Defining a Name

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated July 4, 2020)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003


Names are used so that you can refer to a single cell or a cell range using something meaningful to you. You can define a name using Excel's menus by following these steps:

  1. Select the cell or cell range you want the name to represent.
  2. Choose Name from the Insert menu, and then Define from the resulting submenu. Excel displays the Define Name dialog box. (See Figure 1.)
  3. Figure 1. Define Name dialog box.

  4. Replace the suggested name (if any) with the name you want to use for the cell or cell range you selected in step 1.
  5. Click on Add. Your name is now defined.
  6. Click on OK to close the Define Name dialog box.

The names you define in Excel can be up to 255 characters in length and contain any numbers or letters, as well as the period, backslash, question mark or underscore. Names cannot contain any other special characters, including spaces. In addition, names must start with either a letter, backslash or the underscore.

You can also define a name by using the formula bar. To use this method, follow these steps:

  1. Select the cell or cell range you want the name to represent.
  2. Click in the area at the very left of the formula bar.
  3. Type the name you want to define, pressing Enter when done.

The name is defined and appears in the formula bar area whenever the cell or cells are selected.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2044) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Using WordArt in Excel

The WordArt program has been available in Office for a long, long time. It allows you to (dare I say it) create art from ...

Discover More

Relative References within Named Ranges

Excel is usually more flexible in what you can reference in formulas than is immediately apparent. This tip examines some ...

Discover More

Recognizing a Header Row when Sorting

When you sort data in a worksheet, there are a couple ways you can do it. Using the simple way can result in ...

Discover More

Comprehensive VBA Guide Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) is the language used for writing macros in all Office programs. This complete guide shows both professionals and novices how to master VBA in order to customize the entire Office suite for their needs. Check out Mastering VBA for Office 2010 today!

More ExcelTips (menu)

Changing Input Conventions

Different cultures have different conventions for displaying numbers and for parameters in Excel's worksheet functions. ...

Discover More

Tasks for Each Workbook

Excel allows you to control how it uses the Windows Taskbar. This tip explains the two ways Excel can use the Taskbar and ...

Discover More

Removing Personal Information

As you create and work on your workbooks, Excel can include sensitive personal information with the data. If you want to ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is 7 - 7?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


This Site

Got a version of Excel that uses the menu interface (Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, or Excel 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.

Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.