How to sort names by middle name in Excel?

Sorting names by middle name in Excel can be tricky since most methods focus on first or last names. This guide provides three efficient ways to sort names by middle name using formulas, the Text to Columns feature, or Kutools for Excel's Split Names utility.

Sort names by middle name with formula

Sort names by middle name with Text to Columns

Sort names by middle name with Split Names tool

Sort names by middle name with formula

Here is a formula to extract the middle name, allowing you to sort the names using a helper column.

1. Select a cell next to the names you want to sort, type this formula =IF(ISERR(FIND(" ",A1,1+FIND(" ",A1))),"",MID(A1,FIND(" ",A1)+1,FIND(" ",A1,1+FIND(" ",A1))-FIND(" ",A1)-1)), and drag fill handle down to fill cells with this formula.

2. Keep the formula cells selected, and click Data > Sort A to Z, and check Expand the selection option in Sort Warning dialog.

3. Click Sort, the names have been sorted by middle names. See screenshot:

Sort names by middle name with Text to Columns

The Text to Columns feature can split names into columns, allowing you to sort the range by the middle name column.

1. Select the names and click Data > Text to Columns.

2. In the Convert Text to Columns Wizard dialog, check Delimited option in the first one step, click Next to check Space option in Delimiters section, then click Next to go to the last step, and select a location to place new data. See screenshot:

3. Click Finish, the names have been split into three columns, select the column with middle names, click Data > Sort A to Z, and check Expand the selection in the popping dialog.

4. Click Sort.

Sort names by middle name with Split Names tool

If you have Kutools for Excel, you can use the Split Names feature to quickly extract the middle names only, and then sort.

After installing Kutools for Excel, please do as below: (Free Download Kutools for Excel Now!)

1. Select names and click Kutools > Merge & Split > Split Names.

2. In the Split Names dialog, check Middle name only, and click Ok, then in the next dialog to select a cell next to the names to place the middle names. See screenshot:

3. Click OK, only middle names have been extracted. Then click Data > Sort A to Z, check Expand the selection in the popping dialog, and click Sort to the sort names.

With the Split Names utility, you can split names into first, middle, and last names.

Demo: Sort names by middle name with Split Names tool