capitalization: titles of office or rank

On this page

• Titles directly preceding a person’s name
• Titles in apposition
• Titles used in place of a person’s name
• Titles used descriptively
• Titles in the plural
• Titles of respect and forms of address
• Adjectives derived from titles

Titles directly preceding a person’s name

Capitalize titles that come directly before a person’s name (whether the title is civil, military, religious or professional, or a title of nobility):

• Archbishop Damphousse
• Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland
• General Stanley
• Lord Carrington
• Pope Francis
• President Barrack Obama
• Prime Minister Trudeau
• Professor Layton
• King Charles III

Titles in apposition

Capitalize titles placed in apposition after a person’s name:

• Clare Smith, Director of Public Affairs
• Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Transport

Titles used in place of a person’s name

Capitalize titles referring to a specific person and used as a substitute for that person’s name:

• She met with the President of the Treasury Board yesterday.
• He received an email from the Chief, Public Affairs Section.
• The Speaker of the House gave the floor to the Leader of the Opposition.
• According to the Assistant Deputy Minister, this is a unique agreement.
• They discussed the matter with the Colonel.
• The Archbishop made no further comment.
• The Member for Winnipeg North Centre attended the town hall.

Don’t capitalize titles modified by a possessive or other type of adjective:

• their colonel
• the former ambassador
• the Canadian prime minister

Don’t capitalize titles modified by an indefinite article:

• a member of Parliament

Titles used descriptively

Don’t capitalize titles that refer to a role rather than a person:

• As prime minister [that is, while occupying the position], Lester Pearson introduced the new Canadian flag.
• He served as chair of the board for many years.
• She was the vice-president of sales for one of the leading marketing agencies in the country.
• The production manager [any person who occupies that position] assigns schedules.

Don’t capitalize job titles that are used descriptively:

• Jane Tanaka, professor of physics, is lecturing at the university.
• Aki Chang is the newest physician on staff.
• Report to manager Cito Gaston.
• All expenses should be approved by the production superintendent.
• Technical writer John Lipon has eight years’ teaching experience.

Titles in the plural

Capitalize abbreviated titles in the plural:

• We met Profs. Sami and Nicolet.

But don’t capitalize spelled-out titles in the plural:

• the lieutenant-governors of Quebec and Ontario

Titles of respect and forms of address

Capitalize titles of respect and forms of address (even when used in the plural):

• Your Honour
• Your Grace
• Your Excellencies
• Mr. Chairman
• Their Royal Highnesses
• Her Worship
• His Holiness
• Her Majesty

Adjectives derived from titles

Don’t capitalize adjectives derived from titles:

• episcopal
• papal
• ministerial correspondence
• presidential prerogative