#!/usr/bin/perl -w use strict; my @names = ( "Builder,Bob", "Stein,Franklin", "Boop,Elizabeth", "Boop,Albert", "Bear,Izzy", "SomeGuy,Guy", "Einstein,Albert",); @names = sort by_last_name @names; print join("\n",@names),"\n"; sub by_last_name { my ($a_last, $a_first) = split (/,/,$a); my ($b_last, $b_first) = split (/,/,$b); $a_last cmp $b_last or $a_first cmp $b_first } __END__ Prints: Bear,Izzy Boop,Albert Boop,Elizabeth Builder,Bob Einstein,Albert SomeGuy,Guy Stein,Franklin