#NAME?
#NAME? Error in Excel — Causes & Fixes
Excel shows #NAME? when it cannot recognise text in a formula — usually a misspelled function name, a missing quotation mark, or an undefined named range.
Why this happens
Common causes of #NAME?
Misspelled function name
SUMIFF instead of SUMIFS, or VLOKUP instead of VLOOKUP. Excel treats the unrecognised text as an undefined name and returns #NAME?.
Text argument missing quotes
If a text value in a formula is not wrapped in double quotes — e.g., =IF(A1=yes,1,0) instead of =IF(A1="yes",1,0) — Excel tries to interpret "yes" as a named range and fails.
Named range deleted or misspelled
If you reference a named range that has been deleted or renamed, Excel cannot find it and returns #NAME?.
Function not available in your Excel version
XLOOKUP, LET, and LAMBDA are only available in Excel 365 / Excel 2021 and later. Older versions return #NAME? because they do not recognise the function.
How to fix it
Step-by-step fixes for #NAME?
Use the formula autocomplete
Start typing a function name and select it from the autocomplete dropdown. This guarantees the spelling is correct.
Check named ranges in the Name Manager
Go to Formulas > Name Manager to see all defined names. Delete or rename any that conflict with your formula.
Add missing quotes around text
Select the cell, go to the formula bar, and wrap any unquoted text strings in double quotes: "East", "Yes", "Completed".
Replace unsupported functions with compatible equivalents
If colleagues use older Excel versions, replace XLOOKUP with VLOOKUP/INDEX MATCH, and replace LET with helper columns.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check all names defined in a workbook?
Press Ctrl+F3 or go to Formulas > Name Manager. This shows all named ranges and tables — you can edit or delete any that are causing #NAME? errors.
Why does #NAME? appear after I copy a formula from another workbook?
Named ranges are workbook-specific. If the formula references a name defined in the source workbook but not the destination, you will see #NAME?. Redefine the name in the current workbook or replace it with a direct cell reference.
Related function references
These functions appear most often in formulas that produce #NAME?.
Other Excel errors