# String concat person's name

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/string-concat-persons-name/125059>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [January 4, 2008, 10:21pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/string-concat-persons-name/125059 "2008-01-04T22:21:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![backz](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/9f8e36/32.png) [@backz](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/backz)\
**Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 10:21pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/string-concat-persons-name/125059/1 "2008-01-04T22:21:58Z")

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Hi,

If I have person’s name and I want to concatenate last name only, how  
do I do that?(They are separated by space.)

ex)first\_name last\_name  
ex)first\_name middle\_name last\_name

thanks,

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**Author:** ![backz](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/9f8e36/32.png) [@backz](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/backz)\
**Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 11:27pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/string-concat-persons-name/125059/2 "2008-01-04T23:27:22Z")

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Daniel K. wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> If I have person’s name and I want to concatenate last name only, how  
> do I do that?(They are separated by space.)
> 
> ex)first\_name last\_name  
> ex)first\_name middle\_name last\_name

Use regular expressions:

# irb

> > a = ‘first middle last’  
> > =\> “first middle last\_name”
> 
> > a =~ / _([^]_)$/  
> > =\> 12
> 
> > $1  
> > =\> “last\_name”

Stephan

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![backz](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/9f8e36/32.png) [@backz](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/backz)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2008, 12:11am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/string-concat-persons-name/125059/3 "2008-01-05T00:11:30Z")

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Thanks Stephan!  
I found out that this also works:

array = name.split(’ ')  
array[array.length-1].to\_s

On Jan 4, 5:27 pm, Stephan W. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![backz](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/9f8e36/32.png) [@backz](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/backz)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2008, 12:25am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/string-concat-persons-name/125059/4 "2008-01-05T00:25:02Z")

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Or,

‘first middle last\_name’.split.last

Jamey

On Jan 4, 2008 5:27 PM, Stephan W.  
[removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid)