How to merge cells in excel first and last name

Answer

To merge first and last name in Excel, use formulas or Flash Fill; do not use the Merge Cells command because it removes all but the upper-left value.

Common methods (question: Which method should I use?)

To pick a method, choose one of these based on your Excel version and whether you need to keep the original columns.

1. Formula with ampersand (works in all Excel versions).

   • Enter in C2: =A2 & " " & B2.

   • Press Enter, then fill down.

2. CONCAT function (modern Excel).

   • Enter in C2: =CONCAT(A2," ",B2).

3. TEXTJOIN (handles missing parts and separators).

   • Enter in C2: =TEXTJOIN(" ", TRUE, A2, B2).

   • The TRUE argument ignores empty cells.

4. CONCATENATE (older Excel, deprecated).

   • Enter in C2: =CONCATENATE(A2," ",B2).

5. Flash Fill (fast, no formula).

   • In C2 type the full name exactly as you want, for example John Smith.

   • Select C3 and do Flash Fill: press Ctrl+E on Windows or ⌘+E on Mac.

   • Excel will auto-fill the pattern.

6. Power Query (for large data sets, repeatable transform).

   • Use the Get & Transform/Data → From Table → Merge Columns → choose separator → Close & Load.

Step-by-step: use the ampersand method and convert results to plain text

1. In cell C2 enter =A2 & " " & B2.

2. Press Enter.

3. Select C2, then double-click the fill-handle or drag down to copy the formula for all rows.

4. Select the new column (C).

5. Copy (Ctrl+C on Windows, ⌘C on Mac).

6. Paste values: Home → Paste → Paste Values (or right-click → Paste Values).

7. Delete original columns A and B only after verifying results.

How to handle extra spaces or missing names (question: How do I remove extra spaces?)

To remove extra spaces, use TRIM:

• Enter =TRIM(A2 & " " & B2) and copy down.
  TRIM removes leading, trailing, and duplicate spaces between names.

What happens if I use Merge & Center?

Do not use Merge & Center to combine first and last names because Merge & Center keeps the value in the top-left cell and discards the others. Use formulas or Flash Fill to combine text safely.

Windows vs Mac differences

1. Formula functions (&, CONCAT, TEXTJOIN, CONCATENATE, TRIM) work the same on Windows and on Mac.

2. Flash Fill keyboard shortcut: Ctrl+E on Windows, ⌘+E on Mac.

3. Ribbon location for Paste Values is the same; keyboard shortcuts for Copy/Paste use Ctrl on Windows and ⌘ on Mac.

Troubleshooting (question: Why is my result showing #NAME? or blank?)

• #NAME? means the function name is not recognized; use & instead or upgrade Excel for TEXTJOIN.

• Blank result means one or both source cells are empty; use TEXTJOIN(" ",TRUE,A2,B2) to ignore blanks.

Quick examples (question: Show quick formulas I can copy)

1. Ampersand: =A2 & " " & B2

2. TRIM + ampersand: =TRIM(A2 & " " & B2)

3. CONCAT: =CONCAT(A2," ",B2)

4. TEXTJOIN: =TEXTJOIN(" ",TRUE,A2,B2)

Best practices

1. Keep original columns until merged values are verified.

2. Convert formulas to values before deleting source columns.

3. Use TEXTJOIN when middle names or missing parts are possible.

4. Use Power Query for repeatable, large-scale transformations.

Further help (question: Can you give me the exact steps for Flash Fill?)

To perform Flash Fill:

1. Type the desired merged result in the first cell of the results column (for example, C2: John Smith).

2. Select the cell below (C3).

3. Trigger Flash Fill by pressing Ctrl+E on Windows or ⌘+E on Mac.

4. Verify the filled results and paste values if needed.

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