# Insurance Forms - what the heck is a suffix? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 8, 2012, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insurance-forms-what-the-heck-is-a-suffix/630885 "2012-08-08T17:41:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insurance-forms-what-the-heck-is-a-suffix/630885/1 "2012-08-08T17:41:51Z")
Says Last Name, Suffix, First, Middle What the heck is a Suffix? Is that the Mr, Miss, Ms thing? ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insurance-forms-what-the-heck-is-a-suffix/630885/2 "2012-08-08T17:43:56Z")
Jr. or Sr. or III or IV I believe. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insurance-forms-what-the-heck-is-a-suffix/630885/3 "2012-08-08T17:45:09Z")
**Missy2U** is right. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insurance-forms-what-the-heck-is-a-suffix/630885/4 "2012-08-08T17:47:10Z")
Ah, no suffix for me then. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insurance-forms-what-the-heck-is-a-suffix/630885/5 "2012-08-08T18:57:47Z")
For reference, the Mr. or Mrs. or Ms. or whatever is generally called the salutation. But I suppose you could also call it a prefix. ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insurance-forms-what-the-heck-is-a-suffix/630885/6 "2012-08-08T19:01:21Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > For reference, the Mr. or Mrs. or Ms. or whatever is generally called the salutation. But I suppose you could also call it a prefix. Many forms also call those “title.” Not that I agree that’s correct, just reporting that it happens. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insurance-forms-what-the-heck-is-a-suffix/630885/7 "2012-08-08T19:02:36Z")
I’ve never heard it called the salutation. Form of address, title, prefix, I’ve heard all those, but not salutation unless it’s the first line of a letter. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insurance-forms-what-the-heck-is-a-suffix/630885/8 "2012-08-08T19:47:27Z")
> [@gwendee](#): > > Many forms also call those “title.” Not that I agree that’s correct, just reporting that it happens. You’ll very occasionally see forms that allow you to use some rather grandiose “titles”–Lord, Baron, Viscount, etc. I’m always a bit tempted… ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insurance-forms-what-the-heck-is-a-suffix/630885/9 "2012-08-08T19:52:52Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > For reference, the Mr. or Mrs. or Ms. or whatever is generally called the salutation. But I suppose you could also call it a prefix. For our organization, “salutation” is any familiar term used for someone. For instance, if someone’s name is Richard, their salutation may be Dick. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insurance-forms-what-the-heck-is-a-suffix/630885/10 "2012-08-08T20:00:06Z")
> [@LawMonkey](#): > > You’ll very occasionally see forms that allow you to use some rather grandiose “titles”–Lord, Baron, Viscount, etc. Or my favorites, Sir and Dame. I’ve always used “honorific” as the generic name for such prefixes. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insurance-forms-what-the-heck-is-a-suffix/630885/11 "2012-08-09T18:48:06Z")
“Honorific” is the correct term. “Salutation” is a complete greeting, for example, “Dear Mr. Smith” in a letter. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insurance-forms-what-the-heck-is-a-suffix/630885/12 "2012-08-09T19:13:39Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Ah, no suffix for me then. Thanks! 57?