What are apostrophes used for in names?

The apostrophe has three uses: 1) to form possessive nouns; 2) to show the omission of letters; and 3) to indicate plurals of letters, numbers, and symbols. ​Do not ​use apostrophes to form possessive ​pronouns ​(i.e. ​his​/​her ​computer) or ​noun ​plurals that are not possessives.

Are apostrophes allowed in names?

Names are pluralized like regular words. Add -es for names ending in “s” or “z” and add -s for everything else. When indicating the possessive, if there is more than one owner add an apostrophe to the plural; if there is one owner, add ‘s to the singular (The Smiths’ car vs. Smith’s car).

Why does D Arcy have an apostrophe?

3. She added that apostrophe. In an act of (tame) youthful rebellion, Carden tweaked her first name as a tribute to Smashing Pumpkins bassist D’arcy Wretzky.

What does the apostrophe mean in Irish surnames?

The apostrophe is a reminder of the forced identity change the Irish had to endure because of British rule and emigration. With this in mind, many people of Irish descent feel strongly about the dash in their surname, as it holds important significance in their heritage.

When should you use apostrophes?

An apostrophe is a punctuation mark used to create a contraction or to show possession.

1. Use an apostrophe when two words are shortened into one.
2. Use an apostrophe when showing possession.
3. Do not create a double or triple “s” when adding an apostrophe.
4. Do not use an apostrophe with pronouns to show possession.

How do you use an apostrophe with two names?

If two people possess the same item, put the apostrophe + s after the second name only. Example: Cesar and Maribel’s home is constructed of redwood. However, if one of the joint owners is written as a pronoun, use the possessive form for both.

Should place names have apostrophes?

—The Domestic Names Committee of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names doesn’t like apostrophes. Visitors to Harpers Ferry or Pikes Peak might not realize it, but anyone aspiring to name a ridge or a swamp after a local hero will soon find out. But there is no opposition to the apostrophe—except from the government.

Why are there no apostrophes in place names?

Don’t use an apostrophe for possessive names Official place names are not possessive and do not usually include punctuation.

What does De mean in a name?

Italy: The nobiliary particles (or predicati) de or di are used after the surname or the name of the title. Further, the use of the particle de or de’ is often an abbreviation for dei, suggesting the family is of a noble family. For instance, Lorenzo de’ Medici means ‘Lorenzo of the Medici [family]’.

What does an apostrophe mean in an Italian name?

Generally speaking, the apostrophe in Italian is an elision that you make when a word ending with a vowel and a word starting with a vowel are used together in a sentence. In these cases, in fact, the first word loses its final vowel and adds an apostrophe. Examples: L’olio -> instead of lo olio.

Why do some last names have an apostrophe?

Answer: the apostrophe is an English way of writing the original name, and its a way of writing the accent over the ‘O’.

Why is there an apostrophe in surnames?

Adding an apostrophe makes the last name possessive, which is unnecessary in this case. Depending on the last letter of the name, simply add –s or –es. Signing a card, “Happy holidays from the Smiths!” correctly includes the entire family in the message’s sentiment.

What is the use of apostrophe in academic writing?

An apostrophe is used to indicate missing letters. However, contractions are informal and are usually not appropriate to use in academic writing. In English, an apostrophe should almost never be used to form a plural, including with acronyms and decades. My parents were born in the 1960’s.

What are the most common apostrophe mistakes?

One of the most common apostrophe mistakes is confusing possessive pronouns with contractions that look or sound similar. Always pay attention to whether an apostrophe is intended to indicate possession or a contraction, and remember that possessive pronouns don’t take apostrophes.

When do you put an apostrophe after multiple nouns?

When multiple nouns individually own other nouns, however, add an apostrophe after all of the owning nouns. The scientist’s and the robot’s abilities were quite different. The freezing of pipelines is both the engineers’ and the operators’ problem.

Where do you use apostrophes in time expressions?

Apostrophes can be used in time expressions (also called “temporal expressions”) like “a day’s pay” and “two weeks’ notice.” The big question with these is where to put the apostrophe.