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Random Pair Generator
Paste a list of names and get random partners. With an odd number you choose: one group of three, or one person on their own.
Balance pairs: skill tiers and keep-apart
Skill tiers
Keep apart
How to make random pairs
- Paste the names, one per line (or separated by commas).
- Choose what to do if the count is odd: one group of three keeps everyone working with someone, while one person solo suits games where a single player sits out or takes a bye.
- Press Make pairs. Press Re-shuffle for new partners.
- Copy the pairs as text, put them on the board with Big view, or print them.
Where random pairs help
- Think-pair-share and peer review: new partners every lesson without the same friends always pairing up.
- Language practice: speaking partners for dialogue drills, then re-shuffle for round two.
- Doubles and partner games: tennis, badminton, pickleball, table tennis, cornhole or card games like euchre.
- Buddy systems and one-to-ones: office coffee chats, mentoring matches or field-trip buddies.
Keep certain people apart
Open Balance pairs to add keep-apart pairs: two people who should not be partners. You can also mark a few people as Tier 1 or Tier 2, for example confident readers, and the generator spreads them out so two of them are not paired together while others are left without one. If your rules can't all be met, you'll see a message explaining what to change.
For bigger groups, use the random team generator and set the players per team.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if I have an odd number of names?
You decide. Choose One group of three to add the extra person to a random pair, or One person solo to leave one person on their own. Who it is, and which pair gets the third person, is random.
Can I stop two people from being paired together?
Yes. Open Balance pairs, pick the two names under Keep apart and press Add. They will never be partners.
Will I get the same pairs if I press it again?
Every press of Make pairs or Re-shuffle is a new random draw, so pairs change. The same two people can still be drawn together again by chance, just as with names from a hat.
How random are the pairs?
The tool uses your browser's cryptographic random generator with a Fisher–Yates shuffle, so without extra rules every pairing is equally likely.
Can I print or display the pairs?
Yes. Big view shows the pairs in large type for a projector, and Print makes a clean sheet you can hand out or pin up.
Are the names I enter stored anywhere?
Only in your own browser's local storage, so your list is still there next time. Nothing is sent to a server. Press Clear to remove it.