SQL Case Conversion: LOWER, UPPER, INITCAP Functions
Published 2026-01-27 · convertcase.in
SQL databases offer built-in functions for converting text case in queries. Here are the standard functions and their cross-database compatibility.
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1LOWER() and UPPER()
SELECT LOWER(name) FROM users; -- "john doe" SELECT UPPER(name) FROM users; -- "JOHN DOE"
2INITCAP() – PostgreSQL & Oracle
SELECT INITCAP(name) FROM users; -- "John Doe" (capitalises each word)
3MySQL – No INITCAP
MySQL lacks INITCAP. Use UPPER/LOWER or a custom function. Or convert data with convertcase.in before inserting.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I make only the first letter uppercase in SQL?
CONCAT(UPPER(LEFT(name, 1)), LOWER(SUBSTRING(name, 2))) — works in MySQL.