encoding a GET query from an array

I am looking for the function that bundles up an array of data collected from a form:

$names = array("firstname", "John", "mi", "Q", "lastname","Systems");

and will put them in a GET query so that I can just do this

$converted_names = INSERT_MAGIC_FUNCTION($names);

and be able to use the following url

I know I have run across this before and it was a quick and easy function, but then I could have been smokin' something.