Randal:
You can use Instr(), Left(), Mid(), Right(), and InstrRev() functions to search for spaces and then parse your name. For example, you could create an update query, and use expressions similar to the ones I've listed below that I ran in the Immediate window of VBA.
strName = "David C. Atkins"
? left(strName, instr(strName, " ") - 1)
David
? right(strName, len(strName) - InstrRev(strName, " "))
Atkins
? mid(strName, instr(strName, " ") + 1, 2)
C.
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This assumes, however, that your names are highly standardized. If you have names such as the following ...
Mr. and Mrs. David C. and Nancy Atkins, Jr., Executive Vice President
Smith, A. M.; Jones, T.; Tompson, J. T.
M/M David C. & Nancy L. Atkins
Atkins, David and Nancy
Van Gough, Martin and Sheila
Martin & Shiela Mc Donald
Tom and Mary Smith
James T. Bringham, Ph.D.
David & Nancy Atkins
Mr. John P. Williford & Ms. Mary K. Smith, Ph.D.
.... then you need a true heuristic name parser, like the one I've written. If you want it, email me this week at (e-mail address removed), and I'll send it to you.
David Atkins, MCP