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#NAME? in Excel: what it means and how to fix it

#NAME? means Excel doesn't recognise something in your formula: usually a misspelt function, or text without quotation marks.

Try the first exercises for freeIn the lesson Understanding error messages

What does #NAME? mean?

#NAME? means that Excel doesn't recognise something in your formula. Usually the name of a function is misspelt, or there's text without quotation marks, so Excel thinks it's a name.

A common cause is a function name from another language version of Excel, such as SOM, the Dutch name for SUM. A newer function, such as XLOOKUP, also gives #NAME? in an older version of Excel that doesn't know it.

When do you get #NAME?

  • You type a function name wrongly, such as SUMM or VLOKUP.
  • You use a function name from another language version of Excel, such as SOMME or SUMME, in an English Excel.
  • You forget the quotation marks around text: =IF(A2=Yes,1,0) instead of =IF(A2="Yes",1,0).
  • You open a file with XLOOKUP or FILTER in Excel 2016 or older.

How to fix #NAME?, step by step

This is how to fix the error:

  1. Click the cell and read the formula in the formula bar. Check every function name.
  2. Type the name again and choose it from the list Excel suggests while you type: then the spelling is always right.
  3. Check that all the text is in quotation marks.
  4. Does the formula work for you, but not for someone else? Then check whether that person uses an older version of Excel that doesn't know the function.

Examples

Text without quotation marks

C1 contains =IF(A2=Yes,1,0). Without quotation marks, Excel thinks Yes is a name.

C1
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Answer
#NAME?
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Yes
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Ready

With quotation marks

C1 contains =IF(A2="Yes",1,0). With quotation marks, Yes is ordinary text, and the formula works.

C1
A
B
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1
Answer
1
2
Yes
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Ready

An unknown name

C1 contains =A2*Tax. Tax isn't a cell or an existing name here. Refer to the cell with the rate, or first give that cell the name Tax.

C1
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1
Amount
#NAME?
2
100
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Ready

Where it often goes wrong

  • Newer functions such as XLOOKUP give this error in older versions.
  • A defined name that doesn't exist gives the same error.
Want to try it yourself?
Practise this in the lesson Understanding error messages. The first exercises are free.

Try the first exercises for free

Frequently asked questions

How do I know whether Excel knows a function?

While you type, a list of suggestions appears. If it isn't in there, check the spelling or your version.

Read next

#VALUE!#N/A#DIV/0!#REF!#SPILL!