titles applied to names
The following rules apply to:
- Academic titles
- Honorific titles
- Honorary titles
- Formal titles
- Academic titles
- Royal titles
- Military titles
- Work titles
- Government/elected titles
Titles before a name are only capitalized when:
- the title is a formal title, a royal/nobility title, an academic title, a military rank, or a legislative title
- AND used before a person’s name
Always capitalize at least the first word of any title if it’s the first word in the sentence or at the beginning of a line.
Example:
- Professor Thurston Green, president of the Royal Society of Canine Breeders at Oxford University, met with King Charles III Thursday for tea.
- Sincerely,
Dr. Lindsey Lewis
Secretary
Society of Podiatry - Today, we remember Sen. Dianne Feinstein and movie star John Wayne.
- Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson is the first Black woman to sit on the bench of the U.S. Supreme Court.
Otherwise, titles — including work titles, courtesy titles, and other titles — are not capitalized. Do not use honorifics in news such as Mr., Mrs., Mx. or Ms.
Example:
- Although president of the board Robin Rex was new, they were determined to see change.
- Sandra Day O’Connor, a justice for 25 years, was the first female on the U.S. Supreme Court.
- Kamala Harris, the U.S. vice president, is the first woman to hold the office.