Capitalization Rules
37
Titles of persons
3.34.
Civil, religious, military, and professional titles, as well as those of nobility, immediately preceding a name are capitalized.
- President Bush
- Queen Elizabeth II
- Ambassador Acton
- Lieutenant Fowler
- Chairman Williams
- Dr. Bellinger
- Nurse Joyce Norton
- Professor Leverett
- Examiner Jones (law)
- Vice-Presidential candidate Smith
but baseball player Ripken; maintenance man Flow; foreman Collins
3.35.
To indicate preeminence or distinction in certain specified instances, a common-noun title immediately following the name of a person or used alone as a substitute for it is capitalized.
Title of a head or assistant head of state:
- George W. Bush, President of the United States: the President; the President-elect; the Executive; the Chief Magistrate; the Commander in Chief; ex-President Clinton; former President Truman; similarly the Vice President; the Vice-President-elect; ex-Vice-President Gore
- Tim Kaine, Governor of Virginia: the Governor of Virginia; the Governor; similarly the Lieutenant Governor; but secretary of state of Idaho; attorney general of Maine
Title of a head or assistant head of an existing or a proposed National governmental unit:
- Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State: the Secretary; similarly the Acting Secretary; the Under Secretary; the Assistant Secretary; the Director; the Chief or Assistant Chief; the Chief Clerk; but Secretaries of the military departments; secretaryship
Titles of the military:
- General of the Army(ies): United States only; Supreme Allied Commander; Admiral Michael Mullen, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff; Joint Chiefs of Staff; Chief of Staff, U.S. Air Force; the Chief of Staff; but the commanding general; general (military title standing alone not capitalized)
Titles of members of diplomatic corps:
- Walter S. Gifford, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary: the American Ambassador; the British Ambassador; the Ambassador; the Senior Ambassador; His Excellency; similarly the Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary; the Envoy; the Minister; the Chargé d'Affaires; the Charge; Ambassador at Large; Minister Without Portfolio; but the consul general; the consul; the attaché
Title of a ruler or prince:
- Elizabeth II, Queen of England: the Queen; the Crown; Her Most Gracious Majesty; Her Majesty; similarly the Emperor; the Sultan
