Three Simple Rules for Pluralizing Names

The holiday season is approaching, and it’s time for a post about the correct way to make proper names plural.

Here are three simple rules to follow for writing names correctly and making sure your cards convey the happy messages you intend.

1. Add an s to a proper noun that doesn’t end in s to make it plural.

Langston = Langstons
Paterline = Paterlines
Haddock = Haddocks

1. Don’t change the spelling of a proper noun to make the plural.

Dougherty = Doughertys (not Dougherties)

3.  Add es to a name that ends in s, x, z, ch, or sh to make it plural.

Capps = Cappses ( I know it looks strange, but trust me.)
Wellons=Wellonses
Edwards = Edwardses
Crews = Crewses
Rakiewicz = Rakiewiczes

Notice that at no time have I used an apostrophe. I haven’t used one because I’m making the names plural, not possessive.

Three rules.

That’s all you need to write your Christmas cards correctly. If you can’t bring yourself to add the es to someone’s name or you can’t bring yourself to leave off the apostrophe, there’s always an easy fallback…

Merry Christmas from the Dougherty Family!

Hope Toler Dougherty holds a Master’s degree in English and taught at East Carolina University and York Technical College. Her publications include three novels, Irish Encounter,  Mars…With Venus Rising, and Rescued Hearts, as well as nonfiction articles. A member of ACFW, RWA, and SinC, she writes for SeriousWriter.com. She and her husband live in North Carolina and enjoy visits with their two daughters and twin sons. Visit her at hopetolerdougherty.com.