diff --git a/lib/Caliper/Actor.pm b/lib/Caliper/Actor.pm
index 6c1e4ea30c..f3babde578 100644
--- a/lib/Caliper/Actor.pm
+++ b/lib/Caliper/Actor.pm
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ sub generate_default_actor ($c, $user) {
 	return {
 		id   => Caliper::ResourceIri->new($c->ce)->actor_homepage($user->user_id),
 		type => 'Person',
-		name => $user->first_name . ' ' . $user->last_name
+		name => $user->full_name
 	};
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/WeBWorK/ContentGenerator/GatewayQuiz.pm b/lib/WeBWorK/ContentGenerator/GatewayQuiz.pm
index 6099a44e32..5f18fcfd01 100644
--- a/lib/WeBWorK/ContentGenerator/GatewayQuiz.pm
+++ b/lib/WeBWorK/ContentGenerator/GatewayQuiz.pm
@@ -1365,9 +1365,8 @@ sub nav ($c, $args) {
 
 			push @userRecords, $user;
 
-			$user->{displayName} =
-				($user->last_name || $user->first_name ? $user->last_name . ', ' . $user->first_name : $user->user_id);
-			$user->{setVersion} = $_->[2];
+			$user->{displayName} = $user->sortable_name || $user->user_id;
+			$user->{setVersion}  = $_->[2];
 		}
 
 		# Sort by last name, then first name, then user_id, then set version.
diff --git a/lib/WeBWorK/ContentGenerator/Grades.pm b/lib/WeBWorK/ContentGenerator/Grades.pm
index 64fb0f1c68..e0befbc0cb 100644
--- a/lib/WeBWorK/ContentGenerator/Grades.pm
+++ b/lib/WeBWorK/ContentGenerator/Grades.pm
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@ sub displayStudentGrades ($c) {
 	return $c->include(
 		'ContentGenerator/Grades/student_grades',
 		effectiveUser => $effectiveUser,
-		fullName      => join(' ', $studentRecord->first_name, $studentRecord->last_name),
+		fullName      => $studentRecord->full_name,
 		notOpen       => \@notOpen,
 		open          => \@open,
 		reduced       => \@reduced,
diff --git a/lib/WeBWorK/ContentGenerator/Instructor/ProblemGrader.pm b/lib/WeBWorK/ContentGenerator/Instructor/ProblemGrader.pm
index b5571a90dc..ea59280313 100644
--- a/lib/WeBWorK/ContentGenerator/Instructor/ProblemGrader.pm
+++ b/lib/WeBWorK/ContentGenerator/Instructor/ProblemGrader.pm
@@ -67,8 +67,7 @@ async sub initialize ($c) {
 	# First process student problems and answers and cache relevant data used both for
 	# saving grades and displaying the grader table.
 	for my $user (@{ $c->stash->{users} }) {
-		$user->{displayName} =
-			$user->last_name || $user->first_name ? $user->last_name . ', ' . $user->first_name : $user->user_id;
+		$user->{displayName} = $user->sortable_name || $user->user_id;
 		$c->stash->{haveSections} = 1 if $user->section;
 
 		if ($c->stash->{set}->assignment_type =~ /gateway/) {
diff --git a/lib/WeBWorK/ContentGenerator/Instructor/SendMail.pm b/lib/WeBWorK/ContentGenerator/Instructor/SendMail.pm
index 81250c9e62..9ca540b75e 100644
--- a/lib/WeBWorK/ContentGenerator/Instructor/SendMail.pm
+++ b/lib/WeBWorK/ContentGenerator/Instructor/SendMail.pm
@@ -343,11 +343,9 @@ sub print_preview ($c) {
 
 	if ($merge_file && !defined $rh_merge_data->{ $c->{preview_user}->student_id }) {
 		$c->addbadmessage($c->maketext(
-			'No merge data for student id: [_1]; name: [_2] [_3]; login: [_4]',
-			map { xml_escape($_) } (
-				$c->{preview_user}->student_id, $c->{preview_user}->first_name,
-				$c->{preview_user}->last_name,  $c->{preview_user}->user_id
-			)
+			'No merge data for student id: [_1]; name: [_2]; login: [_3]',
+			map { xml_escape($_) }
+				($c->{preview_user}->student_id, $c->{preview_user}->full_name, $c->{preview_user}->user_id)
 		));
 	}
 
diff --git a/lib/WeBWorK/ContentGenerator/Instructor/StudentProgress.pm b/lib/WeBWorK/ContentGenerator/Instructor/StudentProgress.pm
index 4e6c346d60..3e5a06f8c1 100644
--- a/lib/WeBWorK/ContentGenerator/Instructor/StudentProgress.pm
+++ b/lib/WeBWorK/ContentGenerator/Instructor/StudentProgress.pm
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ sub displayStudentStats ($c) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	my $fullName      = join(' ', $studentRecord->first_name, $studentRecord->last_name);
+	my $fullName      = $studentRecord->full_name;
 	my $effectiveUser = $studentRecord->user_id();
 
 	my $max_problems     = 0;
diff --git a/lib/WeBWorK/ContentGenerator/Options.pm b/lib/WeBWorK/ContentGenerator/Options.pm
index bad811cdc6..794208adff 100644
--- a/lib/WeBWorK/ContentGenerator/Options.pm
+++ b/lib/WeBWorK/ContentGenerator/Options.pm
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ sub initialize ($c) {
 
 			# Check that either password is not defined or if it is defined then we have the right one.
 			if (!defined $password || utf8Crypt($currP // '', $password->password) eq $password->password) {
-				my $e_user_name = $c->{effectiveUser}->first_name . ' ' . $c->{effectiveUser}->last_name;
+				my $e_user_name = $c->{effectiveUser}->full_name;
 				if ($newP eq $confirmP) {
 					if (!defined $effectiveUserPassword) {
 						$effectiveUserPassword = $db->newPassword();
@@ -85,8 +85,7 @@ sub initialize ($c) {
 					));
 				}
 			} else {
-				my $fieldText =
-					$c->maketext("[_1]'s Current Password", $c->{user}->first_name . ' ' . $c->{user}->last_name);
+				my $fieldText = $c->maketext("[_1]'s Current Password", $c->{user}->full_name);
 				$c->addbadmessage($c->maketext(
 					'The password you entered in the [_1] field does not match your current password. '
 						. 'Please retype your current password and try again.',
diff --git a/lib/WeBWorK/DB/Record/User.pm b/lib/WeBWorK/DB/Record/User.pm
index afac971983..feebfd98cf 100644
--- a/lib/WeBWorK/DB/Record/User.pm
+++ b/lib/WeBWorK/DB/Record/User.pm
@@ -35,15 +35,22 @@ sub full_name {
 	my $first = $self->first_name;
 	my $last  = $self->last_name;
 
-	if (defined $first and $first ne "" and defined $last and $last ne "") {
-		return "$first $last";
-	} elsif (defined $first and $first ne "") {
-		return $first;
-	} elsif (defined $last and $last ne "") {
-		return $last;
-	} else {
-		return "";
-	}
+	return "$first $last" if defined $first && $first =~ /\S/ && defined $last && $last =~ /\S/;
+	return $first         if defined $first && $first =~ /\S/;
+	return $last          if defined $last  && $last  =~ /\S/;
+	return '';
+}
+
+sub sortable_name {
+	my ($self) = @_;
+
+	my $first = $self->first_name;
+	my $last  = $self->last_name;
+
+	return "$last, $first" if defined $first && $first =~ /\S/ && defined $last && $last =~ /\S/;
+	return $last           if defined $last  && $last  =~ /\S/;
+	return $first          if defined $first && $first =~ /\S/;
+	return '';
 }
 
 # Do not base64 encode the names in the address.
@@ -54,14 +61,14 @@ sub rfc822_mailbox {
 	my $full_name = $self->full_name;
 	my $address   = $self->email_address;
 
-	if (defined $address and $address ne "") {
-		if (defined $full_name and $full_name ne "") {
+	if (defined $address && $address ne '') {
+		if (defined $full_name && $full_name ne '') {
 			return "$full_name <$address>";
 		} else {
 			return $address;
 		}
 	} else {
-		return "";
+		return '';
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/WeBWorK/HTML/StudentNav.pm b/lib/WeBWorK/HTML/StudentNav.pm
index be8caf88af..939bb751f0 100644
--- a/lib/WeBWorK/HTML/StudentNav.pm
+++ b/lib/WeBWorK/HTML/StudentNav.pm
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ sub studentNav ($c, $setID) {
 		push @userRecords, $_;
 
 		# Construct a display name.
-		$_->{displayName} = ($_->last_name || $_->first_name ? $_->last_name . ', ' . $_->first_name : $_->user_id);
+		$_->{displayName} = $_->sortable_name || $_->user_id;
 	}
 	my $prevUser = $currentUserIndex > 0             ? $userRecords[ $currentUserIndex - 1 ] : 0;
 	my $nextUser = $currentUserIndex < $#userRecords ? $userRecords[ $currentUserIndex + 1 ] : 0;
diff --git a/lib/WeBWorK/Utils/Rendering.pm b/lib/WeBWorK/Utils/Rendering.pm
index 3ef3eb9547..f4d64d2fd5 100644
--- a/lib/WeBWorK/Utils/Rendering.pm
+++ b/lib/WeBWorK/Utils/Rendering.pm
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ sub constructPGOptions ($ce, $user, $set, $problem, $psvn, $formFields, $transla
 	$options{setDescription}   = $set->description;
 	$options{setNumber}        = $set->set_id;
 	$options{studentLogin}     = $user->user_id;
-	$options{studentName}      = $user->first_name . ' ' . $user->last_name;
+	$options{studentName}      = $user->full_name;
 	$options{studentID}        = $user->student_id;
 
 	# Permission level of actual user (deprecated)
diff --git a/templates/ContentGenerator/Hardcopy/form.html.ep b/templates/ContentGenerator/Hardcopy/form.html.ep
index e1f3fe5ec1..c17f5a894d 100644
--- a/templates/ContentGenerator/Hardcopy/form.html.ep
+++ b/templates/ContentGenerator/Hardcopy/form.html.ep
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@
 					dir => 'ltr',
 					format_set_name_display($selected_set_id =~ s/,v(\d+)$/ (version $1)/r)
 				),
-				xml_escape(join(' ', $user->first_name, $user->last_name))
+				xml_escape($user->full_name)
 			) =%>
 		</p>
 	% }
diff --git a/templates/ContentGenerator/Instructor/AchievementUserEditor.html.ep b/templates/ContentGenerator/Instructor/AchievementUserEditor.html.ep
index 44719849d8..3af512e69c 100644
--- a/templates/ContentGenerator/Instructor/AchievementUserEditor.html.ep
+++ b/templates/ContentGenerator/Instructor/AchievementUserEditor.html.ep
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
 				% for my $userRecord (@$userRecords) {
 					% my $user            = $userRecord->user_id;
 					% my $userAchievement = $userAchievementRecords->{$user};
-					% my $prettyName      = $userRecord->last_name . ', ' . $userRecord->first_name;
+					% my $prettyName      = $userRecord->sortable_name || $user;
 					%
 					<tr>
 						<td class="text-center">
diff --git a/templates/ContentGenerator/Instructor/AddUsers/student_entry_report.html.ep b/templates/ContentGenerator/Instructor/AddUsers/student_entry_report.html.ep
index e70ffdc8e0..766dca1da6 100644
--- a/templates/ContentGenerator/Instructor/AddUsers/student_entry_report.html.ep
+++ b/templates/ContentGenerator/Instructor/AddUsers/student_entry_report.html.ep
@@ -2,7 +2,9 @@
 	<span class="input-group-text">
 		<b><%= $addError ? maketext('Failed to add user:') : maketext('Added user:') %></b>
 	</span>
-	<span class="input-group-text"><%= $newUser->last_name %>, <%= $newUser->first_name %></span>
+	% if ($newUser->sortable_name) {
+		<span class="input-group-text"><%= $newUser->sortable_name %></span>
+	% }
 	<span class="input-group-text"><b><%= maketext('Login:') %></b></span>
 	<span class="input-group-text"><%= $newUser->user_id %></span>
 	% if ($newUser->student_id) {
diff --git a/templates/ContentGenerator/Instructor/ProblemSetDetail.html.ep b/templates/ContentGenerator/Instructor/ProblemSetDetail.html.ep
index 81d5824dc6..d1d5e28aef 100644
--- a/templates/ContentGenerator/Instructor/ProblemSetDetail.html.ep
+++ b/templates/ContentGenerator/Instructor/ProblemSetDetail.html.ep
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@
 		% my $user = $db->getUser($userID);
 		% my $line = begin
 			<span>
-				<%= $user->last_name %>, <%= $user->first_name %>
+				<%= $user->sortable_name %>
 				(<%= link_to $user->user_id => 'mailto:' . $user->email_address %>).
 			</span>
 			% if (!$editingSetVersion) {
diff --git a/templates/ContentGenerator/Instructor/SendMail/main_form.html.ep b/templates/ContentGenerator/Instructor/SendMail/main_form.html.ep
index 8204445628..4bbf596d68 100644
--- a/templates/ContentGenerator/Instructor/SendMail/main_form.html.ep
+++ b/templates/ContentGenerator/Instructor/SendMail/main_form.html.ep
@@ -82,13 +82,13 @@
 								<strong><%= maketext('for') %></strong>&nbsp;
 								<span
 									id="preview-user"
-									data-default="<%= $c->{defaultPreviewUser}->last_name . ', '
-										. $c->{defaultPreviewUser}->first_name . ' ('
-										. $c->{defaultPreviewUser}->user_id . ')' %>"
+									data-default="<%= join(' ',
+										$c->{defaultPreviewUser}->sortable_name || (),
+										'(' . $c->{defaultPreviewUser}->user_id . ')') %>"
 								>
-									<%= $c->{preview_user}->last_name . ', '
-										. $c->{preview_user}->first_name . ' ('
-										. $c->{preview_user}->user_id . ')' =%>
+									<%= join(' ',
+										$c->{preview_user}->sortable_name || (),
+										'(' . $c->{preview_user}->user_id . ')') =%>
 								</span>
 							</span>
 						</div>
diff --git a/templates/ContentGenerator/Instructor/StudentProgress/index.html.ep b/templates/ContentGenerator/Instructor/StudentProgress/index.html.ep
index d11ca242e8..4e502c4243 100644
--- a/templates/ContentGenerator/Instructor/StudentProgress/index.html.ep
+++ b/templates/ContentGenerator/Instructor/StudentProgress/index.html.ep
@@ -25,10 +25,8 @@
 				<ul>
 					% for (@{ $c->{student_records} }) {
 						<li>
-							<%= link_to $_->last_name . ', '
-								. $_->first_name . ' ('
-								. $_->user_id
-								. ')' => $c->systemLink(url_for("instructor_user_progress", userID => $_->user_id)) =%>
+							<%= link_to join(' ', $_->sortable_name || (), '(' . $_->user_id . ')') =>
+								$c->systemLink(url_for("instructor_user_progress", userID => $_->user_id)) =%>
 						</li>
 					% }
 				</ul>
diff --git a/templates/ContentGenerator/Instructor/StudentProgress/set_progress.html.ep b/templates/ContentGenerator/Instructor/StudentProgress/set_progress.html.ep
index 44cc1e5e91..6ac4a6cfb5 100644
--- a/templates/ContentGenerator/Instructor/StudentProgress/set_progress.html.ep
+++ b/templates/ContentGenerator/Instructor/StudentProgress/set_progress.html.ep
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@
 			% my $prevUserID = '';
 			%
 			% for my $rec (@$user_set_list) {
-				% my $fullName = join('', $rec->{record}{first_name}, " ", $rec->{record}{last_name});
+				% my $fullName = $rec->{record}->full_name;
 				% my $email    = $rec->{record}{email_address};
 				%
 				% if ($setIsVersioned) {
diff --git a/templates/ContentGenerator/Instructor/StudentProgress/siblings.html.ep b/templates/ContentGenerator/Instructor/StudentProgress/siblings.html.ep
index 4d2af346ec..a5c86c4aad 100644
--- a/templates/ContentGenerator/Instructor/StudentProgress/siblings.html.ep
+++ b/templates/ContentGenerator/Instructor/StudentProgress/siblings.html.ep
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 							class => 'nav-link'
 						),
 						begin =%>
-						<%= $_->last_name =%>, <%= $_->first_name %> (<%= $_->user_id %>)
+						<%= join(' ', $_->sortable_name || (), '(' . $_->user_id . ')') %>
 					<% end =%>
 				</li>
 			% }
diff --git a/templates/ContentGenerator/Instructor/UserDetail.html.ep b/templates/ContentGenerator/Instructor/UserDetail.html.ep
index b31b545a66..4e6aed4707 100644
--- a/templates/ContentGenerator/Instructor/UserDetail.html.ep
+++ b/templates/ContentGenerator/Instructor/UserDetail.html.ep
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
 %
 % my @editForSets = param('editForSets');
 %
-% my $userName = $c->{userRecord}->first_name . ' ' . $c->{userRecord}->last_name;
+% my $userName = $c->{userRecord}->full_name;
 %
 % # Display a message about how many sets have been assigned to this user.
 % my $numberSets         = scalar(@{ $c->{setRecords} });
diff --git a/templates/ContentGenerator/Instructor/UsersAssignedToSet.html.ep b/templates/ContentGenerator/Instructor/UsersAssignedToSet.html.ep
index 0644f70427..8017007b47 100644
--- a/templates/ContentGenerator/Instructor/UsersAssignedToSet.html.ep
+++ b/templates/ContentGenerator/Instructor/UsersAssignedToSet.html.ep
@@ -77,9 +77,9 @@
 			<tbody class="table-group-divider">
 				% param('selected', []);
 				% for my $user (@$user_records) {
-					% my $userID   = $user->user_id;
-					% my $userSet  = $set_records->{$userID};
-					% my $username = $user->last_name . ', ' . $user->first_name;
+					% my $userID  = $user->user_id;
+					% my $userSet = $set_records->{$userID};
+					% my $name    = $user->sortable_name;
 					%
 					<tr>
 						<td class="text-center">
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@
 								id         => "selected_$userID",
 								class      => 'form-check-input',
 								data       => {
-									username => "$username ($userID)",
+									username => join(' ', $name || (), "($userID)"),
 									defined $userSet          ? (is_assigned => 1) : (),
 									$current_users->{$userID} ? (is_current  => 1) : ()
 								},
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@
 							</div>
 						</td>
 						<td>
-							<%= $username =%>
+							<%= $name || $userID =%>
 						</td>
 						<td class="text-center"><%= $user->section %></td>
 						% if (defined $userSet) {
diff --git a/templates/ContentGenerator/LoginProctor.html.ep b/templates/ContentGenerator/LoginProctor.html.ep
index fe4af28282..d371957303 100644
--- a/templates/ContentGenerator/LoginProctor.html.ep
+++ b/templates/ContentGenerator/LoginProctor.html.ep
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@
 			<div><%= maketext(q{User's username is:}) %> <strong><%= param('effectiveUser') // '' %></strong></div>
 			<div>
 				<%= maketext(q{User's name is:}) %>
-				<strong><%= $c->{effectiveUser}->first_name %> <%= $c->{effectiveUser}->last_name %></strong>
+				<strong><%= $c->{effectiveUser}->full_name %></strong>
 			</div>
 		</div>
 		<div class="col-xl-5 col-lg-6 col-md-7 col-sm-8 form-floating mb-2">
diff --git a/templates/ContentGenerator/Options.html.ep b/templates/ContentGenerator/Options.html.ep
index ea3130eb0b..fa224d0394 100644
--- a/templates/ContentGenerator/Options.html.ep
+++ b/templates/ContentGenerator/Options.html.ep
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 % require WeBWorK::PG;
 %
 % my $userID    = $c->{user}->user_id;
-% my $eUserName = $c->{effectiveUser}->first_name . ' ' . $c->{effectiveUser}->last_name;
+% my $eUserName = $c->{effectiveUser}->full_name;
 %
 % $c->stash->{footerWidthClass} = 'col-lg-8 col-md-10';
 %