Abbreviations After a Name

Abbreviations after a name--such as Jr., Sr., and academic titles--are set off by commas. They begin with a capital letter and end with a period.

Do not use the abbreviations unless they follow the name.

Correct: William F. Buckley, Jr.    Walter Judd, M.D.

Incorrect: The average M.D. sees forty patients day.
(Does not follow name)

Correct: The average medical doctor sees forty patients a day.

In a full sentence, each abbreviation after a name is set off by a comma both before and after. No comma is needed at the end if the sentence ends with the abbreviation.

Correct: The Hon. Rep. Walter Judd, M.D., represented a Minnesota district in the U.S. Congress.

See also Commas with Titles


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