php - select three values based on the group by of alphabets a-z -

php - select three values based on the group by of alphabets a-z -

i have table named 'user' has fields named 'id','name'.

i need select 3 names each alphabet , display page, total results 26*3 = 78.

i have done using php, need optimize query, can done in single query ?

please have seek one:

select alphabet, name ( select left(name, 1) alphabet, name, @num := if(@prev = left(name, 1), @num + 1, 1) row_num, @prev := left(name, 1) previous yourtable, (select @num:=0, @prev:='') v order name ) sq row_num <= 3

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