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Christian Orthodox
Abbot,
Christian Orthodox
Accountant
Acting Official
Adjutant General
Admiral
Admiral, Texas Navy
Adventist Minister
Alderman
Archbishop, Catholic
Archbishop,
Christian Orthodox
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Archimandrite
Architect
Archpriest
Ambassador to the U.S.
from a foreign country
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American Indian Chief
Assemblyman
U.S., State / or
Assemblywoman
Associate Justice,
U.S. Supreme Court
Associate Justice of a
State Supreme Court
Astronaut
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Attorney General,
Assistant
Attorney, U.S.
Australian Officials
Baron, Baroness
British Officials,
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Christian Orthodox
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Board Member
Boy
Brigadier General
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Candidate
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or USMC
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Retired Military
1. Formula For
How to Address
2. Q&A / Blog On
Use of Rank by
Retired Military
3. Q&A / Blog on
How to Address
Retired Military
Reverend, The
Right Reverend, The
Same Sex Couple
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Venerable, The
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of the U.S.
Viscount and/or
Viscountess Warrant Officer
Widow
White House Staff
Woman, business
Woman, social Yacht Club Officer
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| How to Address an Official
Addressed as "The Honorable"
In the United States of America
In the United States the Honorable is a courtesy title used with current and retired high-ranking federal and state officials and judges, and with some local officials. As a general rule, those appointed by the President of the United States (and approved by the United States Senate) and anyone elected to public office are entitled to be addressed as the Honorable for life. The Honorable is always used before a full name. As a courtesy title the Honorable describes an individual: This person is honorable. As such it never precedes the just the name of an office.
Honorable or Hon. are not used in direct address -- on a letter or place card, or in a salutation or conversation -- as honorifics like Mr., Mrs. Ms., Mayor, Ambassador, etc.
Incorrect: The Honorable Mayor
Incorrect: The Honorable Mayor of Springfield
Incorrect: Honorable Ahmed Henderson
Incorrect: Hon. Ahmed Henderson
Correct: The Honorable Ahmed Henderson, Mayor of Springfield
Correct in conversation or in a salutation: Mayor Henderson
All about The Honorable
Link to Q&A just on officials in the U.S. addressed as The Honorable
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| How to Use The Honorable?
I believe the Honorable should be included in the title on invitations, letters and placards. But is it proper or acceptable at any time to refer to a Judge as Honorable John Q. Smith or Hon. John Q. Smith, maybe in a list of Judges?
-- S.B. a the US Bankruptcy Court
My secretary recently drafted a letter of recommendation for a former employee from me and included the title the Honorable which my peers customarily use when introducing or addressing another elected Tax Collector. I have never called myself by this official title as it seems improper or self-indulgent at the end of a letter. Am I correct that the title “Honorable” should be used by persons addressing me but not by me in a letter I am sending out?
-- The Tex Collector in SR
Dear SB & TC in SR:
It is not correct to refer to a judge ... or anyone addressed as the Honorable .... as as simply Honorable or Hon. Use The Honorable John Q. Smith. You see those shortened versions ... but they are just done by someone who doesn't know the correct form.
One never uses a courtesy title when saying one's name or writing one's name on a letter or on an invitation. So never as the host on an invitation, never when signing one's name, and never when introducing yourself.
However if the guest of honor is the Honorable, he or she would be listed on the invitation as the Honorable since their name is being written by the host an is in the third person.
Thus a guest's name would/could include the Honorable in the address block on a letter to the official or on their placard/table tent/place card at an event -- or on an invitations envelope.
Others address the official as the Honorable ... be it a judge or someone who is elected in a general election .... but the official never uses it when writing his or her own name.
This is the same pattern as for the Reverend, His/her Excellency' ... even His/her Highness .... none are used reflexively.
-- Robert Hickey
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