How to fix the #NAME? error in Excel
#NAME? means Excel found a word it can’t identify: not a function, not a cell, not a named range.
#NAME?
Why it happens
A misspelled function
=VLOKUP(...) or =SUMIF S(...).
Text without quotes
=COUNTIF(B2:B9,East) treats East as a name. Text criteria need quotes: "East".
A named range that doesn’t exist
Using =SUM(Sales) when no range is named Sales.
A function your version doesn’t have
XLOOKUP, FILTER and UNIQUE need Excel 2021 or Microsoft 365.
How to fix it
Put text criteria in quotes
=COUNTIF(B2:B9,"East") → 3
Let Excel suggest the name: type =COU and pick from the list
=COUNTA(C2:C9) → 8
Examples use this sample sheet of orders:
A
B
C
D
E
F
1
Order
Region
Rep
Units
Price
Revenue
2
1001
East
Maya
4
12
48
3
1002
West
Omar
2
30
60
4
1003
East
Lena
7
12
84
5
1004
North
Maya
1
45
45
6
1005
West
Lena
5
30
150
7
1006
East
Omar
3
18
54
8
1007
North
Lena
6
12
72
9
1008
West
Maya
8
18
144
Tip: Typing a function in lowercase is a quick check: Excel converts it to capitals when it recognises the name.
Other Excel errors
- #N/A“Not available”: a lookup couldn’t find what you asked for.
- #VALUE!A formula got the wrong kind of data, usually text where it needed a number.
- #REF!The formula points at a cell that no longer exists.
- #DIV/0!A formula tried to divide by zero or by an empty cell.
- #SPILL!A formula that returns several results has no room to spill into.
- #NUM!The math is impossible or a number is out of range.