Naming an Excel Range

Excel Name Box 

Select the range, click into the Name Box, and type the name.

TIP: Range names cannot contain characters that are used in programming. those characters are: " / \ [ ] ; : | = . , ? * + < >. You cannot use spaces, however, upper and lower cases will be retained and Underscores and dashes can be used to help the readability of your range name.

Selection method

1. Select the range including its label.
   
   
2. Excel 2003- Select Insert, Name, Create on the menu.
   Excel 2007- On the Formulas Tab, in the Defined Names group, click Create from Selection.
   
   
3. In the Create Names box, select where the label is found and click OK.

Name Multiple Excel Ranges

You can have Excel name ranges based on either column titles for multiple ranges.

1. Highlight the ranges to name along with their titles.
2. Excel 2003- Select Insert, Name, Create on the menu.
   Excel 2007- On the Formulas Tab, in the Defined Names group, click Create from Selection.
   
   
3. In the Create Names box, select where the Names will be found and click OK.

Navigate using a Excel Range Name

Click on the down arrow of the Excel Name Box and select the desired range name.

OR

Select the range name in the Edit, Go To box (CTRL + G or F5)

 Names in Excel Formulas

Paste Name 

Excel Range names can be used as arguments in formulas. In a very large worksheet, the use of range names may make the formulas more meaningful. To enter a range name you can type the range name into the arguments or you can use the Paste Name box while you are in the argument section of your formula. [E.g. =Sum( __  ] the Excel Paste Name box can be opened by using the Insert, Name, paste menu option or by using the function key F3.

Applying a Range to an Existing Formula

1. Highlight the formulas you want to change to name reference. In this example, range D12:F12.
2. Excel 2003-  Click on Insert, Range, Apply on the menu.
   Excel 2007- On the Formulas Tab, in the Defined Names group, click Use in Formua.
3. In the Apply Names box, verify the correct Names have been selected and click OK.

Naming a Value

You can use Names for more than just naming a range. You can define a value that you may not want to display on the worksheet.

1. Excel 2003 - Click on Insert, Name, Define on the menu. In the Define Name box, type the Name you want to use.
   (Following the naming rules above.)
   Excel 2007- On the Formulas Tab, in the Defined Names group, click on Define Name. In the Define Name box, type the Name you want to use.
   (Following the naming rules above.)
2. In the Refers to: box, type = and the value.
3. Click OK.
   Excel 2003:
    
   
   Excel 2007:
   
   
4. Now you can use that Name in a formula.