Middle names, patronymics, and suffixes need distinct handling

What it is

Functional person-name fields model what a component does in formatting and omission. They do not label everything between given name and surname as a “middle name,” or everything at the end as a generic “suffix.” Patronymics, additional given names, secondary surnames, generational qualifiers, credentials, and titles play different roles. Collapsing them causes short forms, sorting, address, and official output to omit or relocate content.

Why it happens

Unicode LDML Person Names uses given2 for additional given names, middle names, or patronymics that some formats may omit; surname2 for a separately handled secondary surname; generation for qualifiers such as Jr. or III; credentials for qualifications; and title for honorifics or offices. given2 is a formatting role, not a claim that these components share one meaning across naming systems. A patronymic in some Slavic names can map there without becoming a Western middle name. Locale patterns decide when parts appear and how punctuation collapses around absent fields.

Where it stops holding

An LDML PersonName is a formatting interface, not a universal civil-identity ontology. Applications that must record lineage, birth names, clans, religious names, or jurisdiction-specific legal components need richer source data and a purpose-specific mapping into the formatter. One suffix bucket mixes generation with credentials, while a middle name label prompts inaccurate entry. Automatic mapping must permit unknown, not applicable, repeated values, and user correction; position alone cannot establish semantics.

Applying it

• Preserve the user- or authority-supplied full name and original segmentation. Create optional formatting mappings for given, given2, surname, surname2, generation, credentials, and title.
• Ask only for roles required downstream, using localized labels such as “additional name or patronymic,” “second surname,” “generation,” and “credentials.” Do not require everyone to supply a middle name.
• Generate long formal, short formal, addressing, and sorting forms from locale patterns. Let the formatter handle punctuation around empty fields rather than assembling conditional strings.
• Round-trip fixtures with multiword given2, patronymics, two surnames, Jr., Roman numerals, multiple credentials, and no additional components through import, edit, and export without losing roles.

Related

• Same group: S2.05.1 The order and number of name parts are not fixed · S2.05.2 Split name fields can exclude users · S2.05.4 Titles and honorifics vary by locale · S2.05.5 Character-set restrictions reject valid names
• Adjacent: S2.08.2 Chinese can be sorted by pinyin, stroke count, or radical · S1.05 Translation context and string reuse
• Search terms: given2 · patronymic · generation qualifier