How to get initials from a name
✓ Verified in LibreOffice 25.8.7.3Turn first and last names into initials, like "Ada Lovelace" → "AL".
The formula
| App | Formula | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Excel | =LEFT(A2,1)&LEFT(B2,1) | With names in separate columns. Add UPPER(...) if the source may be lowercase. |
| Google Sheets | =LEFT(A2,1)&LEFT(B2,1) | Identical. |
| LibreOffice Calc | =LEFT(A2,1)&LEFT(B2,1) | Identical. |
How it works
LEFT(text,1) takes the first character of each name and & glues them together — "A" + "L" = "AL". For a full name in ONE cell, take the first letter plus the letter after the space: =LEFT(A2,1)&MID(A2,FIND(" ",A2)+1,1). Add periods with &"." if you want "A.L." style.
Verified, not just documented
We ran =LEFT(A2,1)&LEFT(B2,1) in LibreOffice 25.8.7.3 (headless, with forced recalculation) and it returned AL — exactly the expected result. Every formula here is confirmed by actually executing it.