title with first name

[Eman Hassan]

Hello

Can we use a title with a first name?
I noticed that natives use it in movies. They say miss London and miss Baley.

I need answers from natives, please.

Thank you

 

[5jj]

It's Ms/Mrs/Ms London/Baley. I assume those two names are surnames.

 

[Eman Hassan]

No,
Full names in the show were: London Tipton and Baely Picket.

 

[bhaisahab]

No,
Full names in the show were: London Tipton and Baely Picket.

Where did you see/hear this?

 

[5jj]

Who addresses them in this way, servants?

 

[Eman Hassan]

It was in a sit com called"the suite life on deck".
A restaurant manager used that with London. And also there was a scene where both London and Baely worked at a nursery with kids. They both called each other Miss London and Miss Baely.

 

[Rover_KE]

Can we use a title with a first name?

Yes, we can.

We occasionally visit some American friends. Their children call us Mr Ben and Ms Eileen rather than Mr and Mrs Dover (not our real names).

We like this better than Uncle Ben and Auntie Eileen which we get from children of English friends to whom we are not related.

* * *

A firm of solicitors called Moreton and Moreton that my wife used to work for was headed by two brothers — Michael and Robert. When clients rang and asked for an appointment with one of the partners, my wife used to say 'Would you like to see Mr Michael or Mr Robert?'

 

[Barb_D]

It's not uncommon with very young children (pre-school) to call their teachers "Miss First-Name." In fact, my daughter is now a teenager, and her former pre-school teacher works at our town library, and the whole family still calls her "Miss Patty."

It's also not uncommon in the American South for children to refer to adults this way. Now that I think of it, at my grandmother's funeral, her doctor (most definitely an adult in his 50s himself) referred to her as "Miz Pearl" because he seemed to think that just calling her "Pear" wasn't a proper way for a younger man to refer to an older woman.)

 

[whitechalk]

I am from Asia. In our country we call people by their first names, as in Mr. John. It would be 'too formal' for us to call them by their family name/surname. But one very funny thing is we call our Chinese friends by their family names, as "Chang" or "Miss Chang" (or "Madam Chang") for the girl/lady "Chang May May". I have a friend in Europe, whom I work (part-time) for. Sometimes I'd feel guilty when i call him Mr. Sparrow (when I feel he is my friend) and Mr. John (when he is also my boss). What is your advice here, so that i don't feel guilty of 'violating' our 'friendship' and 'employer-employee relationship'?

 

[Barb_D]

Except when I was in the Navy (and then only if my boss was more than two ranks ahead of me), I have always used my boss's first name as the only form of address.

If you are concerned, simply ask him. "Is it okay that I call you Mr. Sparrow, or would you prefer something else?"

Generally err on the side of too much formality and let the person suggest a more familiar name than start too informal and force them to appear prickly by asking you to be more formal.

 

[probus]

The form Mr Firstname is very common in the Indian dialect of English. As an elderly person in India I am called Uncle Firstname by anybody related, even vaguely related, but unrelated people often call me Mr Firstname.

 

[probus]

Except when I was in the Navy (and then only if my boss was more than two ranks ahead of me), I have always used my boss's first name as the only form of address.

If you are concerned, simply ask him. "Is it okay that I call you Mr. Sparrow, or would you prefer something else?"

Generally err on the side of too much formality and let the person suggest a more familiar name than start too informal and force them to appear prickly by asking you to be more formal.

I'd like to know whether that was strictly among the non-commissioned ranks. Didn't you have to call even the greenest officers sir?

 

[Barb_D]

I was an officer.

 

[probus]

Thanks for that. Good to know.

 

[Barb_D]

Exception: The captain and the executive officer were always "captain" or "XO" - never first name.

As an O1, I called O2s and O3s by their first names. However, even as an O3, I generally wouldn't call an O5 by his/her first name.

 

[5jj]

I don't know what it's like these days, but when I was being trained as a pilot in the 1960s, I (an officer cadet) had to address my instructor ( a sergeant pilot) as 'sir' when we were in the air - he was captain of the aircraft. He had to 'sir' me at all other times.

Back to the topic.

As we have seen, the use of Mr/Ms/etc followed by a first name is normal in some contexts. However I would recommend that learners do not do this unless they have been told to. The use of forenames (without a title) , even to older people and/or those in a position of authority, is far more common that it was in my youth, but is not universal. If somebody is introduced to you by their first name, then it is pretty safe to assume that that is how you address them.

If they are introduced as First name, Surname, then the situation is not so clear. If you are in doubt, particularly if they are older than you and/or in some superior position, you will never cause offence by using a title plus surname.