Random Group Generator
Split names into random groups instantly
With this random group/team generator, you can enter a list of names or items, then pick how many groups you want (or how many people per group), and click Generate.
The tool uses a Fisher-Yates shuffle algorithm to ensure every possible arrangement has an equal chance of being selected.
No bias, no favoritism.
Once the groups are created, you can copy them to your clipboard, download them as a CSV file, or print the list directly.
The name counter below the text box shows you how many names you've entered, so you can double-check that everyone's on the list before generating.
How the Random Group Generator Works
The tool does three things:
- Takes all the names from your list
- Shuffles them into a random order
- Deals them out across the groups, round-robin style
Here's a quick example.
Say you have 10 people: Alice, Bob, Carla, David, Emma, Frank, Grace, Henry, Irene, and Jake. You want 3 groups.
First, the tool shuffles the list. The order might become: Frank, Irene, Alice, Henry, Carla, Jake, Bob, Emma, David, Grace.
Then it deals them out:
- Group 1: Frank, Henry, Bob, Grace (4 people)
- Group 2: Irene, Carla, Emma (3 people)
- Group 3: Alice, Jake, David (3 people)
When 10 people don't divide evenly into 3, the first group gets the extra person. Every time you click "Shuffle Again," you get a completely different arrangement.
The "People per Group" option works the other way around. If you set group size to 4, the tool creates as many groups as needed. With 10 people and groups of 4, you get two full groups of 4 and one group of 2.
What You Can Do With the Results
Once the groups are generated, you have three ways to use them.
Copy to Clipboard - Click the green "Copy to Clipboard" button and the groups get copied in a column format. If you paste this into Excel, Google Sheets, or any spreadsheet app, each group lands in its own column with the members listed below it. This also works when pasting into Word, Google Docs, or an email. Tabs are used as column separators, so the data stays organized wherever you paste it.
Download CSV. Click the purple "Download CSV" button to get a file called random-groups.csv. Open it in Excel or Google Sheets and you'll see each group in its own column. Group 1 in column A, Group 2 in column B, and so on. This is useful when you want to keep a record of the groups or share the file with someone.
Print. Click the orange "Print" button to open a clean, print-ready version of the groups in a new tab. It shows a formatted table with groups as columns and names as rows, plus the date. The browser's print dialog opens automatically. This is handy for teachers who need to post groups on the classroom wall or hand out printed lists.
Reset. If you want to start fresh, hit the Reset button next to Generate. It clears the name list, resets the settings, and hides any existing results.
Some Questions You May Have
What happens if the number of people doesn't divide evenly?
The extra people get distributed across the first groups. For example, 13 people split into 4 groups gives groups of 4, 3, 3, and 3. The summary line above the results tells you exactly how the split worked out, so there's no guessing.
Can I use this to make random pairs?
Yes. Switch the split method to "People per Group" and set it to 2. The tool creates pairs. If you have an odd number of people, the last group will be a trio.
Is the data I enter stored anywhere?
No. Everything runs locally in your browser. No names are sent to any server, and nothing is saved after you close the page.
Can I use this for things other than people?
Absolutely. Anything you can put in a list works. Random assignment of topics to groups, tasks to members, books to reading circles, projects to departments. If you need to randomly distribute items across categories, this tool handles it.
Other Related Tools / Calculators / Articles:
