🧑‍💻 Build a Random Name Picker App with Python & Tkinter (Step-by-Step)

In this tutorial, we’ll build a desktop Random Name Picker app using Python and Tkinter.

The app will let users:

Add names manually

Load names from a file

Pick one or multiple random winners

Remove winners automatically

Save names back to a file

No advanced Python knowledge required — we’ll build it piece by piece.

🛠️ Prerequisites

You’ll need:

Python 3 installed

Basic Python knowledge (functions, lists)

Tkinter (comes bundled with Python)

To check Python:

python --version

📦 Step 1: Import Required Modules

Let’s start by importing everything we need.

import tkinter as tk
from tkinter import filedialog, messagebox
import random
import os

What each module does:

tkinter → builds the GUI

filedialog → opens file picker dialogs

messagebox → shows alerts and popups

random → selects random names

os → helps with file paths (optional but useful)

🧱 Step 2: Create the Main Application Class

We’ll organize the app using a class, which keeps everything clean and manageable.

class RandomNamePickerApp:
    def __init__(self, root):
        self.root = root

Here, root is the main Tkinter window passed into our app.

🎨 Step 3: Configure the Main Window

Now let’s style the window.

self.root.title("Random Name Picker")
self.root.geometry("700x750")
self.root.configure(bg="#1f2f3a")
self.root.resizable(False, False)

What this does:

Sets the window title

Fixes the window size

Applies a dark background

Prevents resizing

🧠 Step 4: App State (Data Storage)

We need a place to store names and file paths.

self.names = []
self.file_path = None

self.names → list of all entered names

self.file_path → remembers where the file is saved

🧩 Step 5: Create the UI Layout

We’ll separate UI creation into its own method.

self.create_ui()

This keeps the init method clean and readable.

🖌️ Step 6: App Title Label

Inside create_ui():

tk.Label(
    self.root,
    text="Random Name Picker",
    font=("Helvetica", 28, "bold"),
    bg="#1f2f3a",
    fg="#ffffff"
).pack(pady=20)

This creates the big title at the top of the app.

✍️ Step 7: Name Input Field

We’ll place the input inside a frame.

input_frame = tk.Frame(self.root, bg="#1f2f3a")
input_frame.pack(pady=10, fill="x", padx=20)

Label + Entry:

tk.Label(
    input_frame,
    text="Enter Name:",
    font=("Helvetica", 12),
    bg="#1f2f3a",
    fg="#bdc3c7"
).grid(row=0, column=0, sticky="w")

self.name_entry = tk.Entry(
    input_frame,
    font=("Helvetica", 12),
    width=30
)
self.name_entry.grid(row=0, column=1, padx=5)

➕ Step 8: Add Name Button

tk.Button(
    input_frame,
    text="Add Name",
    command=self.add_name,
    bg="#2980b9",
    fg="white",
    font=("Helvetica", 12, "bold")
).grid(row=0, column=2, padx=5)

Clicking this button triggers the add_name() method.

📋 Step 9: Display Names with a Listbox

self.listbox = tk.Listbox(
    self.root,
    font=("Helvetica", 12),
    bg="#2c3e50",
    fg="white"
)
self.listbox.pack(fill="both", expand=True, padx=20)

This shows all entered names in a scrollable list.

🎯 Step 10: Add Core Buttons

Buttons for picking, removing, and clearing names:

tk.Button(
    self.root,
    text="Pick Random Name",
    command=self.pick_random_name
).pack(pady=5)

tk.Button(
    self.root,
    text="Pick Multiple Names",
    command=self.pick_multiple_names
).pack(pady=5)

🔄 Step 11: Add Name Logic

def add_name(self):
    name = self.name_entry.get().strip()
    if name:
        self.names.append(name)
        self.update_listbox()
        self.name_entry.delete(0, tk.END)
    else:
        messagebox.showerror("Error", "Please enter a name.")

What happens:

Reads input

Adds name to list

Refreshes the UI

Clears the input field

🔁 Step 12: Refresh the Listbox

def update_listbox(self):
    self.listbox.delete(0, tk.END)
    for name in self.names:
        self.listbox.insert(tk.END, name)

This keeps the UI in sync with the data.

🎲 Step 13: Pick a Random Name

def pick_random_name(self):
    if not self.names:
        messagebox.showerror("Error", "No names to pick from!")
        return

    winner = random.choice(self.names)
    messagebox.showinfo("Winner", f"The selected name is:\n\n{winner}")

Uses random.choice() to pick a winner.

🏆 Step 14: Pick Multiple Winners

winners = random.sample(self.names, n)

random.sample() ensures no duplicates

Perfect for giveaways or raffles

🗑️ Step 15: Remove & Clear Names

Remove selected names:

def remove_selected(self):
    selected = self.listbox.curselection()
    for index in reversed(selected):
        del self.names[index]
    self.update_listbox()

Clear everything:

def clear_all(self):
    self.names = []
    self.update_listbox()

💾 Step 16: Load Names from a File

path = filedialog.askopenfilename(filetypes=[("Text Files", "*.txt")])

Reads names line-by-line from a .txt file and adds them to the list.

💽 Step 17: Save Names to a File

with open(save_path, "w", encoding="utf-8") as f:
    for name in self.names:
        f.write(name + "\n")

Each name is saved on a new line.

▶️ Step 18: Run the App

Finally, start the application:

if __name__ == "__main__":
    root = tk.Tk()
    app = RandomNamePickerApp(root)
    root.mainloop()

This launches the GUI window.

🎉 Final Thoughts

You’ve just built a fully functional Tkinter desktop app with:

Clean UI

Random selection logic

File handling

Beginner-friendly structure

🚀 Ideas to Extend It

Export winners to a file

Add themes (light/dark mode)

Add sound effects

Convert it into an .exe