Include the hyphen into this regular expression, how?

html, javascript, regex, security, validation

Solution

You have to escape the minus sign using backslash.

var alphaExp = /^[a-zA-ZåäöÅÄÖ\s\-]+$/;

To stop them from using it in the beginning or the end, try something like this:

var alphaExp = /^[a-zA-ZåäöÅÄÖ\s]+[a-zA-ZåäöÅÄÖ\s\-]*[a-zA-ZåäöÅÄÖ\s]+$/;

Problem

I have this regex: ``` var alphaExp = /^[a-zA-ZåäöÅÄÖ\s]+$/; ``` This is for a name-field in a form validation. I need to make it possible to type names like this "Anna-nicole" (note the hyphen). Currently the hyphen causes error. I need to remake this regex so that a hyphen can be included in the name; preferably I should make it so that the name also cannot start with a hyphen, or end with one. Only hyphens between "words, or names" should be allowed. Does anybody know how to do this? BTW, it is JavaScript.

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