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There are several ways to sort names alphabetically in Excel. Excel's filter function is quite effective, but fully utilizing its potential is not a simple task. For Excel beginners or those learning basic Excel functions, applying basic functions and features is not straightforward.
In this article, Mytour will guide you on how to sort names alphabetically in Excel for two different scenarios. Explore various methods to understand how to sort names alphabetically in Excel and apply them to similar cases.
Sorting Names in Alphabetical Order in Excel
1. Scenario with Separate First and Last Name Columns.
Step 1: To sort names alphabetically in Excel in this scenario, first create a filter for the list by selecting the headers at the top of each column, then choose Data > Filter, as shown in the image.
Step 2: Once you've created the filter, proceed to Sort to arrange names in alphabetical order in Excel.
Step 3: In this step, choose the Name column and check My data has headers, then press OK.
Step 4: After that, you will see the list has been sorted alphabetically in Excel. Now, adjust the numbering to align more accurately with the list.
Hold Ctrl and drag from top to bottom, and you'll get the result as shown below.
So, we have completed sorting names alphabetically in Excel for the case of separate columns for first and last names.
2. Scenario with Combined First and Last Name Column.
Step 1: In this case, to sort names alphabetically in Excel, we essentially follow the same steps as the previous scenario. However, we need to filter the names separately first before sorting them in alphabetical order in Excel as usual.
First, click on the column before the name column and click Insert to add a new column.
Step 2: Then, copy the entire column of first and last names to the newly added column.
Step 3: After copying, your result will look like this. Select the entire new column of names and press the Ctrl + H key combination.
Step 4: The Find And Replace interface appears. Enter the following and click Replace All:
- Find what: Enter the characters * and space here.
- Replace with: Enter a single space here.
Wait for the system to announce All done, then click OK to close it.
Step 5: After the above steps, follow the same procedure as sorting names alphabetically in Excel, as we guided in the first part. Once the sorting is complete, click on the name column and choose Delete.
Now, you have successfully sorted names alphabetically in Excel when the first and last names are combined in one column.
The above is the simplest way to sort names alphabetically in Excel that we can perform using Excel. For those new to Excel, this guide is a helpful way to get acquainted with Excel and its basic features.
If you're interested in data sorting, you may explore additional ways to organize data on an Excel spreadsheet to become more familiar with basic functions. Sorting data on an Excel spreadsheet is particularly useful in professional settings.
