How to Randomly Split Names into Groups
Type or paste your list of names into the box (comma separated names), pick how many groups you want, then click "Generate Groups". The tool shuffles the order and distributes names evenly, so every group is as balanced as possible. Results update instantly, right in your browser — nothing is uploaded.
When to Use a Group Generator
- Classrooms — split students into project teams or activity stations.
- Team building — create random breakout groups for workshops.
- Events — assign seats, tables or tournament brackets.
- Sports — make fair, random teams for practice.
Random Team Generator: Fair Teams in One Click
Set the number of groups to two and the same list becomes a random team generator — half the names go to Team 1 and half to Team 2, with no captain picking favourites and nobody left standing at the side. Shuffling first and then dealing the names out is what keeps the sides even: a list of 23 names splits into 12 and 11, never 15 and 8.
Need more than two sides? Raise the number of groups and the tool doubles as a fixture list for a round-robin, a set of station rotations for a classroom, or breakout rooms for a workshop.
How the Tool Keeps Groups Balanced
Every name is shuffled with a Fisher-Yates shuffle inside your browser, then dealt out one at a time to the groups in turn. Dealing — rather than chopping the list into fixed blocks — is the trick: the next name always goes to whichever group has fewest members, so group sizes differ by at most one. If you need perfectly equal teams and the numbers do not divide evenly, remove one name from the list and generate again.
Same Names, Different Group Sizes
You can split the same list in more than one way, and it is worth trying both before a session starts. Fewer groups means bigger teams, which suits a longer project, a round-robin tournament or a tug-of-war; more groups means smaller teams, which suits pair work, station rotations, reading circles or breakout discussions where everyone should get a turn to talk.
Generate as many times as you need. The names are reshuffled from scratch on every click, so last week's groupings never come back by accident and no student can work out the pattern and swap seats in advance.
Tips for Splitting a Long List
Keep one name per line if your list comes from a spreadsheet or a class register — the box reads commas and new lines equally well. Check the total before you generate: 30 names into 4 groups gives 8, 8, 7 and 7, so one table needs a little more room than the others. And if a split lands badly for any reason, press Generate Groups again; it costs nothing and takes no time.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I randomly split names into groups?
Paste your list of names into the box (comma separated names), choose the number of groups, then click "Generate Groups". The tool shuffles the names and splits them into balanced groups instantly.
Is this random group generator free?
Yes. This group generator is 100% free, runs in your browser, and never requires a sign-up or download.
Does this group generator work on mobile?
Yes. The group generator is fully responsive and works on phones, tablets and desktops alike.
Are my names kept private?
Yes. Group splitting happens locally in your browser. Your list of names never leaves your device and is never stored or uploaded.
Can I use this as a random team generator?
Yes. A random team generator is exactly what this tool does — paste your players and the tool deals them into balanced groups at random. Set how many teams you need, and use the no-repeat option so nobody appears on two teams.
Can I split names into two equal teams?
Yes. Choose two groups and the tool deals your names out one at a time, so both sides end up the same size — or one member apart when the list has an odd number of names. It is the quickest way to make teams for a PE lesson, a quiz night or a workshop.
Can I use this group generator for classroom groups?
That is what most teachers use it for. Paste the class list, choose how many groups you need, and read each group straight off the screen. Because every name is drawn at random, the groups change from lesson to lesson and nobody can argue that the teams were picked on purpose.
How many groups can I create?
As many as your list allows — two groups for a match, four to eight for a class, or more for stations and breakout rooms. Every group is filled as evenly as the arithmetic allows, and the split happens in your browser, so it stays instant even with a long list.
Will I get the same groups if I generate twice?
No. The list is reshuffled from scratch every time you press Generate Groups, so two clicks give you two different splits. That keeps groupings fresh week after week, and it means you can re-roll once if two particular names really should not sit together.
Is this group generator random enough for a classroom?
Yes. Every split is a fresh shuffle decided before any name is looked at, which removes the suspicion that groups were stacked on purpose. If one pairing genuinely will not work, generate again and the whole class is dealt out differently.
Can I use it to make random groups for a workshop?
Yes. Pick the number of breakout rooms you need, paste the attendee list, and everyone is dealt out as evenly as the numbers allow. It is quicker than counting people off, and the split is decided in front of the room.