---
title: "Take the first name with TEXTBEFORE | PracticeExcel"
description: "Practice TEXTBEFORE in a live spreadsheet: take the first name from a full name."
canonical_url: "https://practiceexcelonline.com/practice/substitute-textbefore-textafter/textbefore-first-name"
locale: en
meta:
  "og:description": "Practice TEXTBEFORE in a live spreadsheet: take the first name from a full name."
  "og:image": "https://practiceexcelonline.com/_og/d/c_Page%2Ctitle_Take%2Bthe%2Bfirst%2Bname%2Bwith%2BTEXTBEFORE%2Cdescription_~UHJhY3RpY2UgVEVYVEJFRk9SRSBpbiBhIGxpdmUgc3ByZWFkc2hlZXQ6IHRha2UgdGhlIGZpcnN0IG5hbWUgZnJvbSBhIGZ1bGwgbmFtZS4%2Ceyebrow_~U1VCU1RJVFVURSwgVEVYVEJFRk9SRSBhbmQgVEVYVEFGVEVS%2Csite_practiceexcel%2Cprops_eyJncmlkIjp7ImNvbHMiOlsiQSIsIkIiXSwicm93cyI6W3sibiI6MSwiY2VsbHMiOlsiRnVsbCBuYW1lIiwiRmlyc3QgbmFtZSJdfSx7Im4iOjIsImNlbGxzIjpbIk1hcmlhIExvcGV6IEdhcmNpYSIsIiJdfV0sInRhcmdldCI6WzEsMV19fQ%2Cp_Ii9wcmFjdGljZS9zdWJzdGl0dXRlLXRleHRiZWZvcmUtdGV4dGFmdGVyL3RleHRiZWZvcmUtZmlyc3QtbmFtZSI%2Cs_1km6Hgrqd_0xj1kt.png"
  "og:image:height": "600"
  "og:image:type": image/png
  "og:image:width": "1200"
  "og:title": "Take the first name with TEXTBEFORE | PracticeExcel"
  "twitter:image": "https://practiceexcelonline.com/_og/d/c_Page%2Ctitle_Take%2Bthe%2Bfirst%2Bname%2Bwith%2BTEXTBEFORE%2Cdescription_~UHJhY3RpY2UgVEVYVEJFRk9SRSBpbiBhIGxpdmUgc3ByZWFkc2hlZXQ6IHRha2UgdGhlIGZpcnN0IG5hbWUgZnJvbSBhIGZ1bGwgbmFtZS4%2Ceyebrow_~U1VCU1RJVFVURSwgVEVYVEJFRk9SRSBhbmQgVEVYVEFGVEVS%2Csite_practiceexcel%2Cprops_eyJncmlkIjp7ImNvbHMiOlsiQSIsIkIiXSwicm93cyI6W3sibiI6MSwiY2VsbHMiOlsiRnVsbCBuYW1lIiwiRmlyc3QgbmFtZSJdfSx7Im4iOjIsImNlbGxzIjpbIk1hcmlhIExvcGV6IEdhcmNpYSIsIiJdfV0sInRhcmdldCI6WzEsMV19fQ%2Cp_Ii9wcmFjdGljZS9zdWJzdGl0dXRlLXRleHRiZWZvcmUtdGV4dGFmdGVyL3RleHRiZWZvcmUtZmlyc3QtbmFtZSI%2Cs_1km6Hgrqd_0xj1kt.png"
---

> Index of every page on this site: [llms.txt](https://practiceexcelonline.com/llms.txt)

# **Take the first name with TEXTBEFORE**

**Premium**

In B2, use TEXTBEFORE to get the text in A2 before the first space.

B2fx

|  | A | B | C | D | E | F |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Full name | First name |  |  |  | |
| 2 | Maria Lopez Garcia |  |  |  |  | |
| 3 |  |  |  |  |  | |
| 4 |  |  |  |  |  | |
| 5 |  |  |  |  |  | |
| 6 |  |  |  |  |  | |
| 7 |  |  |  |  |  | |
| 8 |  |  |  |  |  | |

**Premium lesson**

## **Unlock SUBSTITUTE, TEXTBEFORE and TEXTAFTER and every other lesson**

This is a premium lesson. Premium lets you solve it and every other lesson, take the timed mock tests, and earn certificates you can share on LinkedIn.

Next with premium:**Dates and DATE****EDATE and EOMONTH**

It comes up in this mock test: [**Excel test for admin jobs**](https://practiceexcelonline.com/tests/excel-test-for-admin-jobs)

[**See plans, from $5/month**](https://practiceexcelonline.com/pricing) [**Already premium? Sign in**](https://practiceexcelonline.com/login?next=/practice/substitute-textbefore-textafter/textbefore-first-name)

Need help?

```json
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#identity","@type":"Organization","name":"PracticeExcel","url":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/","logo":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#logo"}},{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#website","@type":"WebSite","inLanguage":"en-US","name":"PracticeExcel","url":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/","alternateName":["Practice Excel Online","PracticeExcelOnline.com"],"publisher":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#identity"},"workTranslation":{"@id":"https://excelopgaver.dk/#website"}},{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/practice/substitute-textbefore-textafter/textbefore-first-name#webpage","description":"Practice TEXTBEFORE in a live spreadsheet: take the first name from a full name.","name":"Take the first name with TEXTBEFORE","url":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/practice/substitute-textbefore-textafter/textbefore-first-name","@type":["WebPage","FAQPage"],"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/practice/substitute-textbefore-textafter/textbefore-first-name#breadcrumb"},"isPartOf":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#website"},"mainEntity":[{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/practice/substitute-textbefore-textafter/textbefore-first-name#/schema/question/1"}],"potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https://practiceexcelonline.com/practice/substitute-textbefore-textafter/textbefore-first-name"]}],"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#logo"}},{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/practice/substitute-textbefore-textafter/textbefore-first-name#breadcrumb","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","name":"Home","item":"https://practiceexcelonline.com","position":1},{"@type":"ListItem","name":"Excel practice exercises","item":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/practice","position":2},{"@type":"ListItem","name":"SUBSTITUTE, TEXTBEFORE and TEXTAFTER","item":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/practice/substitute-textbefore-textafter","position":3},{"@type":"ListItem","name":"Take the first name with TEXTBEFORE","position":4}]},{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/practice/substitute-textbefore-textafter/textbefore-first-name#/schema/question/1","@type":"Question","inLanguage":"en-US","name":"Which Excel versions have TEXTBEFORE?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"TEXTBEFORE and TEXTAFTER are in Excel for Microsoft 365 and Excel on the web. In older versions use LEFT with FIND."}},{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/practice/substitute-textbefore-textafter/textbefore-first-name#/schema/learning-resource/1","@type":"LearningResource","description":"Practice TEXTBEFORE in a live spreadsheet: take the first name from a full name.","educationalLevel":"beginner","isAccessibleForFree":false,"learningResourceType":"exercise","name":"Take the first name with TEXTBEFORE","teaches":"SUBSTITUTE, TEXTBEFORE and TEXTAFTER"},{"@id":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/#logo","@type":"ImageObject","caption":"PracticeExcel","contentUrl":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/brand/practiceexcel/icon-512.png","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://practiceexcelonline.com/brand/practiceexcel/icon-512.png"}]}
```

## Sitemap

See the full [sitemap](https://practiceexcelonline.com/sitemap.md) for all pages.
