Secret Santa Group Names

Q: What can a workplace call Secret Santa instead?

Choose Names with no Santa in them: The Winter Swap, The Giving Circle, Season's Givings or One Name, One Gift. Each is a plain winter name, and the exchange runs the same way.

Names for the group chat, the sign-up sheet and the gift tag, dealt five at a time.

Guess Who Tagged YouReads as a dare. Fits a group that reveals by guessing.
Under the LimitThe spending limit, that is. A reminder in the name.
Wrap It Up, PeopleAlso what the organizer types when the chat drifts off topic.
Save the Date, Hide the NameMade for the invitation: the name is the reminder.
Tag AlongTo tag along is to join in, and everyone is welcome to.

Next step Ways to run the exchange Print the wish form for givers

How it works

These Secret Santa group names are for the chat, the sign-up sheet and the invitation: Sleigh It Forward, Blank Tag Society, Ho Ho Hush. Press Pick 5 new names, and Lock the ones the group likes.

Read the full guide

Five lists in one menu

The menu under the button changes the list. Names with no Santa in them are plain winter names for a workplace, such as The Winter Swap. Sign-off names for the tag are what a giver writes on the From line: The Elf Two Desks Over. Names for a family draw suit the cousins' exchange. What else it is called holds the names used in other countries.

Secret Santa name ideas for work, family or friends

Choose More filters in the same menu, then Work, Family or Friends, and the list keeps to names that fit that crowd. The line under each name says where it works or explains the joke, so nobody has to ask in the chat.

Tips

Fun Secret Santa names often state the rule: Bows On, Names Off tells a new member what to do.
A sign-off suits an exchange with a reveal later. If givers stay secret for good, leave the From line blank.

Questions and answers

What is a good name for a Secret Santa group chat?

One that tells a new member the rule or the mood: Snow Spoilers, To and From, Keep It Under Your Hat. Sleigh What? is short enough for a chat title.

What can a workplace call Secret Santa instead?

Choose Names with no Santa in them: The Winter Swap, The Giving Circle, Season's Givings or One Name, One Gift. Each is a plain winter name, and the exchange runs the same way.

Is Secret Santa called something else in other countries?

Yes. It is Kris Kringle in Canada and Australia, Kris Kindle in Ireland, Wichteln in Germany, Amigo Secreto in Brazil and Monito-Monita in the Philippines. What else it is called lists the rest.

What do you write on the tag instead of your name?

A sign-off that hints or bluffs: Santa's Understudy, Not the Dog, Anonymous, for Now. Choose Sign-off names for the tag, and the line under each says when it fits.

Does this page draw the names?

No. It deals names for the group, the chat and the tags. To decide who buys for whom, write every person's name on a slip and pull the slips from a hat.

All 152 names

Group and chat names 51

A Sleighful of Secrets One secret per person, all in the same sleigh.
Blank Tag Society The From line is empty on purpose.
Bow and Behold Lo and behold, tied with a ribbon.
The Bow Committee Sounds official. Good on an office invitation.
Bows On, Names Off The rule of the exchange in four words.
Claus for Celebration Cause for celebration, with a red suit on.
Cocoa Conspirators People plotting over hot chocolate.
The Crooked Corners For people whose wrapping paper never lines up.
Elf Resources Human resources, staffed by elves. For an office.
Elves on the Quiet On the quiet means in secret. The elves approve.
From: You Know Who What the tag says when the giver is a secret.
The Gift Whisperers People who know what you want before you say it.
Guess Who Tagged You Reads as a dare. Fits a group that reveals by guessing.
Ho Ho Hush Hush, with a laugh in front. It is a secret, after all.
It's a Wrap Party The party at the end of a film shoot, moved to December.
Jingle Mingle Works as the name of the party as well as the chat.
Just Claus Just because, which is the best reason for a gift.
Keep It Under Your Hat An old way to say keep it secret, and the hat is where the names were.
Local Union of Ribbon Curlers For an office with a sense of ceremony. Dues are paid in ribbon.
Luck of the Draw The saying fits: a hat, some names and no choosing.
Mostly Tape What most wrapping is held together with.
Mum's the Word An old way to ask for silence.
Muted Elves For a remote team: half the call is on mute anyway.
Operation Quiet Sleigh Sounds like a mission briefing. The mission is one gift.
Out of the Hat Where every name comes from.
Peel the Price Off A reminder to every giver, in the group's own name.
Present and Accounted For What the organizer says when the last gift arrives.
Put a Bow on It To finish something neatly. Here it is meant literally.
Ribbons at the Ready For a group that starts wrapping the day the names are drawn.
Santa Confidential Stamp it across the top of the sign-up sheet.
Save the Date, Hide the Name Made for the invitation: the name is the reminder.
Scissors, Tape, Panic The three stages of wrapping a gift the night before.
Sleigh It Forward Pay it forward, by sleigh. It says what the exchange is for.
Sleigh What? Say what, with a sleigh in it. Short enough for a chat title.
Sleigh You Later See you later. A good name for a chat that only wakes up in December.
Snow Clue No clue who has you. That is how it should be.
Snow Peeking No peeking, with a flake in it.
Snow Spoilers No spoilers: the one thing every member promises.
Snow Telling No telling, in both senses.
Tag Along To tag along is to join in, and everyone is welcome to.
There's Snow Place Like Home No place like home, for a family or a house share.
To and From The two lines on every tag. The second one stays blank.
Under the Limit The spending limit, that is. A reminder in the name.
Undercover Elves For a group that takes the secrecy seriously.
The Usual Gifters The usual suspects, each holding a present.
Workshop After Hours When the elves do their own exchange.
Wrap It Up, People Also what the organizer types when the chat drifts off topic.
Wrapped and Ready A plain one for the top of the sign-up sheet.
You've Been Tagged What every name in the hat can say.
Yule Find Out You'll find out. Eventually.
Zip It and Ship It For a group that mails its gifts: keep quiet, send the box.

Names with no Santa in them 25

A Flurry of Gifts A flurry is a light fall of snow, or a sudden rush of anything.
Cocoa and Gifts Hour Names the plan: a warm drink and one gift each.
The Cozy Swap Sets a theme as well: blankets, socks, tea.
The December Wrap-Up The year is wrapping up, and so are the gifts.
The Desk Drop For an office where gifts appear on desks before anyone arrives.
The Evergreen Exchange Green all winter, and it names no holiday.
Frost and Found Lost and found, in winter.
Giver Unknown As a parcel label would put it.
The Giving Circle A circle has no first or last, which suits a draw.
Hidden Helper Exchange A helper nobody sees until the end.
The Kindness Exchange For a team that would like the tone to be warm, not jokey.
Mitten Mail For a team that sends its gifts by post.
Mittens and Mysteries Sounds like a cozy detective story. Good for a small team.
Mystery Giver Days For a team that leaves small surprises before the main gift.
Mystery Parcel Exchange Says what happens and names no holiday.
One Name, One Gift The whole rule, which makes it a good line for a flyer.
Season's Givings Season's greetings, with one letter changed.
Secret Pals Friendly, and clear to someone who has never done one.
Secret Snowflake One word changed. The exchange runs the same way.
The Snowflake Swap Every gift different, like the flakes.
The Surprise Swap The surprise is the giver, not only the gift.
Who Had Whom The question of the day, used as the name.
The Winter Draw Named for the one thing everyone does: draw a name.
The Winter Swap As plain as it gets. Nobody has to explain it.
The Wish Exchange Fits a group that fills in a wish form first.

Sign-off names for the tag 42

A Careful Reader of Your Wish Form For a gift chosen straight from the form.
A Distant Cousin of Santa Fits a family draw, where cousins are the likely suspects.
A Few Bells Short of a Sleigh A joke at the giver's own expense: not quite the full set.
A Reformed Regifter Promises the gift is new this time.
A Snowman With Inside Information Hints that the giver asked around first.
A Well-Wisher in Wool Socks Warm in both senses.
Acting Santa As in acting head of department: in charge for now.
An Elf on Overtime For a gift wrapped at the very last minute.
An Elf Who Knows Your Usual Order For a gift from the cafe the receiver goes to every morning.
Anonymous, for Now For an exchange where the names come out later.
Assistant to the Assistant Elf The lowest rank in the workshop, and proud of it.
The Aunt in Charge of Dessert A sign-off for one very particular relative.
Elf Badge Number Seven Sounds like a pass for the workshop floor.
The Elf Two Desks Over Close enough to be a clue, vague enough to be six people.
Ho Ho Who? Three words that ask the receiver's question for them.
The Late Delivery Elf For a gift that arrives after the party.
More Tape Than Paper, By Leave the rest of the line blank. The wrapping says it all.
No Further Questions What a lawyer says when the case is made. Here the case is wrapped.
Nobody You Would Suspect Either a bluff or the truth. That is the fun of it.
North Pole, Local Office For a tag that should look like official mail.
Not the Dog Narrows it down by one. Good with young children at the table.
Not Your Manager Rules one person out. Do not use it if you are the manager.
Obviously, Your Santa States the one thing the receiver already knows.
The One Who Drew Your Name True of exactly one person, and no help at all.
The Printer's Only Friend Every office has one person the printer obeys. Is it you?
The Reindeer on Standby The spare one, who never gets the credit.
S. Claus, Deputy A deputy acts when the boss cannot be there.
Santa's Regional Manager A grand title for a small gift.
Santa's Understudy The stand-in who goes on when the star is busy.
Santa, More or Less Honest about the costume.
Sealed With a Snowflake In place of a signature: a sticker, a stamp or a drawn flake.
The Sibling Who Loves You Most For a family draw. Expect an argument.
Somebody Who Did Their Homework Admits to research. The receiver's best friend will be questioned.
Somebody With Excellent Taste Bold. Use it only when the gift backs it up.
Whoever Emptied the Coffee Pot A confession and a sign-off in one line.
Whoever Has Your Pen A clue that fits half the office.
The Workshop's Midnight Elf For a gift finished after midnight.
Your Carpool Elf For the person who shares the drive.
Your Favorite Cousin Every cousin will claim it.
Your Neighbor at Lunch A real clue, if you sit at the same table every day.
Your Teammate in Disguise For a sports team, a quiz team or a project team.
Yours, in Tinsel A letter's closing line, dressed for December.

Names for a family draw 25

Adults Draw, Kids Open The children get a gift from everyone. The adults draw one name each.
The Annual Pull Annual makes it a tradition from the first year on.
Around the Tree Where it happens. Short enough for a chat title.
Aunts, Uncles and Elves For the grown-ups' side of the family.
Both Sides of the Family For the year the two halves share one draw.
The By-Mail Draw For a family in several towns, with gifts sent by mail.
The Cousin Exchange For the generation that is too big to buy for one by one.
Elves of the House For one household: parents, children and whoever is staying.
The Fridge Draw Named for the list of names that hangs on the fridge until December.
The Gingerbread Draw For a family that draws names while the cookies bake.
Grandpa's Cap Draw Named for the cap the names come out of.
The Hat Trick Three goals in one game. Here the trick is pulling names from a hat.
The Home Workshop The elves' workshop, moved to the kitchen table.
Leaf in the Table Named for the extra leaf the table gets once a year.
Names in the Stocking A stocking stands in for the hat. Fits any group with a mantel.
One Gift Each The rule is the name, which is why big groups draw.
One Hat, Every Generation Grandparents, parents and children all draw from the same hat.
One Name Each Says how the draw works, in three words.
Pajama Morning Exchange For a family that opens gifts before anyone is dressed.
The Reunion Draw For a family that gathers once a year.
The Sibling Swap For brothers and sisters who have stopped buying for everyone.
Snowed In Together For the relatives who share one house all week.
Team Tinsel Short and cheerful. Works on matching shirts.
The Thanksgiving Draw For families who pull names at Thanksgiving dinner and open the gifts in December.
The Two-Table Draw For a family that fills more than one table.

What else it is called 9

Amigo Oculto Hidden friend, also used in Brazil.
Amigo Secreto Secret friend, the name in Brazil.
Angelito The name in the Dominican Republic.
Engerl-Bengerl A name used in parts of Austria.
Julklapp Another name used in Germany.
Kris Kindle A name for the exchange in Ireland.
Kris Kringle A name for the exchange in Canada and Australia, and in the Philippines.
Monito-Monita A name for the exchange in the Philippines.
Wichteln A name in Germany and parts of Austria. A Wichtel is a figure of legend who does good deeds in secret.

How this list was compiled

The names for a group, a tag and a family draw, and the line under each, were written for this site by the Game Night Generator editors on 2026-10-01 and are our own wording. No shop, brand, product, song, film or show is named. They were checked by script against every other list on this site, the trivia team names included, and no name is repeated. The names under What else it is called are facts: each one, with the country beside it, is given on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secret_Santa (read 2026-10-01); a name that article does not give was left out. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wichteln (read the same day) gives Wichteln, Julklapp and the Austrian name, and says what a Wichtel is. Licence: own work