How to collect member names during checkout on WordPress
If you use Paid Memberships Pro, you can collect first and last names without a form builder by adding User Fields to the membership checkout. For the quickest setup, the Add Name to Checkout add-on adds both fields automatically in the account section.
- 01Open the user field settings
- 02Add the first name field
- 03Add the last name field
- 04Check the checkout form
- 05Test a complete registration
- 06Use the faster add-on route
What you need
- Paid Memberships Pro installed and active
- Administrator access to WordPress
- A working membership checkout page
Open the user field settings
In WordPress, go to Memberships > Settings > User Fields. Paid Memberships Pro includes User Fields for collecting profile information at checkout, so you do not need custom code for basic first and last name fields.
Edit the default field group or create a new one. Set the group to show fields at checkout. You can also restrict the group to particular membership levels if only some plans need names.
Add the first name field
Click + Add Field. Set the label to First Name, set the field name to first_name, choose the Text type, and mark it as required if every member must provide a first name.
Use the exact field name first_name. Paid Memberships Pro maps this key to the standard WordPress user profile field, which means the value can be used as the member’s first name elsewhere on the site.
Add the last name field
Add another text field with the label Last Name and the field name last_name. Mark it as required when you need a complete name for certificates, directories, event check-in, or support records.
Do not use spaces, hyphens, or a different key if you want the value stored in the normal WordPress last-name field. Save the field group with Save All Changes.
Check the checkout form
Open the membership checkout page in a private browser window and confirm that both fields appear before payment. If they do not, check that the field group’s Show fields at checkout setting is enabled and that the group is not restricted to a different membership level.
The manual route is fine when you want control over field labels, required status, visibility, or membership-level rules. Its main drawback is placement: User Fields appear in their own field group rather than directly alongside username, email, and password.
Test a complete registration
Submit a test membership using a new email address, then check the member under Memberships > Members or the WordPress user profile. Confirm that the first and last names were saved rather than merely displayed.
Also test an existing logged-in member upgrading to another level. A checkout can behave differently for new and existing users, and payment redirects can hide saving problems until after the transaction. Check the saved profile after both types of signup.
Use the faster add-on route
For the quickest setup, install and activate Paid Memberships Pro’s Add Name to Checkout add-on. In the WordPress admin, go to Memberships > Add Ons, find the add-on, select Install Now, and activate it from the Plugins screen. Manual ZIP installation is also available through Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin.
The add-on has no settings page. Once active, it adds First and Last name fields to the Account Information section of checkout, which is the better choice when you want the fields in the standard account area without configuring a field group.
Let Paid Memberships Pro do it
Adds first and last name fields to Paid Memberships Pro checkout for cleaner member records without a full form builder.
Sources
- paidmembershipspro.com /documentation/user-fields/
- paidmembershipspro.com /documentation/user-fields/create-field-group/
- paidmembershipspro.com /capture-default-user-profile-fields-membership-checkout/
- paidmembershipspro.com /add-ons/add-first-last-name-to-checkout/
Questions
- Can Paid Memberships Pro collect names without another form builder?
- Yes. Paid Memberships Pro can collect names through its built-in User Fields feature. Create a checkout field group, add text fields named <code>first_name</code> and <code>last_name</code>, and enable the group at checkout. You only need another add-on if you want the fields placed directly in the standard Account Information section or need more specialised form behaviour.
- Where are the collected first and last names stored?
- The values are stored against the WordPress user profile when you use the standard field names <code>first_name</code> and <code>last_name</code>. You can review them from the member or user editing screens in WordPress. Using different field names creates separate custom user data instead of populating the normal WordPress name fields.
- Can I collect names only for certain membership levels?
- Yes. Put the fields in a User Field group and restrict that group to selected membership levels. If you do not select any levels, the group applies generally. Check the checkout with each relevant level because a level restriction can make the fields appear for one plan and disappear for another.
- Why do the name fields not appear in the account section?
- Built-in User Fields are displayed according to their field group and may appear separately from the username, email, and password fields. If you need First and Last name directly in Account Information, use the Add Name to Checkout add-on. It adds both fields there automatically and does not require additional settings.