Using small dictionary, find strings, fill adjacent cell

Hello,
I've read a little bit about Excel programming with VBA but I'm afraid that my task is too advanced for me.

Basically, I have a *massive* list of names, first and last. What I'd like to do is search through the list (in particular, the LName column) and, if I find a match to any one of a couple dozen different names (including alternate spellings), the program will write a word (the standardized spelling) to the adjacent cell. I've attached a sample file so you can better understand what it is I'd like to do. The sample workbook includes the dictionary of names/alternative spellings that I'd like to use, on a second sheet.

Anyone's help on this would be *greatly* appreciated, and it goes toward a very good cause - academic research on worldwide social mobility! Thank you.

I used a "fill down" technique to duplicate all the base names in column A on the ALT SPELLINGS sheet. Once that was done, an INDEX/MATCH can spot the appropriate alternate spellings and display them. IN D2, then copied down:

=IF(ISNUMBER(MATCH(C2,'Alt Spellings'!$B:$B,0)),INDEX('Alt Spellings'!$A:$A,MATCH(C2,'Alt Spellings'!$B:$B,0)),IF(ISNUMBER(MATCH(C2,'Alt Spellings'!$C:$C,0)),INDEX('Alt Spellings'!$A:$A,MATCH(C2,'Alt Spellings'!$C:$C,0)), C2))

If that takes care of your need, please click EDIT in your original post, click GO ADVANCED and set the PREFIX box to SOLVED.