How to Find the Name of the Top Performer in Excel

Return the name that goes with the highest value — overall and within one team — using INDEX, MATCH, MAX and MAXIFS.

You will learn to

• Find the highest value and return the matching name
• Find the best performer on a different metric
• Find the top performer within one team

How it works

MAX tells you the highest number, but usually you want to know who it belongs to. Nest it inside a lookup: =INDEX(A2:A9,MATCH(MAX(C2:C9),C2:C9,0)) finds the highest value, locates its row, and returns the name from that row. =XLOOKUP(MAX(C2:C9),C2:C9,A2:A9) does the same in newer Excel.

For the best performer within one group, use MAXIFS to get the group’s highest value, then match on both the group and the value so you never return someone from another team who happens to have the same score.

=INDEX(A2:A9,MATCH(MAX(C2:C9),C2:C9,0))