# New Name for former title holders **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 16, 2023, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-name-for-former-title-holders/987106 "2023-07-16T12:29:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Beesnest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@Beesnest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beesnest)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2023, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-name-for-former-title-holders/987106/1 "2023-07-16T12:29:22Z")
I feel like we should have a name for living people who once held a office or rank but have since been superseded by time or disgrace. It should be one that can be used for both the high and low lights of a position . Some people will accept it with grace; some won’t. I will suggest Nova. Something that burned bright but is now faded . This is not just for president but all levels , Secretary , AG, Governor. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2023, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-name-for-former-title-holders/987106/2 "2023-07-16T12:37:24Z")
Emeritus? ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2023, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-name-for-former-title-holders/987106/3 "2023-07-16T12:38:51Z")
There is a perfectly good Latin title for the purpose which is still in use. Hence **Emeritus** President Donald J. Trump. (d&r, don’t worry folk, just passing through your state @ 75mph) Dagnabit, missed by a minute by @The_Other_Waldo_Pepper ---
**Author:** ![Beesnest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@Beesnest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beesnest)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2023, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-name-for-former-title-holders/987106/4 "2023-07-16T13:04:59Z")
Emeritus is great. We need to use it. And use it as a title not just an afterthought. Address the person as Emeritus Obama not as President. Or Emeritus Kissinger. You don’t need to mention what office they once held. ---
**Author:** ![ASL\_v2.0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asl_v2.0/32/3525_2.png) [@ASL\_v2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASL_v2.0)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2023, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-name-for-former-title-holders/987106/5 "2023-07-16T13:21:20Z")
Never mind ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2023, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-name-for-former-title-holders/987106/6 "2023-07-16T13:28:11Z")
> [@Beesnest](#): > > Emeritus is great If you think the individual in question is deserving of merit. Former title holders, of course, do not have or really need a current title; that is what former means. If you were Vice Secretary of Rubbish ten years ago, what does that make you now, and who cares? ---
**Author:** ![Beesnest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@Beesnest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beesnest)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2023, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-name-for-former-title-holders/987106/7 "2023-07-16T13:32:10Z")
That’s when you are talking about someone. The ex Director. When you address them you should call them by their name and the nomenclature title. Sure you can call them Ex. Good evening Ex Comey. Not bad. I don’t need a word to show honor. Something that works for contempt or honor. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2023, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-name-for-former-title-holders/987106/8 "2023-07-16T13:47:29Z")
What’s wrong with simply calling people by their names? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2023, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-name-for-former-title-holders/987106/9 "2023-07-16T13:58:26Z")
> [@Beesnest](#): > > Emeritus is great. We need to use it. And use it as a title not just an afterthought. Address the person as Emeritus Obama not as President. Or Emeritus Kissinger. You don’t need to mention what office they once held. “Emeritus” doesn’t work like that. It’s not a title all by itself. It modifies another title. It looks to me like you’re looking for a title that can be used _in place of_ the title a person held while in office, but that can be used in place of any particular title (President, Senator, Governor, or whatever). And I don’t see the point. Why would we want a special title to indicate that a person once held _some_ office without specifying _what_ office they held? If I’m wrong about this, and you do want a word to go along with the title the person once held, why not just “former” (as in “Former President” or “Former Secretary”)? ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2023, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-name-for-former-title-holders/987106/10 "2023-07-16T14:40:46Z")
You’re competing with tradition that says you refer to a person by the highest political or military rank they held, even if they no longer hold that position. So Obama will still be President Obama, Hillary Clinton is still Secretary Clinton, etc unless they prefer something else. Of course, being etiquette there are alternate views. Formal etiquette would say there is only one President so you can refer to them as former President, Honorable (an honorific that stays for life) or Mr/Ms. Lastname. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2023, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-name-for-former-title-holders/987106/11 "2023-07-16T15:07:49Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > You’re competing with tradition that says you refer to a person by the highest political or military rank they held When I was a kid, I saw a show (I think it was _Give ‘em Hell, Harry_) where current President Truman would call up Herbert Hoover for advice and address him as “Mr. President”. That still sounds wrong to me. ---
**Author:** ![Beesnest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@Beesnest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beesnest)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2023, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-name-for-former-title-holders/987106/12 "2023-07-16T15:18:01Z")
Breaking tradition. Yes that is my point. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2023, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-name-for-former-title-holders/987106/13 "2023-07-16T15:47:56Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > You’re competing with tradition that says you refer to a person by the highest political or military rank they held, even if they no longer hold that position. “I’m still called an admiral, though I gave up the sea long ago.” ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2023, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-name-for-former-title-holders/987106/14 "2023-07-16T16:30:00Z")
I have never liked calling now-civilians by a previous title, mr/mrs/ms is just fine by me. but i suppose that is sort of the whole american iconoclasicism poking its ugly head up. as to what I have been known to call people - Dr, Madam, Madam Dr/Madam Professor, Professor. I spent an entire day and evening calling Neil Armstrong ‘Neil’ when he was the guest of honor at a banquet I organized. ---
**Author:** ![ArtBeforeScience](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@ArtBeforeScience](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArtBeforeScience)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2023, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-name-for-former-title-holders/987106/15 "2023-07-17T10:34:17Z")
I guess “former” isn’t cutting it here, because like “emeritus”, it does not suggest disgrace, without being so crass as to come out and say it. What about: “His [dis] Grace the Former POTUS”. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2023, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-name-for-former-title-holders/987106/16 "2023-07-17T11:00:59Z")
This reminds me of my grandfather, who wasn’t in the habit of using his military title unless provoked. There was a story of him meeting some bloke who took affront to being called Mr so-and-so. ‘It’s Major So-and-so if you please’. To which my grandfather replied ‘Oh well, if we’re using titles, I’m Wing Commander Whiteley’ (RAF title, equivalent to Lieutenant Colonel). ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2023, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-name-for-former-title-holders/987106/17 "2023-07-17T17:04:44Z")
Politicians traditionally crave power, which is why they got into politics in the first place. Once they leave office, they don’t like giving up the trappings of power, nor do those around them like seeing their closeness to power diminish, hence the tradition.