Split First name and Last name using JavaScript

I have a user with the name Paul Steve Panakkal. It's a long name it won't fit to the div container. So is there anyway to split first name and last name from it using JavaScript or jQuery?

The name is got from PHP into a variable in JavaScript. This is then splitted using JS.

You should use the String.prototype.split() method:

'Paul Steve Panakkal'.split(' '); // returns ["Paul", "Steve", "Panakkal"]

You can use it this way:

'Paul Steve Panakkal'.split(' ').slice(0, -1).join(' '); // returns "Paul Steve"
'Paul Steve Panakkal'.split(' ').slice(-1).join(' '); // returns "Panakkal"

So in common:

var firstName = fullName.split(' ').slice(0, -1).join(' ');
var lastName = fullName.split(' ').slice(-1).join(' ');

Yes:

var fullName = "Paul Steve Panakkal".split(' '),
    firstName = fullName[0],
    lastName = fullName[fullName.length - 1];

References:

• string.split().

In Spanish it can be tricky because you may have a second optional name and even complex surnames like "del Bosque" or "de la Hoya", vowels with accent marks and the ñ. The following javascript is capabable of parsing a full spanish name, having in count you are writting it respecting the upper and lower cases. It will return a json giving you

1. name: 1 or 2 main names
2. lastName: the main lastname
3. secondLastName: The second lastname

The code is:

function parseName(input) {
        var fullName = input || "";
        var result = {};

        if (fullName.length > 0) {
            var nameTokens = fullName.match(/[A-ZÁ-ÚÑÜ][a-zá-úñü]+|([aeodlsz]+\s+)+[A-ZÁ-ÚÑÜ][a-zá-úñü]+/g) || [];

            if (nameTokens.length > 3) {
                result.name = nameTokens.slice(0, 2).join(' ');
            } else {
                result.name = nameTokens.slice(0, 1).join(' ');
            }

            if (nameTokens.length > 2) {
                result.lastName = nameTokens.slice(-2, -1).join(' ');
                result.secondLastName = nameTokens.slice(-1).join(' ');
            } else {
                result.lastName = nameTokens.slice(-1).join(' ');
                result.secondLastName = "";
            }
        }

        return result;
}

The surnames are required if you are going to specify a second name. Try it out with:

• Vicente Hernández Planes
• Oscar de la Hoya
• José Julian Martí Pérez
• Manuel de Céspedes del Castillo
• Calixto García Íñiguez

Even try out a complex one like

• María de la Caridad del Bosque y Loynáz

Comment your experiences with it.