Using names to represent values

I am trying to get names to represent values, e.g.
Bill=3
bob=4
Stan=22
so that after I type a bunch of names into the cells, the view is still
| Bill | Bob | Stan |
but that I can total them so it would look like this
| Bill | Bob | Stan | 29 |

is this possible and how? I have been monkeying with insert define name for the past hour and I am going crazy

I want the names to show in the cells so that readility remains, the numbers associated with particular names are not important and are defined elsewhere but I have a ton to manipulate mathematically adn it would be so much simpler if excel could do it for me. Thanks.