Secret Santa generator
Draw names without the hat. Add your group, keep couples apart, then send everyone a private link — or pass one phone around the room.
Your draw will appear here.
Everyone gives one gift and receives one gift — nobody draws themselves, and no two people are ever paired with each other.
Draw names without the hat
Drawing from a hat only works when everyone is in the same room at the same time — and someone always pulls their own name and has to put it back. Draw online instead: it takes a minute, it handles people who can’t make it, and the organiser can take part without knowing the answers.
Add everyone. Paste the group one name per line. Repeated names are ignored, so add a surname if two people share a first name.
Set the rules. Add any pairs who shouldn’t draw each other, and a budget or date if you want them shown on the reveal.
Draw the names. Press DRAW NAMES. Everyone is placed in one giving circle, so nobody draws themselves.
Share it privately. Copy each person’s link and send it to them — or switch to “Pass the phone” and let everyone tap their own name.
Why this one is fair
- Nobody draws themselves
- Every draw is one loop through the group, so self-matches are impossible — not just unlikely.
- No mutual pairs
- Ava never buys for Liam while Liam buys for Ava. Each person gives to someone new.
- Couples stay apart
- Add exclusion pairs and they will never be matched, in either direction.
- The organiser is surprised too
- Pairings stay hidden on your screen until you deliberately reveal them.
What we do with your names
Nothing. The draw runs in your browser and is saved only on your own device. There are no accounts, no email addresses, and no list of participants sitting on a server. Each reveal link carries that one person’s assignment inside the link itself — which is why you should send people only their own link, and not open one that isn’t yours.
Running a gift exchange with a group activity? Try the random name picker to pick who goes first, the team generator for party games, or the giveaway wheel for a prize draw.
Ways groups run it
At the office
Half the team is remote and the other half is in on different days. Send links in Slack and let people shop in their own time.
Extended family
Cousins, in-laws and grandparents across three cities. Add exclusion pairs so partners don’t draw each other.
Classrooms
Draw on the board with “Pass the phone”, or print each child’s reveal link as a QR code on a slip.
Friend groups
Set a budget in the event details so it shows on everyone’s reveal page and nobody overspends.
Secret Santa questions
How does the Secret Santa generator work?
Type or paste everyone’s names, add any pairs who shouldn’t get each other, and press DRAW NAMES. The draw happens instantly in your browser. You can then copy a private link for each person, or hand one phone around so everyone taps their own name.
Do I need to sign up or enter email addresses?
No. There is no account, no email collection, and no sending on your behalf. Each person gets a link you share however you like — WhatsApp, Slack, iMessage, or a printed slip.
Can I stop couples from drawing each other?
Yes. Open “Keep two people apart” and add the pair. They will never be matched in either direction. Add as many pairs as you need; if the rules become impossible for your group size, the generator tells you instead of quietly ignoring them.
Can the organiser take part too?
Yes — add your own name like anyone else. Your screen never shows the pairings unless you choose to reveal them, so you can organise the draw and still be surprised.
Can someone draw their own name?
No. Every draw is a single loop through the whole group, so nobody gets themselves and no two people are ever paired with each other. If Ava buys for Liam, Liam buys for someone else.
Is the draw random?
Yes. Names are shuffled with an unbiased Fisher–Yates shuffle driven by your browser’s cryptographic random number generator, then arranged into one giving circle.
What if I lose the links?
The draw is saved in your browser, so reopening this page brings it back and you can copy any link again. Clearing your browser data or switching device loses it — in that case just draw again.
How many people can take part?
Three at minimum — two people would simply buy for each other, which is not a secret. There is no upper limit; office draws of fifty or more work fine.