Written and reviewed by FormulaCraft Team. Each formula on this page is run through our verification engine before publishing.
Last reviewed:
How to return the column header of a matching value in Excel and Google Sheets
Excel & Google Sheets
=INDEX($A$1:$D$1,MATCH(E2,$A$2:$D$2,0))Try it with your data
Edit the grid or formula, then run it through a real spreadsheet engine — no signup.
Sample data — click any cell to edit
Runs server-side · free · no signup
Step by step
- 1Ensure your table has headers in row 1 and data in subsequent rows.
- 2Put the value you want to locate in a cell (e.g. E2).
- 3Enter =INDEX($A$1:$D$1,MATCH(E2,$A$2:$D$2,0)).
- 4MATCH finds the column position of E2 in the data row; INDEX returns the header from row 1 at that position.
Tips
- This technique is useful for highlighting which category or period a maximum or minimum falls in — e.g. combine with MAX: =INDEX($A$1:$D$1,MATCH(MAX($A$2:$D$2),$A$2:$D$2,0)).
- If the value appears in multiple columns, MATCH returns only the first occurrence. Add IFERROR to handle the case where the value is not found.
Working on a sheet you inherited? Run the Auditor on the whole file first — it flags every #REF!, #N/A, broken column pattern, and inconsistent formula in seconds, free, no signup.
Frequently asked
How do I return the column header for a value anywhere in a table (not just one row)?
Wrap in an array formula and use MATCH on a concatenated or flattened version of the table, or search row-by-row with helper columns.
What if the headers are in a column (row headers) rather than a row?
Switch the INDEX range to a column and adjust MATCH to search within the relevant column: =INDEX($A$1:$A$5,MATCH(E2,$B$1:$B$5,0)).