Random team generator
Paste or type your names, one per line, choose how many teams you need and press Make teams. The random team generator shuffles everyone and deals them out like cards, so team sizes never differ by more than one person.
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Names stay in your browser. Nothing is sent or saved, so the list is gone when you close the page.
Not happy with the draw? Press Shuffle again, or copy the teams straight into your group chat. Each team gets a fun name from the list further down the page.
- Teams
- 2 to 12
- Names
- As many as you like
- Saved
- Nothing
How the random team generator works
The generator takes your list of names, shuffles it into a random order and then hands out one name at a time to Team 1, Team 2, Team 3 and so on, round and round, until everyone has a team. That is why the teams are always as even as possible: with 13 names and 3 teams you get 5, 4 and 4.
- Add the namesType them one per line, or paste a list from your notes or a group chat. Commas and semicolons work as separators too, and exact duplicates are removed.
- Choose the number of teamsUse the minus and plus buttons. You can make 2 to 12 teams, and you need at least as many names as teams.
- Press Make teamsThe names are shuffled and dealt out. Every team gets a random name from the list below, so the room has something to cheer for.
- Share or shuffle againCopy teams puts the result on your clipboard, ready to paste in the chat. Shuffle again makes a brand new draw from the same names.
| Names | 2 teams | 3 teams | 4 teams |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 4 and 4 | 3, 3 and 2 | 2 each |
| 10 | 5 and 5 | 4, 3 and 3 | 3, 3, 2 and 2 |
| 12 | 6 and 6 | 4 each | 3 each |
| 15 | 8 and 7 | 5 each | 4, 4, 4 and 3 |
| 20 | 10 each | 7, 7 and 6 | 5 each |
| 24 | 12 each | 8 each | 6 each |
The shuffle is the same method a computer uses to shuffle a deck of cards (the Fisher Yates shuffle), so every possible order of names is equally likely. Nothing you type leaves your phone or computer.
Tips for fair teams
Pure chance is fair, but it can still put all three football players or all your trivia nerds on one side. These tricks keep a random draw and still give you a close game.
- Draw the captains first. Make teams from the strongest players only, so they end up on different sides. Then make teams from everyone else and merge the two draws.
- Split the couples. Do the same with people who always pair up: run them as a separate list first, so partners and best friends land on different teams.
- Use a snake draft for skill games. Two captains pick players in the order A, B, B, A, A, B. The second pick of each round evens out the first.
- Shuffle once, not five times. Agree before you press the button that the first draw stands. Pressing until your friends end up together isn't random anymore.
- Swap after round one. If one team is miles ahead after the first round, let the losing team pick one player to swap. It keeps the night competitive.
30 fun team names for any game
The generator gives every team one of these names at random. Short, easy to shout, and none of them are mean. For a quiz night, there are 200 more in our list of trivia team names.
Team names the generator uses
30- The Underdogs
- Second Place Club
- Team Chaos
- The Long Shots
- Plan B
- The Wildcards
- No Pressure
- The Late Arrivals
- Snack Break
- The Dark Horses
- Last Minute
- Beginner's Luck
- The Comeback Crew
- Mild Panic
- Big Talk
- The Overthinkers
- Good Vibes Only
- The Tryhards
- Almost Famous
- Sore Losers
- Hot Streak
- The Outsiders
- Zero Chill
- Lucky Socks
- The Rookies
- Golden Hour
- Full Send
- The Wild Ones
- Fair Play
- Night Owls
Teams made? Now run the quiz
In Dronk's The Quiz, the host shares a 4 digit pin code and up to 16 players join from their own phones. Everyone answers at the same time, the fastest correct answer scores most, and a podium crowns the winner. Packs for music hits, movies and series, brands and logos, and geography and flags.
Get Dronk free on iPhone
When to use a random team generator
| Occasion | Good team size | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Pub quiz or trivia night | 4 to 6 players | Bigger teams know more, but the best answers get drowned out |
| Charades or Heads Up | 3 to 5 players | Two teams is plenty, take turns acting |
| Five a side or a park game | 5 to 7 players | Draw captains first so the best players are split |
| Beer pong or flip cup | 2 or 3 players | Make lots of small teams for a tournament bracket |
| Work event or team building | 4 to 6 players | Split departments first so people meet someone new |
| Board game night | 2 players | Pairs keep everyone involved in long games |
Need one person instead of a team, to go first or to do the washing up? Finger Picker lets everyone put a finger on the screen and the app picks one.
Random NFL, NBA and MLB team generator
Running a sweepstake, a fantasy draft or a challenge where everyone gets a random club? Copy one of these lists into the box above. Set the number of teams to the number of people playing, press Make teams, and each group of clubs belongs to one person. The names are separated by commas, so they paste straight in.
All 32 NFL teams
Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans, Washington Commanders
All 30 NBA teams
Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards
All 30 MLB teams
Arizona Diamondbacks, Athletics, Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Guardians, Colorado Rockies, Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays, Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays, Washington Nationals
Questions people ask
How do I make random teams from a list of names?
Paste the names into the box, one per line, choose the number of teams and press Make teams. The generator shuffles the list and deals the names out evenly, so no team has more than one extra player.
Is the random team generator really random?
Yes. It uses the Fisher Yates shuffle, the standard way to shuffle a list on a computer, so every order of names is equally likely. Agree that the first draw stands, so nobody keeps pressing until they get the team they want.
How many teams can I make?
Between 2 and 12, as long as you have at least as many names as teams. There is no limit on the number of names.
Are the names I type saved anywhere?
No. Everything happens in your browser and nothing is sent or stored. Close the page and the list is gone.
Can I use it to pick a random NFL or NBA team?
Yes. Copy the list of NFL, NBA or MLB teams on this page into the box and split them between the people playing. It works for sweepstakes, fantasy drafts and challenges.
How do I make teams fair when skill levels differ?
Draw the strongest players or the captains first as their own list, so they land on different teams, then draw everyone else and merge the results.
Keep the night going
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