List of post-nominal letters
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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
| 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/BM ChB/BS/BCh/BChir |
| Surgery | MS, MCh, etc. |
| Physicians | MRCP, FRCP, etc. |
| Surgeons | MRCS, FRCS, etc. |
| | |
| 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 Chemist | CChem |
| 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 |
| Fellow of the Institution of Electrical Engineers | FIEE |
| 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 |
| Member of the European Parliament | MEP |
| | |
| 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.