# getElementsByName() ### Introduction to JavaScript getElementsByName() method Every element on an HTML document may have a `name` attribute: ```xml Code language: HTML, XML (xml) ``` Unlike the `id` attribute, multiple HTML elements can share the same `value` of the `name` attribute like this: ```xml Code language: HTML, XML (xml) ``` To get all elements with a specified name, you use the `getElementsByName()` method of the `document` object: ```javascript let elements = document.getElementsByName(name);Code language: JavaScript (javascript) ``` The `getElementsByName()` accepts a `name` which is the value of the `name` attribute of elements and returns a live `NodeList` of elements. The return collection of elements is live. It means that the return elements are automatically updated when elements with the same name are [inserted](https://www.javascripttutorial.net/dom/manipulating/insert-an-element-before-an-existing-element/) and/or [removed](https://www.javascripttutorial.net/javascript-dom/javascript-removechild/) from the document. ### JavaScript getElementsByName() example The following example shows a radio group that consists of [radio buttons](https://www.javascripttutorial.net/javascript-dom/javascript-radio-button/) that have the same name (`rate`). When you select a radio button and click the submit button, the page will show the selected value such as `Very Poor`, `Poor`, `OK`, `Good`, or `Very Good`: ```xml JavaScript getElementsByName Demo

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Code language: HTML, XML (xml) ``` How it works: * First, select the submit button by its id `btnRate` using the [`getElementById()`](https://www.javascripttutorial.net/javascript-dom/javascript-getelementbyid/) method. * Second, listen to the [click](https://www.javascripttutorial.net/javascript-dom/javascript-mouse-events/) event of the submit button. * Third, get all the radio buttons using the `getElementsByName()` and show the selected value in the output element. Notice that you will learn about [events](https://www.javascripttutorial.net/javascript-dom/javascript-events/) like `click` later. For now, you just need to focus on the `getElementsByName()` method. ### Summary * The `getElementsByName()` returns a live `NodeList` of elements with a specified name. * The `NodeList` is an array-like object, not an [array](https://www.javascripttutorial.net/javascript-array/) object.