Yes, I may have mixed up the input and output from different iterations of running it. Let me try posting this again although it may not be an issue. Once again if I enter two sequential apostrophes in the name (O''Brien) the INSERT passes right through to MySQL without an error. THE INPUT: $sql_insert_registration = sprintf("INSERT INTO Registrations ( Class_ID, prid, Registrant, Company, Phone, Email ) VALUES ( $_POST[Class_ID], $_POST[prid], '%s',". parseNull($_POST['Company']).", '$_POST[Phone]', '$_POST[Email]' )", mysql_real_escape_string($_POST['Registrant'])); echo "<pre>$_POST['Registrant".$_POST["Registrant"]."</pre>"; echo "<pre>".mysql_real_escape_string($_POST["Registrant"])."</pre>"; echo "<pre>".$sql_insert_registration."</pre>"; THE OUTPUT: Brian O'Brien Brian O\'Brien INSERT INTO Registrations ( Class_ID, prid, Registrant, Company, Phone, Email ) VALUES ( 355, 257, 'Brian O\'Brien',NULL, '612-456-5678', 'somebody@xxxxxxxxxxxxx' ) Error: You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'Brien', 'Class registration confirmation', ' This email ' at line 16 Paul S. Johnson U.S. Bankruptcy Court District of Minnesota paul_s_johnson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 612-664-5276