random teams. Choose how many groups you want or how many people go in each, then shuffle. Sizes come out as even as the math allows, which makes it ideal for classroom teams, project groups and pickup games.
Random Group Generator tool
How to use it
- Paste your names, one per line.
- Choose whether to set the number of groups or the group size.
- Click Shuffle to build fair random groups, then copy them.
What is a random group generator?
A random group generator is a random team maker: it shuffles a list of names with a secure random source, then deals them into groups like cards, so every arrangement is equally likely. Because names are dealt one at a time, group sizes never differ by more than one when you split by group count. The sizing rule is:
base size = floor(names ÷ groups)
leftover names go to different groups, one each
22 names ÷ 4 groups = 6, 6, 5, 5The shuffle behind this random group generator is the Fisher-Yates method driven by crypto.getRandomValues, the same fair shuffle a card game engine uses, so no name is favored by its position in your list.
Worked example
How the random group generator splits names
| Names | Setting | Resulting groups |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | 4 groups | 5, 5, 5, 5 |
| 22 | 4 groups | 6, 6, 5, 5 |
| 25 | 6 groups | 5, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4 |
| 24 | Groups of 4 | 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4 |
| 30 | Groups of 4 | Seven groups of 4, one of 2 |
| 18 | Groups of 3 | 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3 |
Fair teams without the arguments
Picking teams by hand tends to be slow and lopsided, and someone always ends up chosen last. This tool shuffles the whole list with crypto.getRandomValues, the browser's secure random source, then deals names out one at a time like cards, so the groups come out as even as the numbers allow. If the count does not divide evenly, the remainder is spread across groups rather than dumped on one.
Two ways to split
Split by number of groups when you know how many teams you want, say four teams for a relay or five tables for a workshop. Split by people per group when each group needs a fixed size, like pairs for peer review or trios for a lab. The two settings give different results with the same list. Put 22 names into groups of 4 and you get five groups of four plus one of two. Put the same 22 names into 4 groups and you get two groups of six and two of five. Shuffle again anytime for a fresh draw, and copy the result as plain text to paste into an email, a slide or a chat message.
Your list stays on your device
The names you paste are saved in your own browser's localStorage so they are still there next time you open the page. They are never uploaded, and nobody else can see them. Clearing the box or your browser data removes them. Duplicate names are not merged, so if two students share a first name, add a last initial. Blank lines are ignored, which means you can paste straight from a spreadsheet column without tidying it first. If you run the same class all semester, the list is waiting every time.
Common uses
- Classroom project and discussion groups
- Sports teams for pickup games and PE class
- Breakout rooms for meetings, workshops and training
- Pairing students for peer review or lab partners
- Secret Santa, party games and icebreakers
When to use it
- You need a random team generator for classroom projects that students accept as fair.
- PE class or pickup games call for even sides without captains picking anyone last.
- A workshop needs breakout groups of 4 built from a list pasted out of a spreadsheet.
- You want a random group generator for Secret Santa pools or party game teams.
- Lab partners or peer-review pairs have to rotate each week without anyone matching up favorites by hand.
Related tools
Wheel of Names picks a single winner from the same list when you need one name, not whole teams.
Random Number Generator draws numbers instead of names, which is quicker when entries are already numbered.
Coin Flip settles a two-way call, like which of two teams goes first after the split.