Title

For other uses, see Title (disambiguation).

A title is a prefix or suffix added to someone's name in certain contexts. It may signify either veneration, an official position or a professional or academic qualification. In some languages, titles may be inserted before a last name (for example, Graf in German, Cardinal in Catholic usage or clerical titles such as Archbishop). Some titles are hereditary.

Types

Titles include:

Titles in English-speaking areas

The following titles are the default titles:

Aunt, Auntie, or Uncle may be used as titles by nieces and nephews, or by children to adults who they know.

Other titles are used for various reasons, such as to show aristocratic status or one's role in government, in a religious organization, or in a branch of the military.

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.

Male version Female version Realm Adjective Latin Examples
Emperor Empress Empire Imperial

Imperial and Royal (Austria)
Imperator (Imperatrix) Roman Empire, Byzantine Empire, Ottoman Empire, Holy Roman Empire, Russia, First and Second French Empire, Austria, Mexican Empire, Empire of Brazil, German Empire (none left in Europe after 1918), Empress of India (ceased to be used after 1947 when India was granted independence from the British Empire), Japan (the only remaining enthroned emperor in the world).
King Queen Kingdom Royal Rex (Regina) Common in larger sovereign states
Viceroy Vicereine Viceroyalty Viceroyal Proconsul Historical: Spanish Empire (Peru, New Spain, Rio de la Plata, New Granada), Portuguese Empire, (India, Brazil), British Empire
Grand Duke Grand Duchess Grand duchy Grand Ducal Magnus Dux Today: Luxembourg; historical: Lithuania, Baden, Finland, Tuscany et al.
Archduke Archduchess Archduchy Archducal Arci Dux Historical: Unique only in Austria, Archduchy of Austria; title used for member of the Habsburg dynasty
Prince Princess Principality, Princely state Princely Princeps Today: Monaco, Liechtenstein, Asturies, Wales;[1] Andorra (Co-Princes). Historical: Albania, Serbia
Duke Duchess Duchy Ducal Dux Duke of Buccleuch, Duke of York, Duke of Devonshire et al.
Count Countess County Comital Comes Most common in the Holy Roman Empire, translated in German as Graf; historical: Portugal, Barcelona, Brandenburg, Baden, numerous others
Baron Baroness Barony Baronial Baro There are normal baronies and sovereign baronies, a sovereign barony can be compared with a principality, however, this is an historical exception; sovereign barons no longer have a sovereign barony, but only the title and style
Pope There is no formal feminine of Pope (Popess) Note 1 Papacy Papal Papa Monarch of the Papal States and later Sovereign of the State of Vatican City

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). Indeed, the Oxford English Dictionary does not contain the word.[2]
The mythical Pope Joan, who was reportedly a woman, is always referred to with the masculine title pope, even when her female identity is known. Further, even if a woman were to become Bishop of Rome it is unclear if she would take the title popess; a parallel might be drawn with the Anglican Communion whose female clergy use the masculine titles of priest and bishop as opposed to priestess or bishopess.
Nonetheless some European languages, along with English, have formed a feminine form of the word pope, such as the Italian papessa, the French papesse, and the German Päpstin.

Titles used by knights, dames, baronets and baronetesses

These do not belong to the 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

Main article: Titles in academia

Military titles

Military ranks are used before names.

Ranks of other organizations

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

Unofficial use

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

French German Dutch Spanish Hindi
Male Monsieur Herr Meneer Señor Śrīmān/Śrī
Female Madame Frau Mevrouw Señora Śrīmatī
Unmarried female Mademoiselle Fräulein Juffrouw/Mejuffrouw Señorita Suśrī

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

Fictional titles

Other

Historical

Post-nominal letters

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

University degrees

See also

Notes

  1. Prince of Wales is a title granted, following an investiture, to the eldest son of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom – he is not a monarch in his own right.
  2. "?".

References

Look up title in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
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