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List of post-nominal letters

Post-nominal letters are letters placed after the name of an individual to indicate that that individual holds a position, office, or honour.

An individual may use several different sets of post-nominal letters. Honours are listed first in descending order of precedence, followed by degrees and memberships of learned societies in ascending order.

Obsolete positions are not listed unless recipients, who continue to use the post-nominals even after the order becomes obsolete, are still living.

Contents

The United Kingdom

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Office Post-nominal
Baronet
Baronet Bt or Bart

Esquire
Esquire Esq

Orders and Decorations
Victoria Cross VC
George Cross GC
Knight of the Order of the Garter KG
Lady of the Order of the Garter LG
Knight of the Order of the Thistle KT
Lady of the Order of the Thistle LT
Knight of the Order of Saint Patrick KP
Knight/Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath GCB
Order of Merit OM
Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India GCSI
Knight/Dame Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George GCMG
Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire GCIE
Knight/Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order GCVO
Knight/Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire GBE
Companion of Honour CH
Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath KCB
Dame Commander of the Order of the Bath DCB
Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India KCSI
Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George KCMG
Dame Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George DCMG
Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire KCIE
Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order KCVO
Dame Commander of the Royal Victorian Order DCVO
Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire KBE
Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire DBE
Companion of the Order of the Bath CB
Companion of the Order of the Star of India CSI
Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George CMG
Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire CIE
Commander of the Royal Victorian Order CVO
Commander of the Order of the British Empire CBE
Distinguished Service Order DSO
Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order LVO
Officer of the Order of the British Empire OBE
Imperial Service Order ISO
Member of the Royal Victorian Order MVO
Member of the Order of the British Empire MBE
Indian Order of Merit (Military) IOM
Royal Red Cross RRC
Distinguished Service Cross DSC
Military Cross MC
Distinguished Flying Cross DFC
Air Force Cross AFC
Associate, Royal Red Cross ARRC
Order of British India OBI
Distinguished Conduct Medal DCM
Conspicuous Gallantry Medal CGM
George Medal GM
Indian Distinguished Service Medal IDSM
Distinguished Service Medal DSM
Military Medal MM
Distinguished Flying Medal DFM
Air Force Medal AFM
Medal for Saving Life at Sea SGM
Indian Order of Merit (Civil) IOM
Colonial Police Medal for Gallantry CPM
Queen's Gallantry Medal QGM
British Empire Medal BEM
Queen's Police Medal QPM
Queen's Fire Medal QFSM
Colonial Police Medal for Merit CPM
Meritorious Service Medal MSM
Army Emergency Reserve Decoration ERD
Volunteer Officer's Decoration VD
Territorial Decoration TD
Efficiency Decoration ED
Decoration for Officers of the Royal Naval Reserve RD
Decoration for Officers of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve VRD
Air Efficiency Award AE
Canadian Forces Decoration CD

Foreign Orders and Decorations
Commonwealth Orders and Decorations Varies
Other Foreign Orders and Decorations Varies

Appointments to the Queen
Privy Counsellor [1] PC
Aide de Camp to Her Majesty ADC
Honorary Physician to The Queen QHP
Honorary Surgeon to The Queen QHS
Honorary Dental Surgeon to The Queen QHDS
Honorary Nursing Sister to The Queen QHNS
Honorary Chaplain to The Queen QHC

Legal Positions, Etc.
Queen's Counsel QC
Justice of the Peace JP
Deputy Lieutenant DL

University Degrees [2]
Doctorate DD, PhD, MD, etc.
Master's Degree MA, MSc, etc.
Bachelor's Degree BA, BSc, etc.

Religious Orders [3]
Society of Jesus SJ

Medical Qualifications
Medicine MB BS, MB BCh
Surgery MS, etc.
Diplomas MRCS, etc.

Nursing Qualifications
Adult Medical Nursing RN, RGN
Child/Paediatric Nursing RN, RSCN, RN(Child)
Mental Health Nursing RMN
Learning Disabilities Nursing RNMN, RN(LD)
Enrolled Nurse (deprecated) SEN
State Registered Nurse (deprecated) SRN

Fellowship of Learned Societies [3]
Fellow of the Royal Society FRS
Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society FRAS
Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society FRGS

Royal Academicians [3]
President of the Royal Academy PRA
Past President of the Royal Academy PPRA
Royal Academician RA
Associate of the Royal Academy ARA

Fellowship or Membership of Professional Institutions
Chartered Engineer CEng
Chartered Information Technology Professional CITP
Chartered Mathematician CMath
Engineering Technician EngTech
Fellow of the British Computer Society FBCS
Fellow of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications FIMA
Incorporated Engineer IEng
Member of the British Computer Society MBCS
Member of the Institution of Electrical Engineers MIEE
Member of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications MIMA

Writers to the Signet
Writer to the Signet WS

Legislators
Member of Parliament [4] MP
Member of the Scottish Parliament MSP
Member of the National Assembly for Wales AM
Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly MLA

Armed Forces [5]
Royal Navy [6] RN
Royal Naval Reserve [6] RNR
Army [7] RE, RAPC, etc.
Royal Air Force [8] RAF
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve [8] RAFVR
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (Training Branch) RAFVR(T)
Royal Marines RM
Royal Marine Reserve RMR

Notes:

[1] The letters "PC" are used only by peers. For other Privy Counsellors, "Rt. Hon." before the name suffices. The distinction is caused because peers may already hold the title "Rt. Hon." while not being a Privy Counsellor, while the same cannot be said of commoners.

[2] The exact post-nominal for university degrees varies based on the faculty in which the degree was obtained.

[3] There are too many religious orders, learned societies, royal academies , and professional institutions to be listed. One example is provided in each case; the format shown should be followed for other organizations, except that the initials of the organization should be substituted.

[4] "Member of Parliament" is used in the UK and other Commonwealth nations to describe members of the lower house of Parliament only. In the UK, members of the House of Commons are described Members of Parliament, but members of the House of Lords are not.

[5] In the Armed Forces, two or more branches may have officers with the same or similar titles, such as "Captain," which is a position in the Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force, and Royal Marines. To differentiate between the branches, post-nominals such as "RN" are used. However, such post-nominals are not used for the higher positions, since the higher officers are differently-titled in each branch.

[6] "RN" or "RNR" is used for officers with the rank of Captain or below.

[7] In the Army, the initials of the regiment or corps of the officer are used as post-nominals.

[8] "RAF" or "RAFVR" technically should be used for officers with the rank of Air Chief Marshal and below, though, in practice, it is used for officers with the rank of Wing Commander and below.

Australia

Office Post-nominal
Orders and Decorations
Victoria Cross VC
Cross of Valour CV
Order of Merit OM
Knight of the Order of Australia AK
Dame of the Order of Australia AD
Knight/Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order GCVO
Companion of the Order of Australia AC
Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order KCVO
Dame Commander of the Royal Victorian Order DCVO
Officer of the Order of Australia AO
Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire DBE
Commander of the Royal Victorian Order CVO
Star of Gallantry SG
Star of Courage SC
Distinguished Service Cross DSC
Military Cross MC
Distinguished Flying Cross DFC
Member of the Order of Australia AM
Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order LVO
Member of the Royal Victorian Order MVO
Conspicuous Service Cross CSC
Nursing Service Cross NSC
Medal for Gallantry MG
Bravery Medal BM
Distinguished Service Medal DSM
Public Service Medal PSM
Australian Police Medal APM
Australian Fire Service Medal AFSM
Ambulance Services Medal ASM
Emergency Services Medal ESM
Medal of the Order of Australia OAM
Conspicuous Service Medal CSM
Australian Antarctic Medal AAM
Royal Victorian Medal RVM

Foreign Orders and Decorations
Commonwealth Orders and Decorations Varies
Other Foreign Orders and Decorations Varies

Degrees, Orders, Societies, Academicians etc.
See Section on the United Kingdom above

Legislators [1]
Member of Parliament MP
Member of the Legislative Assembly MLA
Member of the Legislative Council MLC
Member of the House of Assembly (Tasmania) MHA

Notes:

[1] "Member of Parliament" is used in Australia and other Commonwealth nations to describe members of the lower house of Parliament only. In Australia, members of the House of Representatives are described as Members of Parliament, but members of the Senate are not.

Canada

Office Post-nominal
Higher National Decorations
Victoria Cross VC
Cross of Valour CV

Appointments to the Queen
Privy Counsellor PC

National Orders
Companion of the Order of Canada CC
Officer of the Order of Canada OC
Member of the Order of Canada CM
Commander of the Order of Military Merit CMM
Commander of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces COM
Commander of the Royal Victorian Order RVO
Officer of the Order of Military Merit OMM
Officer of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces OOM
Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order LVO
Member of the Order of Military Merit MMM
Member of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces MOM
Member of the Royal Victorian Order MVO

Provincial Orders
Grand Officier de l'Ordre national du Québec GOQ
Officier de l'Ordre national du Québec OQ
Chevalier de l'Ordre national du Québec CQ
Saskatchewan Order of Merit SOM
Order of Ontario OOnt
Order of British Columbia OBC
Alberta Order of Excellence AOE
Order of Prince Edward Island OPEI
Order of Manitoba OM
Order of New Brunswick ONB
Order of Nova Scotia ONS
National Decorations
Star of Military Valour SMV
Star of Bravery SB
Meritorious Service Cross MSC
Medal of Military Valour MMV
Medal of Bravery MB
Meritorious Service Medal MSM
Royal Victorian Medal RVM
Canadian Forces Decoration CD
Member of the United Empire Loyalists UE

Provincial Decorations
Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship OMC
Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal SVM

Foreign Orders and Decorations
Commonwealth Orders and Decorations Varies
Other Foreign Orders and Decorations Varies

Degrees, Orders, Societies, Academicians etc.
See Section on the United Kingdom above

Legal Positions
Queen's Counsel QC

Legislators
Member of Parliament [1] MP
Member of the Legislative Assembly MLA
Member of a Provincial Legislature/Parliament [1] MPP

[1] "Member of Parliament" is used in Canada and other Commonwealth nations to describe members of the lower house of Parliament only. In Canada, members of the House of Commons are described Members of Parliament, but members of the Senate are not.

[2] Esquire (or Esq. as a suffix) is now commonly used in the UK in place of the prefix Mr. in formal address, according to the "Dictionary of Genealogy" it has no real meaning. In the US it is considered in many places only to be used for lawyers.

See also

Last updated: 08-30-2005 03:52:58