1.06 Titles used with personal names

Use the following abbreviations for non-military titles preceding or following personal names:

• Dr.
• Esq.
• Hon.
• Jr.
• Mr.
• Mrs.
• Ms.
• Messrs.
• Mmes.
• Msgr.
• Prof.
• Rev.
• Rt. Hon.
• Sr.
• St.

Use Ms. when referring to a woman unless a preference for Mrs. has been indicated. Although not an abbreviation, Ms. is written with a period, by analogy with Mr. and Mrs. Note that Miss is not an abbreviation and does not take a period.

Do not use Mr., Mrs., Ms., Dr. or Esq. with any other abbreviated title or with an abbreviation denoting an academic degree or honour:

• Dr. Roberta Bondar or Roberta Bondar, MD

not

• Ms. or Dr. Roberta Bondar, MD

• Mr. Paul Kelly or Paul Kelly, Esq.

not

• Mr. Paul Kelly, Esq.

Do not use the abbreviation Dr. and Rev. Dr. before the names of individuals who hold only honorary doctorates.

Saint is written out for names of persons revered as holy, but may be abbreviated in informal contexts and in lists and tables:

• Saint Catherine
• Saint Francis of Assisi
• Saint Peter
• Saint Theresa

St. and SS. (plural) are the abbreviations used.

Abbreviate professional and official titles only when they are used with surnames preceded by first names or initials:

• Gen. Lewis MacKenzie but General MacKenzie
• Dr. Irene Taguchi but Doctor Taguchi
• Prof. A. N. Chomsky but Professor Chomsky

Note that there are spaces between each period and the following initial or name.

Even when used to address someone in correspondence, Rt. Hon., Hon. and Rev. must be preceded by the:

• The Rt. Hon. Jean Chrétien, Prime Minister of Canada
• The Hon. Alfonso Gagliano, Minister of Public Works and Government Services
• The Rev. John Smith

Titles used with personal names, Note

The honorary title "the Honourable" is used before the names of members of the Canadian Privy Council, lieutenant-governors and certain other officials. The title "the Right Honourable" applies for life to the governor general, prime minister and chief justice of Canada. See Department of Canadian Heritage, Precedence of Canadian Dignitaries and Officials.

Do not abbreviate Mayor, Vice-President, Professor and Father when used with personal names.

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