Difference between INNER JOIN and LEFT SEMI JOIN

An INNER JOIN can return data from the columns from both tables, and can duplicate values of records on either side have more than one match. A LEFT SEMI JOIN can only return columns from the left-hand table, and yields one of each record from the left-hand table where there is one or more matches in the right-hand table (regardless of the number of matches). It’s equivalent to (in standard SQL):

SELECT name
FROM table_1 a
WHERE EXISTS(
    SELECT * FROM table_2 b WHERE (a.name=b.name))

If there are multiple matching rows in the right-hand column, an INNER JOIN will return one row for each match on the right table, while a LEFT SEMI JOIN only returns the rows from the left table, regardless of the number of matching rows on the right side. That’s why you’re seeing a different number of rows in your result.

I am trying to get the names within table_1 that only appear in table_2.

Then a LEFT SEMI JOIN is the appropriate query to use.