Written and reviewed by FormulaCraft Team. Each formula on this page is run through our verification engine before publishing.
Last reviewed:
How to pick a random name from a list in Excel and Google Sheets
Excel & Google Sheets
=INDEX(A2:A4,RANDBETWEEN(1,3))✓
Verified example
Computed by a real spreadsheet engine on the sample data below.
| Names |
| Alice |
| Bob |
| Carol |
=INDEX(A2:A4,RANDBETWEEN(1,3))→Alice
Try it with your data
Edit the grid or formula, then run it through a real spreadsheet engine — no signup.
Sample data — click any cell to edit
Runs server-side · free · no signup
Step by step
- 1Enter your list of names in a column, for example A2:A20.
- 2In any empty cell, type =INDEX(A2:A20,RANDBETWEEN(1,COUNTA(A2:A20))) and press Enter.
- 3The formula randomly picks one name from the list — it recalculates every time the sheet changes.
- 4To freeze the selected name so it doesn't change, copy the result cell and paste as Values Only (Ctrl+Shift+V).
Tips
- COUNTA(A2:A20) automatically counts how many names are in the list, so you don't need to manually update the RANDBETWEEN upper limit when you add names.
Need it for your exact data?
Describe your columns in plain English and get the precise formula for your sheet, with the right Excel or Sheets syntax.
Frequently asked
How do I stop the random name from changing every time I edit the sheet?
Copy the cell with the formula, right-click, Paste Special → Values. This replaces the formula with the static result.
Can I pick a random name without repeating (no replacement)?
Add a helper column with =RAND() next to each name, then use RANK to order them, and pick the top N — or use the SORTBY+RANDARRAY approach in Excel 365 / Google Sheets.