What the alphabetize list tool does
This tool puts any list into alphabetical order. Paste your items, choose A–Z or Z–A, and the sorted list appears ready to copy. Extra options let you ignore capital letters, remove duplicates, skip words like "the" at the start of titles, and sort names by surname.
It all happens in your browser, so your list is never uploaded or saved.
How to sort a list A–Z
- Paste your list, one item per line.
- Choose the order: A–Z or Z–A.
- Turn on Ignore case so that capital and small letters sort together.
- Turn on Remove duplicates to keep just one copy of any repeated item.
- Turn on Ignore "the", "a" and "an" to sort titles the way libraries do – "The Silver Key" is filed under S.
- Turn on Sort by last word for names, so "Maya Lopez" is filed under L.
- Choose the output: one item per line or a comma-separated list.
- Press Copy and paste the result wherever you need it.
Ways to use an alphabetized list
Class lists and guest lists
Paste names in any order, turn on Sort by last word and get a clean roster sorted by surname. Perfect for seating plans, sign-in sheets and party invitations.
Reading lists and bibliographies
Sort book or song titles with Ignore "the", "a" and "an" turned on, so titles land where readers expect to find them.
Spelling and vocabulary lists
Teachers can paste a week's words and sort them for a handout. Remove duplicates catches any word you added twice.
Shopping lists and inventories
A sorted list is easier to scan. Use it for pantry stock, craft supplies, tool sheds or club equipment.
Data and code
Need a quick comma-separated list for a spreadsheet, an email or a line of code? Choose comma-separated output and paste it straight in. It works the other way too: paste a long column copied from a spreadsheet, sort it, and paste it back.
Glossaries and indexes
Writing a report, a manual or a school project? Sort your key terms A–Z for a glossary at the back, and use Remove duplicates to catch any term you listed twice.
Tips for sorting lists
- Check names with suffixes. Sort by last word uses the final word on each line, so "Sam Ortiz Jr." would be filed under J. Remove the suffix first or fix those lines by hand.
- Turn on Ignore case when your list mixes capitals, so "apple" and "Banana" sort as you'd expect.
- Clean up first. Remove duplicates before you count or share the list.
- Copy from a spreadsheet column. Each cell lands on its own line, which is exactly the format the tool expects.
- Want a random order instead? Shuffle the list with the random list picker.
- Looking for words, not sorting them? Browse words that start with any letter.
Questions
How do I alphabetize a list?
Paste your list with one item per line, choose A–Z and press Copy to take the sorted result. It takes seconds and works on any device.
Can I sort a list Z to A?
Yes. Choose Z–A and the list is sorted in reverse alphabetical order.
How do I alphabetize names by last name?
Turn on Sort by last word. Each line is sorted by its final word, which is usually the surname.
Can it remove duplicates from my list?
Yes. Turn on Remove duplicates and every repeated item appears only once.
Does it ignore "The" at the start of titles?
It can. Turn on the option to ignore "the", "a" and "an", and titles are sorted by the word that follows.
Can I get a comma-separated list?
Yes. Switch the output from one item per line to comma-separated, then copy it.
Can I sort a spreadsheet column with it?
Yes. Copy the column, paste it in, sort it and paste the result back into your spreadsheet. Each cell becomes one line.
Is my list uploaded anywhere?
No. Sorting happens in your browser and nothing is sent to our server.
Last updated October 2, 2026