Hear it pronouncedTitle
 |
This article is missing citations or needs footnotes. Using inline citations helps guard against copyright violations and factual inaccuracies. (July 2007) |
For other uses, see Title (disambiguation).
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
- Judge J
- Doctor
- Officer
- RN
- Accountant
- Advocate
- Architect
- Bailiff
- Barrister
- Coach
- Engineer
- Biologist
- 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
- Adam Gadol
- Anax
- Apostle (example)
- Archbishop
- Archdeacon
- Ayatollah
- 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 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.)
| Male version | Female version | Realm | Adjective | Latin | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emperor | Empress | Empire | imperial | Imperator (Imperatrix) | Roman Empire, Byzantine Empire, Ottoman Empire, Holy Roman Empire, Russia , First and Second French Empire, Austria, Mexico, Brazil, German Empire (none left in Europe after 1918), Empress of India (ceased to be used after 1947 when India was granted independence from the British Empire), Japan (the only remaining enthroned emperor in the world). |
| King | Queen | Kingdom | royal | Rex (Regina) | Common in larger sovereign states |
| Viceroy | Vicereine | Viceroyalty | viceroyal | Proconsul | Historical: Spanish Empire (Peru, New Spain, Rio de la Plata, New Granada), Portuguese Empire, (India, Brazil), British Empire |
| Grand Duke | Grand Duchess | Grand duchy | Grand Ducal | Magnus Dux | Today: Luxembourg; historical: Lithuania, Baden, Finland, Tuscany et al |
| Archduke | Archduchess | Archduchy | archducal | Arci Dux | Historical: Unique only in Austria, Archduchy of Austria; title used for member of the Habsburg dynasty |
| Prince | Princess | Principality, Princely state | princely | Princeps | Today: Monaco, Liechtenstein, Wales[1]; Andorra (Co-Princes). Historical: Albania, Serbia |
| Duke | Duchess | Duchy | ducal | Dux | There are none left currently. Though historical examples include Normandy. |
| Count | Countess | County | countly | Comes | Most common in the Holy Roman Empire, translated in German as Graf; historical: Barcelona, Brandenburg, Baden, numerous others |
| Baron | Baroness | Barony | Baronial | Baro | There are normal baronies and sovereign baronies, a sovereign barony can be compared with a principality, however, this is an historical exception; sovereign barons no longer have a sovereign barony, but only the title and style |
| Pope | Females cannot hold the office of Pope | Papacy | papal | Papa | Monarch of the Papal States and later Sovereign of the State of Vatican City |
The pope is the Bishop of Rome (a celibate office always forbidden to women), in English however, reports of female popes such as (Pope Joan) refer to them as pope and Popess is used, among other things, for the second trump in the Tarot deck; some European languages also have a feminine form of the word pope, such as the Italian papessa, the French papesse, and the German Päpstin
[ Historical titles for heads of state
The following are no longer officially in use, though some may be claimed by former regnal dynasties.
[ Appointed
[ Elected or popularly declared
[ 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
When a difference exists below, male titles are placed to the left and female titles are placed to the right of the slash.
- Africa
- Negus - Ethiopia
- Tutsi Mwami - Kings of Rwanda and Burundi
- Oba - Yoruba people of Nigeria
- Eze - Igbo people of Nigeria
- Kabaka - Baganda people of Buganda in Uganda
- Almamy - Fulani people of west Africa
- Omukama - Bunyoro, title of some kings in Uganda
- Asantehene - Ashanti, title of the King of the Ashanti People in Ghana
- Asia
- Arasan/Arasi - Tamil Nadu(India), Sri Lanka
- Veyndhan, ko/Arasi - Tamil Nadu(India)
- Druk Gyalpo — hereditary title given to the king of Bhutan
- Chakrawarti Raja - India Sri Lanka
- Chogyal — "Divine Ruler" — ruled Sikkim until 1975
- Engku or Ungku - Malaysia, to denote particular family lineage akin to royalty
- Qaghan - Central Asian Tribes
- Hwangje - States that unified Korea
- Wang - States of Korea that do not have control over all of Korea
- Huángdì - Imperial China (Emperor)
- Susuhanan - the Indonesian princely state of Surakarta until its abolition
- Sultan - Aceh, Brunei Darussalam, Java, Oman, Malaysia, Sultan is the title of seven (Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Pahang, Perak, Selangor, and Terengganu) of the nine rulers of the Malay states
- Maha Raja - India Sri Lanka
- Meurah - Aceh before Islam
- Yang di-Pertuan Agong - Monarch of Malaysia, elected each five years among the reigning Sultan of each Malaysian state
- Sumeramikoto, Okimi - Japan, king
- Tennō or Mikado - Japan
- Shogun - Japanese military dictator, always a Samurai
- Saopha - Shan, king of Shan, today as a part of Myanmar
- Shahinshah or Padshah or Badshah or simply Shah - Emperor of Iran or Hindustan(India)
- Syed or Shariffah - Malaysia, descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad; Syed/Sharifah in Perlis if suffixed by the royal clan name, is roughly equivalent to Prince or Princess
- Wang (King) - pre-Imperial China
- In China, "king" is the usual translation for the term wang 王.
- Emperor of China
- Patabenda - Sub- king Sri lanka
- Preah Karuna Preah Bat Sâmdech Preah Bâromneath - King of Cambodia Khmer , the title literally means "The feet of the Greatest Lord who is on the heads (of his subjects)" (This royal title doesn't refer directly to the king himself but to his feet, according to traditions.)
- Phrabat Somdej Phrachaoyuhua - King of Thailand (Siam), the title literally means "The feet of the Greatest Lord who is on the heads (of his subjects)" (This royal title doesn't refer directly to the king himself but to his feet, according to traditions.)
- Racha - Thailand same meaning as Raja
- Datu - pre-colonial Philippines
- Raja - pre-colonial Philippines
- Raja - Malaysia, Raja denotes royalty in Perak and certain Selangor royal family lineages, is roughly equivalent to Prince or Princess
- Tengku - Malaysia, Tengku (also spelled Tunku in Johor, Negeri Sembilan and Kedah is roughly equivalent to Prince or Princess
- Raja - Nepal King
- Rani - Nepali Queen
- Hari - Filipino title for king
- Europe
- Giray - Crimean King
- Arqa/Thagavor - Armenian King
- Germanic king
- Basileus - Greek King
- Despot - Serbia (originating from Byzantium)
- Vezér - Ancient Hungarian
- Fejedelem - Ancient/Medieval Hungarian
- Imperator Tsar / Czar Autocrat - The Ruler of Imperial Russia
- Vojvoda (Serbian)/Vajda (Hungarian) - Serbian/Hungarian/Romany Title
- Domn (in Romanian) /Gospodar (in Old Slavonian) - Medieval Romania (Moldova, Wallachia)
- Rí, Rúirí, Rí Rúireach and Ard Rí - King, local overking, regional King, and High King in pre-Norman Ireland
- Kniaz'/Knyaginya/Knez/Knjeginja (generally translated as "prince") - Kievan Rus'/Serbia
- Kralj- Croatia, Serbia
- Kaiser - Imperial Germany
- Tsar/Tsaritsa - Bulgaria, pre-imperial Russia, Serbia
- Kunigaikshtis (Kunigaikštis) - Lithuanian, duke as in Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
- Župan sometimes Veliki Župan (Grand Župan) - Serbia, Croatia
- Autocrator Greek term for the Byzantine Emperor
- Mbret - Albanian King
- Africa and the Middle-East
- Oceania
- Chieftain - Leader of a tribe or clan.
- Tuʻi or tui - there were/are also kings in Oceania (i.e. Tonga, Wallis and Futuna, Nauru)
- houʻeiki, matai, aliʻi, tūlafale, tavana, ariki - usually translated as "chief" in various Polynesian countries.
- "Mo'i" normally translated as King is a title used by Hawaiian monarchs since unification in 1810. The last person to hold that title was Queen Lili'uokalani.
[ Fictional titles for heads of state
[ 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 instead 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
- Agent
- 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 thee Household)
- Constable (from which come Lord High Constable and Senior Constable)
- Corporal (from which come Lance Corporal
Source: this wikipedia article, under GFDL.
This site was usedtimes.