Microsoft Excel is a fantastic Program for data composition. You can quickly sort out massive amounts of data with Excel and create your desired chart and table with this app.
However, when collecting student information or employee details, there can be an urgent need to combine first and last names in an Excel sheet. But many of you don’t know how to combine names in an Excel spreadsheet.
Don’t worry; combining names in MS Excel is an easygoing process. In this article, I will show you several methods by which you can quickly combine first and last names in Excel without any difficulties.
So, read the entire article without skipping, and let’s get started!
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How to Combine First and Last Names in MS Excel
There are several ways to combine names in MS Excel. But in this article, I displayed the five most straightforward methods for you to pursue. You can choose the best-suited one among them to complete your combined names process.
Here are the steps to combine the first and last names in Microsoft Excel:
1. Use the Flash Fill Function
The Flash Fill function on Excel was first implemented in MS Excel 13. From then on, it helps several users to complete their composing without a hassle. It reads the spreadsheet, automatically understands the program then fills up the Empty cells.
The Flash Fill option is the easiest and most reliable method. So you must try this to combine your desired names on an Excel sheet.
Here are the steps to use the Flash Fill function to combine names in Excel:
- Open the MS Excel spreadsheet.
- Type the First Combination Manually.
- Start typing the Second Combination; you will see the grayed-out names on blank Excel cells.
- Click on the Grayed Out Names area.
The combination of first and last names is complete.
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Alternatively, if you don’t see the Grayed name cells, follow the steps below: 
- Type the First Name Combination manually on MS Excel.
- Move your cursor to the lower edge corner of the First cell, and the cursor will turn into the Plus(+) icon.
- Double click on this (+) icon.
- Select the Auto Fill Option on the Right End Side of the Excel Chart.
- Choose the Flash Fill option.
All the empty cells are now filled with your desired name combination.
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2. Apply CONCATENATE Function
With the help of the CONCATENATE function, you can easily combine the first and last names of an Excel sheet. Let’s find out how to complete that operation.
Here are the steps to apply the CONCATENATE function to combine names in MS Excel:
- Launch the Microsoft Excel application.
- Select the First Cell from the Full Name Column.
- Click on the Insert Function button.
- Choose the CONCATENATE option from the Select a function: box.
- Hit the OK key.
- Click on the Text1 box, then click on the First Cell from the First Name column.
- Move to the Text2 box, press Space from the Keyboard, and Click on the Text3 box.
- Click on the First Cell from the Last Name column.
- Press the OK button when you can see the total combination under the text boxes for me; it was ( = “John Wick” ).
You will see the entire chart is completed with the combination of names. This CONCATENATE function allows you to add 255 different items to a single cell on Excel.
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3. Use a Formula
We all know that with some formula, you can add many features to your Microsoft Excel sheet. There is an easy-to-write formula available for the process of this combined name. Let’s sort out how you can combine first and last names in Excel using a formula.
Here are the steps to use a formula to combine names in MS Excel:
- Open the Excel program.
- Select the First Cell from the Full Name column.
- Move to the Empty Function Box and Write (the section you need to change is in blue text)
- =(First Name Serial number)&” “&(Last Name Serial Number)
- For me, it is ( =C3&” “&D3 ); you must select the appropriate cell number, for assistance; look at the Pictures I have given.
- Select the Full Name cell Handle(+) and drag it across the end of this column to complete the name Combination, or you can click outside of the table.
See how easy the formula is? With this formula, you can quickly combine names in Excel.
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4. Apply TEXTJOIN Formula
For 2016 Excel versions and higher, the TEXTJOIN formula is a fantastic option to combine names. Let’s see how you can use this option to combine the first and the last names in Excel.
Here are the steps to apply the TEXTJOIN formula to combine names in Excel:
- Launch the MS Excel program.
- Click on the First Cell from the Full Name Column.
- Enter the formula:
- =TEXTJOIN(” “,TRUE,Table1[@[First Name]:[Last Name]])
- After the TRUE, select the first row names you want to combine and close the bracket.
- Hit the Enter key after closing the bracket to complete the name combination.
Applying the TEXTJOIN function can save you a lot of time; this is a quick method to complete the combination process.
5. Use Power Query
The Power Query feature can help you combine a massive amount of names in MS Excel. It is beneficial when you deal with an enormous amount of data. To apply the Power Query, you must convert your data sheet into an Excel Table.
Here are the steps to use the Power Query function to combine names in Excel:
Make an Excel Table from the Data
- Click on any cell from the data cells.
- Move to the Insert menu.
- Select the Table icon from the Tables section.
- Ensure the Data Range is correct on the Create Table window and hit the OK key.
Use Power Query to Combine Names
- Click on any cell from the Excel Table.
- Navigate to the Data section.
- Choose the From Sheet or From Table/Range options to open the Power Query Editor.
- Move to the Add Column section from the Power Query Editor.
- Select both Columns by holding the CTRL key and clicking on the Full Name and Last Name cells.
- Click on the Merge Columns option after selecting both columns.
- Choose the Space from the Separator box.
- Type Full Name on the New Column Name(Optional) box.
- Hit the OK key.
- Move to the File menu and choose the Close & Load option.
Instantly, you can see that a new Merged Table appears on a new Excel Sheet. Read along if you want to know how to merge names in MS Excel with a comma.
How to Merge the First and Last Name in Microsoft Excel With a Comma
With the help of a formula, you can merge the names in MS Excel. If you want to know how to combine the names with a comma, track down the instructions below.
Here are the steps to apply a formula to merge names in Excel with a comma:
- Launch the MS Excel application.
- Click on the First Cell from the Full Name column.
- Navigate to the Empty Function Box and Type the following formula:
- =First Names Serial number&”,“&Last Name Serial Number
- You must include a comma in the double quotation area as I highlighted it with red color.
- See, the formula for me is ( =C3&”,”&D3 ); take a close look at my pictures.
- Highlight the Full Name cell Handle(+) and Drag it to the column’s end.
Immediately you will notice that all your names are merged, and there is a comma between them.
FAQs
How do you combine two names in a cell in MS Excel?
In order to combine two names in a cell on MS Excel, you must select the first cell from the combination column. Then move to the Blank Function Box and Type =First Names Serial number&”,“&Last Name Serial Number such as ( =C3&” “&D3 ).
What is CONCATENATE in Microsoft Excel?
The CONCATENATE is a function with which you can combine multiple numbers of data into a single cell. To be exact, you can add 255 items into a single cell with the help of the CONCATENATE function.
Is the Flash Fill feature available in MS Excel 2013?
Yes, the Flash Fill Feature is available on MS Excel 2013 and later Excel versions.
Wrapping up
With MS Excel, you can efficiently process a considerable amount of data. However, if you need to combine names in Excel, you can use several methods to achieve that.
Using the Flash Fill feature to merge names in Excel is an excellent and quick way. Also, you can apply a Formula or CONCATENATE functions. The Power Query and TEXTJOIN feature can help if you are looking for the perfect methods to complete the process.
As you already know all that because, in this article, I briefly demonstrated the ways mentioned above. So read this article carefully and follow the methods to solve your issue.
Let us know how this content helps you in the comment section; until then, bye!
