# Search Users by First and Last Name

> Makes the search box on the Users screen also find people by their first name, last name or full name, not just username and email.

- Type: PHP
- Runs: Admin only
- Category: [Users](https://wpide.com/library/category/users/)
- Tags: users, search, admin
- Author: WPIDE Team
- Installs: 0
- Updated: 2026-10-28
- Page: https://wpide.com/library/search-users-by-full-name/

## Code

```php
add_filter( 'users_list_table_query_args', function ( $args ) {
    $term = isset( $args['search'] ) ? trim( $args['search'], '* ' ) : '';

    if ( '' === $term ) {
        return $args;
    }

    $parts = preg_split( '/\s+/', $term );

    if ( count( $parts ) > 1 ) {
        $meta = array(
            'relation' => 'AND',
            array( 'key' => 'first_name', 'value' => $parts[0], 'compare' => 'LIKE' ),
            array( 'key' => 'last_name', 'value' => end( $parts ), 'compare' => 'LIKE' ),
        );
    } else {
        $meta = array(
            'relation' => 'OR',
            array( 'key' => 'first_name', 'value' => $term, 'compare' => 'LIKE' ),
            array( 'key' => 'last_name', 'value' => $term, 'compare' => 'LIKE' ),
        );
    }

    $by_name = get_users( array( 'fields' => 'ID', 'number' => 200, 'meta_query' => $meta, 'count_total' => false ) );

    if ( ! $by_name ) {
        return $args;
    }

    $by_core = get_users( array( 'fields' => 'ID', 'number' => 200, 'search' => $args['search'], 'count_total' => false ) );

    $args['include'] = array_map( 'intval', array_unique( array_merge( $by_core, $by_name ) ) );
    unset( $args['search'] );

    return $args;
} );
```

## Notes

Matches up to 200 users by name per search, which is plenty for a search box.

## How to use it

Install the free WPIDE plugin (https://wordpress.org/plugins/wpide/), find "Search Users by First and Last Name" in its snippet library and add it in one click; or create a new PHP snippet in WPIDE (or any code snippets plugin) and paste the code above. More snippets: https://wpide.com/library/