Provided are techniques for reduced fixed length sort of variable length columns. A fixed length sort is performed to sort a table having rows for a query, wherein the fixed length sort is based on a sort key comprised of a variable length column. A pre-determined number of the rows are read to identify the variable length column as a candidate for truncation. A length for truncating the variable length column is determined based on database statistics and based on the reading of the pre-determined number of the rows. The variable length column is truncated to the determined length to output a truncated variable length column for the sort key. The rows are sorted on the sort key having the truncated variable length column. Results are generated using the sorted rows and returned for the query.