How to select top 3 values from each group in a table with SQL which have duplicates [duplicate]

Answer 1

This works for MS SQL. Should be workable in any other SQL dialect that has the ability to assign row numbers in a group by or over clause (or equivelant)

if object_id('tempdb..#Data') is not null drop table #Data;
GO

create table #data (name varchar(25), value integer);
GO
set nocount on;
insert into #data values ('John', 20);
insert into #data values ('John', 7);
insert into #data values ('John', 7);
insert into #data values ('John', 7);
insert into #data values ('John', 5);
insert into #data values ('Jack', 5);
insert into #data values ('Jane', 30);
insert into #data values ('Jane', 21);
insert into #data values ('John', 5);
insert into #data values ('John', -1);
insert into #data values ('John', -1);
insert into #data values ('Jane', 18);
set nocount off;
GO

with D as (
SELECT
     name
    ,Value
    ,row_number() over (partition by name order by value desc) rn
From
    #Data
)
SELECT Name, Value
FROM D
WHERE RN <= 3
order by Name, Value Desc

Name    Value
Jack    5
Jane    30
Jane    21
Jane    18
John    20
John    7
John    7