sql order by - Sort MySQL results alphabetically, but with numbers last

Question

Often, sorting is done with symbols sorted to the top, like 0 or * or &. This is the default way that mysql sorts; numbers and symbols and then A-Z. However, that makes the often ugliest or most badly formatted results float to the top (e.g. a result of @#$@3423 or 8 inch or &amp).

So I'd like to do a modified form of that, letters first A-Z, and then special characters last.

How would I go about creating that type of sort? Something in the ORDER BY clause?

Answer 1

Based on a google-cached link to this page: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=3&ved=0CCUQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.feedmarker.com%2F2006%2F02%2F01%2Fhow-to-do-natural-alpha-numeric-sort-in-mysql%2F&ei=Zg2_TZyKDaffiALjjqwo&usg=AFQjCNGS-rX7AmfrumXK8J7bVSj96bSSmQ

EDIT: Original link is dead. Here is another link which actually explains what is happening better than the first link did:

http://matthewturland.com/2008/11/05/natural-ordering-in-mysql/

You might try this

SELECT names FROM your_table ORDER BY names + 0 ASC