Perl syntax error: Bareword found where operator expected

Question

As the title suggests how could I accomplish this?

I have been following a tutorial, but I get a syntax error:

Bareword found where operator expected at arrays_and_variables.pl line
26, near "$2names"
        (Missing operator before names?) syntax error at
arrays_and_variables.pl line 26, near "$2names " Execution of
arrays_and_variables.pl aborted due to compilation errors.

The code I have so far is:

@names = ('james','dylan','max');

# join elements of array into a schalar variable.
$2names = join ('', @names);
print $s2names;

Answer 1

2names is an invalid variable name. Names can't start with a number—they have to begin with a letter or an underscore.