A title is one or more words used before or after a person's name, in certain contexts. It may signify either generation, an official position, or a professional or academic qualification. In some languages, titles may be inserted between the first and last name (for example, Graf in German, Cardinal in Catholic usage – Richard Cardinal Cushing – or clerical titles such as Archbishop). Some titles are hereditary.

Types

Titles include:

Titles in English-speaking areas

Common titles

Controversy around usage of common titles

Some people object to the usage of titles to denote marital status, age or gender. In 2018, a campaign named GoTitleFree was launched to encourage businesses to stop requesting, storing and using marital status titles in their registration forms, and when speaking with customers, launched on the grounds that titles often lead to assumptions about a woman's age or availability for marriage, and exclude non-binary people. This is in line with established practice advocated by the World Wide Web Consortium and the Government Digital Service which sets the standard for UK government online services. This in turn means that titles are optional on UK passports and driving licences.

Familial

Family titles in English-speaking countries include:

Legislative and executive titles

Some job titles of members of the legislature and executive are used as titles.

Aristocratic titles

In the United Kingdom, "Lord" and "Lady" are used as titles for members of the nobility. Unlike titles such as "Mr" and "Mrs", they are not used before first names except in certain circumstances, for example as courtesy titles for younger sons, etc., of peers. In Scotland "Lord of Parliament" and "Lady of Parliament" are the equivalents of Baron and Baroness in England. The title of a character found in Tarot cards based upon the Pope on the Roman Catholic Church. As the Bishop of Rome is an office always forbidden to women there is no formal feminine of Pope, which comes from the Latin word papa (an affectionate form of the Latin for father). The legendary female Pope Joan, is also referred to as Popess. Nonetheless some European languages, along with English, have formed a feminine form of the word pope, such as the Italian papessa, the French papesse, the Portuguese papisa, and the German Päpstin.

Titles used by knights, dames, baronets and baronetesses

These do not confer nobility. "Sir" and "Dame" differ from titles such as "Mr" and "Mrs" in that they can only be used before a person's first name, and not immediately before their surname.

Judicial titles

Historical

Ecclesiastical titles (Christian)

Titles are used to show somebody's ordination as a priest or their membership in a religious order. Use of titles differs between denominations.

Religious

Priests

Christian priests often have their names prefixed with a title similar to The Reverend.

Used for deceased persons only

Other

Academic titles

Military titles

Military ranks are used before names.

Maritime titles

The names of shipboard officers, certain shipping line employees and Maritime Academy faculty/staff are preceded by their title when acting in performance of their duties.

Law enforcement

The names of police officers may be preceded by a title such as "Officer" or by their rank.

Protected professional titles

In North America, several jurisdictions restrict the use of some professional titles to those individuals holding a valid and recognised license to practice. Individuals not authorised to use these reserved titles may be fined or jailed. Protected titles are often reserved to those professions that require a bachelor's degree or higher and a state, provincial, or national license.

Other organizations

Some titles are used to show one's role or position in a society or organization. Some titles are used in English to refer to the position of people in foreign political systems

Non-English speaking areas

Default titles in other languages

Rajput social titles

Titles used in Rajasthan and other neighbourhood states of India in honour of Rajputs (only):

Martial Arts

Academic

Religious

Honorary titles

Rulers

Historical titles for heads of state

The following are no longer officially in use, though some may be claimed by former regnal dynasties.

Appointed

Elected or popularly declared

Hereditary

When a difference exists below, male titles are placed to the left and female titles are placed to the right of the slash.

Aristocratic

Historical

Russian: German: Spanish: Others:

Other

Historical

Post-nominal letters

Members of legislatures often have post-nominal letters expressing this:

University degrees

Sources