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Random Group Generator

Split a class list into balanced random groups in seconds. Keep chosen students apart or together, avoid repeat partners, then show the groups on the board. Choose the number of groups or students per group, give each group roles, and print or download a PDF. Free, no sign-up, and the names stay in your browser.

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24 names

One per line. First names or full names both work.

Split by
Quick

24 names · 6 groups

Made with Classeem · Free classroom tools at classeem.com
Step by step

How to use the random group generator

  • 1Paste your names, one per line. First names or full names both work.
  • 2Choose how to split: by number of groups or by students per group.
  • 3Optional: add keep-apart or keep-together rules, avoid repeat partners, or give each group roles.
  • 4Press Shuffle groups for a fresh mix, then Show on board to project them.
  • 5Print the groups, or download a clean PDF to share or keep.
  • 6Save the names as a class list on this device to reuse them in the picker, wheel, seating chart and jobs tools.
When it helps

When this is useful

Group projects

Split the class into fair project teams in one click, so no one spends time picking sides.

Lab and station teams

Form even groups for lab work or rotating stations that match how many setups you have.

Reading and discussion groups

Build small reading or discussion groups quickly, and reshuffle them whenever you want a change.

Partner and game teams

Make quick pairs for partner work, or balanced teams for a classroom game or review activity.

Seating and activity rotation

Mix students into new groups for centers or seating so they work with different classmates.

Substitute plans and icebreakers

Leave ready-made groups for a substitute, or form fresh teams for a first-day icebreaker.

In practice

Examples to try

Split 24 students into 6 groups

Paste 24 names, choose 6 groups, and get six even teams of four for a project day.

Make pairs from a class list

Switch to group size, set it to 2, and turn your roster into partners in one click.

Create project teams

Choose the number of teams you need and let the tool balance the members for you.

Create random reading groups

Set a group size of 3 or 4 to build small reading circles that you can reshuffle anytime.

Build balanced game teams

Pick the number of teams for a review game so every team has a fair, even number of players.

Get more out of it

Tips for better results

  • Remove duplicate names first

    Keep the remove-duplicates option on so a name pasted twice doesn't land in two groups.

  • Pick groups when you know your stations

    Choose the number of groups when you already know how many activities or stations you have.

  • Pick group size for teamwork

    Choose students per group when you know how many should work together, like pairs or fours.

  • Regenerate for a better mix

    If the first grouping isn't ideal, press Regenerate for a fresh, randomly shuffled set.

  • Review before you share

    Glance over the groups before printing, so you can reshuffle if a mix isn't quite right.

Under the hood

How the random group generator works

Paste one name per line. The tool trims spaces, skips blank lines, tidies the spacing, and can remove duplicates, while keeping your text exactly as you wrote it, including full names and special characters.

When you generate, the names are shuffled with a fair random shuffle and then split into groups. You can split by the number of groups or by how many students go in each group. Groups are kept as even as possible, and any extra students are spread one per group, so 23 students in 5 groups become 5, 5, 5, 4, 4.

Rules are hard limits, not suggestions. Keep-apart pairs never share a group and keep-together pairs always do; pairs that link up (A with B, B with C) stay in one group. Group sizes stay exactly as balanced as without rules. If the rules can't all be met, for example four students who must all be apart but only three groups, the tool says which rule is the problem instead of quietly breaking it.

Avoid repeat partners compares a new grouping with the last three groupings you showed on the board or printed, and picks the mix with the fewest repeated pairs. Everything happens on your device, so you can reshuffle as many times as you like.

Your data

Private by design

  • No account and no sign-up. Just open it and start.
  • Everything runs on your device, which keeps the names you enter and the groups you create private.
  • Nothing you create is uploaded. No values, names, scores, or generated content are sent to our servers. If you're signed in, My Classeem's Recent Activity notes which tools you used — never what you did in them.
  • If you sign in, Save keeps only this generator's settings in your account (the kind of options you pick above), never what the sheet contains; auto-save, when it's on in your account, keeps the same settings after you print or download.
  • We use Google Analytics for anonymous, aggregate measurement: page views and a few usage events, such as a worksheet being printed or a game round starting or finishing (with the mode played). It never receives what you enter — no answers, scores, names, or generated content.
Good to know

Frequently asked questions

Is the random group generator free?

Yes, completely free, with no account and no limit on how many groups you make. There's no watermark on the printed result.

Can I print the groups?

Yes. Use the Print button to send the groups straight to your printer. Only the groups print, cleanly laid out, with nothing else from the web page.

Can I download a PDF?

Yes. Download a clean PDF built right on your device, so you can share the groups or keep them for later.

Can I make pairs?

Yes. Press Pairs (or set students per group to 2), and the tool pairs up the whole list. With an odd number of students, one group of three is made, so no one works alone.

Can I choose the number of groups?

Yes. Choose split by number of groups and enter how many teams you want, and the names are spread evenly across them.

Can I choose the group size?

Yes. Choose split by group size and enter how many students should work together, and the tool makes as many groups as needed.

Are student names uploaded or saved anywhere?

No. The grouping happens entirely on your device, and the PDF is built there too, so your name list is never uploaded or stored on a server. If you choose Save as class list, the names, your grouping rules and the last few groupings you showed or printed (used to avoid repeat partners) are kept in this browser only, so they're ready next time; Forget list removes them.

Can I keep two students apart?

Yes. Open Grouping rules, choose the two names under Keep apart and press Add. They will never be put in the same group, and the rule is kept with your class list if you saved one. Keep together works the same way for students who should stay with a partner.

Can I avoid putting the same students together again?

Yes. Turn on Avoid repeat partners. The tool remembers the last three groupings you showed on the board or printed and chooses new groups with as few repeated pairs as possible, telling you if a repeat couldn't be avoided.

Can I show the groups on the projector?

Yes. Show on board opens a full-screen view with large, color-coded group cards that are readable from the back of the room, and you can shuffle again from there.

How are uneven groups handled?

Groups are kept as even as possible. When the split isn't exact, extra students are added one per group to the earliest groups, so the sizes differ by at most one.

Helpful supplies

Helpful supplies for this activity

Optional supplies that can make printed classroom materials easier to reuse, organize, or share.

These Amazon links are affiliate links: as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.

Thermal label printer

Label group bins, folders, and student materials in seconds.

Search on Amazon

Cardstock paper

Print sturdier cards, word games, and classroom materials.

Search on Amazon

Laminator machine

Make reusable classroom sheets, bingo cards, and activity pages.

Search on Amazon

Document organizer

Keep printed worksheets, answer keys, and activity sets sorted.

Search on Amazon
Go deeper

A related guide

How to Split a Class into Groups Fairly

Practical steps for putting together fair, workable groups, plus quick-reference tips and common mistakes to avoid.

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Always free · No account needed · Nothing you type leaves your device unless you choose to save it.