See practical examples for bibliographies, rosters, and CMS imports in our Alphabetize List guide — including when to ignore leading articles and how to export HTML lists.
How to alphabetize and format a list
Spreadsheets and word processors can sort columns, but plain-text lists from emails, chat exports, or research notes often need a lightweight fix. This tool accepts one item per line or comma-separated values, then applies sorting and formatting actions without leaving your browser.
- Paste your list — enter items separated by line breaks or commas.
- Pick a list action — alphabetize, group by starting letter, sort by last name, dedupe, reverse, or randomize.
- Apply formatting extras — wrap items in
<li>tags, add numbering, change delimiters, or strip HTML. - Adjust sort rules — optionally ignore leading the, a, or an, or skip the first N words when comparing.
- Copy the result — use Copy list to paste into your document, CMS, or code editor.
Available list tools
| Action | What it does |
|---|---|
| Alphabetize | Sort items A–Z using locale-aware comparison. |
| Categorized (A–Z groups) | Group items under letter headings for directories and indexes. |
| Sort by last name | Reorder First Last entries by surname. |
| Remove duplicates | Keep the first occurrence of each unique line. |
| Reverse / Randomize | Flip order or shuffle for prompts and sampling. |
| Wrap in <li> tags | Output HTML list items ready for <ul> or <ol>. |
| Add numbering | Prefix lines with Arabic, Roman, or letter markers. |
| Change delimiter | Convert between new lines, commas, spaces, or a custom separator. |
Sorting tips for real-world lists
Bibliographies and media catalogs often require ignoring The at the start of a title — enable Ignore “the” so The Great Gatsby sorts under G. For author lists formatted as Jane Doe, last-name sort moves the surname first for filing. When deduplicating, compare exact line text; trim stray spaces in your source paste if duplicates persist.
Numbering supports several styles: Arabic (1, 2, 3), Roman numerals, and upper- or lower-case letters — with a customizable separator between the marker and item text.
Privacy note
List processing runs locally in your browser. Names, inventory SKUs, and internal rosters you paste are never transmitted to ShoutingNow servers. Click Reset or close the tab on shared computers when you are done.
Related writing tools
- Full guide article for this tool
- Writing Tools Playbook — when to use each utility
- Capitalize Sentences
- Compare Text
- Character Counter