Two names, two capitals
Most people have more than one name.
“Ava Lopez”
The first name is “Ava”. The last name is “Lopez”. Both of them belong to one particular person, so both of them get a capital letter.
Both, not just the first
| Written | Right or wrong? |
|---|---|
| Ava Lopez | Right. |
| Ava lopez | Wrong. The last name needs one too. |
| ava Lopez | Wrong. The first name needs one too. |
| ava lopez | Wrong. Both are missing. |
Only one of those four is correct. Each name is doing the same job, so each name gets the same treatment.
Some people have more names than two
A middle name gets a capital as well. So does each part of a name with two pieces.
- “Leo James Vance”
- “Ana Maria Cruz”
Count the names. Every one of them starts with a capital letter.
A mistake to watch for
Little joining words inside a sentence do not take a capital just because they sit between two names.
“Ben and Ava sit together.”
The word “and” is not a name. It stays small.
Your turn
Fix each one.
- “ben ruiz”
- “Ava lopez”
- “leo James parker”
Check your answers
- “Ben Ruiz”
- “Ava Lopez”
- “Leo James Vance”
Remember
- The first name and the last name both get capitals.
- A middle name does too.
- Joining words like “and” stay small.