Secret Santa Name Generator
A free random name picker for gift exchanges. Enter your group, and everyone is matched with someone to buy for. Nobody draws themselves and nobody sees anyone else's match.
How the name picker works
- Add the names of everyone taking part, with an email address for each so they can receive their match.
- Add any rules. Exclude pairs who shouldn't match, set a budget, and choose how many gifts each person buys.
- Draw. The generator shuffles the names at random and assigns each person someone else.
- Everyone gets their match by email, and only their own.
Why not just draw names from a hat?
A hat works until someone pulls their own name, and then the whole draw has to be redone. Online, the generator rules that out from the start: it shuffles the names so that no one can be assigned themselves.
It also handles the cases a hat can't. Couples and siblings can be kept apart, groups spread across different cities can take part, and everyone gets the budget and your note in the same email as their match.
Ready to pick names?
It takes about a minute and it's free. Prefer to see how the matches are delivered first?
Questions about the name generator
Is this a Secret Santa name generator or a name picker?
Both. You enter the names in your group, and the generator randomly picks one person for each participant to buy a gift for, then emails each person only their own match.
Is the name picker really random?
Yes. The draw uses a randomized shuffle that guarantees nobody is assigned themselves. If you add exclusions, those pairs are skipped during the shuffle, so the result is random among the matches that follow your rules.
Can I stop certain people from drawing each other?
Yes. Add an exclusion for any pair, such as partners, siblings or last year's match, and the generator won't pair them.
Can one person pick more than one name?
Yes. Choose how many gifts each person buys and the generator assigns that many different people to each participant.
Do I need an account to use the name generator?
No. For a one-off draw you just enter names and emails. An account is only needed for saved groups and wish lists.
How many times can I run it?
As many times as you like. If someone drops out, run a new draw with the updated list. Previous draws stay saved for your records.