Excel: Get Month Name from Date (3 Easy Ways)

To get the month name from a date in Excel, use the TEXT function with the format code “mmm” or “mmmm”, such as =TEXT(A1,"mmmm"). This returns the full month name (e.g., “January”) for the date in cell A1. You can also use the CHOOSE function with MONTH, or the newer TEXTSPLIT approach for dynamic arrays.

Formula

The most straightforward formula is =TEXT(date_cell, "mmmm") where date_cell is a reference to a cell containing a date. The TEXT function converts a number (the date serial) into text using a specified format. The format code “mmm” gives a three-letter abbreviation (Jan, Feb, etc.), while “mmmm” gives the full month name. For example, =TEXT(A1,"mmm") returns “Jan” for January 1, 2023.

Another formula uses MONTH and CHOOSE: =CHOOSE(MONTH(date_cell),"January","February","March","April","May","June","July","August","September","October","November","December"). Here, MONTH extracts the month number (1-12), and CHOOSE picks the corresponding name from the list.

Worked Example

Let’s use the default date serial 45000, which corresponds to March 15, 2023 (Excel’s date system starts at January 1, 1900 as serial 1). Applying the formula =TEXT(45000,"mmmm"):

• Step 1: Recognize that 45000 is the date March 15, 2023.
• Step 2: Apply TEXT with format “mmmm” to get the full month name.
• Step 3: The result is “March”.

If you use “mmm”, the result is “Mar”. The CHOOSE formula would give the same result: MONTH(45000) returns 3, and CHOOSE(3,…) returns “March”.

When to Use Each Method

Choose TEXT for simplicity and flexibility—it’s the quickest way to get a month name in a formula. Use CHOOSE when you need to customize the output (e.g., different language, abbreviations, or adding a suffix like “st” for ordinal). The TEXT function is also useful when you want to combine the month name with other text, such as =TEXT(A1,"mmmm") & " " & YEAR(A1) to get “March 2023”.

If you’re working with a range and want to spill results, consider using =TEXTSPLIT(TEXT(date_range,"mmmm")," ") in Excel 365, but this is rarely needed for single cells.

Common Mistakes and Pitfalls

• Using the wrong format code: “MM” gives the month number (e.g., 03), not the name. Always use “mmm” or “mmmm”.
• Date stored as text: If your date is text like “2023-03-15”, TEXT won’t work directly. Use DATEVALUE to convert it first, e.g., =TEXT(DATEVALUE("2023-03-15"),"mmmm").
• Locale differences: Month names depend on your system’s date and time settings. For English names, ensure your region uses English.
• Forgetting the date is a number: Excel stores dates as serial numbers, so TEXT works on any number, but the result is only meaningful for valid dates.

Alternatives: Pivot Tables and Power Query

If you need month names for grouping in a pivot table, you don’t need a formula—right-click the date field, select “Group”, and choose “Months”. Excel automatically shows month names (or numbers, depending on your settings). For data transformation, Power Query (Get & Transform) has a Date.MonthName function that extracts the month name as text, which is useful for large datasets.

Another alternative is using the =TEXT() function in a helper column and then using that column in charts or filters. This is often simpler than complex array formulas.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I get the month name as a number, like 3 for March?
A: Use the MONTH function: =MONTH(A1) returns the month number (1-12). If you need the name, combine with TEXT or CHOOSE.

Q: Can I get the month name in a different language?
A: Yes, but it depends on your system locale. You can use the TEXT function with a language-specific format code, but the easiest way is to change your system’s date format or use a custom VBA function. For example, =TEXT(A1,"[$-fr-FR]mmmm") might give French month names, but this is not guaranteed across all Excel versions.

Q: What if my date is in a text format like “15/03/2023”?
A: Convert it first with =DATEVALUE("15/03/2023") (adjust for your date system) and then apply TEXT. Alternatively, use =TEXT(DATEVALUE(A1),"mmmm") if A1 contains text.

Q: How do I extract the month name from a date in a cell without changing the original date?
A: Use a formula in a separate cell. The original date remains unchanged. For example, put =TEXT(A1,"mmmm") in B1.

Q: Why does my TEXT formula return an error?
A: Common causes: the cell contains text that isn’t a valid date, the format code is misspelled, or the cell is formatted as text. Check that the date is actually a date (try changing the cell format to Date).

Related

• Build vs Buy TCO: How to Calculate Total Cost of Ownership
• Quiet Quitting Rules: Why People Do It
• Recover Deleted Pictures on Nikon Camera

in d | Date (as serial number) | - | 45000 | 0
out month_name | Month name | - | TEXT(d, "mmmm") | 0