Parse a String with FIRSTNAME MI and LASTNAME but not always a MI

Question

Anyone,
can I write a single clause to parse a column that cotains first name, middle initial and Last name but the Middle initial is sometimes there and sometimes not?
Like this:
Steven F Abbott
Mikel Allums (Steve)
Pedro A Arroyo
Daniel R. Hasbrook
Steve G Ball
Ernie C Bloecher
Richard Carrillo
James M Chamberlain
I need data seperated.
I have:
SUBSTR(NAME, 1, (INSTR(NAME,' ',1,1)-1)) "FIRST_NAME",
SUBSTR(NAME,(INSTR(NAME,' ',1,1)+1), LENGTH(NAME)) "LAST_NAME",
But that middle initial presents problems and I see it as first letter in last name but if I chnage the search for space to second occurance I get the whole name:
SUBSTR(NAME,(INSTR(NAME,' ',1,2)+1), LENGTH(NAME)) "LAST_NAME",
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Miller

Answer 1

may this eaxmple is little better if there is only one name then will display as first anem only
SQL> WITH T AS
  2       (
  3          SELECT 'john smith' col1  FROM DUAL
  4          UNION ALL
  5          SELECT 'Derick R Alias' FROM DUAL
  6          UNION ALL
  7          SELECT 'Michel M john'  FROM DUAL
  8          UNION ALL
  9          SELECT 'Kiren'  FROM DUAL)
10  SELECT (CASE
11             WHEN INSTR (col1, ' ') = 0
12                THEN col1
13             ELSE SUBSTR (col1, 1, INSTR (col1, ' ') - 1)
14          END
15         ) first_name,
16         CASE
17            WHEN INSTR (col1, ' ', 1, 2) > 0
18               THEN SUBSTR (col1, INSTR (col1, ' '), 2)
19            ELSE NULL
20         END middle_name,
21         (CASE
22             WHEN INSTR (col1, ' ', 1, 2) > 0
23                THEN SUBSTR (col1, INSTR (col1, ' ', 1, 2) + 1)
24             WHEN INSTR (col1, ' ') = 0
25                THEN NULL
26             ELSE SUBSTR (col1, INSTR (col1, ' ') + 1)
27          END
28         ) last_name
29    FROM T;
FIRST_NAME     MI LAST_NAME
john              smith
Derick          R Alias
Michel          M john
Kiren