Fun Random Name Picker

Claw Machine Name Picker

Fill the machine with your names, press Play and watch the claw grab the winning capsule. Arcade fun with fair results.

Wheel Duck race Hat Claw machine Marble race Horse, car & snail race Slot machine Card draw Mystery boxes Fishing Scratch card Snakes & ladders Ladder lottery Domino run Musical chairs Maze race

Shortcuts: Space pick · F fullscreen · M sound

Names✎ Edit

Tip: Anna *3 gives Anna three chances.

🖼️ Photos

Add pictures of people, pets or things. Each photo takes its file's name (ava.jpg becomes "Ava") and appears in every game. Photos stay on this device and are not in share links.

    Tip: start a name with an emoji, like 🍕 Pizza, for a picture without a photo.

    ⚙️ Settings
    After each pick
    🕘 History

      Winners appear here.

      🧩 Put it on your website

      Add this picker to a class website, blog, Google Sites or school portal: copy the code and paste it where HTML is allowed. It opens with the game you have chosen now.

      How the claw machine picker works

      1. Fill the machine. Each name in the list becomes a capsule with the name printed on it.
      2. Press Play. The machine gives a shake, the capsules settle, and the claw sets off.
      3. Grab! The claw lines up over a capsule, drops, closes and lifts it out with a little wobble.
      4. Open the prize. The capsule drops into the prize chute and pops open to reveal the name.

      Why a claw machine?

      Everyone knows the feeling of watching a claw machine: will it hold on? That tension makes it one of the most fun ways to pick a random name, especially with children. Our claw is honest, though. It never drops the prize on purpose, because the winner is decided fairly before the claw even moves.

      Great for

      • Classrooms: pick helpers, readers or the next question, and keep every student watching.
      • Parties: choose who plays next, who opens the next present or the winner of a small prize.
      • Streams: a giveaway with an arcade twist; fullscreen shows only the machine.
      • Rewards: put rewards instead of names in the capsules (extra break, sticker, choose the music) and let a student play for one.

      Tips

      • Names are printed on the capsules when there is room; with lots of names the capsules get smaller, and the winner is always shown in big letters.
      • Choose Dramatic speed for a slower, more suspenseful grab.
      • Want to keep a capsule in the machine after it wins? Leave After each pick on Keep the name. Want it gone? Choose Remove the winner.

      The claw is just the show: the pick itself uses your browser's secure random generator, and your names never leave your device. How the picking works.

      Questions people ask

      Is the claw machine rigged?

      No. Real arcade claws are sometimes set to drop prizes; this one isn't. The winner is chosen fairly with your browser's secure random generator before the claw moves, and every name has the same chance. The claw always grabs and delivers that winner.

      How many names fit in the claw machine?

      Up to 60 capsules. With fewer names, some plain decoration balls fill the machine so it never looks empty; they can never be picked. For bigger lists use names in a hat.

      Can the claw pick more than one name?

      Yes. Set Winners in Settings. The claw makes up to three grabs in a row, and the result card lists every winner in order.

      Is the claw machine name picker good for class?

      Very. Students love watching the claw, and with No repeats until everyone is picked every student gets a turn before anyone is picked twice. Use fullscreen on the whiteboard so the whole class can see.

      Can I turn the sound off?

      Yes. Press the speaker button above the game or the M key.

      Does it work on a smart board or tablet?

      Yes. Tap the machine or the Play button. It runs in the browser on interactive whiteboards, tablets, phones, Chromebooks and laptops, with nothing to install.