Picking a random name or item from a list by eye is not random. People are bad at faking randomness and predictably biased toward certain positions. This picks a set number of random lines from a pasted list, either allowing repeats ("with replacement") or guaranteeing every pick is a different line ("without replacement").
When you'd use this
Picking a random winner from a list of raffle or giveaway entries, sampling a subset of records for manual review, or randomly assigning items from a list with no repeats.
Common errors
Asking for more items than the list holds, without replacement, isn't possible. You'll see a warning and get every available line back, shuffled, because ten unique items can't be drawn from a list of six.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between with and without replacement?
With replacement, each pick is independent and the same line can come up more than once, the way rolling a die repeatedly can repeat a number. Without replacement, a picked line is removed from consideration, so N picks from a list always return N different lines, up to the list's total size.
Related Utilities You Might Need
Case Converter
Transform written copy into camelCase, snake_case, Sentence case, or UPPERCASE with detailed readability metrics.
Duplicate Line Remover
Delete repeated lines from any list and see how many times each entry appeared.
Line Sorter
Sort a list A to Z, by number, by length, reverse it, or shuffle the order at random.