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How to count cells that start with a letter in Excel and Google Sheets
Excel & Google Sheets
=COUNTIF(A2:A6,"A*")✓
Verified example
Computed by a real spreadsheet engine on the sample data below.
| Name |
| Alice |
| Bob |
| Amanda |
| Charlie |
| Aaron |
=COUNTIF(A2:A6,"A*")→3
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Step by step
- 1Select the output cell.
- 2Type =COUNTIF( and select your range, e.g. A2:A6.
- 3Enter the criterion with the prefix followed by an asterisk: "A*" counts anything starting with 'A'.
- 4Close the parenthesis and press Enter.
- 5For a dynamic prefix stored in D1, use: =COUNTIF(A2:A6,D1&"*").
Tips
- The match is case-insensitive: 'a*' and 'A*' return the same count.
- You can use multiple characters as a prefix: =COUNTIF(A2:A6,"App*").
- For case-sensitive starts-with, use =SUMPRODUCT((LEFT(A2:A6,1)="A")*1).
- Numbers are also matched: =COUNTIF(A2:A6,"1*") counts cells starting with the digit 1.
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Frequently asked
How do I count cells starting with a number?
Use =COUNTIF(A2:A6,"1*") for cells starting with 1, adjusting the digit as needed.
Can I count cells that start with any vowel?
Sum multiple COUNTIF calls: =COUNTIF(A2:A6,"A*")+COUNTIF(A2:A6,"E*")+COUNTIF(A2:A6,"I*")+COUNTIF(A2:A6,"O*")+COUNTIF(A2:A6,"U*").