Excel Combine First and Last Name (Table of Contents)
Combine First and Last Name in Excel
While doing some tasks such as creating a customer database, it is very important to keep all the customer’s first name and last name in a different column and also combine those to have a proper track. By this, filtering the data becomes easy.
How to Combine?
Combination of the first and last name in Excel is very simple and easy. Let’s understand how to combine the first and last name in excel with some examples.
Combine First and Last Name in Excel – Example #1
There are two ways of combining First name and Last name in Excel. This can be performed in all version of Excel. Here we have some sets of First and Last name in below table.
Now for combining first and last name, go to the cell where we need to see the output. In this table, we have already defined a column of Full Name as we can see above. Type “=” (Equal) sign to go in edit mode of that cell. Now select the First name then insert “&” (Ampersand) sign and then select the Last name.
Once done press the Enter key.
Drag the applied formula in all the cell below. We get the output as shown below.
As we can see the results are incorrectly formatted. There should be space between the First and Last name. So for inserting a space, follow the same procedure but instead of selecting the cell, add space as shown below.
In the above screenshot, we have separated First and Last name with space. And used space as text, so for adding it in the formula, we need to frame it with inverted commas/double quotes (” “). Any type of text which type manually should be framed with inverted commas as we did for space between First and Last name.
Drag the applied formula in all the cell below. We get the output as shown below.
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By this technique, we can add any kind of texts, not First name and Last name. But combining different cells which can be used for any kind of work.
Combine First and Last Name in Excel – Example #2
Another method of combining the First name and Last name is Concatenation in excel. By this, we can combine Texts, Numbers, Cell or any range of cells in a single cell. For this, we have some sets of First and Last name as shown below.
In the above example, we have Salutation and Middle name as well along with the First and Last Name. Now for combining the First and Last name, go to the cell where we need to see the output and click on Insert Function option which is located beside formula bar as shown below.
Once we click on it, we will get an Insert Function window. From there search for CONCATENATE function and click on Ok as shown below. This is a common function, it will probably be located under ALL category.
After that, we will get the Function Arguments window. In that, select the cell in proper sequence the way you want to see First and Last name, separated by space (” “). There is no need to add inverted commas for space, as it will automatically consider inverted commas once we move to the next cell. Once done, click on Ok.
Also, to check whether our framed syntax is correct or not, we will get the output just at the left bottom of the Function Arguments box as shown below.
We will then get the result.
Now drag the framed formula to all relevant cells as shown below.
Through this, we can frame any content they have regardless.
Combine First and Last Name in Excel – Example #3
This is another method of combining First and Last name with CONCATENATION Function in Excel. We will use the same data set as example-2. For this, go the cell where we want to see the result. And type “=” sign to enable the inbuilt functions of excel. Now search and select CONCATENATE, as shown below.
Now use the same syntax which we used in example-2. Select the cell with text and separate those cells with space with inverted commas (” “). Covering the space or entering text manually makes it useable in the formula. Which we have already seen example-1.
Now Drag the framed formula to all relevant cells as shown below.
As we can see in the above screenshot, we have combined First and Last name along with Salutation and Middle name, separated by space.
Pros
- Data looks organized.
- For maintaining customer records, it is very helpful.
- With the help of the Concatenate function, we can arrange and combine any kind of data.
- Once we applied for formula, we can drag and use it anywhere.
Things to Remember
- If you are going to use data in other files, always paste special for the formula or convert into text before pasting in other files.
- Spaces and Texts are required to be covered with inverted commas/double quotes (“ ”).
- Always mind the proper sequence of selecting the cells, so that data will be arranged in a proper manner.
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