Names and Titles at a glance

THE CORRECT NAME

• Always try to call people by their preferred name.
• When in doubt, err in favor of greater formality.
• Pay close attention to the spelling of the name and double check even the simplest name.
• Whenever possible, get the exact name of the person you need to contact.

SOCIAL TITLES

• In business correspondence, always use the social title as well as the name.
• When addressing business correspondence to women, use "Ms." unless you know that she prefers "Mrs." or "Miss".
• An address on a business letter includes the social title and the full name of the recipient.
• In the salutation of the letter, use the social title and the last name after the word "Dear".
• Do not use the first name alone in the salutation unless you are sure that familiarity is welcomed.

ORGANIZATIONAL TITLES

• Include the recipient's official title on the correspondence if it is known.
• You may use the title in place of the name if you want to reach the person in that position but don't know the name. However, this type of address is a poor substitute for a person's name.

MILITARY TITLES

• In business letters to military personnel, use the rank and full name of the recipient followed by a comma and the branch of service.
• Use the rank and the last name after the word "Dear" in the salutation.

 JUDGES

• A letter to a judge is addressed to "The Honorable" followed by the full name.
• The official title should appear on the next line e.g. "District Judge", followed by a comma and the name of the court.
• The salutation consists of "Dear" followed by the title (Judge) and the last name.
• When addressing a Supreme Court Justice, substitute "Justice" for "Judge".

GOVERNMENTAL OFFICIALS

• For most governmental officials, use the title "The Honorable" followed by the last name.
• The official title will appear on the next line, e.g. "The Governor of South Dakota".
• The proper salutation is "Dear" followed by the official title and the last name.
• There are reference books available in the Career Services Office with more information.