Is a Name Suffix Included in a Salutation?
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Reader Question about Name Suffixes
What would be the proper business email or business letter salutation for someone with a II, Jr., Sr., etc. following their last name? (i.e. John Adams, II or John Adams, Jr.)
Answer
As we teach in our Business Email course, a salutation does not include a suffix, even if you are using a last name and title. So, suffix considerations only apply to the address, not the salutation in a business letter. Correct business email or business letter salutations in this case are simply:
- Dear Mr. Adams:
- Dear John:
For the address, it is traditional to use the suffix “Jr.” for a child with the same name as a parent:
- John Adams, Jr.
- Not, John Adams, II
If a grandfather's name is repeated but the father's name is different, then the suffix "II" would be used:
- John Adams, II
- Not, John Adams, Jr.
Subsequent generations use Roman Numerals to designate position:
- John Adams, III
- John Adams, IV
- Etc.
