Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Biography

"WP:NAMES" redirects here. For names of articles, seeWikipedia:Article titles.For usernames, seeWikipedia:Username policy.For articles about names, seeWikipedia:Name pages.

This page sets out guidelines for achieving visual and textual consistency in biographical articles and in biographical information in other articles; such consistency allows Wikipedia to be used more easily. While this guideline focuses on biographies, its advice pertains, where applicable, to all articles that mentionpeople.

For a short summary, seeWP:Biography dos and don'ts.

Lead section

Further information:WP:Manual of Style/Lead sectionandWP:Biographies of living persons

The lead section should summarise withdue weightthe life and works of the person. When writing about controversies in the lead section of a biography,relevantmaterial should neither be suppressed nor allowed to overwhelm: always pay scrupulous attention to reliable sources, and make sure the lead correctly reflects the entirety of the article. Write clinically, and let the facts speak for themselves. These concerns are especially pressing forbiographies of living persons.

Well-publicized recent events affecting a subject, whether controversial or not, should be kept in historical perspective. What is most recent is not necessarily what is mostnoteworthy:new information should be carefully balanced against old, withdue weightaccorded to each.

When a subject dies, the lead need not be radically reworked;Wikipedia is not a memorial site.Unless the cause of death is itself a reason for notability, a single sentence describing the death is usually sufficient, and often none is included in the lead at all, just a death date.

Opening paragraph

MoS guidelines foropening paragraphsandlead sentencesshould generally be followed. The opening paragraph of a biographical article should neutrally describe the person, provide context, establishnotabilityand explain why the person is notable, and reflect the balance of reliable sources.

First sentence

The first sentence should usually state:

1. Name(s) andtitle(s), if any(see alsoWP:Naming conventions (royalty and nobility)).Handling of the subject's name is covered below in§ First mention.
2. Dates of birth and death, if found insecondary sources(do not useprimary sources for birth dates of living personsor other private details about them).
3. Context (location, nationality, etc.) for the activities that made the person notable.
4. One, or possibly more,noteworthypositions, activities, or roles that the person is mainly known for, avoidingsubjectiveorcontentiousterms.
5. The main reason the person isnotable(key accomplishment, record, etc.)

However, try to not overload the first sentence by describing everything notable about the subject; instead, spread relevant information over the lead paragraph.

First sentence examples:

• Cleopatra VII Philopator(Greek:Κλεοπάτρα Φιλοπάτωρ;69 – August 12, 30 BC) was queen of thePtolemaic Kingdomof Egypt, and its last active ruler.
• Francesco Petrarca(Italian:[franˈtʃeskopeˈtrarka];July 20, 1304 – July 19, 1374), commonlyanglicizedasPetrarch(/ˈpiːtrɑːrk,ˈpɛ-/), was a scholar andpoetofRenaissance Italy,who was one of the earliesthumanists.
• Cesar Estrada Chavez(March 31, 1927 – April 23, 1993) was an American labor leader and civil rights activist.
• François Maurice Adrien Marie Mitterrand(26 October 1916 – 8 January 1996) wasPresident of Francefrom 1981 to 1995, the longest holder of that position in thehistory of France.

Birth date and place

Further information:WP:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers § Dates of birth and death

The opening paragraph should usually have dates of birth and (when applicable) death. These dates (specific day–month–year) are important information about the subject, but if they are also mentioned in the body, the vital year range (in brackets after the person's full name) may be sufficient to provide context. For living persons, privacy should be considered(seeWP:Biographies of living persons § Privacy of personal information and using primary sources,which takes precedence).

Birth and death places, if known, should be mentioned in the body of the article, and can appear in the lead if relevant to notability, but not in the opening brackets alongside the birth and death dates.

Birth and deathlabelsare included only when needed for clarity. When given, use full words, whether immediately preceding a date or not:

• William Alexander Spinks Jr.(1865–1933) was an American professional player ofcarom billiardsin the late 19th and early 20th centuries.– no need for labels, and specific dates are in the article body
• Gro Harlem Brundtland(... bornGro Harlem,20 April 1939) is a Norwegian politician...– "born" label used to introduce birth name

For an approximate date or range of dates, usec.(abbreviation forcirca); at first occurrence this should be done with the template{{circa}}a.k.a.{{c.}},which explains the abbreviation:c. 1457.When the only date known for a historical subject is a date (or range) when they were alive,fl.forfloruit(Latinfor 'he/she flourished') is used; at first occurrence the{{floruit}}a.k.a.{{fl.}}template produces similar output:fl. 1432.

For full details on how to format simple and complex dates and ranges,seeWP:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers § Chronological items.

Beyond the first paragraph of the lead section, birth and death details should only be included after a name if there is special contextual relevance. Abbreviations likeb.andd.can be used, if needed, when space is limited (e.g., in a table) and when used repetitively (e.g., in a list of people). Birthdate information can be included in lists, directly to the right of the name, in parentheses, using the following format:

• John Smith (1900–1990), doctor, lawyer and politician
• Sally Wong (born 1984), ice skater

Context

"WP:ETHNICITY" redirects here. You may be looking forWP:WikiProject Anthropology,WP:WikiProject Sociology,orWP:Race and ethnicity.

The opening paragraph should usually provide context for that which made the person notable. In most modern-day cases, this will be the country, region, or territory where the person is currently anationalor permanent resident; or, if the person is notable mainly for past events, where the person was such when they became notable.(For guidance on historic place names versus modern-day one, seeWP:Naming conventions (geographic names) § Use modern names.)

Ethnicity,religion, orsexualityshould generally not be in the lead unless relevant to the subject's notability. Similarly, neither previousnationalitiesnor the country of birth should be mentioned in the opening paragraph unless relevant to the subject's notability.

A2018 RfCon Spanish regional identity in the lead resulted in consensus to use the regional identity that reliable sources use most often and with which the subject identifies.

(See also§ WP:WikiProject Indigenous peoples of North America/Determining Native American and Indigenous Canadian identities.)

Nationality examples

The simplest example is someone who continued to reside in their country of origin:

• Daniel Boone(November 2, 1734 [O.S.October 22] – September 26, 1820) was anAmerican pioneerandfrontiersman

The second example is someone who emigrated as a child and continued to identify as a citizen of their adopted country:

• Isaac Asimov(c. January 2, 1920– April 6, 1992) was an American writer

  Per the above guidance, we do not add ethnicity ( "Jewish-American" ) or country of birth ( "Russian-born American" ). These details can be introduced in the second sentence if they are of defining importance.

In cases of public or relevant dual citizenship, or a career that spans a subject's emigration, the use of the wordandreduces ambiguity.

• Arnold Schwarzenegger(born July 30, 1947) is an Austrian and American actor, film producer, businessman, retired professional bodybuilder and politician

  For a politician, dual citizenship can be a political issue, so it is important to be clear and avoid ambiguity. The lead sentence here is not about ethnicity ( "Austrian-American" ) or the country of birth ( "Austrian-born American" ), but rather about dual citizenship.

• Peter Lorre(June 26, 1904 – March 23, 1964) was a Hungarian and American actor

  This is an example of a person who established a career in Europe as a Hungarian, then emigrated to the United States and was naturalizedand continued his career,and is thus known as both a Hungarian actor and as an American actor. The use ofandagain prevents the introduction of ethnicity or birth.

Native American and Indigenous Canadian status is based on citizenship, not ethnicity. Indigenous persons' citizenship can be listed parenthetically, or as a clause after their names. (See alsoWP:WikiProject Indigenous peoples of North America/Determining Native American and Indigenous Canadian identities)

• Wilma Pearl Mankiller(November 18, 1945 – April 6, 2010) was aNative Americanactivist, social worker, community developer and the first woman elected to serve asPrincipal Chiefof theCherokee Nation.

Finally, in controversial or unclear cases, nationality is sometimes omitted.

• Nicolaus Copernicus(19 February 1473 – 24 May 1543) was a Renaissance polymath, active as a mathematician, astronomer, and Catholic canon.

  Copernicus's nationalityis disputed, so it is omitted.

Positions and roles

The lead sentence should describe the person as they are commonly described byreliable sources.

The noteworthy position(s) or role(s) the person held should usually be stated in the opening paragraph. However, avoid overloading the lead paragraph with various and sundry roles; instead, emphasize what made the person notable. Incidental and non-noteworthy roles (i.e. activities that are not integral to the person's notability) should usually not be mentioned in the lead paragraph.

Offices, titles, and positions should accompany a name only if contextually relevant, and if common nouns, should not be capitalized. For particulars on different types of titles, see§ Positions, offices, and occupational titles,below.

Wherever possible, avoid defining a notable person, particularly in the title or first sentence, in terms of their relationships. Generally speaking, notability is not inherited; e.g. a person being the spouse or child of another notable person does not make that person notable.

Criminal acts

Terms such as "criminal", "convicted felon", and "convicted sex offender" are imprecise, and their placement in an article's first sentence may give undue weight. It is better to describe the specific crime itself, either in the first sentence or elsewhere in the lead, as appropriate based on how central the crime is to the person's notability:

• John Wilkes Booth(May 10, 1838 – April 26, 1865) was an American stage actor whoassassinatedUnited States PresidentAbraham LincolnatFord's Theatrein Washington, D.C., on April 14, 1865.
• Mary Katherine"Mary Kay"Fualaau(previouslyLetourneau,néeSchmitz;January 30, 1962 – July 6, 2020) was an American teacher who pleaded guilty in 1997 to two counts of felonysecond-degree rape of a child.
• Rolf Harris(30 March 1930 – 10 May 2023) was an Australian musician, television personality, painter, and actor. He often used unusual instruments like thedidgeridooand theStylophonein his performances, and is credited with the invention of thewobble board.He was convicted in England in 2014 of thesexual assaultof four underage girls, which effectively ended his career.
• Later mentions:Martha Stewart—second paragraph.Nicolas Sarkozy—fifth paragraph.

Names

See also:WP:Naming conventions (people)andWP:Manual of Style/Lead section § Alternative names

Most of the examples throughout this section illustrate usage in the title sentence, but are generally applicable to personal names in any encyclopedic text unless the advice provided is explicitly about the lead section at the subject's own biographical article.

Most recent personal names have but one correct spelling for a particular individual, although presentation (use of initials, middle names, nicknames, etc.) can vary and still be correct. In these cases, it is best to use a recognizable form. The most complete name should appear at the beginning of the article to provide maximum information. Inclusion of middle names or initials when they are widely known, can be a useful form of disambiguation if there is more than one person known by that name. This can be particularly useful in disambiguating family members with very similar names (e.g.,George W. Bush,George P. Bush,George H. W. Bush). However, if the person is conventionally known by only their first and last names and disambiguation is not required, any middle names should be omitted. When a non-English personal name is written in a romanised form, it is encouraged to include the authentic spelling of the name at least once. For a person who has a biographic article, a link to that may suffice.

Names from history are less certain as to spelling, and the further back one goes the less particular societies were about exactness, so variations are more likely. Reliable sources on history should be consulted when a decision about naming must be made or a controversy arises. A readily accessible and authoritative source for the accepted name of a person who has written books, or who has been written about, is theUS Library of Congress Authorities database,which provides the accepted name and variant names used by the British Library, the National Library of Canada, and other English-language libraries.Redirectpages can ensure that all variants lead to the desired article.

Unusual exceptions

Exceptions to the guidance in theNames sectionare only made when:

• the person hasclearly declaredand consistently used a preferred exceptional style for their own name;and
• an overwhelming majority of reliable sources use that exceptional style.

In such a case, treat it as aself-published name change.

Examples:

danah boyd– lowercase – but note e cummings

k.d. lang– lowercase, with unspaced initials

Megan Thee Stallion– variant spelling ofThe,capitalized mid-name – but notCedric The Entertainer

CC Sabathia,andCCH Pounder– unspaced initials with no dots

Dedee Pfeiffer– spelled-out initials forDorothy Diane

Rose ffrench, 1st Baroness ffrench–word-initialffused by that family

Such exceptions are determined by consensus and source research at a particular article, and do not generalize across an entire category of subjects (e.g. other academics, singer-songwriters, sportspeople, actors, nobility, or groups).

Redirectsto such an article should exist from other forms of the name that readers might search for, especially the form that complies with the Manual of Style's defaults (for the above cases:Danah Boyd,K. D. Lang,Megan the Stallion,C. C. Sabathia,C. C. H. Pounder,D. D. Pfeiffer,Rose FfrenchandRose Ffrench, 1st Baroness Ffrench).

For unusual name presentations, usually in the sphere of performer marketing, that straddle the line between an individual's name and a trademark (e.g.Deadmau5,versusKe$haforKesha),seeWP:Manual of Style/Trademarks.

Text formatting

See also:Manual of Style/Lead section § Format of the first sentence,and§ Bolding of title and alternative names

English-language text formatting and capitalization norms apply to the names of individuals and groups, including bands, troupes, teams/squads, and families. Avoid unusual text formatting, such as over-capitalization and letter substitutions,including for nicknames,stage names and other trademarks(KeshanotKe$ha).

Common nicknames, aliases, and variants are usuallygiven in boldface in the lead,especially if they redirect to the article, or are found on a disambiguation page orhatnoteand link from those other names to the article. Boldface is not needed for obscure names, for a long list or for repeated names; embolden only the first instance. For example:

• Spiro Theodore Agnew(November 9, 1918 – September 17, 1996) was the 39th vice president...Agnewwas born...
• Spiro Theodore Agnew(November 9, 1918 – September 17, 1996) was the 39th vice president... Agnew was born...

While English typically retains a leadingThein the name of a published work, even when grammatically awkward (Stephen King'sThe Shining), this is not done otherwise (usea Beatles songnota the Beatles song).

• UseCedric the EntertainernotCedric The Entertainer
• UseDwayne "the Rock" JohnsonnotDwayne "The Rock" Johnson
• In running text, the team isthe Miami Heat,notThe Miami Heat,except at the beginning of a sentence.

(For additional guidance on the use of capitals, seeWP:Manual of Style/Capital letters § Personal names.For groups of various sorts, see also:WP:Manual of Style/Trademarks;WP:Manual of Style/Music § Names (definite article);WP:Manual of Style/Capital letters § Institutions;WP:Manual of Style/Capital letters § Proper names.)

First mention

While the article title should generally be the name by which the subject is most commonly known, the subject's full name, if known, should usually be given in the lead sentence (including middle names, if known, or middle initials). Many cultures have a tradition of not using the full name of a person in everyday reference, but the article should start with the complete version in most cases. For example:

• FromFidel Castro:Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz(August 13, 1926 – November 25, 2016)...

But remember that editors need to balance the desire to maximize the information available to the reader with the need to maintain readability. For example, the case ofMuammar Gaddafi.

• Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi(Arabic:معمر محمد أبو منيار القذافي;/ˈmoʊ.əmɑːrɡəˈdɑːfi/;c. 1942– 20 October 2011), also known asColonel Gaddafi,was a Libyan politician, revolutionary, and political theorist.

The sentence seems to contain unnecessary clutter – a more readable form would be preferable. In addition, more relevant information should be included instead of alternative or very long names, which can be spread out in the paragraph, lead, or kept just in the body. Consider moving some details into a footnote:

• Muammar Gaddafi(c. 1942– 20 October 2011) was a Libyan politician, revolutionary, and political theorist who ruledLibyafrom 1969 until his assassination. BornMuammar Muhammad Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi,...
  

But remember, it's on a case by case basis and subject toconsensus.

Alternative names

See also:Manual of Style/Lead section § Alternative names

Nicknames and other aliases included must be frequently used by reliable sources in reference to the subject. For any kind of alternative name, use formulations like the following (as applicable):

• Timothy Alan Dick(born June 13, 1953), known professionally asTim Allen
• Alessandro di Mariano di Vanni Filipepi(c. 1445 – May 17, 1510), better known asSandro Botticelli
• Ariadna Thalía Sodi Miranda(born 26 August 1971), knownmononymouslyasThalía

Alternative names that are sourceable but not generally known to the public (e.g., a childhood nickname, ahypocorismonly used in private life, or a term of spousal endearment revealed in an in-depth biographical book) arenot encyclopedic.Highlighting uncommon or disputed appellations in the lead section gives themundue weight,and may also be a more generalneutralityproblem if the phrase is laudatory or critical. Examples:

• A sports journalist's one-off reference to a player as "the Atlanta panther"inpurple prosedoes not constitute a nickname, and treating it as one isoriginal research.
• "Tricky Dick"does not appear in the lead ofRichard Nixon;this label by his political opponents is covered, with context, in the article body.

Alternative names that are not well known to our readers may not need to be in the lead at all. Excessive non-English language details can make the lead sentence difficult to understand.

Examples:

YGenghis KhanorChinggis Khaan(bornTemüjin;c. 1162 – August 18, 1227) was the founder of the Mongol Empire.

NGenghis KhanorChinggis Khaan(Mongolian:Чингис хаан,romanized:Çingis hán;Chinese:Thành cát tư hãn;pinyin:Chéngjísī Hán;Wade–Giles:Ch'eng2-chi2-szu1Han4;c. 1162 – August 18, 1227), bornTemüjin(ТэмүжинTemüjin;traditional Chinese:Thiết mộc chân;simplified Chinese:Thiết mộc chân;pinyin:Tiěmùzhēn;Wade–Giles:T'ieh3-mu4-chen1), was the founder of the Mongol Empire.

YJoseph John Aiuppa(December 1, 1907 – February 22, 1997), also known as "Joey O'Brien" and later as "Joey Doves", was a Chicago mobster.

NJoseph John Aiuppa(December 1, 1907 – February 22, 1997), also known as "Joey O'Brien","Joey O.","O'Brien","Joey Doves'","Joey the Doves",and"Mourning Doves",was a Chicago mobster.

*The various nicknames are mostly how other mobsters – not so much the reliable sources – referred to Joey Aiuppa, and only two of them were widely reported, the rest being minor variants.

A leading"the" is not capitalizedin a nickname, pseudonym, or other alias (except when the alias begins a sentence):

• Use:Jack "the Assassin" Tatum;or:Jack Tatum, nicknamed "the Assassin"
• Avoid:Jack "The Assassin" Tatum;and:Jack Tatum, nicknamed "The Assassin"

Anachronistic names

A person named in an article of which they are not the subject should be referred to by the name they used at the time being described. For example, Pope John Paul I was known as Albino Luciani before he was elevated to the papacy, so material about the time before he became pope should use that name. In some cases, it is helpful to the reader to clarify, e.g.,Albino Luciani (later to becomePope John Paul I).The principle of avoiding anachronistic naming is also usually employed in the subject's own biography (including that of John Paul I), especially when the article is no longer a shortstub.

Changed names

"WP:CHANGEDNAME" redirects here. For the general article title guideline, seeWP:NAMECHANGES.

See also:WP:Naming conventions (people) § Self-published name changes

In some cases, a subject may have changed their full name at some point after birth. In these cases, the birth name may be given in the lead as well, if relevant:

• FromJack Benny:Jack Benny(bornBenjamin Kubelsky,February 14, 1894 – December 26, 1974)...
• FromBill de Blasio:Bill de Blasio(/dɪˈblɑːzioʊ/;bornWarren Wilhelm Jr.,May 8, 1961)...

Specific guidelines apply to living transgender and non-binary people(see§ Gender identity,below).

Multiple changed names

In other cases, a subject may have changed name multiple times.

Multiple former names may be mentioned in the lead,boldfacedif they redirect to the article. However, it is not always appropriate to list every previous name of a subject, only the birth name and those that were in use during the period of notability:

• Bill de Blasio(bornWarren Wilhelm Jr.,May 8, 1961) is a politician.... He was briefly known asWarren de Blasio-Wilhelm...

The names should be distributed throughout the lead to mark major transitions in the subject's life:

• Augustus(63 BC – 14 AD) was a Roman emperor.... He was bornGaius Octavius Thurinusinto a wealthy family.... He assumed the nameOctavianafter his adoption...

Surnames

If a subject changed theirsurname(last name) for whatever reason (e.g., marriage, adoption, personal preference), then their surname at birth should generally also be given in the lead. Editors may denote this with "born" followed by the subject's surname or full name; for name changes due to marriage, they may also usenée(feminine) andné(masculine) followed by the surname, provided the term is linked at first occurrence. The templates{{nee}}and{{ne}}provide this linking and do not require typing theécharacter.

Some practical examples:

• FromCourtney Love:Courtney Michelle Love(néeHarrison;born July 9, 1964) is an American singer, songwriter, actress...
• FromHillary Clinton:Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton(néeRodham;October 26, 1947) is an American politician and diplomat...
• FromJack White:John Anthony White(néGillis;born July 9, 1975) is an American musician, singer, songwriter...
• FromBarbara Flynn:Barbara Flynn(bornBarbara Joy McMurray,5 August 1948) is an English actress...

Pseudonyms and stage names

For people who are best known by apseudonym,thelegal nameshould usually appear first in the article, followed closely by the pseudonym. Follow this practice even if the article itself is titled with the pseudonym:

• Louis Bert Lindley Jr.(June 29, 1919 – December 8, 1983), better known by thestage nameSlim Pickens

Investigation inreliable sourcesmay be needed to determine whether a subject known usually by a pseudonym has actually changed their legal name to match (e.g., Reginald Kenneth Dwight formally changed his name toElton Hercules Johnearly in his musical career). Where this is not the case, and where the subject uses a popular form of their name in everyday life, then care must be taken to avoid implying that a person who does not generally use all their forenames or who uses a familiar form has actually changed their name. Donotwrite, for example:

• John Edwards(bornJohnny Reid Edwards,June 10, 1953).

Hypocorisms

It is not always necessary to spell out why the article title and lead paragraph give a different name. If a person has a common English-languagehypocorism(diminutive or abbreviation) used in lieu of a given name,it isnotpresented between quotation marks or parentheses within or after their name. Example:

• Use:William Henry Gates III
• Avoid:William Henry"Bill"Gates III

Nicknames

See also:§ Alternative names

If a person is known by anicknameused in lieu of or in addition to a given name, and it is not a common hypocorismof one of their names, or a professional alias, it is usually presented between double quotation marks following the last given name or initial. The quotation marks are not put inlead-section boldface.Example:

• FromBunny Berigan:Roland Bernard"Bunny"Berigan.
• FromTina Fey:Elizabeth Stamatina"Tina"Fey.

Do not cram multiple hypocorisms and nicknames into the name in the lead sentence; complicated naming should be explained separately.

• Poor, confusing example:William Emery "Emory, Spunk" Sparrow(September 15, 1897 – February 2, 1965) was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward....
• Clear rewrite:William Emery Sparrow(September 15, 1897 – February 2, 1965) was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward.... As a professional player, he spelled his name Emory, and was commonly known by the nicknameSpunk Sparrow.(The article title isEmory Sparrow,already establishing that as the common, primary name.)

A nickname can eventually become a professional alias, even themost common namefor a person. In this case, it is within quotation marks only if it first introduces the nickname in mid-name in the lead. Otherwise, it loses the quotation marks. If the nickname is dominant (in general or in a particular context) it can often be used in other articles without further elaboration. Example:

• FromMagic Johnson:Earvin"Magic"Johnson Jr.(born August 14, 1959) is... a basketball player.Magic Johnson left Michigan State after his sophomore season to enter the NBA draft.

If a nickname is used in place of the subject's entire name, it is usually given separately:

• Alphonse Gabriel Capone... sometimes known by the nickname "Scarface".
• Dr. RuthandDr. Drew(covered in more detail in§ Academic or professional titles and degrees,below)are trademarks; though they originated as informal nicknames, they do not require quotation marks.
  • FromRuth Westheimer:Karola Ruth Westheimer(néeSiegel;born June 4, 1928), better known asDr. Ruth,is a...

Nicknames should not be re-presented with additional name parts unless necessary for usage clarity.

• Use:Earl "the Pearl" Strickland;or:Earl Strickland, nicknamed "Earl the Pearl"
• Avoid:Earl Strickland, nicknamed "Earl the Pearl" Strickland

Initials

See also:WP:Naming conventions (people) § Middle names and initials

Use initials in a personal nameonly if the name is commonly written that way.

An initial is capitalized and is followed by afull point(period) and a space (e.g.J. R. R. Tolkien).

In article text, a space after an initial (or an initial and a full point) and before another initial should be a non-breaking space:J. R. R. Tolkien(or use the{{nbsp}}template). This also works inside links ([[J. R. R. Tolkien]]) and citation template parameters (|first=J. R. R.), thoughonlywith markup,notthe template. An alternative is{{nowrap}}around the entire initials string, but this must not be used inside citation template paramters.

Initials in other languages are sometimes treated differently from usual English practice. For example, a name beginning with two letters representing a single sound is treated as a single two-character initial in some European languages (e.g.,Th.forTheophilus), and hyphenated given names are sometimes abbreviated with the hyphen (J.-P.forJean-Pierre). If reliable sources consistently use such a form for a particular person, use it on Wikipedia as well.

Avoid formerly common multi-letter abbreviations used in English as a shorthand in letter-writing, genealogies, etc. (examples:Geo.=George;Jno.=John;Jna.=Jonathan;Thos.=Thomas;Jas.=James,Chas.=Charles), except in quotations and as they survive in trademarks (Geo. Hall & Sons). E.g., refer to the author asGeorge W. Proctor,though some of his books haveGeo. W. Proctoron the cover (the alternative form shouldredirectto his article).

With initials, it is not necessary to spell out why the article title and lead paragraph give a different name. For example,H. P. Lovecrafthas that title,H. P. Lovecraftappears in hisinfobox,and his lead sentence just givesHoward Phillips Lovecraft... was an American writer...,without "explaining" to the reader whatH. P.stands for. Initials are notnicknames;do not put them in quotation marks or insert them in mid-name, as inJohn Thomas Smith better known as"J. T."SmithorJohn Thomas(J. T.)Smith.

(For unusual exceptions, seebelow.)

Generational and regnal suffixes

"MOS:SR" redirects here. For style guidelines regarding self-references in articles, seeMOS:SELFREF.

See also:WP:Naming conventions (people) § Junior/Senior – the Younger/the Elder – Ordinals

UsingJr.,Sr.,or other such distinctions, including in the lead sentence of an article, isonlyfor cases in which the name with thesuffixis commonly used in reliable sources.

Do not put a comma beforeJr.,Sr.(or variations such asJnr), or aRoman numeralname suffix, whether it ispatronymicorregnal:useOtis D. Wright II,notOtis D. Wright, II.

When the surname is shown first, the suffix follows the given name, asKennedy, John F. Jr.orWright, Otis D. II.When the given name is omitted, omit the suffix –Kennedy,notKennedy Jr.– except where the context requires disambiguation. If necessary, explain in longer form which party is meant, e.g.The younger Jackson was elected mayor of Wolverham in 1998.

The Frenchfils('son') andpère('father') can be used for subjects for whom this usage is typical in English-language works:Alexandre Dumasfils.These terms are not capitalized.

See§ People with the same surnamefor an additional usage note.

Families

Main page:WP:Naming conventions (families)

See also:WP:Manual of Style/Biography § Text formatting

Royal surnames

See also:WP:Naming conventions (royalty and nobility)

Only incorporate surnames in the opening line of royal biographies if they are known and if they are in normal use. But do not automatically presume that the name of aroyal houseis the personal surname of its members. In many cases it is not. For visual clarity, articles on monarchs should generally begin with the form"{name} {ordinal if appropriate} (full name – but without surname; birth and death dates, if applicable)",and articles on other royals should generally begin with the form"{royal title} {name} {ordinal if appropriate} (full name – including surname if known; birth and death dates, if applicable)";in both cases with the full name and dates information unformatted, but the title, name and ordinal that are outside the parenthesis, in bold. Using this format displays the most important information clearly without an unattractive excess of formatting. Other information on royal titles should be listed where appropriate in chronological order.

Subsequent use

"WP:SURNAME" redirects here. For surname-article issues, seeWP:WikiProject Anthroponymy.

After the initial mention, a person should generally be referred to bysurnameonly – without anhonorific prefixsuch as "Mr.", "Mrs.", or "Ms.", andwithout academic or professional prefixeslike "Dr.", "Prof.", "Rev.", etc. – or may be referred to by apersonal pronoun.For example:

• Fred Smith was a Cubist painter in the early 20th century. He moved to Genoa, where he met singer Gianna Doe. Smith and Doe later married.

However, where a person does not have a surname but apatronymic(likemany Icelanders,some Mongols,and those historical persons who are known by names-and-patronymics instead of surnames), then the proper form of reference is usually the given name.(See also§ Culture-specific usages,below.)For example:

• Iceland's 24th prime minister wasJóhanna Sigurðardóttir.Jóhanna was elected to the Althing in 1978.

Generally speaking, subjects should not otherwise be referred to by theirgiven name;exceptions include royalty, e.g.Prince WilliamorWilliam.Any subject whose surname has changed should be referred to by their most commonly used name. If their most commonly used name includes their earlier surname, and you're discussing a period of their life before the surname change, refer to them by their prior surname. In other words, when discussing the early lives ofHillaryandBill Clinton,use "Rodham met Clinton while they were students at Yale", referring to Hillary using her then-current surname.

A member of the nobility may be referred to by title if that form of address would have been the customary way to refer to him or her; for exampleRobert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester,may becomethe Earl of Leicester,the Earl,or justLeicester(if the context is clear enough) in subsequent mentions. For modern-day nobility it is better to use name and title; at some time in the future thePrince of Waleswill be a different person thanWilliam, Prince of Wales,and a great many articles risk becoming out of date. Be careful not to give someone a title too soon; for example, one should useRobert DudleyorDudleywhen describing events before his elevation to the peerage in 1564.

When a majority ofreliable secondary sourcesrefer to persons by apseudonym,they should be subsequently referred to by their pseudonymous surnames, unless they do not include a recognizable surname in the pseudonym (e.g.Sting,Snoop Dogg,the Edge), in which case the whole pseudonym is used. For people well known by one-word names, nicknames, or pseudonyms, but who often also use their legal names professionally – e.g.,André Benjamin( "André 3000" ),Jennifer Lopez( "J.Lo" ); doctor/broadcasterDrew Pinsky( "Dr. Drew" ) – use the legal surname. If they use theirmononymor pseudonym exclusively, then use that name (e.g.Aaliyah,Selena,andUsher).

For fictional entities, use common names. For example,Jason,Luigi,andWesker.

Culture-specific usages

See also:Category:Hatnote templates for names

• Burmese namesare personal names that consist of one or more words, with no patronymic or surname. Always use the full form of the person's name.(SeeWikipedia:Naming conventions (Burmese).)
• Ethiopian and Eritreanpeople are almost always referred to by their given name as they do not have a family name. There are some rare exceptions to this: where the person – usually a member of the later generations of theEritrean diasporaorEthiopian diaspora– has adopted thepatronymicas a formalfamily name.Consider using the template{{Patronymic name}}.
• Icelandicpeople with patronymics (which is most of them) may be referred to by their given name or their given name and patronymic, but not by their patronymic alone. Consider using{{Icelandic name}}.
• Japanesehistorical (and some modern) figures may be conventionally known by either their family (clan) name and their given name or their given name only but not their family name only.
• InSoutheastandSouth Asia,many people use only a personal name, which may be followed by apatronymic;in such cases, they should be referred to by their personal name.
• Mongolianpeople are referred to by their given name, with their patronymic placed in front of it, usually in genitive case. There are no family names.(For more details, seeMongolian nameandWP:Naming conventions (Mongolian).)Consider placing{{Family name hatnote}}.
• Spanish naming customsgenerally call for one or more given names followed by a patronymic then a matronymic (and the latter two may be separated byyor another article). InPortuguese names,given names are followed by a matronymic then a patronymic. In both cases, the common name of such a person most often lacks the matronymic. Consider using{{Family name hatnote}}or{{Portuguese name}}.
• Thaipeople are almost always known and addressed by their first name (i.e. given name). Hence, on second and subsequent mentions, they should be referred to by first name alone.
• InVietnamese names,given names also take priority over family names. The given name, not the surname, should be used to refer to the person. The given name is nevertheless placed after the family name, following the East Asian naming scheme, even when written about in English.

See alsoWP:Categorization of people § Sort by surname,on the proper sorting of these names.

People with the same surname

To distinguish between people with the same surname in the same article or page, usegiven namesor complete names to refer to each of the peopleupon first mention.For subsequent uses, refer to them by their given names for clarity and brevity. When referring to the person who is the subject of the article, usejust the surnameunless the reference is part of a list of family members or if use of the surname alone will be confusing. This applies to minors as well as adults.While citations and bibliographies should use full names even in subsequent mentions (if full names arethe style for citationsand bibliographies in the article), the body of an article should not unless confusion could result.

For example, in the text of an article onRonald Reagan:

• Correct:Ronald and Nancy Reagan arrived separately, Ronald by helicopter and Nancy by car.
• Correct:The Reagans arrived separately, Ronald by helicopter and Nancy by car.
• Redundant:Ronald and Nancy Reagan arrived separately; Ronald Reagan by helicopter and Nancy Reagan by car.

In the text of an article about theBrothers Grimm:

• Correct:Jacob Grimm was 14 months older than his brother Wilhelm.
• Redundant:Jacob Grimm was 14 months older than his brother Wilhelm Grimm.

Individuals distinguished with a generational suffix can be written about inForenameSuffixstyle to disambiguate from other family members in the same article:William Sr.,John Jnr,James III.No comma is used in these short constructions.

If an article about a person mentions another person with the same surname who is not related by family or marriage, subsequent mentions of the other person should use the full name:

• Correct:Andrea Dworkinwas the subject of biographical writing byRonald Dworkin.

In an article that is not about either unrelated person with the same surname, continue to refer to them both by their full names. Source citations, bibliographies, and in-text attributions usually include names of authors and others. Consider them when checking for people with the same surname.

Eponyms

Main page:WP:Manual of Style § Eponyms

Eponyms– derived usage of personal (or other) names, as inParkinson's disease–capitalize the name portion, aside from conventionalized exceptions.

Titles of people

Overview:Titles should be capitalized when attached to an individual's name, or where the position/office is aglobally uniquetitle that is the subject itself,andthe term is the actual title or conventional translation thereof (not a description or rewording). Titles should not be capitalized when being used generically. Aside from mentioning them in the lead sentence of a biographical subject's own article, only use titles where they are necessary for clarity or identification in the context.

Specifics may vary, as described in more detail below. Non-English titles are most often translated into English, but this is left to editorial discretion and may be conventionalized across a category, based primarily on usage in English-language reliable sources (e.g., recipients of German knighthoods likeRobert Ritter von Greimare not translated into "Sir Robert Greim",and are usually rendered inRobert von Greimform in running text; the Tibetan titleDalai Lamais far more familiar to English speakers than any literal or figurative translation.)

Hyphenation and compounds:When hyphenated and capitalized, e.g.Vice-president(as it is usually spelled in contexts other than US politics), the element after the hyphenis not capitalized.When an unhyphenated compound title is capitalized (unless this is simply because it begins a sentence),each word begins with a capital letter:In 1973, Vice President Agnew resigned.This does not apply to unimportant words, such as theofinWhite House Chief of Staff John Doe.Do not use a hyphen, dash, or slash to fuse two titles someone holds; give them separately:XYZCo Regional Director and Staff Counsel Janet Goldstein.

Positions, offices, and occupational titles

Offices, titles, and positions such aspresident,king,emperor,grand duke,lord mayor,pope,bishop,abbot,prime minister,leader of the opposition,chief financial officer,andexecutive directorare common nouns and therefore should be in lower case when used generically:Mitterrand was the French presidentorThere were many presidents at the meeting.They are capitalized only in the following cases:

• When followed by a person's name to form a title, i.e., when they can be considered to have become part of the name:President Nixon,notpresident Nixon;Pope John XXIII,notpope John XXIII.
• When a title is used to refer to a specific person as a substitute for their name during their time in office, e.g.,the King,notthe king(referring toCharles III);the Pope,notthe pope(referring toFrancis).
• When a formal title for a specific entity (or conventional translation thereof) is addressed as a title or position in and of itself, is not plural, is not preceded by a modifier (including a definite or indefinite article), and is not a reworded description:

Unmodified, denoting atitle	Modified or reworded, denoting adescription
Richard Nixon was President of the United States.	Richard Nixon was the president of the United States. Richard Nixon was a president of the United States. Nixon was the 37th president of the United States. Nixon was one of the more controversial American presidents. Mao met with US president Richard Nixon in 1972. A controversial American president, Richard Nixon, resigned. Camp David is a mountain retreat for presidents of the United States.
Theresa May became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in 2016.	Theresa May was the prime minister of the United Kingdom. Theresa May is a former prime minister of the United Kingdom.
Louis XVI became King of France and Navarre in 1774, later styled King of the French (1791–1792).	Louis XVI was a king of France. Louis XVI was the king of France when the French Revolution began. The French king Louis XVI was later beheaded.

Even when used with a name, capitalization isnot requiredfor commercial and informal titles:OtagoSoft vice-president Chris Henare;team co-captain Chan.

The formality (officialness), specificity, or unusualness of a title is not a reason to capitalize it.

Note that for "president of the United States"or"prime minister of the United Kingdom",the name of the country remains capitalized even when the title is not, as it is always a proper noun. When writing"minister of foreign affairs"or"minister of national defence",the portfolio should be lower-cased as it is not a proper noun on its own (i.e. writeminister of foreign affairsor, as a proper noun,Minister of Foreign Affairs;do not writeminister of Foreign Affairs).

Academic or professional titles and degrees

"WP:CREDENTIALS" redirects here. For the use of credentials by Wikipedia editors, seeWP:There is no credential policy.

"MOS:PHD" redirects here. For the guidelines on abbreviations such as PhD, seeMOS:ABBR.

"MOS:DEGREE" redirects here. For the use of the degree symbol °, seeMOS:UNITSYMBOLS.

Academicorprofessional titles(such as "Dr." or "Professor" ), including honorary ones, should be used only with subjects of a biography that are widely known by a pseudonym or stage name containing the title (whether earned or not), and included in the pseudonym as describedabove(e.g.Ruth Westheimer,better known asDr. Ruth...). However, verifiable facts about how a person attained their title should be included in the article.(For periods (full stops) after abbreviated titles, seeWP:Manual of Style/Abbreviations § Full points (periods).)

Post-nominal lettersforacademic degreesfollowing someone's name (such asSteve Jones, PhD;Margaret Doe, JD) may occasionally be used within an article where that person is not the subject, to clarify their qualifications with regard to some part of the article, although this is usually better described in wording. Avoid this practice otherwise.SeeWP:Manual of Style/Abbreviations § Contractions.

Post-nominal letters

See also:WP:Manual of Style/Abbreviations § Initials,andWP:Naming conventions (people) § Middle names and initials

When the subject of an article has received honours or appointments issued either by the subject's state of citizenship or residence, or by a widely recognized organization that reliable sources regularly associate with the subject,post-nominal lettersmay be included in the main body of the article, but not in the lead sentence of the article.

The lead sentenceshould be concise:Academic (including honorary) degrees and professional qualifications may be mentioned in the article, along with the above, but should be omitted from the lead, as should superseded honors (e.g., the lesser of two grades in an order), and those issued by other entities (e.g., sub-national organizations).

Post-nominal letters should either be separated from the name by a comma and each set divided by a comma, or no commas should be used at all. If a baronetcy or peerage is held, then commas should always be used for consistency's sake, as the former are separated from the name by a comma.

When an individual holds a large number of post-nominal letters or seldom uses them (common among heads of state and members of royal families), they should only be described in the main body of the article and not in the lead.

Post-nominals for honours awarded by the United Kingdom (e.g. KCB, CBE) may be used as soon as they aregazetted;investitureis not necessary.

Post-nominals should only be mentioned at relevant places in the main body of a biography subject's own article, in an infobox parameter for post-nominals, when the post-nominals themselves are under discussion in the material, and in other special circumstances such as a list of recipients of an award or other honour. For example, "Brian LaraTC OCC AM"should not appear in an article likeWarwickshire County Cricket Club.

Formatting post-nominals

Where this manual provides options, consistency should be maintained within an article unless there is a good reason to do otherwise. TheArbitration Committeehas ruled that editors should not change an article from one guideline-defined style to another without a substantial reason unrelated to mere choice of style, and that revert-warring over optional styles is unacceptable.If discussion cannot determine which style to use in an article, defer to the style used in the first post-stubversion of the article to include a post-nominal.

Editors should remember that the meaning of the most obvious (to them) post-nominal initials will not be obvious to some readers. When post-nominal initials are used, the meaning should be readily available to the reader. This may be via a wikilink to an article, or with the{{abbr}}template (or its underlying<abbr>...</abbr>markup) which provides a mouse-over tooltipexpanding the abbreviation.

This is most easily done using the{{post-nominals}}template:

• With commas:'''Joe Bloggs''', {{post-nominals|size=100%|sep=,|country=GBR|VC|OBE}}gives:Joe Bloggs,VC,OBE
• Without commas:'''Joe Bloggs''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|VC|OBE}}gives:Joe BloggsVCOBE

This template needs the|size=100%parameter when it is used in an infobox, or its output will betoo small.Otherwise the|size=100%parameter is optional with or without commas.

At the least, use apiped linkto an article with the appropriate title, e.g.:

• '''Joe Bloggs''' [[Victoria Cross|VC]] [[Officer of the Order of the British Empire|OBE]]gives:Joe BloggsVCOBE

This ensures that readers who hover over the initials see the target article's URL as a hint and in the status bar at the bottom of the window. This manual formatting is only needed for cases where{{post-nominals}}does not handle the abbreviation in question. If there is nothing to link to, and a redlink is unlikely to result in eventual creation of an article, use the{{abbr}}template to explain the acronym. Because there is anaccessibilityissue with relying exclusively on such tooltip cues (touch-sensitive devices and assistive technologies generally do not utilize mouse-cursor hovering), a link is preferred when available.

Honorifics

See also:WP:Manual of Style/Islam-related articles § Islamic honorifics

Honorificsandstyles of nobilityshould normally be capitalized, e.g.,Her Majesty,His Holiness.They are not usually used in running text, though some may be appropriate in the lead sentence of a biographical article, as detailed below, or in a section about the person's titles and styles.

Honorific prefixes and suffixes

In general,honorific prefixesand suffixes should not be included, but may be discussed in the article. In particular, this applies to:

• styles and honorifics derived from a title, position or activity, includingThe Most Honourable,The Right Honourable,The Honourable(Hon.), His/Her Excellency, His/Her Grace, etc.;
• styles and honorifics related to royalty, aristocracy, clergy, and sainthood, such asHis/Her Majesty,His Holiness,The Reverend,andThe Venerable.Clergy should be named as described inWikipedia:Naming conventions (clergy).

There are some exceptions:

• Where an honorific is socommonly attached to a namethat the name is rarely found in English-languagereliable sourceswithout it, it should be included. For example, the honorific may be included forMother Teresa.
• Where a female historical figure is consistently referred to using the name of her husband and her birth name is unknown. For example, an honorific may be used for "Mrs. Alfred Jones".
• TheprenominalsSir,Dame,Lord,andLadyare discussed in§ Knighthoods, lordships, and similar honorific titles.
• InBurmese names,honorifics may be preserved if they are part of the normal form of address, even for ordinary people, e.g.U Thant.
• The Turkish honorific suffixPashais normally included in a notable person's name.

The inclusion of some honorific prefixes, suffixes, and other styles is controversial.

(SeeWP:Naming conventions (royalty and nobility)for use in article titles.)

Knighthoods, lordships, and similar honorific titles

The honorific titlesSir,Dame,LordandLadyare included in the initial reference and infobox heading for the subject of a biographical article, but are optional after that. The title is placed in bold in the first use of the name. Except for the initial reference and infobox, do not add honorific titles to existing instances of a person's name where they are absent, because doing so implies that the existing version is incorrect (similar in spirit to theguideline on English spelling differences). Similarly, honorific titles should not be deleted when they are used throughout an article unless there is consensus. Where the use of an honorific title is widely misunderstood, this can be mentioned in the article; see, for example,Bob Geldof.Honorific titles used with forenames only (such as "Sir Elton", "Sir David", "Dame Judi" ) should be avoided unless this form is so heavily preferred in popular usage that the use of the surname alone would render the entire name unrecognizable.

Honorary knights and damesare not entitled to "Sir" or "Dame", only thepost-nominal letters.Not all non-honorary inductees into anorder of chivalryare entitled to use the pre-nominal titles, either, and may receive distinct post-nominals. For example, theOrder of the British Empirehas five classes, each with different post-nominals; only the senior two are entitled to Sir/Dame.

Titles signifying honours awarded by the United Kingdom (i.e. Sir, Dame) may be used as soon as they aregazetted.Investitureis not necessary.

Tense

See also:WP:Manual of Style § Verb tense

Biographies of living personsshould generally be written in thepresent tense,and biographies of deceased persons in thepast tense.When making the change upon the death of a subject, the entire article should be reviewed for consistency. If a person is living but has retired, useis a formeroris a retiredrather than the past tensewas.

• Correct–John Smith(1946–2003) was a baseball pitcher...
• Correct–John Smith(born 1946) is a former baseball pitcher...
• Incorrect–John Smith(born 1946) was a baseball pitcher...

(For when people should be presumed dead in the absence of definitive information, seeWP:Biographies of living persons § Recently dead or probably dead.

Historical events should be written in the past tense in all biographies:

• Smith played for the Baltimore Orioles between 1968 and 1972...

The present tense may be used when discussing the work of a writer or philosopher, even if the person is dead:In hisInstitutes,Calvin teaches....The general rule is to describe statements made in literature, philosophy, and art in thehistorical present.Past tense should be used for news and marketing materials, public statements, and any other quoted or paraphrased material which is not itself a subject of consideration as a lasting work:Trump controversially referred to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as "Little Rocket Man" in a September 23, 2017, tweet.(not... refers...).

Out-of-date material

See also:WP:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers § Chronological items

It is best to avoid time-dependent statements, which can often be creatively rewritten anyway. When making any statements about current events, use the "As of"template; for example," as of April 2011 "or" in April 2011 ". If you're giving a precise date range from the past to the present, as with a living person's age or career, you may use the"Age"template. The article subject's age can also be calculated in the infobox.

There is no need to add "deceased" to a person's article, or those in which that person is mentioned. If the person has an article this should already be sourced, otherwise it is unnecessary. "Survived by" and "survivors", phrasings commonly found in obituaries, should not be used.

Order of events

"MOS:CHRONOLOGICAL" redirects here. For timelines, seeMOS:CHRONO.

In general, present a biography in chronological order, from birth to death, except where there is good reason to do otherwise. Within a single section, events should almost always be in chronological order.

Sexuality

Main page:WP:Manual of Style § Identity

See also:WP:WikiProject LGBT studies/Guidelines

Care should be taken to avoid placingundue weighton sexuality. A person's sexual orientation or activities should usually not be mentioned in the articleleadunless related to the person's notability.

Gender identity

Further information:WP:Manual of Style/Gender identity

Refer to any person whose gender might be questioned with the name and gendered words (e.g. pronouns,man/woman/person) that reflect the person'smost recentexpressed self-identification as reported in the most recentreliable sources,even if it does not match what is most common in sources. Do not use gendered noun forms (e.g.mailman,waitress) that do not match the most recent self-identification. This holds for any phase of the person's life, unless they have indicated a preference otherwise.

If a livingtransgenderornon-binaryperson was notnotableunder a former name (adeadname), it should not be included in any page (including lists, redirects, disambiguation pages, category names, templates, etc.), even in quotations,even ifreliable sourcing exists. Treat the pre-notability name asa privacy interest.For example:

• FromLaverne Cox:Laverne Cox(born May 29, 1972)...
• FromRachel Levine:Rachel Leland Levine(/ləˈviːn/;born October 28, 1957)...
• Avoid:Jane Smith(formerlyJohn Hammer,born May 1, 1980)...

In the case of a living transgender or non-binary person, their birth name or former name (professional name, stage name, or pseudonym) should be included in the lead sentence of their main biographical articleonly if they were notable under that name.Introduce the prior name with either "born" or "formerly". For example:

• FromChelsea Manning,notable under birth name:Chelsea Elizabeth Manning(bornBradley Edward Manning,December 17, 1987)...
• FromElliot Page,notable under former professional name:Elliot Page(formerlyEllen Page;born February 21, 1987)...

Outside the main biographical article, generally do not discuss in detail the changes of a person's name or gender presentation unless pertinent. Where a person's gendermay come as a surprise,explain it on first occurrence,without overemphasis.Avoid confusing constructions (Jane Doe fathered a child) by rewriting (e.g.,Jane Doe became a parent). In articles on works or other activity by a living trans or non-binary person before transition, use their current name as the primary name (in prose, tables, lists, infoboxes, etc.), unless they prefer their former name be used for past events. If they were notable under the name by which they were credited for the work or other activity, provide it in a parenthetical or footnote on first reference; add more parentheticals or footnotes only if needed to avoid confusion.

Paraphrase, elide, or use square brackets to replace portions of quotations to avoiddeadnamingormisgendering,except in rare cases where exact wording cannot be avoided, as where there is a pun on the notable former name, etc.

• Critic X said "Junoneeds a fine [actor] to play its pregnant teenage star, and [Elliot] Page has shown [himself] to be the perfect [man] for the job. "involves many bracketed changes, so is better paraphrased:Critic X argued that portraying the pregnant teenage lead in the filmJunorequired a fine acting talent, and said that Page had proved perfect for the job.

In source citations, do not remove names of authors, or references to former names in titles of works. If the author is notable, the current name may be given, for example as "X (writing as Y)".Do not replace or supplement a person's former name with a current name if the two names have not been publicly connected and connecting them wouldoutthe person.

Neopronouns and the singularthey

Singularthey/them/theirpronouns are appropriate to use in reference to any person who goes by them. If a person exclusively goes byneopronouns,such asze/hir,then singulartheyshould also generally be used instead of neopronouns when referring to that individual, though their neopronouns should usually be mentioned in their biography (in the main prose or in a footnote).

Authority control

Main page:WP:Authority control

See also:WP:ORCID

Place{{Authority control}}at the foot of biographies (immediately above{{DEFAULTSORT}},if present). Add authority control identifiers (VIAF, ISNI, ORCID, etc.) in the subject's Wikidata entry, from where they will be automatically transcluded into the template.

See also

• Wikipedia:Biography dos and don'ts(information page summarizing the key points of this guideline)
• Wikipedia:Autobiography
• Wikipedia:WikiProject Biography
• Wikipedia:Categorization of people
• Wikipedia:Naming conventions (people)
• Wikipedia:Biographies of living persons