Online PHP editor | output for Vdbk8

<?php $tests = [ "123_String" => "String", "233718_This_is_a_string" => "This_is_a_string", "83_Another Example" => "Another Example", ]; function viaExplode($string) { return explode('_', $string, 2)[1]; // the limit parameter gives reliability } function viaLtrim($string) { return ltrim($string, '0..9_'); // because character after first underscore is not a digit or underscore } function viaPregMatch($string) { return preg_match('/\d+_\K.+/', $string, $m) ? $m[0] : null; } function viaPregReplace($string) { return preg_replace('/^\d+_/', '', $string); } function viaSscanf($string) { return sscanf($string, '%*d_%[^\d]')[0]; // because no numbers in trailing substring } foreach ($tests as $test => $desired) { printf( "%s: %s, %s, %s, %s, %s\n", str_pad($test, 25, ' '), viaLtrim($test), viaPregMatch($test), viaPregReplace($test), viaExplode($test), viaSscanf($test) ); }