How large to make name fields in database?

Question

There's an old question that asks this very thing, but a lot has changed in databases and unspoken standards.

I generally live by the rule as to never make a field size text or memo, even if it speeds up the database. Primarily because someone could flood and possibly hack the db if there are no restrictions in the input interface.

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That said, what is the general practice these days for name fields in a table?

CREATE TABLE foo (
     name_first  Varchar(64) Not Null
   , name_middle Varchar(64) 
   , name_last   Varchar(64) Not Null
);

I think is my default, but how are others coping with foreign names and more than 3 names?

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Answer 1

That should be plenty. We have millions of names from all nationalities and our longest lastname is 29 characters. I would add a personalsuffix field as well for Jr. Sr. III etc.

Answer 2

My theroy is, is better to have a lot more than to need a few. why not to use varchar(100)?