How do I split a list of people into a set number of teams?

Paste one name per line, keep the mode on 「By number of teams」, type how many teams you want (say 4), and hit generate. The tool shuffles the whole list once with Fisher-Yates, then deals names round-robin into the 4 teams. With 18 names and 4 teams you get sizes 5, 5, 4, 4 — as even as the numbers allow. Press re-draw any time for a completely different arrangement.

What happens when the number of people does not divide evenly?

The leftover people are spread one per team across the first few teams, never piled onto a single team. For example 10 names into 3 teams gives 4, 3, 3 rather than 4, 4, 2. The remainder (10 mod 3 = 1) adds one extra member to the first team only. This keeps every team within one person of the same size, which is the fairest split possible.

Should I split by number of teams or by people per team?

Use 「by number of teams」 when the count of teams is fixed, like 4 breakout rooms or 2 sides for a game. Use 「by people per team」 when the team size is fixed, like pairs (2) or tables of 6, and you do not care how many teams that makes. With 20 names and a size of 6 you get teams of 6, 6, 6, 2. Switch modes with the buttons at the top and the result updates on the next draw.

Is the split actually fair, or does order matter?

It is fair. Before any names are assigned the tool runs a Fisher-Yates shuffle driven by the browser crypto random source, so the input order has zero effect on the outcome. Sorting your list alphabetically or pasting it in sign-up order changes nothing — every name has an equal chance of any seat on any team. The shuffle is the same algorithm card-dealing and lottery code rely on.

Will I get the same teams if I press re-draw?

No. Each draw pulls fresh random bytes, so re-draw gives you a brand new arrangement almost every time (with a tiny list of 2 or 3 there are only a few possible layouts, so repeats can happen by chance). The drawn teams are deliberately kept out of the share link, so reopening a shared URL restores your name list and settings but lets the recipient roll their own teams rather than seeing yours.

Split a classroom into project groups

You have 28 students and want 7 project groups of 4. Paste the class roster, switch to 「by people per team」, set 4, and the tool deals everyone into 7 even groups in one click. Because it shuffles first, the kids who always sit together do not end up in the same group by default. Next term, re-draw to mix them up again, or paste a fresh roster and share the link with a co-teacher.

Make balanced sides for a pickup game

Twelve people show up for five-a-side and you need two fair sides. Paste the names, keep 「by number of teams」 at 2, and you get two teams of six drawn at random, so no one can claim you stacked one side. Someone disputes the split? Hit re-draw in front of everyone and the new teams are just as random — the crypto shuffle makes it impossible to rig.

Assign breakout rooms in a workshop

Running a 30-person workshop with 5 breakout rooms? Paste the attendee list, choose 「by number of teams」 and enter 5. The remainder is spread evenly, so you get rooms of 6, 6, 6, 6, 6 — or 6, 6, 6, 6, 5 with 29 people. Copy the result into the chat and everyone can find their room before the timer starts.

Pair people up for code review or 1-on-1s

Need to pair 14 engineers for review buddies this sprint? Switch to 「by people per team」, set 2, and you get 7 random pairs. Shuffle breaks up the usual cliques, so people review code outside their immediate squad. Re-draw each sprint for fresh pairings and paste the list straight into your standup notes.

Team Generator — Random Teams and Groups

Paste a name list, get fair random teams in one click, by team count or by people per team, browser-only

Runs locally
Category Generator
Best for Starting from a blank page without committing to the first result.

Number of teamsTrim spacesRemove duplicatesSkip blank lines

Names (0 people)

Paste a name list above, pick a mode, then generate.

What this tool does

Free random team generator that splits a name list into fair, evenly sized teams or groups. Paste one name per line, choose whether you want a fixed number of teams (members spread round-robin so the remainder is shared, never dumped on one team) or a fixed number of people per team (the tool makes as many teams as that needs). Every draw runs a cryptographic Fisher-Yates shuffle, so the order is genuinely random and every name has the same chance of landing anywhere. Clean-up toggles trim stray spaces, skip blank lines and drop duplicate names before the split. Hit re-draw for a fresh arrangement, copy the result as plain text, and share a link that reopens your exact list and settings. Everything runs in your browser; no name ever leaves the page and nothing is uploaded.

Tool details

Input: Files + Text + Numbers; The page exposes text boxes, numeric controls, file pickers, or structured inputs depending on the tool.
Output: Live result + Copy; The result area focuses on usable output, with copy, download, or preview actions when supported.
Privacy: Browser-side processing; The main tool logic does not call an external API, so inputs normally stay in the current tab.
Save / share: Shareable URL state; Key settings are encoded in the URL so another person can reopen the same setup.
Performance budget: Initial JS <= 9 KB; No WASM budget is declared, keeping the tool quick to open on mobile.
Best fit: Generator · Teacher; Category and role tags drive related tools, internal links, and quick fit checks.

How to use

1. Input

Paste or drop your content into the tool panel.
2. Process

Click the button. All processing is local in your browser.
3. Copy / Download

Copy the result or download to disk in one click.

How Team Generator fits into your work

Use it to get a strong first draft, starter asset, or structured output that you can edit before publishing.

Generation jobs

Starting from a blank page without committing to the first result.
Creating repeatable drafts, names, templates, or placeholder assets.
Exploring options before choosing the one that fits the job.

Generation checks

Review generated output before it reaches a customer, page, or document.
Change defaults when you need a specific brand voice, format, or audience.
Keep only the parts that match the real task.

Good next steps

These links move the current task into a more complete workflow.

Real-world use cases

Split a classroom into project groups
You have 28 students and want 7 project groups of 4. Paste the class roster, switch to 「by people per team」, set 4, and the tool deals everyone into 7 even groups in one click. Because it shuffles first, the kids who always sit together do not end up in the same group by default. Next term, re-draw to mix them up again, or paste a fresh roster and share the link with a co-teacher.
Make balanced sides for a pickup game
Twelve people show up for five-a-side and you need two fair sides. Paste the names, keep 「by number of teams」 at 2, and you get two teams of six drawn at random, so no one can claim you stacked one side. Someone disputes the split? Hit re-draw in front of everyone and the new teams are just as random — the crypto shuffle makes it impossible to rig.
Assign breakout rooms in a workshop
Running a 30-person workshop with 5 breakout rooms? Paste the attendee list, choose 「by number of teams」 and enter 5. The remainder is spread evenly, so you get rooms of 6, 6, 6, 6, 6 — or 6, 6, 6, 6, 5 with 29 people. Copy the result into the chat and everyone can find their room before the timer starts.
Pair people up for code review or 1-on-1s
Need to pair 14 engineers for review buddies this sprint? Switch to 「by people per team」, set 2, and you get 7 random pairs. Shuffle breaks up the usual cliques, so people review code outside their immediate squad. Re-draw each sprint for fresh pairings and paste the list straight into your standup notes.

Common pitfalls

Mixing up the two modes. 「By number of teams」 fixes how many teams you get; 「by people per team」 fixes how big each team is. If you enter 4 meaning four people but the mode is set to team count, you get four large teams instead of teams of four. Glance at the active button before you generate.
Forgetting that duplicate names are removed by default. If your list has two people both named 「Alex」 and you leave dedupe on, only one Alex is placed and the other silently vanishes. Turn off 「Remove duplicates」, or disambiguate them as 「Alex S」 and 「Alex T」, so everyone gets a seat.
Expecting the share link to reproduce the exact teams. The drawn teams are intentionally left out of the URL, so a shared link restores the name list and settings but the recipient draws their own teams. To send the precise teams you got, use the copy button and paste the text rather than sharing the link.

Privacy

The whole split — the Fisher-Yates shuffle, the round-robin dealing and the chunking — is plain JavaScript that runs in your browser tab. No name list and no drawn team ever leaves the page, and nothing is logged. The one caveat: the shareable URL encodes your name list and split settings in the query string, so a 「share link」 pasted into chat records those names in the recipient server access log. For a sensitive roster, use the copy button and paste the text rather than sharing the URL. The drawn teams themselves are never written to the link.

FAQ

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Team Generator — Random Teams and Groups

What this tool does

Tool details

How to use

1. Input

2. Process

3. Copy / Download

How Team Generator fits into your work

Generation jobs

Generation checks

Good next steps

Real-world use cases

Split a classroom into project groups

Make balanced sides for a pickup game

Assign breakout rooms in a workshop

Pair people up for code review or 1-on-1s

Common pitfalls

Privacy

FAQ

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