List of post-nominal letters

Post-nominal letters are letters placed after the name of an individual to indicate that that individual holds a position, office, or honour.

The United Kingdom

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Office Post-nominal

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Baronet

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Baronet Bt or Bart

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Esquire

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Esquire Esq

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Orders and Decorations

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Victoria Cross VC

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George Cross GC

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Knight of the Order of the Garter KG

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Lady of the Order of the Garter LG

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Knight of the Order of the Thistle KT

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Lady of the Order of the Thistle LT

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Knight of the Order of Saint Patrick KP

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Knight/Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath GCB

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Order of Merit OM

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Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India GCSI

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Knight/Dame Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George GCMG

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Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire GCIE

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Knight/Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order GCVO

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Knight/Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire GBE

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Companion of Honour CH

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Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath KCB

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Dame Commander of the Order of the Bath DCB

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Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India KCSI

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Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George KCMG

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Dame Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George DCMG

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Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire KCIE

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Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order KCVO

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Dame Commander of the Royal Victorian Order DCVO

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Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire KBE

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Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire DBE

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Companion of the Order of the Bath CB

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Companion of the Order of the Star of India CSI

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Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George CMG

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Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire CIE

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Commander of the Royal Victorian Order CVO

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Commander of the Order of the British Empire CBE

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Distinguished Service Order DSO

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Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order LVO

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Officer of the Order of the British Empire OBE

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Imperial Service Order ISO

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Member of the Royal Victorian Order MVO

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Member of the Order of the British Empire MBE

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Indian Order of Merit (Military) IOM

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Royal Red Cross RRC

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Distinguished Service Cross DSC

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Military Cross MC

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Distinguished Flying Cross DFC

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Air Force Cross AFC

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Associate, Royal Red Cross ARRC

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Order of British India OBI

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Distinguished Conduct Medal DCM

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Conspicuous Gallantry Medal CGM

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George Medal GM

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Indian Distinguished Service Medal IDSM

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Distinguished Service Medal DSM

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Military Medal MM

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Distinguished Flying Medal DFM

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Air Force Medal AFM

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Medal for Saving Life at Sea SGM

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Indian Order of Merit (Civil) IOM

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Colonial Police Medal for Gallantry CPM

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Queen's Gallantry Medal QGM

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British Empire Medal BEM

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Queen's Police Medal QPM

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Queen's Fire Medal QFSM

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Colonial Police Medal for Merit CPM

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Meritorious Service Medal MSM

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Army Emergency Reserve Decoration ERD

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Volunteer Officer's Decoration VD

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Territorial Decoration TD

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Efficiency Decoration ED

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Decoration for Officers of the Royal Naval Reserve RD

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Decoration for Officers of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve VRD

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Air Efficiency Award AE

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Canadian Forces Decoration CD

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Foreign Orders and Decorations

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Commonwealth Orders and Decorations Varies

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Other Foreign Orders and Decorations Varies

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Appointments to the Queen

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Privy Counsellor PC

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Aide de Camp to Her Majesty ADC

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Honorary Physician to The Queen QHP

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Honorary Surgeon to The Queen QHS

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Honorary Dental Surgeon to The Queen QHDS

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Honorary Nursing Sister to The Queen QHNS

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Honorary Chaplain to The Queen QHC

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Legal Positions, Etc.

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Queen's Counsel QC

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Justice of the Peace JP

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Deputy Lieutenant DL

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University Degrees

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Doctorate DD, PhD, MD, etc.

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Master's Degree MA, MSc, MEng, etc.

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Bachelor's Degree BA, BSc, etc.

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Religious Orders

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Society of Jesus SJ

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Medical Qualifications

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Medicine MB/BM ChB/BS/BCh/BChir

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Surgery MS, MCh, etc.

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Physicians MRCP, FRCP, etc.

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Surgeons MRCS, FRCS, etc.

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Fellowship of Learned Societies

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Fellow of the Royal Society FRS

Related Topics:
Fellow - Royal Society - FRS

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Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts FRSA

Related Topics:
Royal Society of Arts - FRSA

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Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society FRAS

Related Topics:
Royal Asiatic Society - FRAS

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Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society FRGS

Related Topics:
Royal Geographical Society - FRGS

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Fellow of the Royal Institution of Great Britain FRI

Related Topics:
Royal Institution of Great Britain - FRI

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Fellow of the Royal Statistical Society FRSS

Related Topics:
Royal Statistical Society - FRSS

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Royal Academicians

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President of the Royal Academy PRA

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Past President of the Royal Academy PPRA

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Royal Academician RA

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Associate of the Royal Academy ARA

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Fellowship or Membership of Professional Institutions

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Chartered Engineer CEng

Related Topics:
Chartered Engineer - CEng

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Chartered Chemist CChem

Related Topics:
Chartered Chemist - CChem

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Chartered Information Technology Professional CITP

Related Topics:
Chartered Information Technology Professional - CITP

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Chartered Mathematician CMath

Related Topics:
Chartered Mathematician - CMath

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Engineering Technician EngTech

Related Topics:
Engineering Technician - EngTech

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Fellow of the British Computer Society FBCS

Related Topics:
British Computer Society - FBCS

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Fellow of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications FIMA

Related Topics:
Institute of Mathematics and its Applications - FIMA

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Fellow of the Institution of Electrical Engineers FIEE

Related Topics:
Institution of Electrical Engineers - FIEE

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Graduate of the City & Guilds of London Institute GCGI

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Incorporated Engineer IEng

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Member of the British Computer Society MBCS

Related Topics:
British Computer Society - MBCS

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Member of the Institution of Electrical Engineers MIEE

Related Topics:
Institution of Electrical Engineers - MIEE

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Member of the Institution of Incorporated Engineers MIIE

Related Topics:
Institution of Incorporated Engineers - MIIE

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Member of the proposed Institution of Engineering and Technology MIET Professional Engineer

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Member of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications MIMA

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Writers to the Signet

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Writer to the Signet WS

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Legislators

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Member of Parliament MP

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Member of the Scottish Parliament MSP

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Member of the National Assembly for Wales AM

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Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly MLA

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Member of the European Parliament MEP

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Armed Forces

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Royal Navy RN

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Royal Naval Reserve RNR

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Army RE, RAPC, etc.

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Royal Air Force RAF

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Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve RAFVR

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Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (Training Branch) RAFVR(T)

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Royal Marines RM

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Royal Marine Reserve RMR

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Notes:

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The letters "PC" are used only by peers. For other Privy Counsellors, "Rt. Hon." before the name suffices. The distinction is caused because peers may already hold the title "Rt. Hon." while not being a Privy Counsellor, while the same cannot be said of commoners.

Related Topics:
Peers - Privy Counsellors

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Esquire (or Esq. as a suffix) is now commonly used in the UK in place of the prefix Mr. in formal address, according to the "Dictionary of Genealogy" it has no real meaning. In the US it is considered in many places only to be used for lawyers.

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The exact post-nominal for university degrees varies based on the faculty in which the degree was obtained.

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There are too many religious orders, learned societies, royal academies, and professional institutions to be listed. One example is provided in each case; the format shown should be followed for other organizations, except that the initials of the organization should be substituted.

Related Topics:
Religious order - Learned societies - Royal academies

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"Member of Parliament" is used in the UK and other Commonwealth nations to describe members of the lower house of Parliament only. In the UK, members of the House of Commons are described Members of Parliament, but members of the House of Lords are not.

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In the Armed Forces, two or more branches may have officers with the same or similar titles, such as "Captain," which is a position in the Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force, and Royal Marines. To differentiate between the branches, post-nominals such as "RN" are used. However, such post-nominals are not used for the higher positions, since the higher officers are differently-titled in each branch.

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"RN" or "RNR" is used for officers with the rank of Captain or below.

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In the Army, the initials of the regiment or corps of the officer are used as post-nominals.

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"RAF" or "RAFVR" technically should be used for officers with the rank of Air Chief Marshal and below, though, in practice, it is used for officers with the rank of Wing Commander and below.

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