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How to swap first and last name in Excel and Google Sheets
Topic:Text manipulationExcel & Google Sheets
=MID(A2,FIND(" ",A2)+1,100)&", "&LEFT(A2,FIND(" ",A2)-1)✓
Verified example
Computed by a real spreadsheet engine on the sample data below.
| Full Name |
| Alice Johnson |
| Bob Smith |
| Carol White |
| David Brown |
=MID(A2,FIND(" ",A2)+1,100)&", "&LEFT(A2,FIND(" ",A2)-1)→Johnson, Alice
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Step by step
- 1Locate the space position with FIND(" ",A2).
- 2Extract the first name with =LEFT(A2,FIND(" ",A2)-1).
- 3Extract the last name with =MID(A2,FIND(" ",A2)+1,100) — 100 is generous enough for any last name.
- 4Combine in Last, First order: =MID(A2,FIND(" ",A2)+1,100)&", "&LEFT(A2,FIND(" ",A2)-1).
- 5If names can have a middle name or initial, decide whether the last name is always the final word and adjust accordingly.
Tips
- For names with middle names ('Alice Marie Johnson'), consider storing First, Middle, Last in separate columns from the start to avoid complex parsing.
Need it for your exact data?
Describe your columns in plain English and get the precise formula for your sheet, with the right Excel or Sheets syntax.
Frequently asked
What if the name is already in 'Last, First' format?
Use FIND(",",A2) to detect the comma and branch with IF to handle both formats, or standardize input before processing.
Does this handle names with a suffix like Jr. or III?
Not automatically — suffixes after the last name will be included in the 'last name' portion. You'll need additional logic to strip suffixes if that's required.
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