MySQL in a Nutshell, 2nd Edition

Name

SOUNDEX()

Synopsis

SOUNDEX(string)

This function returns the results of a classic algorithm that can be used to compare two similar strings. Here is an example:

SELECT IF(SOUNDEX('him') = SOUNDEX('hymm'),
'Sounds Alike', 'Does not sound alike')
AS 'Sound Comparison';

+------------------+
| Sound Comparison |
+------------------+
| Sounds Alike     |
+------------------+

SOUNDEX() was designed to allow comparisons between fuzzy inputs, but it’s rarely used.