Editing Personal name (section)

==Naming conventions==
A personal naming system, or anthroponymic system, is a system describing the choice of personal name in a certain society. Personal names consist of one or more parts, such as [[given name]], [[surname]] and [[patronymic]]. Personal naming systems are studied within the field of [[anthroponymy]].

In contemporary Western societies (except for Iceland, Hungary, and sometimes [[Flanders]], depending on the occasion), the most common naming convention is that a person must have a [[given name]], which is usually gender-specific, followed by the parents' [[family name]]. In [[onomastic]] terminology, given names of male persons are called ''andronyms'' (from [[Ancient Greek]] ἀνήρ / man, and ὄνομα / name),{{sfn|Room|1996|p=6}} while given names of female persons are called ''gynonyms'' (from [[Ancient Greek]] γυνή / woman, and ὄνομα / name).{{sfn|Barolini|2005|p=91, 98}}

Some given names are bespoke, but most are repeated from earlier generations in the same culture. Many are drawn from mythology, some of which span multiple language areas. This has resulted in related names in different languages (e.g. [[George (given name)|George]], [[Georg (disambiguation)|Georg]], [[Jorge]]), which might be translated or might be maintained as immutable proper nouns.

In earlier times, Scandinavian countries followed patronymic naming, with people effectively called "X's son/daughter"; this is now the case only in Iceland and was recently re-introduced as an option in the [[Faroe Islands]]. It is legally possible in Finland as people of Icelandic ethnic naming are specifically named in the name law. When people of this name convert to standards of other cultures, the phrase is often condensed into one word, creating last names like Jacobsen (Jacob's Son).

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In [[Kafirstan]] (now part of Afghanistan) "Children are named as soon as born. The infant is given to the mother to suckle, while a wise woman rapidly recites the family ancestral names; the name pronounced at the instant the baby begins to feed is that by which it is thereafter known."<ref>{{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Kafiristan|author-link=George Scott Robertson|first=George Scott|last=Robertson}}</ref>
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There is a range of personal naming systems:<ref>{{cite book |first1 = Patrick|last1= Hanks|first2=Harry|last2= Parkin |editor= Carole Hough|chapter-url= https://books.google.com/books?id=S8DQCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA214 |chapter= Family names |title= The Oxford Handbook of Names and Naming  |location= New York |year= 2016 |publisher=  Oxford University Press |page=214 |isbn= 9780191630415}}</ref>

* Binomial systems: apart from their given name, people are described by their surnames, which they obtain from one of their parents. Most modern European personal naming systems are of this type.
* Patronymic systems: apart from their given name, people are described by their [[patronymic]]s, that is, given names (not surnames) of parents or other ancestors. Such systems were in wide use throughout Europe in the first millennium CE, but were replaced by binomial systems. The [[Icelandic name|Icelandic system]] is still patronymic.
* More complex systems like [[Arabic name|Arabic system]], consisting of [[paedonymic]] (son's name), given name, patronymic and one or two [[byname]]s.

Different cultures have different conventions for personal names.

=== English-speaking countries ===
==== Generational designation ====
When names are repeated across generations, the senior or junior generation (or both) may be designed with the [[suffix (name)|name suffix]] "Sr." or "Jr.", respectively (in the former case, retrospectively); or, more formally, by an [[ordinal numeral|ordinal]] [[Roman number]] such as "I", "II" or "III". In the Catholic tradition, papal names are distinguished in sequence, and may be reused many times, such as [[Pope John XXIII|John XXIII]] (the 23rd pope assuming the papal name "John").

In the case of the American presidents [[George H. W. Bush]] and his son [[George W. Bush]], distinct middle initials serve this purpose instead, necessitating their more frequent use. The improvised and unofficial "Bush Sr." and "Bush Jr." were nevertheless tossed about in banter on many [[entertainment journalism]] opinion panels; alternatively, they became distinguished merely as "W." and "H. W.".

==== Rank, title, honour, accreditation, and affiliation ====
In formal address, personal names may be preceded by [[pre-nominal letters]], giving title (e.g. Dr., [[military rank|Captain]]), or social rank, which is commonly gendered (e.g. Mr., Mrs., Ms., Miss.) and might additionally convey [[marital status]]. Historically, professional titles such as "Doctor" and "Reverend" were largely confined to male professions, so these were implicitly gendered.

In formal address, personal names, inclusive of a generational designation, if any, may be followed by one or more [[post-nominal letters]] giving office, honour, decoration, accreditation, or formal affiliation.