Random Pair Generator
Paste a list of names and randomly pair them up - perfect for Secret Santa, study buddies, or pairing up teams for an activity.
0 names entered
Recommended Settings
Pro Tips
- •If you enter an odd number of names, the last pair becomes a group of three so nobody is left out
- •Every name appears in exactly one pair - the shuffle is done without replacement
- •Re-run the generator as many times as you like to get a fresh random pairing
- •Great for Secret Santa - just make sure to check for any exclusions manually, since this tool doesn't support 'don't pair with' rules
Most Popular
Most users paste a list of 6-20 names for team or activity pairing
When to Use This Tool
Randomly pair up participants for a gift exchange (note: this pairs mutually rather than a one-way assignment chain).
Randomly assign classmates into study pairs for an assignment or review session.
Randomly pair up developers for pair programming sessions.
Pair up participants at an event for a quick icebreaker conversation.
How It Works
Parse your list of names, one per line
Shuffle the full list randomly using a Fisher-Yates shuffle
Group the shuffled names into pairs, folding any leftover odd name into the final group
100% Private
Files never leave your device. All processing happens locally in your browser.
Lightning Fast
Powered by Client-side Fisher-Yates shuffle using the Web Crypto API for optimal performance on modern browsers.
Open Source
Built with verified, open-source libraries. Fully transparent.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens with an odd number of names?
The last pair becomes a group of three instead, so everyone is included in a group.
Can I exclude certain people from being paired together?
Not automatically - this tool doesn't support exclusion rules. You'd need to manually adjust the result if two people shouldn't be paired.
Is this suitable for a real Secret Santa?
It works for mutual pairing, but true Secret Santa needs a one-way assignment (so no one knows who has them) - this tool pairs people symmetrically instead.
Is my data sent to a server?
No. Names and pairing happen entirely in your browser.
Can I generate more than 2 people per group?
For groups larger than pairs, use the Random Group Generator instead, which lets you set the number of groups.