Suffix (name)
Encyclopedia
A name suffix, in the Western English-language
naming tradition, follows a person's full name
and provides additional information about the person. Post-nominal letters
indicate that the individual holds a position, educational degree, accreditation, office, or honor.
or university
. These include the bachelor's degree
(A.B, B.A., B.F.A., LL.B, B.Sc., etc.), the master's degree
(M.A.
, M.F.A. LL.M, M.L.A.
, M.B.A., M.Sc., etc.), the professional doctorate
(M.D., D.O., J.D., Pharm.D., etc.), and the academic doctorate
(Ph.D., D.Phil., LL.D, Eng.D., etc.).
In the case of doctorates, either the prefix (e.g. "Dr." or "Atty") or the suffix (e.g. "M.D.", "D.O.", "D.C.", or "Ph.D.") is used, not both. In the United States, the suffix is the preferred format (thus allowing differentiation between types of doctorate) in written documentation.
was once used to distinguish a gentleman
without a title
from the rank and file. It is still occasionally used as a courtesy title in formal correspondence in the United Kingdom. It is not used in a social sense in the United States, where Esq. or esq. is used as the professional styling for an attorney. If Esq. is used, the honorific
should be omitted.
, often used for an attorney
(but not necessarily) in the US
who has passed a state bar examination, and CSA (casting) and ASCAP, which indicate membership in professional societies. The suffix CA is used for individuals who have completed the requirements to become a Chartered Accountant
. The suffix CPA is also used for individuals who have completed the requirements to become a Certified Public Accountant. Similarly, Chartered Financial Analyst
s use the suffix CFA. Engineers that are certified as a Professional Engineer
in his or her state will use the suffix P.E., Certified Professional Geologists use P.G., Certified Professional Logisticians use CPL, and Chartered Engineers use CEng. Likewise, Registered Architects sometimes use the suffix R.A., or more often a suffix such as AIA or RIBA that refers to their professional society.
Project manager
s that have obtained certification as Project Management Professionals
from the Project Management Institute
may use the suffix PMP after their name. Similarly, individuals who hold certifications in the field of information security
– e.g. CISA, CISSP, and/or CISM
– may use them as suffixes.
The suffix PT is used by Physical Therapists to denote their state certification, but not to be confused with DPT (Doctor of Physical Therapy) which is a qualifying degree. UK physiotherapists prefer to use MCSP or SRP to denote membership to professional bodies. RGN is used by qualified nurses as a suffix.
Officers and enlisted in the United States Military will add an abbreviation of the service frequently to disambiguate seniority, and reserve status. For example, Captain Smith, USN (O-6), outranks Captain Jones, USMC (O-3).
s will commonly use their order's initials as a suffix to their personal name. For example, a Franciscan
friar
uses the post-nominal initials OFM, derived from the order's name in Latin, Ordo Fratrum Minorum; a Viatorian priest
uses the suffix CSV
, from the English
name of the order, the Clerics of Saint Viator.
The most common name suffixes are senior and junior, most frequent in American usage, which are written with a capital first letter ("Jr." and "Sr.") with or without an interceding comma. The British English abbreviations are "Jnr." and 'Snr.', respectively. The term "junior" is correctly used only if a child is given exactly the same name as his or her parent. When the suffixes are spelled out in full, they are always written with the first letter in lower case. Social name suffixes are far more frequently applied to men than to women. In French
, the designations for a father and son with the same name are père ("father") and fils ("son"). In Portuguese
, common designations are Júnior (junior), Filho (son), Neto (grandson), and Sobrinho (nephew). In many other nations, it is considered highly unusual or even inauspicious to give a son the same first name(s) as his father, removing the need for such suffixes. Sons with a different middle name or initial may also be called Junior as a nickname, but unless the names are identical, the Jr. suffix is never used.
Alternatively, "II" is used instead of junior. The relative may, in this case, also be an uncle, cousin, or grandfather. The suffix "III" is used after either Jr or II and like subsequent numeric suffixes, does not need to happen in one family line. For example, if John and Bob Gruber are brothers and if Bob has a son before John, he will call his son John, II. If John now has a son, his son is John, Jr. As time passes, the III suffix goes to the first born of either John Jr or John II. This is how it is possible and correct for a Jr. to father a IV.
This notwithstanding, many men in the public eye misuse suffixes as an important part of their media management. An example of this is WWE chairman Vincent Kennedy McMahon
who is sometimes credited as Vince McMahon, Jr. because his own father (Vincent J. McMahon
) was credited as Vince McMahon, Sr. Another instance of this is George W. Bush
, who is nicknamed Junior by his family. Strikingly, the son of actor
Lon Chaney
, was billed by Hollywood as Lon Chaney, Jr.
, to capitalize on his father's success, even though he had an entirely different birth name: Creighton Tull Chaney. A similar situation exists with singer Hank Williams, whose birth name is actually Hiram King Williams. His son, Randall Hank Williams, is professionally known as Hank Williams, Jr. Randall's son Shelton Hank Williams is known professionally as Hank Williams III
. It is incorrect for a man to use Sr. (See below).
Although there are instances of daughters who are named after their mothers and thus use the suffix "Jr." (such as Winifred Sackville Stoner, Jr.
, Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, Jr., and Carolina Herrera, Jr.) or after their grandmothers with the suffix "II", this is not common. Usually, the namesake is given a different middle name and so would not need a suffix for differentiation. The title "Jr." is sometimes used in legal documents, particularly those pertaining to wills and estates, to distinguish among female family members of the same name.
A wife who uses the title Mrs.
would also use her husband's full name, including the suffix. In less formal situations, the suffix may be omitted. Hence: Mrs. Lon Chaney Jr. on a wedding invitation, but Mrs. L. Chaney or simply Shannon Chaney for a friendly note. Widows are entitled to retain their late husband's full names and suffixes but divorcees may not continue to style themselves with a former husband's full name and suffix, even if they retain the surname.
There is no hard-and-fast rule over what happens to suffixes when the most senior of the name dies. Etiquette expert and humorist Judith Martin
, for example, believes they should all move up, but most agree that this is up to the individual families.
When a Jr has a son, the son, if named identically, is a III. If, upon the death of the original, the Jr. chooses to stop using the Jr, the III stays III. (If he did not, he would be confused with his father.) Furthermore, when the III dies, his son remains IV, and so on. The eldest may choose to drop the suffix, but everybody else retains their number.
Should a death occur in the middle, the same rule applies. For example, if Jr, III, and IV are living and if suddenly III dies, Jr remains Jr, and IV remains IV. Jr may choose to drop the suffix and even may have done so before III died, but IV is still IV. Then, as time goes by and Jr dies, IV may then, and only then, change or drop the suffix.
In other words, only the living man that is closest to the original may change or drop the suffix. Everyone else stays the same.
Only widows may use the Sr suffix, and it used to distinguish the widow of either the original or the closest from the original from the wife of the living closest to the original. It is equivalent to the term dowager.
In practice, it is quite uncommon for families to go beyond "III" in naming children, although there are notable exceptions: The legal name of Tom Cruise
, for instance, is actually Thomas Cruise Mapother IV, and the oldest sons of U.S. Senator Jay Rockefeller
(legal name John Davison Rockefeller IV) and former Major League Baseball
pitcher
Orel Hershiser
both have "V" as their suffix. The primary reason for the rarity is a desire for a change in names and not a desire to limit the use of suffixes.
Theodore Roosevelt V
is another example, and should actually be Theodore Roosevelt VI, since U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt
was actually a junior (named after his father), but that family started numbering with the president as if he had actually been the senior.
Former boxer George Foreman
named his five sons after himself: George Edward Foreman II through VI.
Last, common nicknames for a junior or II include "Chip" (as in "chip off the old block") and "Bud" (predominantly in the American South). Likewise, common nicknames for a III are "Trip(p)" and "Trey" which denote that the nameholder is the third in a line.
is governed by rules of precedence, and this list is sometimes called the "Order of Wear" (for the wearing of medals).
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
naming tradition, follows a person's full name
Name
A name is a word or term used for identification. Names can identify a class or category of things, or a single thing, either uniquely, or within a given context. A personal name identifies a specific unique and identifiable individual person, and may or may not include a middle name...
and provides additional information about the person. Post-nominal letters
Post-nominal letters
Post-nominal letters, also called post-nominal initials, post-nominal titles or designatory letters, are letters placed after the name of a person to indicate that the individual holds a position, educational degree, accreditation, office, or honour. An individual may use several different sets of...
indicate that the individual holds a position, educational degree, accreditation, office, or honor.
Academic
Academic suffixes indicate the degree earned at a collegeCollege
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
or university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
. These include the bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
(A.B, B.A., B.F.A., LL.B, B.Sc., etc.), the master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
(M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
, M.F.A. LL.M, M.L.A.
Master of Landscape Architecture
The Master of Landscape Architecture is a professional and academic degree dealing with the manipulation of outdoor and public spaces to achieve socio-behavioural, environmental, and/or aesthetic outcomes.-Curriculum and Requirements:...
, M.B.A., M.Sc., etc.), the professional doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
(M.D., D.O., J.D., Pharm.D., etc.), and the academic doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
(Ph.D., D.Phil., LL.D, Eng.D., etc.).
In the case of doctorates, either the prefix (e.g. "Dr." or "Atty") or the suffix (e.g. "M.D.", "D.O.", "D.C.", or "Ph.D.") is used, not both. In the United States, the suffix is the preferred format (thus allowing differentiation between types of doctorate) in written documentation.
Honorary
Such titles may be given by:- a monarchMonarchA monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
(for example, K.B.E., a suffix granted to Knights Commander of the Order of the British EmpireOrder of the British EmpireThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
); - a universityUniversityA university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
(as in a LL.D. (Doctor of Laws) given in recognition of a person's life achievements rather than their academic standing); - a churchChurch BodyA local church is a Christian religious organization that meets in a particular location. Many are formally organized, with constitutions and by-laws, maintain offices, are served by pastors or lay leaders, and, in nations where this is permissible, often seek seek non-profit corporate status...
or seminary, who may offer an honorary Doctor of DivinityDoctor of DivinityDoctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
(D.D.) to outstanding ministers or teachers.
Esquire
The style Esq. or EsquireEsquire
Esquire is a term of West European origin . Depending on the country, the term has different meanings...
was once used to distinguish a gentleman
Gentleman
The term gentleman , in its original and strict signification, denoted a well-educated man of good family and distinction, analogous to the Latin generosus...
without a title
British nobility
-General History of British Nobility:The nobility of the four constituent home nations of the United Kingdom has played a major role in shaping the history of the country, although in the present day even hereditary peers have no special rights, privileges or responsibilities, except for residual...
from the rank and file. It is still occasionally used as a courtesy title in formal correspondence in the United Kingdom. It is not used in a social sense in the United States, where Esq. or esq. is used as the professional styling for an attorney. If Esq. is used, the honorific
English honorifics
In the English language an English honorific is a title prefixing a person's name, e.g.: Miss, Ms., Mr, Sir, Mrs, Dr and Lord...
should be omitted.
Professional
Professional titles include Esq.Esquire
Esquire is a term of West European origin . Depending on the country, the term has different meanings...
, often used for an attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
(but not necessarily) in the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
who has passed a state bar examination, and CSA (casting) and ASCAP, which indicate membership in professional societies. The suffix CA is used for individuals who have completed the requirements to become a Chartered Accountant
Chartered Accountant
Chartered Accountants were the first accountants to form a professional body, initially established in Britain in 1854. The Edinburgh Society of Accountants , the Glasgow Institute of Accountants and Actuaries and the Aberdeen Society of Accountants were each granted a royal charter almost from...
. The suffix CPA is also used for individuals who have completed the requirements to become a Certified Public Accountant. Similarly, Chartered Financial Analyst
Chartered Financial Analyst
The Chartered Financial Analyst Program is a graduate level self-study program offered by the CFA Institute to investment and financial professionals...
s use the suffix CFA. Engineers that are certified as a Professional Engineer
Professional Engineer
Regulation of the engineering profession is established by various jurisdictions of the world to protect the safety, well-being and other interests of the general public, and to define the licensure process through which an engineer becomes authorized to provide professional services to the...
in his or her state will use the suffix P.E., Certified Professional Geologists use P.G., Certified Professional Logisticians use CPL, and Chartered Engineers use CEng. Likewise, Registered Architects sometimes use the suffix R.A., or more often a suffix such as AIA or RIBA that refers to their professional society.
Project manager
Project manager
A project manager is a professional in the field of project management. Project managers can have the responsibility of the planning, execution, and closing of any project, typically relating to construction industry, architecture, computer networking, telecommunications or software...
s that have obtained certification as Project Management Professionals
PMP
PMP may mean several things:* Per million population, as listed in Acronyms in healthcare* NAT Port Mapping Protocol* Perlman Music Program* Pic Micro Pascal, a free Pascal language compiler for PIC processors...
from the Project Management Institute
Project Management Institute
The Project Management Institute is a not-for-profit professional organization for the project management profession with the purpose of advancing project management.- Overview :...
may use the suffix PMP after their name. Similarly, individuals who hold certifications in the field of information security
Information security
Information security means protecting information and information systems from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, perusal, inspection, recording or destruction....
– e.g. CISA, CISSP, and/or CISM
Certified Information Security Manager
Certified Information Security Manager is a certification for information security managers awarded by ISACA...
– may use them as suffixes.
The suffix PT is used by Physical Therapists to denote their state certification, but not to be confused with DPT (Doctor of Physical Therapy) which is a qualifying degree. UK physiotherapists prefer to use MCSP or SRP to denote membership to professional bodies. RGN is used by qualified nurses as a suffix.
Officers and enlisted in the United States Military will add an abbreviation of the service frequently to disambiguate seniority, and reserve status. For example, Captain Smith, USN (O-6), outranks Captain Jones, USMC (O-3).
Religious orders
Members of religious orderReligious order
A religious order is a lineage of communities and organizations of people who live in some way set apart from society in accordance with their specific religious devotion, usually characterized by the principles of its founder's religious practice. The order is composed of initiates and, in some...
s will commonly use their order's initials as a suffix to their personal name. For example, a Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
friar
Friar
A friar is a member of one of the mendicant orders.-Friars and monks:...
uses the post-nominal initials OFM, derived from the order's name in Latin, Ordo Fratrum Minorum; a Viatorian priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
uses the suffix CSV
Clerics of Saint Viator
The Viatorians, or Clerics of Saint Viator , are a Roman Catholic religious order founded in Lyon, France in 1831 by Father Louis Querbes. Its patron, Saint Viator, had been a 4th century catechist in Lyon...
, from the English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
name of the order, the Clerics of Saint Viator.
Junior, Senior, and Roman numerals
Generational suffixes are used to distinguish persons who share the same name within a family. A generational suffix can be used informally (for disambiguation purposes, or as nicknames) and is often incorporated in legal documents.The most common name suffixes are senior and junior, most frequent in American usage, which are written with a capital first letter ("Jr." and "Sr.") with or without an interceding comma. The British English abbreviations are "Jnr." and 'Snr.', respectively. The term "junior" is correctly used only if a child is given exactly the same name as his or her parent. When the suffixes are spelled out in full, they are always written with the first letter in lower case. Social name suffixes are far more frequently applied to men than to women. In French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, the designations for a father and son with the same name are père ("father") and fils ("son"). In Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
, common designations are Júnior (junior), Filho (son), Neto (grandson), and Sobrinho (nephew). In many other nations, it is considered highly unusual or even inauspicious to give a son the same first name(s) as his father, removing the need for such suffixes. Sons with a different middle name or initial may also be called Junior as a nickname, but unless the names are identical, the Jr. suffix is never used.
Alternatively, "II" is used instead of junior. The relative may, in this case, also be an uncle, cousin, or grandfather. The suffix "III" is used after either Jr or II and like subsequent numeric suffixes, does not need to happen in one family line. For example, if John and Bob Gruber are brothers and if Bob has a son before John, he will call his son John, II. If John now has a son, his son is John, Jr. As time passes, the III suffix goes to the first born of either John Jr or John II. This is how it is possible and correct for a Jr. to father a IV.
This notwithstanding, many men in the public eye misuse suffixes as an important part of their media management. An example of this is WWE chairman Vincent Kennedy McMahon
Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
who is sometimes credited as Vince McMahon, Jr. because his own father (Vincent J. McMahon
Vincent J. McMahon
Vincent James "Vince" McMahon, better known as Vince McMahon, Sr. was an American professional wrestling promoter. He is best known for founding the American promotion, World Wide Wrestling Federation, which is now known as WWE.-Early life:Vincent James McMahon was born on July 6, 1914 in Harlem,...
) was credited as Vince McMahon, Sr. Another instance of this is George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
, who is nicknamed Junior by his family. Strikingly, the son of actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
Lon Chaney
Lon Chaney, Sr.
Lon Chaney , nicknamed "The Man of a Thousand Faces," was an American actor during the age of silent films. He was one of the most versatile and powerful actors of early cinema...
, was billed by Hollywood as Lon Chaney, Jr.
Lon Chaney, Jr.
Lon Chaney, Jr. , born Creighton Tull Chaney, was an American character actor. He was best known for his roles in monster movies and as the son of famous silent film actor, Lon Chaney...
, to capitalize on his father's success, even though he had an entirely different birth name: Creighton Tull Chaney. A similar situation exists with singer Hank Williams, whose birth name is actually Hiram King Williams. His son, Randall Hank Williams, is professionally known as Hank Williams, Jr. Randall's son Shelton Hank Williams is known professionally as Hank Williams III
Hank Williams III
Shelton Hank Williams, known as Hank 3 , is a neotraditional country and punk metal singer, drummer, bassist, and guitarist. In addition to his honky tonk recordings, Williams' style alternates among country, punk and metal...
. It is incorrect for a man to use Sr. (See below).
Although there are instances of daughters who are named after their mothers and thus use the suffix "Jr." (such as Winifred Sackville Stoner, Jr.
Winifred Sackville Stoner, Jr.
Winifred Sackville Stoner, Jr. , was a prodigious poet and child prodigy. Her development was heavily influenced by her mother and collaborator Winifred Sackville Stoner.-Childhood:...
, Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, Jr., and Carolina Herrera, Jr.) or after their grandmothers with the suffix "II", this is not common. Usually, the namesake is given a different middle name and so would not need a suffix for differentiation. The title "Jr." is sometimes used in legal documents, particularly those pertaining to wills and estates, to distinguish among female family members of the same name.
A wife who uses the title Mrs.
Mrs.
Mrs or Mrs. is a honorific used for women, usually for those who are married and who do not instead use another title, such as Dr, Lady, or Dame. In most Commonwealth countries, a full stop is not used with the title...
would also use her husband's full name, including the suffix. In less formal situations, the suffix may be omitted. Hence: Mrs. Lon Chaney Jr. on a wedding invitation, but Mrs. L. Chaney or simply Shannon Chaney for a friendly note. Widows are entitled to retain their late husband's full names and suffixes but divorcees may not continue to style themselves with a former husband's full name and suffix, even if they retain the surname.
There is no hard-and-fast rule over what happens to suffixes when the most senior of the name dies. Etiquette expert and humorist Judith Martin
Judith Martin
Judith Martin , better known by the pen name Miss Manners, is an American journalist, author, and etiquette authority. Martin's uncle was economist and labor historian Selig Perlman.- Early life and career :...
, for example, believes they should all move up, but most agree that this is up to the individual families.
When a Jr has a son, the son, if named identically, is a III. If, upon the death of the original, the Jr. chooses to stop using the Jr, the III stays III. (If he did not, he would be confused with his father.) Furthermore, when the III dies, his son remains IV, and so on. The eldest may choose to drop the suffix, but everybody else retains their number.
Should a death occur in the middle, the same rule applies. For example, if Jr, III, and IV are living and if suddenly III dies, Jr remains Jr, and IV remains IV. Jr may choose to drop the suffix and even may have done so before III died, but IV is still IV. Then, as time goes by and Jr dies, IV may then, and only then, change or drop the suffix.
In other words, only the living man that is closest to the original may change or drop the suffix. Everyone else stays the same.
Only widows may use the Sr suffix, and it used to distinguish the widow of either the original or the closest from the original from the wife of the living closest to the original. It is equivalent to the term dowager.
In practice, it is quite uncommon for families to go beyond "III" in naming children, although there are notable exceptions: The legal name of Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise
Thomas Cruise Mapother IV , better known as Tom Cruise, is an American film actor and producer. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards and he has won three Golden Globe Awards....
, for instance, is actually Thomas Cruise Mapother IV, and the oldest sons of U.S. Senator Jay Rockefeller
Jay Rockefeller
John Davison "Jay" Rockefeller IV is the senior United States Senator from West Virginia. He was first elected to the Senate in 1984, while in office as Governor of West Virginia, a position he held from 1977 to 1985...
(legal name John Davison Rockefeller IV) and former Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
Orel Hershiser
Orel Hershiser
Orel Leonard Hershiser IV is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. He is currently an analyst for Baseball Tonight and Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN and a professional poker player for...
both have "V" as their suffix. The primary reason for the rarity is a desire for a change in names and not a desire to limit the use of suffixes.
Theodore Roosevelt V
Theodore Roosevelt V
Theodore Roosevelt V is an American businessman and environmentalist. He is the great-great-grandson of President Theodore Roosevelt and son of banker and conservationist Theodore Roosevelt IV....
is another example, and should actually be Theodore Roosevelt VI, since U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
was actually a junior (named after his father), but that family started numbering with the president as if he had actually been the senior.
Former boxer George Foreman
George Foreman
George Edward Foreman is an American two-time former World Heavyweight Boxing Champion, Olympic gold medalist, ordained Baptist minister, author and successful entrepreneur...
named his five sons after himself: George Edward Foreman II through VI.
Last, common nicknames for a junior or II include "Chip" (as in "chip off the old block") and "Bud" (predominantly in the American South). Likewise, common nicknames for a III are "Trip(p)" and "Trey" which denote that the nameholder is the third in a line.
Ordering of post-nominal letters
In some English-speaking countries, the arrangement of post-nominal lettersPost-nominal letters
Post-nominal letters, also called post-nominal initials, post-nominal titles or designatory letters, are letters placed after the name of a person to indicate that the individual holds a position, educational degree, accreditation, office, or honour. An individual may use several different sets of...
is governed by rules of precedence, and this list is sometimes called the "Order of Wear" (for the wearing of medals).