Title Totally Explained

Everything about Titles totally explained

A title is a prefix or suffix added to a person's name to signify either veneration, an official position or a professional or academic qualification. In some languages, titles may even be inserted between a first and last name (for example, Graf in German or Cardinal in Catholic usage). Some titles are hereditary.

Professional and academic titles

Professor
- Professor Emeritus
Judge J
Doctor
- MD
- D.O.
- DDS
- DMD
- PsyD
- LL.D, Doctor (honorary) of Laws
- Doctor of Pharmacy Pharm.D.
- Ph.D.
- O.D.
- DPM
- DVM
Officer
RN
Accountant
- CA
- CPA
- CIA
- CGA
- CMA
- CFM
- CFE
- CFA
- MAcy
- MBA
Advocate
Architect
Bailiff
Barrister
Coach
Engineer
- Chartered Engineer(CEng)
- Incorporated Engineer(IEng)
Biologist
- Chartered Biologist(CBiol)
EurChem
Eur Ing
Lecturer
MFA
MLIS
M.S.
MSN
MSW
Notary
registered Pharmacist R.Ph
PA, RPA, PA-C or RPA-C
PE, Professional Engineer
SE, Structural Engineer
GE, Geotechnical Engineer
Queen's Counsel QC (KC when monarch is male)
Reader

Ecclesiastical titles

Abbess

Abbot

Ablak

Anax

)

Blessed

Bishop

Bodhisattva

Brother

Buddha

Cantor

Cardinal

Chaplain

Deacon

Dean

Demiurge

Elder

Father

Friar

Gadol HaDor

Imam

Mahdi

Messiah

Monsignor

Mother Superior

Mullah

Nath

Pastor

Pope

President, especially in Mormonism

Primate

Prophet

Rabbi

Rebbe

Reverend

Rosh HaYeshiva

Saint

Saoshyant

Sister

Ter

Tirthankar

Venerable

Devotional titles

Titles of Mary

Titles of Jesus

Titles for heads of state

Current

Titles currently in use by heads of state and heads of government.

Appointed

Indlovuzaki (translates as Great She Elephant)

Elected or popularly proclaimed

Chairman (from which comes Vice Chairman)

Colonel (from which comes Lieutenant Colonel)

Pontiff (the title held by the pope, pope being the position)

President (from which comes such titles as Deputy President, Executive Vice President, Lord President of the Council, and Vice President)

Prime Minister (from which comes Deputy Prime Minister)

Regent (The biarchs of San Marino are titled Captains Regent. From this term also came the historical title Prince Regent.)

Hereditary

Chief (From this come Chief of Staff, Chieftain, Clan Chief, Hereditary Chief, and War Chief. The present head of Samoa is titled a Paramount Chief.)

Count (The feminine form is Countess.)

Duke (The feminine form is Duchess. An historical variation on this is Archduke. The head of state of Luxembourg is titled a Grand Duke.)

Earl (The feminine form is Countess.)

Emir

Emperor (The feminine form is Empress, from which comes Dowager Empress)

Baron (The feminine equivalent is Baroness)

Marquess (The feminine form is Marchioness.)

King (from which come the historical terms High King and King of Arms. The feminine equivalent is Queen.)

Leader (The head of state of North Korea is titled Great Leader. The de facto head of state of Iran is titled Supreme Leader. Related terms are Squadron Leader and Team Leader.)

Prince (From which comes Crown Prince. The feminine form is Princess.)

Sultan (The feminine form is Sultana (title).)

Maharajah (The feminine form is Maharani.)

Viscount (The feminine form is Viscountess.)

Historical titles for heads of state

The following are no longer officially in use, though some may be claimed by former regnal dynasties.

Appointed

Caesar (an honorific family name passed through Roman emperors by adoption)

Legate

Tetrarch

Satrap

Elected or popularly declared

Archon

Caudillo

Consul

Decemvir

Dictator (originally from the Roman Republic period, from the Latin language and meaning "the one who says")

Doge

Duce

Führer

Imperator

Lord Protector

President

Triumvir

Hereditary

Basileus

Caliph

Khagan

Khan

King-Emperor (The feminine equivalent is Queen-Empress)

Malik

Nawab

Negus

Pharaoh

Regina (the masculine form is Rex)

Saopha

Sapa Inca

Shah

Tsar

Fictional titles for heads of state

Alpha

Anarch

Tisroc

Honorary titles granted by heads of state

Current

Raja (Still officially retained by members of India's princely families, although without the former prerogatives. The feminine form is Rani.)

Consort (The husband of a queen who rules in her own right is known as a Prince Consort)

Panapillai Amma (The consort of the Maharajah of Travancore)

Chamberlain (from which come the titles Grand Chamberlain, Lord Chamberlain, and Lord Great Chamberlain)

Champion (mostly archaic, but the United Kingdom does still maintain an official Queen's Champion)

Marshal (from which come Air Chief Marshal, Air Marshal, Air Vice Marshal, Earl Marshal, Field Marshal, Grand Marshal, Hereditary Marshal, and Reich Marshal)

Aide-de-camp

Equerry

Duke (the feminine equivalent is Duchess)

Marquis or Marquess (the feminine equivalent is Marchioness or Marquise)

Count (the feminine equivalent is Countess)

Earl (used in the United Kingdom insatead of Count, but the feminine equivalent is Countess)

Viscount (feminine equivalent is Viscountess, from the same root as Count)

Baron (the feminine equivalent is Baroness)

Baronet (the feminine equivalent is Baronetess)

Chevalier

Dame (The French term of respect Madame came from the same root. The masculine equivalent of a Dame is a Knight, although a Knight uses the title Sir rather than Knight before his name. Some knights, such as a Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter or Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honorable Order of the Bath, place their full title after their name)

Jonkheer

Lady (from which come First Lady and the anachronistic Second Lady; the masculine equivalent of Lady is Lord, from which come First Sea Lord and Lord of the Manor)

Honorable (from which comes Right Honorable)

Historical

Augusta (The masculine equivalent is Augustus)

Knyaz

Comes

Concubine (The Chinese imperial system, for instance, had a vastly complex hierarchy of titled concubines and wives to the emperor)

Ras (which translates as Head)

Bitwoded (translates as Beloved)

Fitawrari (translates as Leader of the Vanguard)

Dejazmach (translates as Commander of the Gate)

Kenyazmach (translates as Commander of the Right)

Gerazmach (translates as Commander of the Left)

Graf (roughly a German equivalent to the English Earl, but broken down into Altgraf, Burggraf, Freigraf, Landgraf, Markgraf, Pfalzgraf, Raugraf, Reichsgraf, Rheingraf, Vizegraf, and Wildgraf. The feminine equivalent of a Graf is a Gräfin)

Gentleman (used as a title is such forms as Gentleman at Arms, Gentleman of the Bedchamber, and Gentleman Usher. The feminine equivalent of a Gentleman is a Gentlewoman, or, in some circumstances, a Lady.)

Hidalgo

Don (the feminine equivalent is Doña)

Sahib

Executive branch of government and other sub-national rulers

Currently in use

Abbess (the masculine equivalent is Abbot)

Acolyte

Admiral (from which come Grand Admiral, Lord High Admiral, Rear Admiral, and Vice Admiral)

Adjutant

Agister

Almoner (from which comes Lord High Almoner)

Ambassador

Attaché

Awoamefia

Bishop (from which come Archbishop, Boy Bishop, Lord Archbishop, Metropolitan Bishop, and Prince Bishop)

Brigadier

Canon

Cantor

Captain (from which comes Group Captain)

Chancellor (from which come Lord Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor)

Chaplain

Chargé d'affaires

Cock o' the North

Commander (from which come Commander-in-Chief, Lieutenant Commander, and Wing Commander)

Commissioner (from which come First Church Estates Commissioner and High Commissioner)

Commodore (from which comes Air Commodore)

Comptroller (from which Comptroller General and Comptroller of the Household)

Constable (from which come Lord High Constable and Senior Constable)

Corporal (from which come Lance Corporal and Staff Corporal)

Courtier

Curator

Custos

Deacon (from which comes Archdeacon)

Dean

Denkyerahene

Docent

Doyen

Druid (the United Kingdom now has an official Archdruid)

Edohen

Ekegbian

Elder

Elerunwon

Envoy

Eze

Father (from which comes Father of the Nation)

Fon

Foreman

Forester (such as the United Kingdom's Master Forester)

General is usually used as a sort of shorthand for "general military commander". The term's far-reaching connotation has provoked its use in a very broad range of titles, including Adjutant General, Attorney General, Captain General, Colonel General, Director General, Generalissimo, General of the Army, Governor General, Lieutenant General, Lord Justice General, Major General, Resident General, Secretary General, Solicitor General, Surgeon General and Vicar General

Gentiluomo

Governor (from which comes Lieutenant Governor)

Headman

Herald of Arms

Intendant (and the related Superintendent)

Keeper, such as the British queen's Keeper of the Great Seal, and Keeper of the Prince's Privy Seal

Lama and the related Dalai Lama and Panchen Lama

Lamido

Librarian

Lieutenant (from which come First Lieutenant, Flight Lieutenant and Lord Lieutenant)

Major

Manager (from which comes General Manager)

Marcher such as the current Lady Marcher in the United Kingdom

Mate, more often titled as Chief Mate or First Mate

Matriarch (the masculine equivalent is Patriarch)

Mayor and related terms such as Lady Mayoress or Lord Mayor

Minister from which come Prime Minister and a very long list of specific designations in the form "Minister of..."

Mother (from which come Mother Superior, Queen Mother, and Reverend Mother)

Msiri

Mwami

Nizam

Oba

Obi

Obong

Officer, a generic sort of title whose use has spread in recent years into a wide array of mostly corporate and military titles. These include Air Officer, Chief Academic Officer, Chief analytics officer, Chief Business Development Officer, Chief Credit Officer, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Information Officer, Chief Information Security Officer, Chief Knowledge Officer, Chief Marketing Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Petty Officer, Chief Risk Officer, Chief Security Officer, Chief Strategy Officer, Chief Technical Officer, Chief Warrant Officer, Corporate officer, Customs officer, Field officer, First Officer, Flag Officer, Flying Officer, General Officer, Intelligence Officer, Junior Warrant Officer, Master Chief Petty Officer, Master Warrant Officer, Officer of State, Petty Officer, Pilot Officer, Police Officer, Political Officer, Revenue Officer, Senior Officer, Ship's Officer, Staff Officer, and Warrant Officer.

Oliha

Olowo

Olu

Oni

Prefect

Prelate

Premier

Presbyter

Priest (from which comes . The feminine equivalent is Priestess.)

Primate

Principal

Prior (from which comes Lord Prior)

Provost

Pursuivant

Queen's Remembrancer

Rangatira

Ranger

Rector (from which come Lord Rector and Rector Magnificus)

Registrar (in a variant spelling in the title Lord Clerk Register)

Risaldar

Sachem

Sagamore

Searcher of the Sanctuary

Secretary (from which come Cardinal Secretary of State, Foreign Secretary, General Secretary, and Secretary of State, as well as a long list of other titles in the form "Secretary of..." in which Secretary means the same thing as Minister)

Seigneur (from which come Monsignor and the French common polite term Monsieur, equivalent to Mister)

Sergeant (from which come Sergeant at Mace and Sergeant of Arms

Sharif

Shehu

Sheikh

Sheriff (from which comes High Sheriff)

Subaltern

Subedar

Timi

Treasurer (from which come Master Treasurer and Secretary Treasurer)

Verderer

Vicar

Warden (from which come Hereditary Warden and Lord Warden)

Woodman

Historical

Abuna

Aedile

Ali'i

Aqabe sa'at (translates as Guardian of the Church Hours)

Balambaras (translates as Fortress Commander)

Ban

Bey

Boyar

Censor

Commissar, often as People's Commissar

Conquistadore

Daimyo

Dey

Dux

Elector

Gauleiter

Guardian

Ichege

Infirmerer

Inquisitor and Grand Inquisitor

Jemadar

Mage

Naib

Pasha

Paladin, Palatine etc. (Ancient Rome, Charlemagne, Hungary)

Pontiff and Pontifex Maximus

Praetor

Prebendary

Quaestor

Sacrist

Samurai

Shogun

Stadtholder

Steward

Thakore

Voivode

Viceroy (the feminine equivalent is Vicereine)

Vizier and Grand Vizier

Fictional

Darth - Dark Lord of the Sith

Moff and grand moff

Paladin

Tarkhaan

Thain

Tallest (Almighty Tallest)

Naib

Judicial titles

In current use

Advocate

Advocate General AG

Bailiff

Barrister

Chancellor C (of the High Court)

Judge and Admiralty Judge

Justice J

Lord Chief Justice CJ (of the judiciary)
Lord Justice Clerk
Lord Justice of Appeal LJ (of the Court of Appeal)
Justice of the Peace

Magistrate and Promagistrate

Master of the Rolls MR (of the Court of Appeal)

Mufti and Grand Mufti

President P (of the Queen's/King's Bench Division) or President P (of the Family Division)

Lord President of the Court of Session

Privy Counsellor (or Privy Councillor) PC (of Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council)

Queen's Counsel QC (King's Council KC when monarch is male)

Solicitor

Historical

Lictor

Reeve

Seneschal

Tribune

Legislative titles

In current use

Alderman

Councillor

Delegate

Member of Parliament MP

Member of the European Parliament MEP
Member of the Scottish Parliament MSP
Member of Provincial Parliament
Member of the Legislative Council
Member of the Legislative Assembly
Member of the House of Representatives
Member of the House of Assembly)

Member of the National Assembly

Representative

Senator

Speaker

Historical

Burgess

Honorary titles granted by an institution

Titles granted by an institution and used in direct address:

Dame, which comes from the same root as Dominus

Bearer, such as Hereditary Banner Bearer, Standard Bearer, or Swordbearer

Coach

Doctor MD/PhD/JD/LLD

Friar

Master is used in many titles, including old terms for the teachers of social arts: Dance master, Drawing Master, Fencing Master, and Music Master. It is also used for school titles such as Deputy Headmaster, Housemaster, and Schoolmaster, and is the base for Deputy Master, Grandmaster, Guest Master, Joint Master, Master of the Horse, Master of the Rolls, Novice Master, Queen's Bargemaster, Second Master and Senior Master. In fictional settings, you'll find such characters as Dungeon Master and Slave Master. Finally, Master is the original form of Mister and its related terms- Miss, Missus, and Ms. The feminine equivalent of Master is Mistress.

Maid When used as a title before a name, this is an old way to denote an unmarried woman, such as the character Maid Marian. The closest masculine equivalent would probably be Youth although this has never really been used as a title in the same way. Young boys used to be addressed as "Master [firstname]" -- this was the standard form for servants to address their employer's minor children.

Nurse and Nanny

Professor and its related titles: Adjunct Professor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Distinguished Professor, and Professor Emeritus

Reverend

Sayyid Titles awarded by institutions due to merit but not used in correspondence:

Chief Scout the head of The Scout Association,

Queen's Scout title conferred upon a scout upon achieving highest attainable award achievable in the Scouting movement

Queen's Guide title conferred upon a guide upon highest attainable award for members of the Girl Guiding movement

Senior Grecian, Tolly-keeper, and various other fraternal school titles

Engineer, professional qualifications such as Chartered Engineer, European Engineer, Incorporated Engineer, and Professional Engineer

Premier danseur The feminine form is Prima Ballerina A rank given to an exceptional ballet soloist.

Reader For example Honorary Reader granted by a University to an individual who in seen as a leader in there discipline. Honorary job titles in the royal household:

Hereditary Falconer

Queen's Swan Marker

Grand Carver

Herb Strewer Titles granted by institutions due to position rather than merit (for example job title):

Apprentice

Chief butler

Director This title is used extensively for the leaders of artistic projects, such as an Animation director, Art director, Artistic director, Casting director, Creative director, Film director, Game director, Music director, Television director, Theatre director, and Video Director. Other forms are Director of Operations, Funeral Director, and Technical Director.

Instructor

Journeyman

Lecturer, including Principal Lecturer and Senior Lecturer

Scout

Honorary titles granted by a mentor with the same title

Rabbi

Coach

Honorary titles granted by one's peers

Adept

Akhoond

Arhat

Bwana

Brother or Sister

Citizen (from which comes First Citizen)

Coach

Goodman and Goodwife

Grand Bard

Hajji

Mullah

Sri

Wizard, such as the Grand Wizard and Imperial Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan

Honorary titles bestowed by followers

Baba

Condottiero

Diva

Effendi

Giani or Gyani

Guru

Maestro

Mahatma

Pastor

Rebbe

Siddha

Sheikh, Pir, Murshid

Ustad

Swami

Yogi

Auntie or Uncle

Boss

Coach

Grandfather or Grandmother

PunditFurther Information

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