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{{Misplaced Pages subcat guideline|naming convention|People|WP:NCP}}
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This guideline contains conventions on how to name Misplaced Pages articles about individual people. It should be read in conjunction with Misplaced Pages's general policy on article naming, ], and, for articles on living or recently deceased people, also in conjunction with the ] policy, which explicitly also applies to article titles.
General ] start from easy principles: the name of an article should be "the most common name of a person or thing that does not conflict with the names of other people or things". This boils down to the two central ideas in Misplaced Pages article naming:
#The name that is most generally ''recognisable''
#The name that is ''unambiguous'' with the name of other articles


Most biographical articles have titles in the form '''<First name> <Last name>''', as with ] and ]. This guideline explains how to handle cases where this format is not obvious, or for one reason or other is not followed.
Several general and specific guidelines further specify that article names preferably:
*Do not have additional qualifiers (such as "King", "Saint", "Dr.", "(person)", "(ship)"), except when this is the simplest and most ] way to deal with ]
*Are in ]
*Are not insulting.

Most biographical articles have titles in the form:<blockquote>'''&lt;First name&gt; &lt;Last name&gt;''' (examples: ], ])</blockquote>The remainder of this guideline is about what happens in those cases where this format is not obvious, or for one reason or other is not followed.


==Scope of this guideline== ==Scope of this guideline==
In general this guideline deals with the naming of articles ''where a single article is devoted to a single person'', although there's a ] below that deals with several persons with the same name on the same page and with multiple pages for a single person. In general this guideline deals with the naming of articles {{em|where a single article is devoted to a single person}} (although there are also sections on ] and ]).


This guideline does not cover articles on {{em|organizations or other non-biographical articles}} on groups of people, things named after people (], '']''), or gods and deities. Naming of such articles may be covered by other relevant guidelines: see the box at top right. Otherwise, consult the general policy on ].
This guideline does '''not''' deal with:
* ''Groups of people'' under whatever form: more about naming conventions regarding groups of people can for example be found in ] and in ].
* ''Things'' named after people, like ] and the ]. Naming of such articles is covered by other relevant guidelines, see ].
* ''Fictional characters'': whether an article is to be named ] or ] or ] is indifferent to this particular guideline; on the other hand the guideline deals with how the ] article is to be named. In those cases where it's not clear whether a character is fictional or not, it is suggested to have either separate articles for the "fictional" and the "non-fictional" character (example: ] and ]) or use the most commonly used name for a single article (example: ]).
* ''Gods'' and ''deities'': if for these the name doesn't follow from culture-specific naming conventions guidelines, the title of the Misplaced Pages article is decided on a case-by-case basis. Example: Emperor Augustus was deified by the ancient Romans. How this emperor is named follows from the naming conventions guideline specific for "ancient Romans" (see below). Whether it's ] or ], or whether both get a separate article, is best decided in the wikiprojects dealing with Antiquity, and not by the present naming policy.
* Page names for ''Redirect'' pages (see ]) and ''Disambiguation'' pages (see ]).


This guideline also does not apply to {{em|fictional characters}} (for example ], ]), unless when the main biography of the creator of that character is contained on the same page (example: ], article title treated similar to a stage name). Similarly, the guideline does not apply to {{em|pseudonyms}} (e.g. ]) treated in a separate article from the main biography of the person they refer to.
The present guideline gives the general principles. In some cases more specific guidelines also apply, for example: ], ] (dealing mainly with monarchs and nobles in Western tradition after antiquity), ], ], and several naming conventions for non-Western cultures. (See the list in the box at the top of this page.)


] should be created from other names by which readers are likely to search for articles. For the naming of ''disambiguation'' pages, see ].
==When it seems difficult to follow the "&lt;First Name&gt; &lt;Last Name&gt;" format==
Very often the "&lt;First Name&gt; &lt;Last Name&gt;" format doesn't apply. The overwhelming majority of all human beings that live or have lived on Earth don't have a name in that format. Most of these are not problematic, unless from a viewpoint of orthography: these specifics are treated in naming conventions guidelines about these languages, and not further considered in this guideline.


Article titles for certain groups of people are dealt with on more specialized guideline pages. See:
Below, each of the options for choosing something other than the "&lt;First Name&gt; &lt;Last Name&gt;" format are treated in the same way: first some obvious examples are given, followed by tips whether it is advisable to use this alternate type of formatting for ''disambiguation'' purposes (that is, in the case this wouldn't be the "most commonly used version" of the name).
*]
*] (dealing mainly with Western monarchs and nobles after antiquity)
*]
*]
*]


There are also several other naming conventions for specific languages and cultures (see the box at top right).
===People from countries where the surname comes first===
The conventions for dealing with such names vary from country to country, and the standard naming procedures are dealt with in individual manuals of style; see, for example, ], ], and ].


==Standard format and variations==
===Single name===
The "{{var|First Name}} {{var|Last Name}}" format applies to the majority of biographical articles on Misplaced Pages. These are not usually problematic, except possibly in terms of ], which is treated in the guidelines for particular languages (see box at top right).
Sometimes, mostly for names from antiquity, a single word is traditional and sufficient to identify a person unambiguously.


However, there are also many biographical article titles that do not have "{{var|First Name}} {{var|Last Name}}" format, either because the person has no name in that form, or because they are much better known by some other name. The following sections cover cases where other formats may be considered or where other issues arise with applying the standard format.
Examples: ], ], ], ], ], etc.


{{strong|Important}}: provide ] wherever possible (or appropriate disambiguation where redirects are not possible) for all formats of a name that are in use, or could reasonably be typed in Misplaced Pages's "Search" box by someone looking for information about that person. For example, "William Jefferson Clinton" would be added as a redirect to "Bill Clinton". This also lets future editors know that the chosen name was intended.
Some modern examples include: ] and ] of ]; and ] of ].


'''Capitalization''': See ]. ] include ] and ].
Using the last name as the page title for a person, when the first name is also known, and used, is discouraged, even if that name would be unambiguous, and even if that last name consists of more than one word. The unambiguous parts of the last name are usually redirects: for example ] is a content page to which ] redirects. ], however, has ambiguity with ].


===People from countries where the surname comes first===
Similarly, don't use a first name (even if unambiguous) for the page name, if the last name is known and fairly often used. Example: ], to which ] redirects. Only if the single name is used as a true artist's name (stage name, pseudonym, etc.) the recommendations of ] below can be followed.
The conventions for dealing with such names vary from country to country, and are usually covered in specialized guidelines, such as those for ], ], ] and ]. With Hungarian names, use Western name order (given name before surname).


===Single name===
''Exceptionally'' the use of a single name without any other qualifier as article title helps in disambiguation, for example ] (the author) is seldom confused with ]; more often it doesn't help, for example ] and ] mean more than the name of a single person
{{Shortcut|WP:MONONYM|WP:SINGLENAME}}
Sometimes, mostly for names from antiquity, a single word is traditional and sufficient to identify a person unambiguously: ], ], ], ], ], etc.


Some modern examples include ] and ] of Indonesia, and ] of Japan.
===Middle names and abbreviated names===
<span id="Middle names - abbreviations of names"/><!-- This section is linked from ] via this older name. If changed there, remove this span and comment. -->
Examples: ], ], ].


Using the last name as the page title for a person, when the first name is also known and used, is discouraged, even if that name would be unambiguous, and even if it consists of more than one word. Unambiguous last names are usually redirects: for example, ] is the title of an article, while ] and ] redirect to that article.
Generally, use the most common format of a name: if that is with a middle name or an abbreviation, make the Misplaced Pages article name conform to that format.


Similarly, don't use a first name (even if unambiguous) for an article title if the last name is known and fairly often used. For example, ] is the article title, and ] redirects there. Only if the single name is used as a true artist's name (stage name, pseudonym, etc.) can the recommendations of ] below be followed.
For abbreviations:
* If the version of an article name with the first and middle names written in full is used nearly as often as the version with abbreviated names followed by a period, prefer the version with these names written in full. Example: ] and not ], although the latter has more ].
* There is no consensus for always using spaces between initials, neither for never using them. However, in most Misplaced Pages articles where the subject uses two consecutive initials, the space between initials ''is'' used; see ].


{{em|Exceptionally}}, the use of a single name without any other qualifier as article title helps in disambiguation, for example ] (the author) is seldom confused with ]. More often it doesn't help—for example "]" has many meanings—so a disambiguator is still required for ].
'''Important''': provide ] wherever possible (or appropriate disambiguation where redirects are not possible) for all other formats of a name that are also in use, or could reasonably be typed in Misplaced Pages's "Search" box by someone looking for information about that person.


===Middle names and initials===
See also section about pen names, nicknames and cognomens below: prefer what is most common, e.g. ] and ].
{{Shortcut|WP:INITS|WP:MIDDLENAME|WP:MIDDLE}}
{{seealso|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Biography#Initials}}
{{anchor|Middle names - abbreviations of names}}<!-- This section is linked from ] via this older name. If changed there, remove this anchor and comment. -->


Generally, use the most common format of a name used in reliable sources: if that is with a middle name or initials, make the Misplaced Pages article title conform to that format. Examples: ], ], ], ].
Adding middle names, or their abbreviations, merely for disambiguation purposes (that is: if this format of the name is ''not the commonly used one to refer to this person'') is not advised.


For initials:
===Multiple surnames===
* If reliable sources write out several or all of a subject's given names nearly as often as they use initials, prefer the version with the names written in full. Example: ] and not ], although the latter has more ].
Some Western cultures use a "double last name" format, or add patronymics or matronymics. The second surname can be that of a parent or of a spouse. Examples:
* Punctuation: see {{slink|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Biography|Initials}}.
* ]: ] &ndash; Puig is the last name of his father, Cadafalch of his mother; ''i'' means "and".
* Many examples at ].
* Russian: ] - born Tatyana Lvovna Tolstaya. Lvovna is her patronymic taken from her father's first name, Lev. Tolstaya is her maiden name, taken from her father's surname, Tolstoy. Upon marriage she combined the surnames of her husband (Sukhotin) and her father to get Sukhotina-Tolstaya. More commonly, a married woman only uses the feminized surname of her husband (Sukhotina in this case). Patronymics are widely used in Russia where English speakers would use a surname, thus should generally be included in the first line of the article, but are not usually used in the title of the English Misplaced Pages article.
* Belgian: ] &ndash; became Justine Henin-Hardenne, adding her husband's family name secondarily, an uncommon case in Belgium (contrast ], Dominique Van Roost-Monami after marriage, etc.).
* American: ] &ndash; born Alberta Christine Williams, she simply added her husband's surname, unhyphenated.


See also the section about ] below: prefer what is most common, e.g. ] and ].
Similarly, depending on time, region and habits or exceptions, women (and, rarely, men) may replace their family name with that of their spouse:
*] &ndash; born: Virginia Stephen, her husband was ].


Adding given names, or their abbreviations, merely for disambiguation purposes (if that format of the name is {{em|not commonly}} used to refer to the person) is not advised.
In all such cases, continue to apply the general rule that Misplaced Pages uses the form of the name that is most common for referring to the person in question (if a name is the evident choice of the article subject, it is likely to be common; but evidence of actual usage is to be preferred when they differ), and especially do not swap the original last name and that of the spouse or vice versa in an attempt to disambiguate. Examples of correct names to use for biographical article titles (each with a differing example from a comparable region and period):
* Josep Puig i Cadafalch, but ] (and not Antoni Gaudí i Cornet, adding his mother's family name; this architect is better known without the matronymic).
* Virginia Woolf, but ] (her birth name; not, after her husband, Vita Nicolson &ndash; she chose to retain her maiden name as a writer, rarely using Nicolson.)


===Multiple and changed surnames – patronymics and matronymics===
Disambiguation aid is rarely to be expected from adding or subtracting a second last name artificially, or swapping the original last name and that of the spouse: ] (architect) and ] (politician and renewable energy supporter) both include their mother's maiden name because it is ''usual'', not for helping Misplaced Pages to disambiguate.
{{Shortcut|WP:MAIDEN}}
{{see also|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Biography#Changed names}}
Some Western cultures use a "double last name" format, or add ]s or ]s. Also, people sometimes change their surnames, particularly on marriage.


The general rule in such cases is to title the article with the name {{em|]}}. Some examples are listed below.
==="&lt;First name&gt; of &lt;Location&gt;" format===
* ] – ''Puig'' is the last name of his father, ''Cadafalch'' of his mother; {{lang|ca|i}} means 'and' (see ]).
Occurs most often for ]s (who often do not have, or do not use, last names). Try to use ''the most commonly'' used "Location" for this person's name, and only in the case this format is more often used than the usual "&lt;First name&gt; &lt;Last name&gt;" format.
* ] – not {{!xt|Antoni Gaudí i Cornet}}; this architect is better known without the mother's surname.
* ] – ''Ilyich'' is a patronymic based on the first name of the father (see ]). Only for very few Russians is the patronymic customary in English, notwithstanding widespread use of patronymics in the native language.
* ] – on marriage, she combined the feminized versions of her husband's and father's surnames. The patronymic ({{lang|ru-Latn|Lvovna}}) is not used in the page title in this case.
* ] – born Adeline Virginia Stephen, she took the married surname Woolf. The article title contains ''Woolf'' because that is the name by which she is best known.
* ] – her birth name, not her married name Vita Nicolson, which is rarely used.


Adding or subtracting a second last name or a patronymic artificially, as a disambiguation aid, is rarely advised. The most usual form of the name is the one that should be used.
Example: ] and ] both refer to the same person. The first version is slightly more used, so that's the preferred article name.


==="X of Y" format===
Note that for ] also the format "&lt;First name&gt; of &lt;something else than Location&gt;" exists. If a variant with a &lt;Location&gt; exists, that is the version of the name that is preferred as Misplaced Pages page name:
Some people, particularly historical figures, are known by names in the format "{{var|First name}} of {{var|Location}}", such as ] and ]. If, for a given person, this format is more often used than the usual "{{var|First name}} {{var|Last name}}" format, then it should be used as the article title.
*], not "Teresa of Jesus" (translation of "Teresa de Jesús," the way she signed her letters and was known in her convent);
*], translation of "Juan de la Cruz", no "of &lt;Location&gt;" available.


If alternative "locations" are in use, then use the more common one. For example, ] and ] both refer to the same person, but the first version is slightly more used, so that is the preferred article name.
Sometimes the "of &lt;Location&gt;" part is differently formatted: "à Kempis" (in: ]) would by many be perceived as a last name, while in fact it is "of Kempen" differently formatted. Such alternative format is however only used for a Misplaced Pages article title, when in English the name is nearly exclusively written in that form (compare: ] and not ]).


For ], names in the form "{{var|X}} of {{var|Y}}" may exist where {{var|Y}} is not a location. If a variant with a location exists, that is the version preferred as the article title. For example:
Disambiguation purposes: for several monarchs and saints this is a great help to disambiguate; in other cases the ambiguity appears to persist, see for example: ]
*], not {{!xt|Teresa of Jesus}} (translation of {{lang|es|Teresa de Jesús}}, the way she signed her letters and was known in her convent); but
*], translation of {{lang|es|Juan de la Cruz}}; no variant with a location available.


Sometimes the "of {{var|Location}}" part is differently formatted: ''à Kempis'' in ] would by many be perceived as a surname, but is really 'of Kempen' differently formatted. Such an alternative format is only used for an article title when in English the name is nearly exclusively written in that form.
===Ordinals===


The "{{var|X}} of {{var|Y}}" format is widely used in Misplaced Pages for ]s (see the ]). For many monarchs and saints, this format is useful for disambiguation, although in some cases the ambiguity persists – see for example ].
For guidance over the use of ordinals with the names and titles of European monarchs and other European nobility see ].


===Junior/Senior – the Younger/the Elder – Ordinals===
Use ordinals if they are used in reliable sources for example:
{{anchor|Junior/Senior – the Younger/the Elder – Ordinals}}
* ] (Grandson of ])
{{anchor|Junior/Senior}}
* ] but not ''Martin Luther King II'' who is usually known as ]
{{shortcut|WP:JR/SR}}
{{See also|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Biographies#Generational and regnal suffixes}}


In the case of ''Senior/Junior'', the preferred formats differ by ]:
Disambiguation: only when naming the ordinal explicitly is the commonest way to refer to the person. So it is ] not ''Henry Vane II'', and ].
* North American English: ''Sr.'' or ''Jr.'' written after the name, ], and with a period.
* Commonwealth English: ''Sr'' or ''Jr'' written after the name, with neither a comma nor a full point. The ''Snr'' and ''Jnr'' spellings are attested but in decline, and are not recommended on Misplaced Pages.


For Classical Roman and Greek subjects, ''the Elder'' and ''the Younger'', or in some cases ''the Great'' and ''the Lesser'', are preferred (with that capitalization) rather than Latin {{lang|la|Major}} and {{lang|la|Minor}}.
===Senior and junior===
Senior/junior (or for Latin names: maior/minor; or "the Elder"/"the Younger") is only used when this is the ''usual'' way for differentiating a person from another with the same name, for example:
* ]
* ]


For guidance on the use of ordinals with the names of European monarchs and other European nobility, see the ]. For others, use ordinals if they are commonly used in reliable sources. Do not place a comma before a Roman numeral designation, e.g. ], not {{nowrap|{{!xt|Otis D. Wright, II}}}}.
For Latin and Greek names, "the Elder"/"the Younger" (or in some cases "the Great(er)"/"the Lesser") is preferred (with that capitalisation) instead of "Major"/"Minor".
In the case of senior/junior adding ", Sr." or alternatively ", Jr." after the name, is preferred.


For Spanish names, use North American spelling '''Sr.''' and '''Jr.''', even if the person is not from Latin America, as most Spanish-speaking countries use the same naming convention for generational suffixes as the United States and Canada.
Using this as a disambiguation technique is not advised, except for those names where the practice is well established, e.g. ] disambiguates naturally with ] (and at the same time with ], with ], with ] and with any "King"-monarch)
Examples:
* ] (son of ])
* ] (British English)
* ] and ]
* ] (grandson of ])
* ] (son of ])
* ] and ] (use Spanish naming conventions, same as US and Canada)


===Nicknames, pen names, stage names, cognomens=== ===Nicknames, pen names, stage names, cognomens===
{{shortcut|WP:NICKNAME|WP:PSEUDONYM|WP:STAGENAME}}
<span id="Nicknames, pen names, stage names, cognomens"/>
{{See also|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Biographies#Pseudonyms, stage names, nicknames, hypocorisms, and common names}}
The most used name to refer to a person is generally the one that Misplaced Pages will choose as page name, even if this sounds awkward for those seeing the name the first time: ] is the name most used in literature to refer to this person. Changing the name to ] or whatever would be more ] than using the name that is most commonly used. It is best to remember that '']'': Wikipedians note down what is the closest to facts they can find, in this case that the name "Alfred the Great" is most often used to refer to a certain person.
{{for|information about usernames on Misplaced Pages|Misplaced Pages:Username policy}}
The name used most often to refer to a person in reliable sources is generally the one that should be used as the article title, even if it is not the person's "real" name, and even if it appears to pass judgement on the person (as with ]).


Examples of pen names, stage names etc. used as article titles:
For details on how to decide whether to use ]s or other titles for monarchs and nobles see ].
* ], pen name of Mary Ann Evans
* ]: as an author, Herbert George Wells abbreviated both his forenames
* ], not Charles-Édouard Jeanneret
* ], not William Scott Bowman
* ], not John Birks Gillespie
* ], not Curtis James Jackson III
* ], not Stanley Burrell
* ], not Stefani Germanotta
* ], not Kiriko Takemura
* ], not Mark William Calaway


For guidance on the use of ]s or other titles for monarchs and nobles, see the ].
If people published under one or more pen names and/or their own name, the best known of these names is chosen.


Article titles are hardly suitable to clarify, explain, or in any other way elaborate on the composition of a name. Any clarification can be placed in the article. Avoid (for example) adding a nickname, or a contracted version of the original given name(s), in quotes or parentheses between first and last name. For example: ], not ]. For pseudonyms containing quotation marks or other special characters, see {{section link|WP:Article titles#Special characters}}, {{section link|WP:Manual of Style/Biography#Pseudonyms}}, and ]. To summarize: avoid such a stylization unless it is found in the name in the overwhelming majority of independent reliable sources; e.g. ], but {{!xt|P!NK}} &rarr; ]. The page name uses preferably the most commonly used version of the name of that person; other variants should be ], and can also be mentioned in the article, as needed.
Further examples:
* ] - pen name of ]
* ], not ]
* ] - as author ] abbreviated both his first and middle names: the abbreviated "artist's name" is used in wikipedia as page name.
* ], not ]
* ], not ]
* ], not ]
* ], not ]


===Titles and styles===
Better ''not'' use this for disambiguation, unless it's the name by which this person is known best. For example, ] the politician and ] the wrestler need explicit disambiguation (for example by a top of the page disambiguation notice on both pages, or a ]): "implicit" disambiguation by using one format of the abbreviation for the one, and another abbreviation format for the "B" and "G" initials for the other is not sufficient.
{{shortcut|WP:TITLESINTITLES}}
Styles, such as "His Grace" or "]", are {{em|not}} used in the page titles of biographical articles.


Honorifics and other titles such as "Queen", "Blessed", "Father", "Doctor" are not generally used to begin the titles of biographical articles, unless they are used to form the unambiguous name by which the subject is clearly best known (as in ], ] or ]).
===Qualifiers not between brackets===
Example: ]


Where such qualifiers {{em|are}} used, they are not abbreviated. Redirects should be created from commonly used forms containing such qualifiers; this may include abbreviated forms. For example, ] redirects to ], and ] redirects to ].
It appears best to see page names as a "navigation utility" exclusively, not as a "tag" with which to pass on subliminal or other messages regarding the person whose name is on top of a page. This kind of qualifiers and descriptions is more suitable in the body of the article where it's easier to treat them in a ] way, and can be supported by a host of other techniques, for example ]. Styles, like for instance "]", are ''not'' used in page titles of articles on people.


For guidance on the use of the title "Saint", and for clerical titles such as "Pope", see the ].
Qualifiers like ''Saint'' are only used as the first word for a page name if this epithet in itself is the most effective disambiguator. So there is:
*], to disambiguate from other people with the same name, including an (anti-)pope (see: ]).
*], but ] (saint, from the same era as the former).
*] is about a particular saint, but there is also ]
*The saints ], ] and ] are all disambiguated at the ] disambiguation page. "Vincent de Paul" is in fact one out of several ]s, so also mentioned on that disambiguation page.
*]: the regnal name disambiguates better than the "Saint" epithet (see ] disambiguation page).


For the use of titles in the names of articles on monarchs and other nobility, see the ].
Similarly, "King", "Queen", "Blessed", "Mother", "Father", "Doctor", "Mister", or any other type of qualifier is generally avoided as first word for a page name of a page on a single person, unless for ''disambiguation'' or ''redirect'' purposes. For example ] is preferred as the name of the page where the content is, above ], which is a ''redirect'' page. This is rather a practical than a principal rule, so the general principle of "the unambiguous name a person is best known by" easily takes precedence:
*]
*]


===Descriptive titles===
''If'' a qualifier is used in the title of a page where the content is, it is never abbreviated (apart from Jr./Sr. as described above), so: "Saint", not "St." nor "St". Also here, for redirect pages there is no problem to use an abbreviated form, example: ] is a viable redirect to the ] article.
{{For|royal and noble ]s and ]s |Misplaced Pages:Naming conventions (royalty and nobility)}}
When the subject is best known by a description, and not by a name, use it.
*] (whose name is unknown)


Exceptionally, when no direct name (not even a nickname) can be given for a person, or when such a name would have too much uncertainty and/or lack wide recognisability, a descriptive article title may be appropriate. For example:
===Descriptive name===
*] (names exist, but are lacking a degree of certainty and broad recognisability)
Exceptionally, when no direct name (not even a nick-name) can be given, or when such name would have too much uncertainty and/or lacks wide recognisability, a descriptive page name may be appropriate.


Do {{em|not}} do this for disambiguation alone.
''Examples'':
*] (name not known)
*] (names exist, but are lacking a degree of certainty, and are also lacking broad recognisability)


==Disambiguating <span id="Qualifier between bracketing parentheses"></span>==
Do ''not'' do this for disambiguation alone.
{{shortcut|WP:NCPDAB}}
As with many other Misplaced Pages articles, the titles of articles on people (arrived at using the principles described above) sometimes require further ]. An article title will require disambiguation if there are other articles to which the plain title could also refer, {{em|unless}} the subject of the current article is considered to be the ] for that title.


When there is a {{em|usual}} way of distinguishing two people of the same name, use it. Examples:
===Qualifier between bracketing parentheses===
* ] and ]
{{shortcut|WP:QUALIFIER}}
* ] and ]
Examples:
* ] and ]
*], ], ], ],...
*] - in order to disambiguate from the ].
*] - disambiguating from other "Princes" mentioned at ]
*] and ] - see above: for these two Romans the "the Elder"/"the Younger" epithets are not commonly used.


If there is no usual form of conventional disambiguation, place a disambiguating tag in parentheses after the name. Examples:
Some standardisation of the bracketed disambiguator is possible, for example "(musician)" and "(politician)" are very recognisable. Try to avoid abbreviations or anything capitalised or containing ] or numbers (apart from where more specific guidelines specify particular exceptions to that), and also try to limit to a single, recognisable and highly applicable word regarding the person at hand. Years of birth and death should not be used in a page title to distinguish between people of the same name (readers are more likely to be seeking this information than to already know it).
*], ], ], ]
*] (the cyclist; primary topic, so no tag required), ]
*], disambiguated from the other meanings of "Prince" listed at ]


The disambiguator is usually a noun indicating what the person is noted for being in their own right. In most cases, these nouns are standard, commonly used tags such as {{nowrap|"(musician)"}} and {{nowrap|"(politician)"}}. Avoid using abbreviations or anything capitalized or containing ], or numbers, that is apart from instances where more specific guidelines specify particular exceptions. If possible, limit the tag to a single, recognizable and highly applicable term.
It is generally preferred to use a noun that describes the person, rather than an activity, genre, or affiliation (''chemist'', not ''chemistry''). However, this can sometimes lead to awkward or overly-long disambiguations, in which case a shorter but still clear term should be used (''baseball'', not ''baseball player and coach'').


Sometimes disambiguators need to be more specific. For example, "Engelbert Humperdinck {{nowrap|(musician)"}} could still refer to two different people, so ] and ] are used. Or, failing a practical single qualifier, the disambiguator can be expanded with a second qualifier: e.g. ] and ].
Sometimes a little extra creativity is needed: for example, "Engelbert Humperdinck (musician)" would still be two persons, so requires a split, like:
*] for the late 19th/early 20th century composer (with ] as an obvious redirect)
*] for the pop music artist born in the 20th century


Years of birth and death are not normally used as disambiguators, as readers are more likely to be seeking this information than to already know it. Disambiguating by vital year may be necessary when there are multiple people with the same name and same specific disambiguation qualifier. In these cases, use <code>&#91;&#91;{{var|Name}} ({{var|qualifier}}, born {{var|YYYY}})&#93;&#93;</code> with a comma and ''born'' unabbreviated (not ''b.''). For example, with two actors named Charles Hawtrey: ] and ]. However, if all people with ambiguous names have the same qualifier (e.g., occupation), then the qualifier may be omitted (to avoid ]): ] and ].
As for all other articles: try to avoid this type of disambiguation where possible (use disambiguation techniques listed above if these apply more "naturally") &ndash; but if no other disambiguation technique ''comes naturally'', this type of disambiguation is the most preferred one.


For historical figures for whom there is no dominant qualifier (at least no practical one), the descriptor may be omitted in favour of a single use of the date of birth or death. For historical figures, this will often be the date of death, when it is better known, more certain, or is more recognisable than their date of birth, e.g., ], ], ].
===Difficult to disambiguate: some examples===
When two persons with the same name are known for exactly the same characteristic (usually their profession), the above gives no straightforward solution on how to disambiguate. Here are some examples of how Wikipedians sought to overcome excessive clutter in disambiguators:
*]:
**''']'''
**''']''' (sometimes upper-case terms are appropriate)
*]:
**''']''' – not ], nor ], nor ]
**''']''' – not ], nor ], nor ]
*]:
**''']'''
**''']'''


==Self-published name changes==
==Special cases==
{{Shortcut|WP:SPNC}}
===Articles combining biographies of several people===
{{See also|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Biographies#Gender identity}}
:''For examples of multi-person biography pages: see ]''
When the subject of a biographical article ] a new name, both the ] and ] policies apply. Particularly relevant:
===="&lt;First name&gt; &lt;Last name&gt;" format====
* {{section link|WP:Biographies of living persons#Using the subject as a self-published source}}
Even if strictly spoken not a "First name" followed by a "Last name", for people that share such a name, and are best known by it, it is advised to follow this ''general rule:'' Make it a ], and give each person a separate article.
* {{section link|WP:Article titles#Name changes}}, advising to give more weight to reliable sources published after the name change when deciding whether the article title should change.


The determination of {{em|how much}} extra weight should be given to more recent sources is guided by the likelihood the new name is going to stick – while ], it needs to be unavoidable that the new name will soon be the most common name. Examples:
Exceptions:
* Although several decades have passed by since his adoption and consistent use of a new name, ] has not been moved to ], as it seems impossible to predict whether his new name will ever become as popular as his former stage name.
* ] is the pen name for an author ''duo'' &mdash; there seems to be no problem in treating both persons on the same page in such case. Similar example: ].
* Minutes after the announcement of his new name, the biography of ] was renamed to ], as it seemed unavoidable that the former cardinal would immediately become primarily known by his papal name.
* Ancient Romans with the same name:
**If not a disambiguation page (example: ]), use ] for the page containing short biographical notes on the people having this name (example: ]). Even if there are no subarticles, the same layout can be used, that is: one "<nowiki>==...==</nowiki>" level section per person by this name (example: ]). A mixed example (some sections having subarticles, while others haven't) can be found at ];
**Add ].


When the subject of a biographical article wants to return to an {{em|earlier}} name (e.g. removing honorifics no longer identified with, abandoning a pen name, etc.), also {{em|older}} sources may carry additional weight when the proposal is to go back to the name given at birth.
====Family name only====
* Example: ] → ] after the baseball player returned to using his nickname (B. J.) in place of his given name (Melvin Jr.)
Example: ], a family as an entity that transcends its individuals (who may have separate entries)


For ] (capitalization, diacritics, transliteration, punctuation and spacing after initials, etc.): when a consistent and unambiguous self-published version exists, it is usually followed:
See ] for guidance.
* Example: ] → ] <!--] → ] - upon further review, no discussion ever occurred about this at the article talk page (besides saying this didn't make sense), and according to his Twitter he does not "consistently" self-publish his name with the accent... so this does not make sense to list here. --><!--; ] → ]{{efn|See ]; in this case, self-published use of the name was not entirely consistent, but enough (and more consistent over time) in combination with usage in reliable sources to warrant an article move from Western name order to putting the surname first.}}-->


==Articles combining biographies of two or more people==
For family names that are used across such identification of a ''group'' of related people, do as with articles on separate first names: disambiguation page and/or separate article about the etymology of the name. See for example ]: although this last name has a Jewish origin, it does not define a particular "subset" of the Jewish community, so the Katz page is rather a disambiguation page than an "identity"-defining page.
{{Shortcut|WP:NCPMULTI|WP:NCBIOMULTI}}
Occasionally, multiple persons with a strong connection are treated in a single article (the individuals may or may not also be the subjects of separate articles). Examples include:
* ], a family as an entity of interest in its own right (the family name is used as the article title, though "{{var|Surname}} family" is a more common pattern, e.g. ])
* ], a musical group named after its members (and consistently spelled with ''&'' and no ] on album covers and the majority of reliable sources)
* Artist duos such as ], ], ], ]
* Other duos such as ], ], ], ], ]
* Author duos writing under a single name, such as ], ]
* ], ], ], ] (without "the", per ]; an exception is ], almost universally given a leading ''the'' in reliable sources)
*In the case of bands, particularly for band members who do not have separate articles, biographical notes are often included in the article on the band.


A page titled with a single first name or family name will often be a disambiguation page, for example: ]. The lead paragraph of such page may contain information about the name (etymology, variants and so on), for example: ]. If such information consists of more than a short introductory paragraph, it is better to make separate "description" and "disambiguation" pages, for instance: ] and ]—in this case ] redirects to the latter of these pages. ] only has a disambiguation page, but the introduction of this page links to ] for the etymology.
====First name only====
Example: ]
If several people share the same name, a ] page (or disambiguation using hatnotes) is generally used. Occasionally, however, a single page may be created for a number of people with the same name. (See ] and ].)

It is best to make it a disambiguation page in such cases. If information is added about the ] of the name that takes more than a short introductory paragraph, it is better to make separate "description" and "disambiguation" pages, for instance: ] and ] - in this case ] redirects to the latter of these pages. ] only has a disambiguation page, but the introduction of this page links to ] for the etymology.

===="&lt;name&gt; and &lt;name&gt;" format====
When a "group" is named in this fashion, e.g. ], the individual members would in most cases have a separate biographical article. Exceptionally, the bios of ''artist duos'', best known under their joint name, and of some other duos, are drawn together in a single article.

Examples:
* Artist duos: ], ], ], ];
* Other duos: ], ], ], ]

====Other====
Rare, but here are some examples:
* ]
* ]; ] (without "the": avoid definite article per ])
* ]; ] (without "the")


This is quite often done for ancient Roman names such as ]. Brief information is given on each person in a separate section, with a link to an individual article on that person if one exists. Even if there are no separate articles, the same layout can be used, that is: one <code><nowiki>==...==</nowiki></code> section per person by this name (example: ]). A mixed example (some sections ] stand-alone articles, while others have none to cross-reference) can be found at ]. (Such pages are placed in ].)
Sometimes also for bands, if the members of the group don't have separate biographical articles, some biographical notes regarding the group members are included in the article on the band.


===Several articles treating the same person=== ==Several articles treating the same person==
{{Main|Misplaced Pages:Splitting}}
The essentials of a person's life and significance can generally be summarized in ]. If additional encyclopedic content seems justified, the ] article structure can be followed: split the article on the person in sections: each section giving a summary of another article detailing a specific part of that person's life stage or significance in history. Best to make a link to such other articles in the <nowiki>{{</nowiki>]<nowiki>|<sub-article name>}}</nowiki> format, immediately under the title of level "==" sections. A similar style with <nowiki>{{</nowiki>]<nowiki>|<sub-article name>}}</nowiki> templates can be followed, as explained at ].
The essentials of a person's life and significance can generally be summarized in ]. If additional encyclopedic content seems justified, the ] article structure can be followed: arrange the article on the person into sections, each giving a ] detailing a specific part of that person's life or significance in history. It is best to link from the top of each such section to the relevant stand-alone article, using a template: {{tlx|Main|{{var|Article name here}}}}. For articles with a less hierarchical relationship, ] are also available.


==See also== ==See also==
*] * ] (guideline)
*] * ] (essay)


] ]
]


]
]
]
]
] ]

Latest revision as of 18:57, 16 December 2024

"WP:NCP" redirects here. For the non-free content policy, see Misplaced Pages:Non-free content. "WP:NCBIO" redirects here. For the naming conventions for biology articles, see WP:NCFAUNA and WP:NCFLORA.
Blue tickThis guideline documents an English Misplaced Pages naming convention.
Editors should generally follow it, though exceptions may apply. Substantive edits to this page should reflect consensus. When in doubt, discuss first on this guideline's talk page.		Shortcuts
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    Formatting

    This guideline contains conventions on how to name Misplaced Pages articles about individual people. It should be read in conjunction with Misplaced Pages's general policy on article naming, Misplaced Pages:Article titles, and, for articles on living or recently deceased people, also in conjunction with the Misplaced Pages:Biographies of living persons policy, which explicitly also applies to article titles.

    Most biographical articles have titles in the form <First name> <Last name>, as with Albert Einstein and Margaret Thatcher. This guideline explains how to handle cases where this format is not obvious, or for one reason or other is not followed.

    Scope of this guideline

    In general this guideline deals with the naming of articles where a single article is devoted to a single person (although there are also sections on articles combining biographies of two or more people and several articles treating the same person).

    This guideline does not cover articles on organizations or other non-biographical articles on groups of people, things named after people (Basilica of Saint-Denis, Queen Elizabeth 2), or gods and deities. Naming of such articles may be covered by other relevant guidelines: see the box at top right. Otherwise, consult the general policy on article titles.

    This guideline also does not apply to fictional characters (for example P. D. Q. Bach, Dame Edna Everage), unless when the main biography of the creator of that character is contained on the same page (example: Conchita Wurst, article title treated similar to a stage name). Similarly, the guideline does not apply to pseudonyms (e.g. Anna O.) treated in a separate article from the main biography of the person they refer to.

    Redirects should be created from other names by which readers are likely to search for articles. For the naming of disambiguation pages, see Misplaced Pages:Disambiguation.

    Article titles for certain groups of people are dealt with on more specialized guideline pages. See:

    There are also several other naming conventions for specific languages and cultures (see the box at top right).

    Standard format and variations

    The "First Name Last Name" format applies to the majority of biographical articles on Misplaced Pages. These are not usually problematic, except possibly in terms of orthography, which is treated in the guidelines for particular languages (see box at top right).

    However, there are also many biographical article titles that do not have "First Name Last Name" format, either because the person has no name in that form, or because they are much better known by some other name. The following sections cover cases where other formats may be considered or where other issues arise with applying the standard format.

    Important: provide redirects wherever possible (or appropriate disambiguation where redirects are not possible) for all formats of a name that are in use, or could reasonably be typed in Misplaced Pages's "Search" box by someone looking for information about that person. For example, "William Jefferson Clinton" would be added as a redirect to "Bill Clinton". This also lets future editors know that the chosen name was intended.

    Capitalization: See Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Capital letters § Proper names. Names that are not capitalized include k.d. lang and danah boyd.

    People from countries where the surname comes first

    The conventions for dealing with such names vary from country to country, and are usually covered in specialized guidelines, such as those for Chinese, Korean, Japanese and Vietnamese. With Hungarian names, use Western name order (given name before surname).

    Single name

    Shortcuts

    Sometimes, mostly for names from antiquity, a single word is traditional and sufficient to identify a person unambiguously: Aristotle, Livy, Plutarch, Charlemagne, Fibonacci, etc.

    Some modern examples include Sukarno and Suharto of Indonesia, and Hirohito of Japan.

    Using the last name as the page title for a person, when the first name is also known and used, is discouraged, even if that name would be unambiguous, and even if it consists of more than one word. Unambiguous last names are usually redirects: for example, Ludwig van Beethoven is the title of an article, while Van Beethoven and Beethoven redirect to that article.

    Similarly, don't use a first name (even if unambiguous) for an article title if the last name is known and fairly often used. For example, Oprah Winfrey is the article title, and Oprah redirects there. Only if the single name is used as a true artist's name (stage name, pseudonym, etc.) can the recommendations of Nicknames, pen names, stage names, cognomens below be followed.

    Exceptionally, the use of a single name without any other qualifier as article title helps in disambiguation, for example Tacitus (the author) is seldom confused with the emperor with the same name. More often it doesn't help—for example "Prince" has many meanings—so a disambiguator is still required for Prince (musician).

    Middle names and initials

    Shortcuts See also: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Biography § Initials

    Generally, use the most common format of a name used in reliable sources: if that is with a middle name or initials, make the Misplaced Pages article title conform to that format. Examples: John F. Kennedy, Thomas John Barnardo, George H. W. Bush, J. P. Morgan.

    For initials:

    See also the section about pen names, stage names, nicknames and cognomens below: prefer what is most common, e.g. Malcolm X and F. Scott Fitzgerald.

    Adding given names, or their abbreviations, merely for disambiguation purposes (if that format of the name is not commonly used to refer to the person) is not advised.

    Multiple and changed surnames – patronymics and matronymics

    Shortcut See also: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Biography § Changed names

    Some Western cultures use a "double last name" format, or add patronymics or matronymics. Also, people sometimes change their surnames, particularly on marriage.

    The general rule in such cases is to title the article with the name by which the person is best known. Some examples are listed below.

    • Josep Puig i Cadafalch – Puig is the last name of his father, Cadafalch of his mother; i means 'and' (see Iberian naming customs).
    • Antoni Gaudí – not Antoni Gaudí i Cornet; this architect is better known without the mother's surname.
    • Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky – Ilyich is a patronymic based on the first name of the father (see Eastern Slavic naming customs#Patronymic). Only for very few Russians is the patronymic customary in English, notwithstanding widespread use of patronymics in the native language.
    • Tatiana Sukhotina-Tolstaya – on marriage, she combined the feminized versions of her husband's and father's surnames. The patronymic (Lvovna) is not used in the page title in this case.
    • Virginia Woolf – born Adeline Virginia Stephen, she took the married surname Woolf. The article title contains Woolf because that is the name by which she is best known.
    • Vita Sackville-West – her birth name, not her married name Vita Nicolson, which is rarely used.

    Adding or subtracting a second last name or a patronymic artificially, as a disambiguation aid, is rarely advised. The most usual form of the name is the one that should be used.

    "X of Y" format

    Some people, particularly historical figures, are known by names in the format "First name of Location", such as Stephen of Ripon and Anne of Cleves. If, for a given person, this format is more often used than the usual "First name Last name" format, then it should be used as the article title.

    If alternative "locations" are in use, then use the more common one. For example, Jeanne of Flanders and Jeanne of Constantinople both refer to the same person, but the first version is slightly more used, so that is the preferred article name.

    For monastics, names in the form "X of Y" may exist where Y is not a location. If a variant with a location exists, that is the version preferred as the article title. For example:

    • Teresa of Ávila, not Teresa of Jesus (translation of Teresa de Jesús, the way she signed her letters and was known in her convent); but
    • John of the Cross, translation of Juan de la Cruz; no variant with a location available.

    Sometimes the "of Location" part is differently formatted: à Kempis in Thomas à Kempis would by many be perceived as a surname, but is really 'of Kempen' differently formatted. Such an alternative format is only used for an article title when in English the name is nearly exclusively written in that form.

    The "X of Y" format is widely used in Misplaced Pages for monarchs (see the royalty and nobility guideline). For many monarchs and saints, this format is useful for disambiguation, although in some cases the ambiguity persists – see for example Elisabeth of Bohemia (disambiguation).

    Junior/Senior – the Younger/the Elder – Ordinals

    Shortcut See also: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Biographies § Generational and regnal suffixes

    In the case of Senior/Junior, the preferred formats differ by variety of English:

    • North American English: Sr. or Jr. written after the name, without a comma, and with a period.
    • Commonwealth English: Sr or Jr written after the name, with neither a comma nor a full point. The Snr and Jnr spellings are attested but in decline, and are not recommended on Misplaced Pages.

    For Classical Roman and Greek subjects, the Elder and the Younger, or in some cases the Great and the Lesser, are preferred (with that capitalization) rather than Latin Major and Minor.

    For guidance on the use of ordinals with the names of European monarchs and other European nobility, see the royalty and nobility guideline. For others, use ordinals if they are commonly used in reliable sources. Do not place a comma before a Roman numeral designation, e.g. Otis D. Wright II, not Otis D. Wright, II.

    For Spanish names, use North American spelling Sr. and Jr., even if the person is not from Latin America, as most Spanish-speaking countries use the same naming convention for generational suffixes as the United States and Canada. Examples:

    Nicknames, pen names, stage names, cognomens

    Shortcuts See also: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Biographies § Pseudonyms, stage names, nicknames, hypocorisms, and common names For information about usernames on Misplaced Pages, see Misplaced Pages:Username policy.

    The name used most often to refer to a person in reliable sources is generally the one that should be used as the article title, even if it is not the person's "real" name, and even if it appears to pass judgement on the person (as with Alfred the Great).

    Examples of pen names, stage names etc. used as article titles:

    For guidance on the use of cognomens or other titles for monarchs and nobles, see the royalty and nobility guideline.

    Article titles are hardly suitable to clarify, explain, or in any other way elaborate on the composition of a name. Any clarification can be placed in the article. Avoid (for example) adding a nickname, or a contracted version of the original given name(s), in quotes or parentheses between first and last name. For example: Bill Clinton, not William "Bill" Clinton. For pseudonyms containing quotation marks or other special characters, see WP:Article titles § Special characters, WP:Manual of Style/Biography § Pseudonyms, and WP:Manual of Style/Trademarks. To summarize: avoid such a stylization unless it is found in the name in the overwhelming majority of independent reliable sources; e.g. "Weird Al" Yankovic, but P!NK → Pink (singer). The page name uses preferably the most commonly used version of the name of that person; other variants should be redirects, and can also be mentioned in the article, as needed.

    Titles and styles

    Shortcut

    Styles, such as "His Grace" or "HRH", are not used in the page titles of biographical articles.

    Honorifics and other titles such as "Queen", "Blessed", "Father", "Doctor" are not generally used to begin the titles of biographical articles, unless they are used to form the unambiguous name by which the subject is clearly best known (as in Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa or Father Damien).

    Where such qualifiers are used, they are not abbreviated. Redirects should be created from commonly used forms containing such qualifiers; this may include abbreviated forms. For example, Blessed John Forest redirects to John Forest, and Dr Livingstone redirects to David Livingstone.

    For guidance on the use of the title "Saint", and for clerical titles such as "Pope", see the clergy naming guideline.

    For the use of titles in the names of articles on monarchs and other nobility, see the royalty and nobility guideline.

    Descriptive titles

    For royal and noble cognomens and courtesy titles, see Misplaced Pages:Naming conventions (royalty and nobility).

    When the subject is best known by a description, and not by a name, use it.

    Exceptionally, when no direct name (not even a nickname) can be given for a person, or when such a name would have too much uncertainty and/or lack wide recognisability, a descriptive article title may be appropriate. For example:

    Do not do this for disambiguation alone.

    Disambiguating

    Shortcut

    As with many other Misplaced Pages articles, the titles of articles on people (arrived at using the principles described above) sometimes require further disambiguation. An article title will require disambiguation if there are other articles to which the plain title could also refer, unless the subject of the current article is considered to be the primary topic for that title.

    When there is a usual way of distinguishing two people of the same name, use it. Examples:

    If there is no usual form of conventional disambiguation, place a disambiguating tag in parentheses after the name. Examples:

    The disambiguator is usually a noun indicating what the person is noted for being in their own right. In most cases, these nouns are standard, commonly used tags such as "(musician)" and "(politician)". Avoid using abbreviations or anything capitalized or containing hyphens, dashes, or numbers, that is apart from instances where more specific guidelines specify particular exceptions. If possible, limit the tag to a single, recognizable and highly applicable term.

    Sometimes disambiguators need to be more specific. For example, "Engelbert Humperdinck (musician)" could still refer to two different people, so Engelbert Humperdinck (composer) and Engelbert Humperdinck (singer) are used. Or, failing a practical single qualifier, the disambiguator can be expanded with a second qualifier: e.g. Roger Taylor (Queen drummer) and Roger Taylor (Duran Duran drummer).

    Years of birth and death are not normally used as disambiguators, as readers are more likely to be seeking this information than to already know it. Disambiguating by vital year may be necessary when there are multiple people with the same name and same specific disambiguation qualifier. In these cases, use ] with a comma and born unabbreviated (not b.). For example, with two actors named Charles Hawtrey: Charles Hawtrey (actor, born 1858) and Charles Hawtrey (actor, born 1914). However, if all people with ambiguous names have the same qualifier (e.g., occupation), then the qualifier may be omitted (to avoid overprecision): Charles Hawtrey (born 1858) and Charles Hawtrey (born 1914).

    For historical figures for whom there is no dominant qualifier (at least no practical one), the descriptor may be omitted in favour of a single use of the date of birth or death. For historical figures, this will often be the date of death, when it is better known, more certain, or is more recognisable than their date of birth, e.g., Wulfstan (died 956), Wulfstan (died 1023), Wulfstan (died 1095).

    Self-published name changes

    Shortcut See also: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Biographies § Gender identity

    When the subject of a biographical article self-publishes a new name, both the article titling and biographies of living persons policies apply. Particularly relevant:

    The determination of how much extra weight should be given to more recent sources is guided by the likelihood the new name is going to stick – while Misplaced Pages is not a crystal ball, it needs to be unavoidable that the new name will soon be the most common name. Examples:

    • Although several decades have passed by since his adoption and consistent use of a new name, Cat Stevens has not been moved to Yusuf Islam, as it seems impossible to predict whether his new name will ever become as popular as his former stage name.
    • Minutes after the announcement of his new name, the biography of Jorge Bergoglio was renamed to Pope Francis, as it seemed unavoidable that the former cardinal would immediately become primarily known by his papal name.

    When the subject of a biographical article wants to return to an earlier name (e.g. removing honorifics no longer identified with, abandoning a pen name, etc.), also older sources may carry additional weight when the proposal is to go back to the name given at birth.

    • Example: Melvin Upton Jr. → B. J. Upton after the baseball player returned to using his nickname (B. J.) in place of his given name (Melvin Jr.)

    For minor spelling variations (capitalization, diacritics, transliteration, punctuation and spacing after initials, etc.): when a consistent and unambiguous self-published version exists, it is usually followed:

    Articles combining biographies of two or more people

    Shortcuts

    Occasionally, multiple persons with a strong connection are treated in a single article (the individuals may or may not also be the subjects of separate articles). Examples include:

    A page titled with a single first name or family name will often be a disambiguation page, for example: Katz. The lead paragraph of such page may contain information about the name (etymology, variants and so on), for example: Peter. If such information consists of more than a short introductory paragraph, it is better to make separate "description" and "disambiguation" pages, for instance: John (name) and John—in this case John (disambiguation) redirects to the latter of these pages. Jean only has a disambiguation page, but the introduction of this page links to John (name) for the etymology.

    If several people share the same name, a disambiguation page (or disambiguation using hatnotes) is generally used. Occasionally, however, a single page may be created for a number of people with the same name. (See Category:Groups of people and Template:R to joint biography.)

    This is quite often done for ancient Roman names such as Julia (women of the Julii Caesares). Brief information is given on each person in a separate section, with a link to an individual article on that person if one exists. Even if there are no separate articles, the same layout can be used, that is: one ==...== section per person by this name (example: Lucius Valerius Flaccus). A mixed example (some sections summarizing stand-alone articles, while others have none to cross-reference) can be found at Lucius Julius Caesar. (Such pages are placed in Category:Groups of ancient Romans.)

    Several articles treating the same person

    Main page: Misplaced Pages:Splitting

    The essentials of a person's life and significance can generally be summarized in 30–50 KB or less. If additional encyclopedic content seems justified, the Isaac Newton article structure can be followed: arrange the article on the person into sections, each giving a summary of another article detailing a specific part of that person's life or significance in history. It is best to link from the top of each such section to the relevant stand-alone article, using a template: {{Main|Article name here}}. For articles with a less hierarchical relationship, some other templates are also available.

    See also

    Categories: