rich dudes with numbers in their names (question)

Windcutter · May 13, 2013

When someone is the second, the third, the tenth, etc, you know. How does one spell it properly in a novel?

John Smith the Third
John Smith the third
John Smith, the third
John Smith the 3rd
something else?

Thanks in advance!

King Neptune · May 13, 2013

John Smith III

Or maybe the Roman numerals are for poor folk.

Bing Z · May 13, 2013

Conrad Hughes Hilton III (Paris Hilton's bro, Conrad Hilton's great grandson).

Cornelius Vanderbilt II, Cornelius Vanderbilt III, Cornelius Vanderbilt IV

It's the same format for novels I've read, eg Hunter Walker Braxton III in "Schooled".

Chase · May 13, 2013

In my novel, the protagonist was so poor that four generations could only afford one name, so he was Les Huntsman IV.

I think you could get by with John Smith, the third, ate caviar and drank Dom Pérignon champaign.

Jamesaritchie · May 14, 2013

In narrative, it's however the person writes it. In dialogue, it's "The third."

Bufty · May 14, 2013

I'm not so sure that works, Chase. John Smith III is far clearer.

The comma placed after Smith raises the question - the third what?

snc84 · May 14, 2013

In narrative I would write John Smith III.

However, in dialogue, I might decide on spelling it out. Some one would really say, "Let me introduce you to John Smith, the third." not "Let me introduce you to John Smith, eye eye eye" LOL

Chase · May 14, 2013

snc84 said:
However, in dialogue, I might decide on spelling it out. Some one would really say, "Let me introduce you to John Smith, the third." not "Let me introduce you to John Smith, eye eye eye"

Yeah, Bufty, it was dialog I meant. Sigh. At least I wish it were so.

Maythe · May 14, 2013

This is interesting. Is this an American thing? Because I've never come across it here (UK) except for royalty of course. Here if someone was called 'John Smith the third' we'd assume some rather unflattering things about them.

mirandashell · May 14, 2013

snc84 said:
In narrative I would write John Smith III.

However, in dialogue, I might decide on spelling it out. Some one would really say, "Let me introduce you to John Smith, the third." not "Let me introduce you to John Smith, eye eye eye" LOL

But I would automatically read John Smith III as John Smith the Third in dialogue.

Windcutter · May 14, 2013

Yes, yes, I'm worried about dialogue. If they were talking about some king, I wouldn't hesitate to call him Friedrich III, but here I had doubts.
Thanks!

Maxinquaye · May 14, 2013

Maythe said:
This is interesting. Is this an American thing? Because I've never come across it here (UK) except for royalty of course. Here if someone was called 'John Smith the third' we'd assume some rather unflattering things about them.

Yes, it is mainly an American thing.

The third baron of Gloucester would, I suppose, be the UK equivalent. But name name of that Baron would be "normal". Like John Smith, the third baron of Gloucester. I've never seen anyone use roman numerals over here. Except if you sit on a fancy chair and gets to open parliaments.

ETA-
Actually, thinking about it. Elizabeth's name is not Elizabeth II. It is just Elizabeth, and she is the second Monarch of that name. So, the numeral is just a descriptor, and not part of the name.

Maythe · May 14, 2013

Maxinquaye said:
Yes, it is mainly an American thing.

The third baron of Gloucester would, I suppose, be the UK equivalent. But name name of that Baron would be "normal". Like John Smith, the third baron of Gloucester. I've never seen anyone use roman numerals over here. Except if you sit on a fancy chair and gets to open parliaments.

ETA-
Actually, thinking about it. Elizabeth's name is not Elizabeth II. It is just Elizabeth, and she is the second Monarch of that name. So, the numeral is just a descriptor, and not part of the name.

Yeah numbers are part of titles here and I don't think the third baron of Gloucester would have it as part of their title even, it would simply be a description.

Windcutter · May 15, 2013

Maxinquaye said:
Actually, thinking about it. Elizabeth's name is not Elizabeth II. It is just Elizabeth, and she is the second Monarch of that name. So, the numeral is just a descriptor, and not part of the name.

That's all right, my character isn't talking to "Elizabeth" but referring to her. Something like "The person we need to talk to is John Smith III. He was there that night."

clee984 · May 15, 2013

I've just googled "John Smith III" and it does appear to be a perfectly acceptable way of writing "John Smith the third", so I don't see a problem with it, even in dialogue (if I saw "Elizabeth II" in dialogue, it wouldn't strike me as particularly strange).

Steve Coate · May 15, 2013

I've always thought Roman numerals were the norm.

George Foreman, Jr. II
George Foreman, Jr. III
George Foreman, Jr. IV
George Foreman, Jr. V, etc.

blacbird · May 15, 2013

Probably the most public prominent person today with a numeral after his name is Robert Griffin III, winner of the Heisman Trophy, the award for best college football player in the nation in 2011, and NFL Rookie of the Year in 2012 as quarterback of the Washington Redskins. He wasn't a "rich dude" until he accomplished those things, but now he is. He now gets the nickname "RG3", and on the back of his uniform, it reads "GRIFFIN III".

That's pretty much the standard convention for expressing the concept.

caw

Kylabelle · May 15, 2013

I once dated a guy who was a "third" with the III appended to his name. By the time I met him he had changed his name legally, dropped all the words, and was named simply "III" which he pronounced "three."

Unfortunately this was the most interesting thing about him, it turned out. I can't remember what his name originally was.

rich dudes with numbers in their names (question)

Windcutter

King Neptune

Bing Z

illiterate primate

Chase

It Takes All of Us to End Racism

Jamesaritchie

Bufty

Where have the last ten years gone?

snc84

Chase

It Takes All of Us to End Racism

Maythe

mirandashell

Windcutter

Maxinquaye

That cheeky buggerer

Maythe

Windcutter

clee984

Bearded and serious

Steve Coate

...

blacbird

Kylabelle

unaccounted for