Re: Checking for exact match in row

[Rick James]

Here's a "close to" algorithm:
Create an extra table with 'used' names. Insert into it
* the names that exist
* the names that exist, but with the 1st letter removed
* the names that exist, but with the 2nd letter removed
* etc

Then, when a new name comes in, create a similar set of mangled names: cameron -> cameron , ameron, cmeron, caeron, camron, cameon, camern, camero
Look each of them up in the table; reject any hits.

This catches
* A single deleted letter.
* A single added letter.
* Swapped pair of adjacent letters.
* And some other "transcription" errors.

(This table would have several times as many rows as there are users. It could also contain the actual user name, if you want to see where it came from. And it will have some duplicates.)