Subj : Re: Detecting if 2 names are probably the same
To   : comp.lang.smalltalk,comp.programming
From : Rob Thorpe
Date : Wed Jul 20 2005 06:58 am

Thad Smith wrote:
> Rob Thorpe wrote:
> > Fernando wrote:
> >
> >>Is there any algorithm todetect if 2 names are probably the same? For
> >>example, 'Michael Brown' and 'Mike Brown'.
> >
> > After you've looked up Soundex, also look up "edit distance algorithms".
>
> I think a nickname lookup would be needed to work well.  Soundex won't
> match William and Bill, Dick and Richard, etc.

Yes it would.  But after you've figured that out it would be useful to
be able to detect things that are caused by minor typos and
mispellings, since they would also be a problem.

.