Nested If / Else in PHP

I am very new to any coding, so please bear with me if this seems basic.

I am trying to allocate the appropriate greeting in an email with the variable $fname. The data that the name values originate from is a simple, single string. The possible variations in format are therefore numerous.

In this particular application, the details are mostly written as either:

-Mr John Smith

-Mr Smith

-John Smith

-John

I therefore need to evaluate the method used to enter the name before I can allocate it to the variable.

I have written the follow code, but online checking throws up "an unexpected 'else'".

It all seems right to me and the online examples I have looked at seem to follow a similar order.

Any help greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Rob.

<?php
    // splits the name field into parts
    $names = explode(" ", $client);

    // works out if the name field starts with a salutation
    if ($names[0] == ("Mr" || "Mrs" || "Ms" || "Mr." || "Mrs." || "Ms.")) {
                // decides if it is written as "Salutation, surname"
        if (empty($names[2])) {
            $lname = $names[1];
            $salname = array($names[0], $names[1]);
            $fname = implode(" ", $salname);
    // evaluates that if it starts with a salutation and has 3 names, it must then be "salutation firstname lastname"
        } else {        
            $fname = $names[1];
            $lname = $names[2];
        // but if there was no salutation and only 2 names were given...
        } else {        
        if (empty(names[2])) {
            $fname = $names[0];
            $lname = $names[1];}
        // otherwise it must be "first, middle, last"
        } else {        
            $fname = $names[0];
            $lname = $names[3];
        }           
      ?>