Secret Santa generator
Enter one name on each line. The draw gives every person exactly one recipient, never themself, and every allowed pairing has the same chance.
- A fair draw
- Free, no sign-up
Runs in your browser. Nothing you type or open is uploaded. Free to use, no account. More games and puzzles
How to use it
- Type the names, one on each line, and add any pairs who should stay apart.
- Press Draw. Each person gets one recipient.
- Choose who is asking and press Reveal, or print the slips and hand them out.
A derangement that can keep people apart
The draw is a derangement: nobody is paired with themself, everyone appears once as a giver and once as a recipient, and each arrangement that respects the keep-apart list is equally likely. A keep-apart line such as “Ada, Ben” blocks both directions. The page accepts up to 20 names.
Reveal shows one recipient at a time, so the group can pass the phone around. Show every pairing is there for the person running the draw, and Print slips makes a cut-out sheet. Copy the list puts the pairings on the clipboard. The draw stays in this tab.
Private by design
Privacy
Everything runs in this page and stays on your device. Names and the draw stay in this tab. Close the tab when the party is over.
This page also shows Google ads, which can use cookies. Privacy and cookies explains how.
Questions
Why is the draw fair?
The page shuffles until it finds an arrangement where nobody receives themself and the keep-apart list is honoured. Every such arrangement has the same chance.
Can two people be kept apart?
Yes. Put them on one keep-apart line, separated by a comma. Neither of them will receive the other.
What if a draw cannot be made?
The page says so. That happens when someone has no allowed recipient, for example two people who must stay apart and nobody else in the list.
Who can see the full list?
Whoever is holding this device. Reveal shows one name until you press Show every pairing, print the slips, or copy the list.