# What do people call Prince formally? Mr. Prince? Mr. Nelson? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 18, 2016, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-call-prince-formally-mr-prince-mr-nelson/746453 "2016-02-18T16:27:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2016, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-call-prince-formally-mr-prince-mr-nelson/746453/1 "2016-02-18T16:27:34Z")
What would you call him if you were meeting him in a professional setting? ---
**Author:** ![yellowjacketcoder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4bbf92/32.png) [@yellowjacketcoder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowjacketcoder)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2016, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-call-prince-formally-mr-prince-mr-nelson/746453/2 "2016-02-18T16:29:18Z")
I would guess if you’re going to meet him in a formal setting, his people will let you know how to address him before you get there. Kevin Smith worked with him and during a Q&A gave [this 30 minute response](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LhcParuzpc) to what prince was like. I think it was just “Prince”, but I haven’t watched the video in a while. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2016, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-call-prince-formally-mr-prince-mr-nelson/746453/3 "2016-02-18T16:33:27Z")
I would probably be ordered not to gaze upon his visage and would be dealing with an underling. Purple Asshole comes to mind, though. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2016, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-call-prince-formally-mr-prince-mr-nelson/746453/4 "2016-02-18T17:28:26Z")
“Prince” rolls off the tongue a little weird since we’re used to following it with something as a title. But single name artists like Madonna, Seal, Cher, Beck, etc are easier to imagine (“Hello, Madonna, I’m Mr. Jophiel and will working on your account”) so I imagine Prince would be the same. Just less mellifluous to say in conversation. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2016, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-call-prince-formally-mr-prince-mr-nelson/746453/5 "2016-02-18T17:31:52Z")
IIRC, he was involved in a court case some years back where the judge made a ruling as to how he was to be officially referred to in court documents. I think that it was “Prince”, as the most recently-used pronounceable name he had identified himself as, but don’t trust my memory on that. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2016, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-call-prince-formally-mr-prince-mr-nelson/746453/6 "2016-02-18T17:33:32Z")
Hey yo. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2016, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-call-prince-formally-mr-prince-mr-nelson/746453/7 "2016-02-18T19:30:46Z")
If I met him, I would refer to him as “sir” until he asked me to call him something else (within reason). ---
**Author:** ![G0sp3l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@G0sp3l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G0sp3l)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2016, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-call-prince-formally-mr-prince-mr-nelson/746453/8 "2016-02-18T20:11:26Z")
I believe the accepted honorific is “your royal badness”. And absolutely no direct eye contact. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2016, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-call-prince-formally-mr-prince-mr-nelson/746453/9 "2016-02-18T22:14:21Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Hey yo. Query whether anyone ever greets Yo-Yo Ma by calling out, “Yo! Yo-Yo!” > [@Jophiel](#): > > “Prince” rolls off the tongue a little weird since we’re used to following it with something as a title. But single name artists like Madonna, Seal, Cher, Beck, etc are easier to imagine (“Hello, Madonna, I’m Mr. Jophiel and will working on your account”) so I imagine Prince would be the same. Just less mellifluous to say in conversation. It’s akin to addressing someone by his or her first name, though, which can have an overly familiar feel to it, especially on first meeting. On the other hand, “Mr. Prince” obviously doesn’t work either. I wonder if some artists limit their stage name to professional situations. Do Sting’s wife and L’il Scrappy’s girlfriend use those names at home? ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2016, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-call-prince-formally-mr-prince-mr-nelson/746453/10 "2016-02-18T22:18:17Z")
“Prince” is not a stage name. His legal name is Prince Roger Nelson. I would call him “Mr. Nelson” to start. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-call-prince-formally-mr-prince-mr-nelson/746453/11 "2016-02-19T10:25:52Z")
I called him “Punk” right before I started to slap his bodyguards around. ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-call-prince-formally-mr-prince-mr-nelson/746453/12 "2016-02-19T12:11:16Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > His legal name is Prince Roger Nelson. Roger **s** , with an S. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-call-prince-formally-mr-prince-mr-nelson/746453/13 "2016-02-19T13:08:41Z")
Why not call him by [what he once wanted to be known as?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Prince_logo.svg) Except for being unpronounceable, it worked out really well, didn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-call-prince-formally-mr-prince-mr-nelson/746453/14 "2016-02-19T13:25:18Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Why not call him by [what he once wanted to be known as?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Prince_logo.svg) Except for being unpronounceable, it worked out really well, didn’t it? I assume you are going for the Funny and know he did that as part of looking to break his contract with Warner. Per above, I would call him Sir, until told otherwise and assuming the alternative isn’t ridiculous. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-call-prince-formally-mr-prince-mr-nelson/746453/15 "2016-02-19T14:30:21Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > Query whether anyone ever greets Yo-Yo Ma by calling out, “Yo! Yo-Yo!” > > It’s akin to addressing someone by his or her first name, though, which can have an overly familiar feel to it, especially on first meeting. On the other hand, “Mr. Prince” obviously doesn’t work either. > > **I wonder if some artists limit their stage name to professional situations. Do Sting’s wife and L’il Scrappy’s girlfriend use those names at home**? I’ve often wondered about this, though with Sting I’d assume his wife and everyone else who actually knows him calls him Gordon. As a matter of fact, when \*Friends \*did a show involving Ross and Sting’s son, and Trudy Styler (Mrs. Sting) guest starred. I was interested to see how she would refer to him but they had her refering to him as “(fictional son’s name)'s father”. Also, I too would call Prince “sir” until told otherwise. But I think that’s true of anyone, odd name or not. ---
**Author:** ![GESancMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gesancman/32/2923_2.png) [@GESancMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GESancMan)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-call-prince-formally-mr-prince-mr-nelson/746453/16 "2016-02-19T14:45:52Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > I’ve often wondered about this, though with Sting I’d assume his wife and everyone else who actually knows him calls him Gordon. As a matter of fact, when \*Friends \*did a show involving Ross and Sting’s son, and Trudy Styler (Mrs. Sting) guest starred. I was interested to see how she would refer to him but they had her refering to him as “(fictional son’s name)'s father”. IIRC, on _Behind the Music_, she said that she thinks of him as Sting, and calls him that. ---
**Author:** ![JustinC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justinc/32/8083_2.png) [@JustinC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustinC)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-call-prince-formally-mr-prince-mr-nelson/746453/17 "2016-02-19T14:54:40Z")
I would call him ‘sir’, if he asked me to call him by his name I’d probably reply “Yes sir, Prince” and from then on he would be knighted “Sir Prince”. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-call-prince-formally-mr-prince-mr-nelson/746453/18 "2016-02-19T14:55:05Z")
> [@GESancMan](#): > > IIRC, on _Behind the Music_, she said that she thinks of him as Sting, and calls him that. _Interesting_; I would have never guessed that. It seems such a made up, “stagey” name that I’d never imagine someone seriously calling him that to his face. And now I’m thinking of the Seinfeld episode when George was trying to get his co-workers to call him “T-Bone”. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-call-prince-formally-mr-prince-mr-nelson/746453/19 "2016-02-19T14:57:49Z")
I believe that in his book Broken Music, there is a reference to the fact that pretty much everyone calls him Sting. Wanker. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-call-prince-formally-mr-prince-mr-nelson/746453/20 "2016-02-19T14:58:37Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > It’s akin to addressing someone by his or her first name, though, which can have an overly familiar feel to it, especially on first meeting. If you’re selling a bajillion albums and concert tickets under that “first name” and it’s the name being used in all the media about you, it doesn’t seem like your accountant would be committing a major faux pas to use it as well. That said, as **yellowjacketcoder** points out, Prince probably isn’t finding his own CPA out of the phone book so, if there’s a ‘proper’ way to address the guy (or Cher, Sting, et al) then I assume the new guy walks into the meeting informed. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-people-call-prince-formally-mr-prince-mr-nelson/746453.md?page=2)