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quotename-transact-sql.md

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title QUOTENAME (Transact-SQL)
description QUOTENAME returns a Unicode string with the delimiters added to make the input string a valid SQL Engine delimited identifier.
author MikeRayMSFT
ms.author mikeray
ms.reviewer randolphwest
ms.date 04/08/2026
ms.service sql
ms.subservice t-sql
ms.topic reference
ms.custom
ignite-2025
f1_keywords
QUOTENAME_TSQL
QUOTENAME
helpviewer_keywords
delimited identifiers [SQL Server]
input strings [SQL Server]
Unicode [SQL Server], delimited identifiers
QUOTENAME function
valid identifiers [SQL Server]
dev_langs
TSQL
monikerRange >=aps-pdw-2016 || =azuresqldb-current || =azure-sqldw-latest || >=sql-server-2016 || >=sql-server-linux-2017 || =azuresqldb-mi-current || =fabric || =fabric-sqldb

QUOTENAME (Transact-SQL)

[!INCLUDE sql-asdb-asdbmi-asa-pdw-fabricse-fabricdw-fabricsqldb]

Returns a Unicode string with the delimiters added to make the input string a valid [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] delimited identifier.

:::image type="icon" source="../../includes/media/topic-link-icon.svg" border="false"::: Transact-SQL syntax conventions

Syntax

QUOTENAME ( 'character_string' [ , 'quote_character' ] )

Arguments

'character_string'

A string of Unicode character data. character_string is sysname and is limited to 128 characters. Inputs greater than 128 characters return NULL.

'quote_character'

A one-character string to use as the delimiter. Can be a single quotation mark ('), a left or right bracket ([ or ]), a double quotation mark ("), a left or right parenthesis (( or )), a greater than or less than sign (> or <), a left or right brace ({ or }) or a backtick (```).

If you provide an unacceptable quote character, NULL is returned. If quote_character isn't specified, brackets are used.

Return types

nvarchar(258)

Examples

The following example takes the character string abc[]def and uses the [ and ] characters to create a valid [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] delimited identifier.

SELECT QUOTENAME('abc[]def');

[!INCLUDE ssResult]

[abc[]]def]

The right bracket in the string abc[]def is doubled to indicate an escape character.

The following example prepares a quoted string to use in naming a column.

DECLARE @columnName AS NVARCHAR (255) = 'user''s "custom" name';

DECLARE @sql AS NVARCHAR (MAX) = 'SELECT FirstName AS ' + QUOTENAME(@columnName) + ' FROM dbo.DimCustomer';

EXECUTE sp_executesql @sql;

Examples: Azure Synapse Analytics and Analytics Platform System (PDW)

The following example takes the character string abc def and uses the [ and ] characters to create a valid [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] delimited identifier.

SELECT QUOTENAME('abc def');

[!INCLUDE ssResult]

[abc def]

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