How to Separate First and Last Name in Google Sheets

How to Separate First and Last Name in Google Sheets

When we have a roster of names in sheets, we can split them by First and Last names using a helpful technique. This guide will show you how.

Note: this method will change the original data. Make sure you use this method on a copied version of the data, or keep a backup of the original.

  1. Select the cells with full names that you wish to separate. For example, I am selecting names from E2 to E7.

    Select Cells
    Select the cells that you want to separate.

  2. In the top-level menu, select Data, then click on Split the text to columns option.

    Split text to columns
    From the Data menu, choose the Split the text to columns option.

  3. When prompted with a dropdown menu to choose the separator, select the Space option. In our example, we want to separate the full names at the space character, which is why we selected the Space option. If another character is separating the names, you can choose one of the other options. This will split the names into two separate cells.

    Separator
    Choose the Space separator.

Phoebe is an HR assistant in her day job, but is also a web blogger that loves writing guides and sharing her experiences. When she is not out with her friends, she enjoys traveling or binge-watching Netflix. She graduated with a BA in Communication and Media Studies from the University of Utah, and is a chief editor at TechObservatory.

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