Top 6 Ways to Combine First and Last Names in Microsoft Excel

Tired of juggling separate first and last name columns in Excel? Combining names makes everything much easier, as you’ll have more organized spreadsheets to save time. In this article, we’ll guide you through the simple steps to combine the first and last names in Microsoft Excel.

Excel is a handy tool for organizing and making sense of all information. It involves working with textual fields like names, places, job titles, or product descriptions. Knowing how to work with this text data is super helpful for getting exactly what you need. Let’s jump in and learn to merge first and last name columns in Excel.

Method 1: With the Help of Flash Fill

Flash Fill is an intelligent tool in Excel that eliminates the need for complex formulas and manual data manipulation, making the process significantly more efficient.

By providing Excel with a few examples of how you want the combined names to appear, Flash Fill intelligently analyzes the patterns. It then automatically completes the task for the entire dataset. Here’s how you can use it to combine cells:

Step 1: Click the Start button. Type Excel in the search box, and hit Open.

Step 2: Launch the spreadsheet in which you wish to combine two columns or create a new one.

Step 3: Type the full name of the first person in the corresponding cell.

Step 4: Now, head to the next cell and start typing the full name of the second person. You’ll see that Excel will show you suggestions based on your previous output. Hit the Enter key to accept the suggestions.

Step 5: If you can’t see suggestions, go to the Data tab and click on Flash Fill.

Tip: You can also press Ctrl + E on your keyboard to trigger the shortcut.

Also Read: How to fix Excel not responding or slow

Method 2: Use the & (Ampersand) Symbol

The ampersand symbol (&) acts as a catalyst, facilitating the amalgamation of disparate data. You can place it between the cells containing the first and last names, and Excel will seamlessly merge the content into a single cell. Adhere to the steps below to use this method:

Step 1: Locate the Excel file where you want to combine the first and last name cells. Double-click on the file to open it.

Step 2: Head to the cell where you want the full name after you combine two columns. Enter the below formula in the cell and hit Enter.

=[Alphabet denoting the first name column][Number denoting the first name row] & " " & [Alphabet denoting the second name column][Number denoting the second name row]

Step 3: Now, to use the same formula for all cells, click on the bottom-right corner of the cell and drag the small square down to copy it into all the remaining cells.

Method 3: Via the CONCAT Function

CONCAT stands for concatenate, which essentially means combining or joining things together. The CONCAT function in Excel allows you to merge different text strings into one effortlessly. Here’s how to use it:

Step 1: Press the Windows icon in the taskbar. In the search box, type Excel and click Open.

Step 2: Create a new workbook or head to an existing workbook where you want to perform the operation.

Step 3: Verify that the first names are in one column and the last names are in another. Now, choose the cell where you want the combined full name to appear.

Step 4: Type the following formula in the selected cell and hit Enter.

=CONCAT([Alphabet denoting the first name column][Number denoting the first name row], " ", [Alphabet denoting the second name column][Number denoting the second name row])

Note: You can replace the CONCAT in the formula with CONCATENATE, which will work the same way.

Step 5: If you want to apply the formula to other cells, use the AutoFill handle. Hover over the bottom-right corner of the cell with the formula until you see a small square (the fill handle). Then, drag it down or across to copy the formula to adjacent cells.

Also Read: How to use Data Validation in Microsoft Excel

Method 4: Use the TEXTJOIN Function

The TEXTJOIN function in Excel can combine text from multiple ranges or individual text strings based on a specified delimiter. Here’s how to use it:

Step 1: Open the spreadsheet in which you want to merge the first and last name columns by double-clicking on it.

Step 2: Head to the cell where you want the combined names to start, enter the following formula:

=TEXTJOIN(" ", TRUE, [Alphabet denoting the first name column][Number denoting the first name row], [Alphabet denoting the second name column][Number denoting the second name row])

Note: TRUE indicates that the function should ignore empty cells.

Step 3: Drag the fill handle (a small square at the bottom-right corner of the cell) down to apply the formula to the entire column. This will combine all first and last names.

Method 5: Via Power Query

Power Query is your trusty sidekick that helps clean, shape, and merge your data effortlessly. It’s like having a personal assistant who tidies up your messy spreadsheets with a few clicks. Adhere to the steps below to merge first and last name columns in Excel using Power Query:

Step 1: Click the Start icon in the taskbar. In the search box, type Excel and click Open.

Step 2: Navigate to an existing workbook or create a new workbook to perform the operation.

Step 3: Select the range of cells containing the first and last names. Go to the Data tab and click From Table/Range to open the Power Query Editor. Select OK when prompted.

Step 4: In the Power Query Editor, choose the columns containing first and last names. Click on the Add Column tab and select Merge Columns.

Step 5: Choose a delimiter (e.g., a space) for combining names. Rename the column and click OK.

Step 6: Close the window by pressing the X icon. When prompted, select Keep.

Your data with merged first and last names is now ready in Excel and will be shown in a new column.

Method 6: Use a VBA Script to Combine First and Last Name in Excel

A custom script offers a powerful and flexible way to combine first and last names in Excel, especially for experienced Excel users comfortable with VBA. This method is especially useful for large datasets or complex formatting requirements, allowing for precise customization in how the names are merged. Follow the steps below to use a VBA script to combine two columns:

Step 1: Open the Excel workbook where you want to combine first and last names.

Step 2: Press Alt + F11 to open the Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) editor.

Step 3: In the VBA editor, right-click on any item in the Project Explorer window on the left. Choose Insert and then select Module.

Step 4: Copy and paste the code below and close the window to save it.

Sub CombineNames()
    Dim ws As Worksheet
    Dim lastRow As Long
    Dim i As Long
    
    ' Change "Sheet1" to your actual sheet name
    Set ws = ThisWorkbook.Sheets("Sheet1")
    
    ' Find the last row with data in column A (assuming first names are in column A)
    lastRow = ws.Cells(ws.Rows.Count, "A").End(xlUp).Row
    
    ' Loop through each row with data
    For i = 2 To lastRow ' Assuming row 1 is headers
        ' Combine first name (column A) and last name (column B), and place the result in column C
        ws.Cells(i, "C").Value = ws.Cells(i, "A").Value & " " & ws.Cells(i, "B").Value
    Next i
End Sub

Note: Ensure to adjust the sheet name and column references (“Sheet1”, columns “A”, “B”, and “C”) to match your actual data layout in Excel. Also, ensure that your data starts from row 2, assuming row 1 contains headers.

Step 5: Press Alt + F8 on your keyboard. Select CombineNames (or whatever you named the macro), and click Run.

Also Read: How to view multiple worksheets side-by-side in Excel

How to Put Names with Different Formats Together in Excel

Combining names in Excel can be tricky when they appear in different formats like ‘First Name, Last Name,’ ‘Last Name, First Name,’ or even separate columns. Thankfully, Excel offers a few helpful tools that let you combine cells with the help of commas. Here are some functions to get you started:

• Ampersand Operator (&): The simplest solution for basic name combinations. Ideal for quickly joining a few cells.
• CONCATENATE function: Offers more flexibility for inserting spaces, special characters, or combining several cells.
• Text to Columns: Best when names are in a single cell (like ‘Last Name, First Name’) and need to be split into separate columns.

You can find step-by-step guides above on using these functions to combine first and last names with different formats in Excel.

How to Eliminate Superfluous Spaces and Characters While Putting Names Together

When combining names in Excel, you might have extra spaces or special characters that disrupt the formatting. You can use a combination of Excel’s built-in functions and tools to clean up the results. Below, we’ve mentioned some of those functions with their formulas:

1. TRIM Function: Use this to remove leading, trailing, and excess spaces within text strings for data consistency.

=TRIM(cell_reference)

2. CLEAN Function: This helps you deal with data that may contain non-printable characters by removing them.

=CLEAN(cell_reference)

3. SUBSTITUTE Function: This can help you replace specific occurrences of a text within a cell, allowing for targeted modifications without altering the entire content.

=SUBSTITUTE(cell_reference, "old_text", "new_text")

Typical Mistakes Made When Merging Names in Excel and How to Correct Them

Here are some common mistakes you may make while combining first and last names in Excel:

• Typos: Misspelled names are a common issue when merging data. Carefully proofread your data before and after the merge.
• Inconsistent formatting: Extra spaces, mismatched capitalization, or middle initials in some entries but not others can create errors. Standardize formatting before merging.
• Missing data: Blank cells can cause errors. Decide if you want to exclude incomplete entries or use a placeholder (like “N/A”) to add the missing details later.
• Incorrect Formulas: Double-check any formulas you use for merging (like & or CONCATENATE). Minor errors can throw your results off.

To ensure that you avoid making these mistakes, use the below-mentioned tips:

• Preview before you finalize: Wherever possible, preview the results of your merge before committing to it. This can help catch errors early.
• Use error-handling functions: Functions like IFERROR can gracefully handle unexpected issues in your data.

Also Read: How to fix ‘Excel Worksheet Tabs’ not showing

Data Cells Combined

Whether organizing a contact list, generating email addresses, or streamlining data for mailing lists, combining first and last names in Excel is incredibly useful. This simple skill streamlines data organization and makes your spreadsheets more user-friendly.