Is a proper noun a word

«Proper name» redirects here. For more abstract semantic treatments, see Proper name (philosophy).

A proper noun is a noun that identifies a single entity and is used to refer to that entity (Africa, Jupiter, Sarah, Microsoft) as distinguished from a common noun, which is a noun that refers to a class of entities (continent, planet, person, corporation) and may be used when referring to instances of a specific class (a continent, another planet, these persons, our corporation).^[1][2][3][4] Some proper nouns occur in plural form (optionally or exclusively), and then they refer to groups of entities considered as unique (the Hendersons, the Everglades, the Azores, the Pleiades). Proper nouns can also occur in secondary applications, for example modifying nouns (the Mozart experience; his Azores adventure), or in the role of common nouns (he’s no Pavarotti; a few would-be Napoleons). The detailed definition of the term is problematic and, to an extent, governed by convention.^[5][6]

A distinction is normally made in current linguistics between proper nouns and proper names. By this strict distinction, because the term noun is used for a class of single words (tree, beauty), only single-word proper names are proper nouns: Peter and Africa are both proper names and proper nouns; but Peter the Great and South Africa, while they are proper names, are not proper nouns (though they could be said to function as proper noun phrases). The term common name is not much used to contrast with proper name, but some linguists have used the term for that purpose. Sometimes proper names are called simply names, but that term is often used more broadly. Words derived from proper names are sometimes called proper adjectives (or proper adverbs, and so on), but not in mainstream linguistic theory. Not every noun or a noun phrase that refers to a unique entity is a proper name. Chastity, for instance, is a common noun, even if chastity is considered a unique abstract entity.

Few proper names have only one possible referent: there are many places named New Haven; Jupiter may refer to a planet, a god, a ship, a city in Florida, or a symphony; at least one person has been named Mata Hari, but so have a horse, a song, and three films; there are towns and people named Toyota, as well as the company. In English, proper names in their primary application cannot normally be modified by articles or another determiner,^{[citation needed]} although some may be taken to include the article the, as in the Netherlands, the Roaring Forties, or the Rolling Stones. A proper name may appear to have a descriptive meaning, even though it does not (the Rolling Stones are not stones and do not roll; a woman named Rose is not a flower). If it had once been, it may no longer be so, for example, a location previously referred to as «the new town» may now have the proper name Newtown, though it is no longer new and is now a city rather than a town.

In English and many other languages, proper names and words derived from them are associated with capitalization; but the details are complex, and vary from language to language (French lundi, Canada, un homme canadien, un Canadien; English Monday, Canada, a Canadian man, a Canadian; Italian lunedì, Canada, un uomo canadese, un canadese). The study of proper names is sometimes called onomastics or onomatology, while a rigorous analysis of the semantics of proper names is a matter for philosophy of language.^{[citation needed]}

Occasionally, what would otherwise be regarded as a proper noun is used as a common noun, in which case a plural form and a determiner are possible. Examples are in cases of ellipsis (for instance, the three Kennedys = the three members of the Kennedy family) and metaphor (for instance, the new Gandhi, likening a person to Mahatma Gandhi).^[7][8]

Proper names[edit]

Current linguistics makes a distinction between proper nouns and proper names^[a] but this distinction is not universally observed^[12] and sometimes it is observed but not rigorously.^[b] When the distinction is made, proper nouns are limited to single words only (possibly with the), while proper names include all proper nouns (in their primary applications) as well as noun phrases such as the United Kingdom, North Carolina, Royal Air Force, and the White House.^[c] Proper names can have a common noun or a proper noun as their head; the United Kingdom, for example, is a proper name with the common noun kingdom as its head, and North Carolina is headed by the proper noun Carolina. Especially as titles of works, but also as nicknames and the like, some proper names contain no noun and are not formed as noun phrases (the film Being There; Hi De Ho as a nickname for Cab Calloway and as the title of a film about him).

Proper names are also referred to (by linguists) as naming expressions.^[14] Sometimes they are called simply names;^[14] but that term is also used more broadly (as in «chair is the name for something we sit on»); the latter type of name is called a common name to distinguish it from a proper name.^[15]

Common nouns are frequently used as components of proper names. Some examples are agency, boulevard, city, day, and edition. In such cases the common noun may determine the kind of entity, and a modifier determines the unique entity itself. For example:

• The 16th robotic probe to land on the planet was assigned to study the north pole, and the 17th probe the south pole.

(common-noun senses throughout)

• When Probe 17 overflew the South Pole, it passed directly over the place where Captain Scott’s expedition ended.

(in this sentence, Probe 17 is the proper name of a vessel, and South Pole is a proper name referring to Earth’s south pole)

• Sanjay lives on the beach road.

(the road that runs along the beach)

• Sanjay lives on Beach Road.

(as a proper name, Beach Road may have nothing to do with the beach; it may be any distance from the waterfront)

• My university has a school of medicine.

(no indication of the name of the university or its medical school)

• The John A. Burns School of Medicine is located at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Proper nouns, and all proper names, differ from common nouns grammatically in English. They may take titles, such as Mr Harris or Senator Harris. Otherwise, they normally only take modifiers that add emotive coloring, such as old Mrs Fletcher, poor Charles, or historic York; in a formal style, this may include the, as in the inimitable Henry Higgins. They may also take the in the manner of common nouns in order to establish the context in which they are unique: the young Mr Hamilton (not the old one), the Dr Brown I know; or as proper nouns to define an aspect of the referent: the young Einstein (Einstein when he was young). The indefinite article a may similarly be used to establish a new referent: the column was written by a [or one] Mary Price. Proper names based on noun phrases differ grammatically from common noun phrases. They are fixed expressions, and cannot be modified internally: beautiful King’s College is acceptable, but not King’s famous College.^[16]

As with proper nouns, so with proper names more generally: they may only be unique within the appropriate context. For instance, India has a ministry of home affairs (a common-noun phrase) called the Ministry of Home Affairs (its proper name). Within the context of India, this identifies a unique organization. However, other countries may also have ministries of home affairs called «the Ministry of Home Affairs», but each refers to a unique object, so each is a proper name. Similarly, «Beach Road» is a unique road, though other towns may have their own roads named «Beach Road» as well. This is simply a matter of the pragmatics of naming, and of whether a naming convention provides identifiers that are unique; and this depends on the scope given by context.

Strong and weak proper names[edit]

Because they are used to refer to an individual entity, proper names are, by their nature, definite; so a definite article would be redundant, and personal names (like John) are used without an article or other determiner. However, some proper names (especially certain geographical names) are usually used with the definite article. These have been termed weak proper names, in contrast with the more typical strong proper names, which are normally used without an article. Entities with weak proper names include geographical features (e.g., the Mediterranean, the Thames), buildings (e.g., the Parthenon), institutions (e.g., the House of Commons), cities and districts (e.g., The Hague, the Bronx), works of literature (e.g., the Bible), and newspapers and magazines (e.g., The Times, The Economist, the New Statesman).^[17] Plural proper names are weak. Such plural proper names include mountain ranges (e.g., the Himalayas), and collections of islands (e.g., the Hebrides).^[17]

The definite article is omitted when a weak proper noun is used attributively (e.g. «Hague residents are concerned …», «… eight pints of Thames water …»).

Variants[edit]

Proper names often have a number of variants, for instance a formal variant (David, the United States of America) and an informal variant (Dave, the United States).^[11]

Capitalization[edit]

In languages that use alphabetic scripts and that distinguish lower and upper case, there is usually an association between proper names and capitalization. In German, all nouns are capitalized, but other words are also capitalized in proper names (not including composition titles), for instance: der Große Bär (the Great Bear, Ursa Major). For proper names, as for several other kinds of words and phrases, the details are complex, and vary sharply from language to language. For example, expressions for days of the week and months of the year are capitalized in English, but not in Spanish, French, Swedish, or Finnish, though they may be understood as proper names in all of these. Languages differ in whether most elements of multiword proper names are capitalized (American English has House of Representatives, in which lexical words are capitalized) or only the initial element (as in Slovenian Državni zbor, «National Assembly»). In Czech, multiword settlement names are capitalized throughout, but non-settlement names are only capitalized in the initial element, though with many exceptions.

History of capitalization[edit]

European alphabetic scripts only developed a distinction between upper case and lower case in medieval times so in the alphabetic scripts of ancient Greek and Latin proper names were not systematically marked. They are marked with modern capitalization, however, in many modern editions of ancient texts.

In past centuries, orthographic practices in English varied widely. Capitalization was much less standardized than today. Documents from the 18th century show some writers capitalizing all nouns, and others capitalizing certain nouns based on varying ideas of their importance in the discussion. Historical documents from the early United States show some examples of this process: the end (but not the beginning) of the Declaration of Independence (1776) and all of the Constitution (1787) show nearly all nouns capitalized; the Bill of Rights (1789) capitalizes a few common nouns but not most of them; and the Thirteenth Constitutional Amendment (1865) capitalizes only proper nouns.

In Danish, from the 17th century until the orthographic reform of 1948, all nouns were capitalized.^[18]

Modern English capitalization of proper nouns[edit]

In modern English orthography, it is the norm for recognized proper names to be capitalized.^[19] The few clear exceptions include summer and winter (contrast July and Christmas). It is also standard that most capitalizing of common nouns is considered incorrect, except of course when the capitalization is simply a matter of text styling, as at the start of a sentence or in titles and other headings. See Letter case § Title case.

Although these rules have been standardized, there are enough gray areas that it can often be unclear both whether an item qualifies as a proper name and whether it should be capitalized: «the Cuban missile crisis» is often capitalized («Cuban Missile Crisis») and often not, regardless of its syntactic status or its function in discourse. Most style guides give decisive recommendations on capitalization, but not all of them go into detail on how to decide in these gray areas if words are proper nouns or not and should be capitalized or not.^[d]

Words or phrases that are neither proper nouns nor derived from proper nouns are often capitalized in present-day English: Dr, Baptist, Congregationalism, His and He in reference to the Abrahamic deity (God). For some such words, capitalization is optional or dependent on context: northerner or Northerner; aboriginal trees but Aboriginal land rights in Australia. When the comes at the start of a proper name, as in the White House, it is not normally capitalized unless it is a formal part of a title (of a book, film, or other artistic creation, as in The Keys to the Kingdom).

Nouns and noun phrases that are not proper may be uniformly capitalized to indicate that they are definitive and regimented in their application (compare brand names, discussed below). For example, Mountain Bluebird does not identify a unique individual, and it is not a proper name but a so-called common name (somewhat misleadingly, because this is not intended as a contrast with the term proper name). Such capitalization indicates that the term is a conventional designation for exactly that species (Sialia currucoides),^[22] not for just any bluebird that happens to live in the mountains.^[e]

Words or phrases derived from proper names are generally capitalized, even when they are not themselves proper names. For example, Londoner is capitalized because it derives from the proper name London, but it is not itself a proper name (it can be limited: the Londoner, some Londoners). Similarly, African, Africanize, and Africanism are not proper names, but are capitalized because Africa is a proper name. Adjectives, verbs, adverbs, and derived common nouns that are capitalized (Swiss in Swiss cheese; Anglicize; Calvinistically; Petrarchism) are sometimes loosely called proper adjectives (and so on), but not in mainstream linguistics. Which of these items are capitalized may be merely conventional. Abrahamic, Buddhist, Hollywoodize, Freudianism, and Reagonomics are capitalized; quixotic, bowdlerize, mesmerism, and pasteurization are not; aeolian and alpinism may be capitalized or not.

Some words or some homonyms (depending on how a body of study defines «word») have one meaning when capitalized and another when not. Sometimes the capitalized variant is a proper noun (the Moon; dedicated to God; Smith‘s apprentice) and the other variant is not (the third moon of Saturn; a Greek god; the smith‘s apprentice). Sometimes neither is a proper noun (a swede in the soup; a Swede who came to see me). Such words that vary according to case are sometimes called capitonyms (although only rarely: this term is scarcely used in linguistic theory and does not appear in the Oxford English Dictionary).

Brand names[edit]

In most alphabetic languages, brand names and other commercial terms that are nouns or noun phrases are capitalized whether or not they count as proper names.^{[citation needed]} Not all brand names are proper names, and not all proper names are brand names.

• Microsoft is a proper name, referring to a specific company. But if Microsoft is given a non-standard secondary application, in the role of a common noun, these usages are accepted: «The Microsofts of this world»; «That’s not the Microsoft I know!»; «The company aspired to be another Microsoft.»
• Chevrolet is similarly a proper name referring to a specific company. But unlike Microsoft, it is also used in the role of a common noun to refer to products of the named company: «He drove a Chevrolet» (a particular vehicle); «The Chevrolets of the 1960s» (classes of vehicles). In these uses, Chevrolet does not function as a proper name.^[24]
• Corvette (referring to a car produced by the company Chevrolet) is not a proper name:^[f] it can be pluralized (French and English Corvettes); and it can take a definite article or other determiner or modifier: «the Corvette«, «la Corvette«; «my Corvette«, «ma Corvette«; «another new Corvette«, «une autre nouvelle Corvette«. Similarly, Chevrolet Corvette is not a proper name: «We owned three Chevrolet Corvettes.» It contrasts with the uncapitalized corvette, a kind of warship.

Alternative marking of proper names[edit]

In non-alphabetic scripts, proper names are sometimes marked by other means.

In Egyptian hieroglyphs, parts of a royal name were enclosed in a cartouche: an oval with a line at one end.^[26]

In Chinese script, a proper name mark (a kind of underline) has sometimes been used to indicate a proper name. In the standard Pinyin system of romanization for Mandarin Chinese, capitalization is used to mark proper names,^[27] with some complexities because of different Chinese classifications of nominal types,^[g] and even different notions of such broad categories as word and phrase.^[29]

Sanskrit and other languages written in the Devanagari script, along with many other languages using alphabetic or syllabic scripts, do not distinguish upper and lower case and do not mark proper names systematically.

Acquisition and cognition[edit]

There is evidence from brain disorders such as aphasia that proper names and common names are processed differently by the brain.^[30]

There also appear to be differences in language acquisition.
Although Japanese does not distinguish overtly between common and proper nouns, two-year-old children learning Japanese distinguished between names for categories of object (equivalent to common names) and names of individuals (equivalent to proper names): When a previously unknown label was applied to an unfamiliar object, the children assumed that the label designated the class of object (i.e. they treated the label as the common name of that object), regardless of whether the object was inanimate or not. However, if the object already had an established name, there was a difference between inanimate objects and animals:

• for inanimate objects, the children tended to interpret the new label as a sub-class, but
• for animals they tended to interpret the label as a name for the individual animal (i.e. a proper name).^[31]

In English, children employ different strategies depending on the type of referent but also rely on syntactic cues, such as the presence or absence of the determiner «the» to differentiate between common and proper nouns when first learned.^[32]

See also[edit]

• Name
• Proper name (philosophy)

Notes[edit]

References[edit]

Bibliography[edit]

• Aarts, Bas (2011). Oxford Modern English Grammar. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-165047-5.
• Iverson, Cheryl, ed. (2007). AMA Manual of Style (10th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-517633-9.
• Anderson, John Mathieson (2007). The Grammar of Names. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-929741-2.
• Associated Press Stylebook (42nd ed.). The Associated Press, Basic Books. 2007. ISBN 978-0-465-00489-8. ^{[needs update]}
• Binyong, Yin; Felley, Mary (1990). Chinese Romanization: Pronunciation and Orthography. Beijing: Sinolingua. ISBN 978-7-80052-148-5.
• Burridge, Kate (November 2002). «New Standards in a Glorious Grammar: Review of The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language by Rodney Huddleston and Geoffrey K. Pullum (eds)». Australian Book Review. Wiley (246): 62–63.
• Chalker, Sylvia (1992). «Proper noun». In McArthur, Tom (ed.). ‘The Oxford Companion to the English Language. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-214183-5.
• Collier, Mark; Manley, Bill (2003). How to Read Egyptian Hieroglyphs. University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-23949-4.
• Dunn, Jon Lloyd; Alderfer, Jonathan K. (2006). National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America. National Geographic Books. ISBN 978-0-7922-5314-3.
• Greenbaum, Sidney (1996). The Oxford English Grammar. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-861250-6.
• Huddleston, Rodney; Pullum, Geoffrey (2002). The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language. Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-43146-8.
• Imai, Mutsumi; Haryu, Etsuko (2001). «Learning Proper Nouns and Common Nouns without Clues from Syntax». Child Development. Wiley. 72 (3): 787–802. doi:10.1111/1467-8624.00315. ISSN 0009-3920. PMID 11405582.
• Jespersen, Otto (2013) [First published 1996]. The Philosophy of Grammar. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-135-66575-3.
• Katz, Nancy; Baker, Erica; Macnamara, John (1974). «What’s in a name? A study of how children learn common and proper names». Child Development. Wiley. 45 (2): 469–473. doi:10.2307/1127970. ISSN 0009-3920. JSTOR 1127970.
• Leech, Geoffrey (2006). A Glossary of English Grammar. Edinburgh University Press. ISBN 978-0-7486-1729-6.
• Lester, Mark; Beason, Larry (2005). The McGraw-Hill Handbook of English Grammar and Usage. New York: McGraw-Hill. ISBN 0-07-144133-6.
• Neufeldt, Virginia (1991). Webster’s new world dictionary of American English. 3rd college edition. New York: Prentice Hall. 013949314X.
• Packard, Jerome L. (2000). The Morphology of Chinese: A Linguistic and Cognitive Approach. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-139-43166-8.
• Pei, Mario A.; Gaynor., Frank (1954). A dictionary of linguistics. OxfordNew York: Philosophical Library.
• Po-Ching, Yip; Rimmington, Don (2006). Chinese: An Essential Grammar (2nd ed.). Oxford: Taylor & Francis (Routledge). ISBN 978-0-203-96979-3.
• Quinn, Charles (2005). A Nature Guide to the Southwest Tahoe Basin. Charles Quinn. ISBN 978-0-9708895-4-6.
• Quirk, Randolph; Greenbaum, Sidney; Leech, Geoffrey; Svartvik, Jan (1985). A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language. Harlow: Longman. ISBN 978-0-582-51734-9.
• Robsona, Jo; Marshalla, Jane; Pringa, Tim; Montagua, Ann; Chiatb, Shula (2004). «Processing proper nouns in aphasia: Evidence from assessment and therapy». Aphasiology. Taylor & Francis. 18 (10): 917–935. doi:10.1080/02687030444000462. S2CID 144541071.
• Valentine, Tim; Brennen, Tim; Brédart, Serge (2002) [First published 1996]. The Cognitive Psychology of Proper Names: On the Importance of Being Ernest. Oxford: Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-134-77956-7.
• Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (1993; 10th ed.). Springfield, Massachusetts: Merriam-Webster. ISBN 978-0-87779-707-4.
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External links[edit]

• Wikiversity:Proper name

A proper noun is a specific name or title given to a person, place, or thing. These types of nouns are always capitalized in written language as they indicate a specific, individual entity. Examples of proper nouns include names such as Rohit, Bengaluru City, and the Eiffel Tower. These words serve as unique identifiers and are often used to distinguish one person, place, or thing from another. In this post, we are going to gather all the information related to proper nouns.

What is a proper noun?

A proper noun is a specific noun that refers to a particular person, place, or thing, and always begins with a capital letter. Examples include “John,” “Paris,” and “The Earth.”

• “Proper noun refers to a specific person”

It is a noun that is used to identify a specific individual. This could be a person’s name, such as “John Smith” or “Marie Curie,” or a title, such as “President Lincoln” or “Queen Elizabeth II.” It always starts with a capital letter.

• “Proper noun refers to a specific place”

It is a noun that is used to identify a specific place or location. This could be the name of a city, such as “New York,” a country, such as “France,” or a landmark, such as “Mount Everest”. It always starts with a capital letter. These names are unique and specific and can be located on a map, or refer to a real place.

• “Proper noun refers to a specific thing”

It is a noun that is used to identify a specific object or entity. This could be the name of a specific product, such as “iPhone” or “Coca-Cola”, a specific book or movie, such as “Harry Potter” or “The Godfather” or a specific company or organization, such as “Microsoft” or “The United Nations”. It always starts with a capital letter.

Some proper noun examples

• People: John, Mary, Barack Obama, Queen Elizabeth II
• Places: New York City, Mount Everest, The Amazon, The Great Wall of China
• Organizations: Microsoft, NASA, The United Nations, The Red Cross
• Brands: Coca-Cola, Nike, Samsung, Ford
• Historical events: The Renaissance, World War II, The Industrial Revolution, The Cold War
• Eras: The Middle Ages, The Victorian Era, The Bronze Age
• Nationalities: American, Canadian, Japanese, French
• Countries: United States, Canada, Japan, France
• Languages: English, Spanish, Mandarin, Arabic, German
• Job titles: Professor, Governor, Doctor, Chief Executive Officer

What is the importance of proper nouns?

• Proper nouns provide specific and unique names for people, places, organizations, and brands. They help to identify and distinguish one noun from another.
• Proper nouns also play a crucial role in communication, as they allow people to refer to specific individuals, locations, or entities with a high degree of precision. They help to create a shared understanding of the world and allow for clear and accurate communication.
• Proper nouns also have historical and cultural significance, as they can refer to events, eras, or periods of historical importance, which can help to understand the past and its impact on the present.
• Proper nouns are also important in fields such as journalism, writing, and research, as they allow for clear and accurate citations and references to specific people, places, organizations, and brands.

Can we use articles or determiners with the proper noun?

Proper nouns, by definition, are specific names of people, places, organizations, and sometimes brand names, and they do not usually take an article or determiner before them.

In general, it is considered incorrect to use articles (a, an, the) before a proper noun, as they already refer to a specific person, place, or thing. For example, it would be incorrect to say “the John” or “a Paris”.

However, there are some exceptions to this rule:

1. When referring to a specific person, place, or thing that is not unique or well-known, it can be preceded by an indefinite article. For example, “a John Smith” could be used if there are multiple people named John Smith.
2. In some cases, articles can be used with proper nouns when referring to a specific person, place, or thing in a particular context, such as in literature, poetry, or idiomatic expressions.

Here are a few examples of how articles can be used with proper nouns when referring to a specific person, place, or thing in a particular context, such as in literature, poetry, or idiomatic expressions:

• In literature: “The Great Gatsby” is a novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The use of the definite article “the” before “Great Gatsby” implies that it is a specific and well-known novel, often considered a literary classic.
• In poetry: “The Raven” is a poem by Edgar Allan Poe. The use of the definite article “the” before “Raven” implies that it is a specific and well-known poem, and is often considered a masterpiece of poetry.
• In idiomatic expressions: “The cat’s out of the bag” is an idiomatic expression meaning that a secret has been revealed. The use of the definite article “the” before “cat’s” implies that it is a specific and well-known idiomatic expression, widely used in the English language.
• In idiomatic expressions: “The Wind in the Willows” is a novel by Kenneth Grahame. The use of the definite article “the” before “Wind in the Willows” implies that it is a specific and well-known novel, often considered a children’s classic.
• In idiomatic expressions: “The Berlin Wall” is a well-known historical place, the use of the definite article “the” before “Berlin Wall” implies that it is a specific and well-known event, widely used in history.

1. In some cases, articles can be used with proper nouns to indicate a specific relationship, as in “the Queen of England” or “the President of the United States”
2. In some cases, proper nouns can be used as a common noun, for example, “the Beatles” to refer to the band and not the individual members.

Note: Proper nouns are unique and specific by definition, and articles are not needed to specify them, but in some cases, they can be used to give a context or a relationship.

What are the rules of proper nouns?

The main rule of proper nouns is that they always begin with a capital letter, regardless of where they appear in a sentence. Some additional rules and guidelines for using proper nouns include:

• When writing a proper noun, it should be written exactly as it is spelled and capitalized in the source you are using, whether it’s a book, website, or other sources.
• Proper nouns can be singular or plural. For example “John” and “Johns” are both proper nouns but the first refers to an individual and the latter refers to a group or a family.
• Proper nouns should not be preceded by an article (a, an, the).
• In English, proper nouns are not usually modified by adjectives. For example, it would be incorrect to say “the big America” or “the beautiful France”.
• Proper nouns can be used in possessive form by adding an apostrophe and s to the end, for example, “John’s book” or “New York’s skyline”
• When writing a proper noun that includes multiple words, each word should begin with a capital letter, such as “United Nations” or “Great Wall of China”.
• When writing a proper noun that includes a prefix or a suffix, the first letter of the prefix or suffix should be in lowercase, for example, “post-World War II” or “pre-Columbian”

These are just some of the most common rules and guidelines for using proper nouns, but there are many other nuances and exceptions to be aware of.

Capitalization rules of the proper noun

The main rule of capitalization for proper nouns is that they always begin with a capital letter. Here are some additional rules and guidelines for capitalizing proper nouns:

Always capitalize proper nouns when they refer to a specific person, place, organization, or brand. Examples include “John Smith,” “Paris,” “United Nations,” and “Samsung”.

Capitalize proper nouns when they are part of a title, such as “President Lincoln” or “Queen Elizabeth II”.

Capitalize the first word of a proper noun phrase, even if it is not the first word of a sentence. For example, the “Great Wall of China”.

Capitalize proper nouns when they are used in a possessive form, for example, “John’s book” or “New York’s skyline”.

Capitalize the first letter of each word in a proper noun that includes multiple words, such as “United Nations” or “Great Wall of China”.

Can we capitalize relationships in proper nouns?

When referring to a specific person in a particular relationship, such as “mother” or “father”, it is not considered a proper noun and should not be capitalized. However, if the relationship is being used as a name to specify that particular person, it should be capitalized.

For example, “I’m visiting my mother” is not capitalized because it is used as a common noun to refer to a person’s relationship with her. However, when referring to a specific person by their relationship, for example, “I’m going to school, Mom!” it is considered a proper noun and should be capitalized.

Another example is, “I’m visiting my uncle” is not capitalized, but “I’m visiting Uncle John” is capitalized, as it’s being used as a name, a nickname, or a title for that specific person.

Can we capitalize days and months?

In English, the days of the week are typically spelled with a capital letter at the beginning, for example, “Monday”, “Tuesday”, etc., and the months of the year are also capitalized, for example, “January”, “February”, etc.

There are some cases, when the words “days” and “months” are part of a specific name, such as “New Year’s Day” or “Valentine’s Day”, they should be capitalized.

Can we capitalize seasons in proper nouns?

Seasons, like “spring”, “summer”, “fall” (or “autumn”), and “winter” are not considered proper nouns and typically do not get capitalized. They are just common nouns.

However, in some cases, when they are part of a specific name, such as “Indian Summer”, “Golden Autumn” or “Dead of Winter” they should be capitalized.

Note: In some cases when the season is used at the beginning of a sentence, it should be capitalized as it is the first word of a sentence.

Can we capitalize professions and job titles?

Professions and job titles are generally not considered proper nouns and are typically not capitalized. They are common nouns that refer to a type of work or occupation. For example, “teacher,” “engineer,” “doctor,” “nurse,” etc.

However, when they are part of a specific name, such as “Professor Smith” or “Governor Brown” they should be capitalized.

It’s also worth noting that when the profession or job title is used as a form of address, such as “Doctor Smith” or “Chief Executive Officer”, it should be capitalized as it’s being used as a title or a form of address.

Can we capitalize directions?

Directions, such as “north,” “south,” “east,” and “west” are not considered proper nouns and are typically not capitalized. They are common nouns that refer to a specific point on the compass. They are usually written in lowercase letters.

However, when they are part of a specific name, such as “North Pole” or “West Coast” they should be capitalized as they are proper nouns.

Can we capitalize nationalities and countries in proper nouns?

Nationalities and countries are considered proper nouns and should be capitalized, regardless of where they appear in a sentence. For example: “American,” “Canadian,” “Japanese,” “France,” “Germany,” “United States,” “India,” etc.

It’s also worth noting that when the name of a country or nationality is used as an adjective, it does not get capitalized, such as “an American citizen” or “a French restaurant”.

Can we capitalize Languages?

Languages are considered proper nouns and should be capitalized, regardless of where they appear in a sentence. For example: “English,” “Spanish,” “Mandarin,” “Arabic,” “German,” “Hindi,” “Sanskrit,” etc.

When the name of a language is used as an adjective, it does not get capitalized, such as “an English speaker” or “a Spanish class”.

Can we capitalize events of historical importance, eras, and periods?

Events of historical importance, eras, and periods are considered proper nouns and should be capitalized, regardless of where they appear in a sentence. For example: “World War II,” “The Renaissance,” “The Industrial Revolution,” “The Cold War,” etc.

FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions about proper nouns:

Also find:

• What Are Pronouns?
• What are Countable Nouns?
• What are Abstract Nouns?

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As you probably know, a noun is a word that refers to a person, place, thing, or idea. In English, there are many different types of nouns that we use to describe all of the people and things around us. When we want to refer to a specific person or thing, we use a type of noun known as a proper noun. You have more than likely used many proper nouns in your life even if you didn’t know what they were called. As you’ll soon learn, proper nouns are a special type of noun, so we should give them the attention they deserve and learn a bit more about them.

What is a proper noun?

A proper noun is a noun that is used to denote a particular person, place, or thing. What do we mean by this? Take a second to think about a city. You will probably picture a generic place with tall buildings, busy traffic, and crowded streets. The noun city is not a proper noun as it is generic and could refer to many different places. Now, try to picture New York City, Paris, London, or Beijing. This time, you probably imagine very specific landmarks, sights, and destinations. These nouns are all proper nouns because they refer to specific places that can only be found in one exact location on Earth.

A special rule that applies to proper nouns is that they are always capitalized regardless of where they appear in a sentence. For example, in the example Tomorrow is Cassandra’s birthday, Cassandra is a proper noun that refers to a specific person and is capitalized. It is very important to be able to identify proper nouns because incorrect capitalization is one of the most common grammar mistakes. To help avoid making these mistakes, let’s look closer at examples of proper nouns.

Proper noun examples

We use proper nouns to refer to a variety of different stuff. Let’s explore some of the many different things we can use proper nouns to refer to.

People and animals 

The names of specific people and animals are proper nouns. This applies to both real and fictional people and animals. For example, the names Marie Curie and Mickey Mouse are both proper nouns.

This seems simple enough but capitalization can often be tricky when using proper nouns. With names, titles are only capitalized when used with the name of a specific person. For example, in the sentence The pirates were led by Captain Cutlass, the name of the captain is correctly capitalized. However, the sentence The pirates drank grog with their Captain has incorrect capitalization as captain is not a proper noun.

When referring to names and titles of specific people and animals, articles and other unimportant words are also not capitalized. You can see this in proper nouns such as John the Baptist or Duke Richard of York. 

Places

The names of specific places are also proper nouns. For example, the words Florida and British Columbia are proper nouns while the words state and province are not. As was the case with names, don’t capitalize articles or unimportant words in names of places: you swim in the (not The) Pacific Ocean and visit the United States of (not Of) America.

Things

Proper nouns can also refer to things. It can be tricky to figure out which things in particular are proper nouns. Remember, proper nouns refer to specific, unique things. So, nouns like Jupiter (a specific planet), Friday (a specific day of the week), and Christianity (a specific religion) are proper nouns. Titles and names of creative works are also proper nouns. For example, Horn Players is a proper noun when referring to the painting by artist Jean-Michel Basquiat.

However, seasons and cardinal directions are not proper nouns and so are not capitalized unless part of a name. For example, the words summer and north are not proper nouns in the sentence I drove 500 miles north during the summer but they are capitalized when used in names as in the sentence I drove to North Dakota for the Summer of Fun Festival. 

Be grammar-ready throughout the year with this deeper explanation on when seasons should and should not be capitalized.

A rare exception to the capitalization rule of proper nouns is when referring to the names of brands or trademarked products that begin with a lowercase letter. For example, it is correct to refer to the Apple company’s brand of tablets as iPads.

List of proper nouns

Listed below are a variety of proper nouns. Give special attention to how these nouns are capitalized.

• Captain Jack Sparrow, Helen of Troy, Dr. Feelgood, Blondie, King Richard the Lionheart, Muhammad Ali, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

• New York City, South America, Missouri River, Sahara Desert, Trinidad and Tobago

• January, Christmas, Department of Defense, Star Wars, Gone with the Wind, Atlas Shrugged, All Along the Watchtower

The difference between proper and common nouns

While proper nouns refer to specific people, places, and things, common nouns are used to refer to generic things. Common nouns are not capitalized and are used to broadly refer to undefined people, places, and things. Here are some examples showing how proper and common nouns are used differently in sentences:

• Abraham Lincoln (proper noun) was the president (common noun) of the United States of America (proper noun).
• The Lion King (proper noun) is my favorite movie (common noun) made by Disney (proper noun).
• We ate dinner (common noun) with the queen (common noun).
• We ate dinner (common noun) with Queen Elizabeth II (proper noun).

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Proper noun definition: A proper noun is any person, place or thing. A proper noun refers to anything or concept that is particular or specific.

What are proper nouns? A proper noun is any noun that names anything specific. Therefore, a proper noun is any particular name of a person, place, or thing. Proper nouns are always capitalized.

Examples of Proper Nouns:

• Cathy (specific name of person)
• London (specific name of place)
• Spot (specific name of thing)

These examples are proper nouns because they name a specific person, place, and thing, respectively, giving names to those entities.

Proper Nouns List

Here is a list of a few proper nouns you might use in everyday conversation.

• Herman Miller
• Google
• Facebook
• Snoopy
• Oreo
• The White House
• University of Michigan
• Sarah
• Taco Bell
• McDonald’s
• Burger King

Of course there are many more proper nouns, but these are a few examples of specifics companies, restaurants, foods, names, schools, etc.

Proper Nouns and Common Nouns

There are a few key differences between proper and common nouns. A proper noun gives a specific name to an entity whereas a common noun does not give a specific name. Proper nouns are always capitalized.

Proper Noun Examples / Common Noun Examples:

• Cathy/girl
• London/city
• Spot/dog

How Do Proper Nouns Function in a Sentence?

Because they are nouns, proper nouns can function as in various ways a noun would in a sentence.

Proper noun as subject:

• Spot won an award.
  • In this example, Spot is the subject and specific name of a dog doing the action of the sentence.

Proper noun as direct object:

• The dog won “Best In Show.”
  • In this example, the dog is the subject and the thing he is doing is the direct object. Here, the direct object is the specific name of the award.

Proper noun as indirect object:

• The presenter gave an award to Spot.
  • In this example, the presenter is the subject and the award is the direct object. The recipient of that award is the specific dog, Spot, the indirect object.

How Do Common Nouns Become Proper Nouns?

Common nouns become proper nouns when they are given a specific name.

• girl
  • What is the girl’s name? The girl’s name is Cathy.
    • Cathy is the proper noun.
  • city
    • What is the city’s name? The city’s name is London.
      • London is the proper noun.
    • dog
      • What is the dog’s name? The dog’s name is Spot.
        • Spot is the proper noun.

Exercises With Proper Nouns

Identify the proper noun in the following sentences.

1. Stephen read the book to his daughter.
2. The children decorated their table for Easter.
3. The Roseville Parade starts on our street.
4. In history class we learned about World War I.
5. My favorite novel is The Grapes of Wrath.
6. Six students traveled to Paris during their spring break.

Summary: What are Proper Nouns?

Define proper noun: A proper noun is,

• any SPECIFIC person, place, or idea
• the name of a common noun
• always capitalized

See answers below.

Answers: Proper Noun Example Exercises

1. Stephen
2. Easter
3. Roseville Parade
4. World War I
5. The Grapes of Wrath
6. Paris

Contents

• 1 What is a Proper Noun?
• 2 Proper Nouns List
• 3 Proper Nouns and Common Nouns
• 4 How Do Proper Nouns Function in a Sentence?
• 5 How Do Common Nouns Become Proper Nouns?
• 6 Exercises With Proper Nouns
• 7 Summary: What are Proper Nouns?
• 8 Answers: Proper Noun Example Exercises

Do you get confused about the difference between a common noun and a proper noun? Would practice help you become a master? 

Read on to learn about the difference between common and proper nouns, how they are used, and when to use them. 

When you feel like you’ve got it, test yourself with a quiz and practice with our high-quality, standards-aligned questions here. 

The Basics of Common and Proper Nouns

What is a common noun?

A common noun is the general, non-specific term for a person, place, thing, or idea. Usually, common nouns are not capitalized unless they begin a sentence. 

For example, as you work on your homework, think about the things you are using. You might be using a computer, a textbook, or a pencil. All of these are generic items that we encounter on a regular basis and are common nouns. 

What is a proper noun?

A proper noun is a specific, unique person, place, thing, or idea. Unlike common nouns, proper nouns are almost always capitalized. This is true whether they begin a sentence or not. 

Let’s consider the same example from above, but instead, now we will be more specific about the resources necessary to complete your homework. 

As you work, you may be using a Pearson Algebra 1 textbook, a Google Chromebook, and a Ticonderoga pencil. You are better able to visualize this scenario if proper nouns are provided since they are more specific and unique. 

What is the relationship between common and proper nouns? 

Common and proper nouns are closely related. The most straightforward way of understanding the relationship between common and proper nouns is to think about proper nouns as specific examples of common nouns. 

For example, the word building is a common noun. Examples of buildings include The White House, The Art Institute of Chicago, and Memorial Hall at Harvard University. 

These examples are all proper nouns since they are specific, unique examples of the common noun building. Generally, we can more vividly picture or understand a text when the author uses examples of proper nouns since there is less room for interpretation. 

How do you use common and proper nouns? 

Common and proper nouns can be used in relation to each other or separately. Typically, authors use common nouns when they are describing something broad or ambiguous. 

Proper nouns are used to describe a person, place, thing, or idea that is specific and concrete. Common and proper nouns are often used together in sentences. 

Take the following sentence as an example: The doctor worked long hours at Memorial Hospital to help contain the spread of the common cold. 

In this sentence, we see examples of common nouns, such as doctor, hours, and common cold. Additionally, the sentence has an example of a proper noun– Memorial Hospital. 

If the sentence were not to name the hospital specifically, then it would have remained a common noun (hospital). 

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3 Tips for Understanding Common vs. Proper Nouns

Here are some important tips to help you determine the difference between common and proper nouns:

Tip #1: If it’s a noun and it’s capitalized, then it’s probably a proper noun. 

• Remember, proper nouns are specific people, places, things, or ideas. Since they represent a concrete or specific person, place, thing, or idea, they are capitalized.
  • For example, book is a generic common noun. 
  • The Scarlet Letter is a specific book and, as a result, is a proper noun. 
• There is an exception to this rule, however– if a common noun begins a sentence, then it should be capitalized since the first word of every sentence should be capitalized.
  • For example, Lampshades come in many different colors, varieties, and shapes. Even though lampshades is capitalized in this sentence, it is not a specific brand or size of lampshade. 
  • Lampshade is capitalized because it begins the sentence, not because it is a proper noun. 

Tip #2: Make sure it’s a noun. 

• Do not rely solely on the capitalization of words to determine whether or not the word (or words) in question is a common or proper noun. 
• There are other examples of words that can be capitalized in a sentence, such as proper adjectives. Before you classify a word as a common or proper noun, ask yourself whether or not the word or phrase in question is a person, place, thing, or idea. If it’s not, then it is not a noun.
  • For example, consider the following sentence: It can be difficult for young people to read complicated, Shakespearian language. At first glance, you may quickly classify Shakespearian as a proper noun. Upon further inspection, however, Shakespearian merely describes the common noun language. 
  • Therefore, in this instance, Shakespearian is NOT a proper noun even though it is capitalized. Instead, it is a proper adjective. 

Tip #3: When writing, ask yourself, “what message am I trying to communicate?”

• If you are using common and proper nouns in your own writing, it is important to consider what it is that you want the reader to take away from your writing. 
• If you are trying to paint a clear, vivid picture for the reader, then it is important to use more proper nouns. 
• However, if you are attempting to create a more general, vague scene, then using more common nouns is appropriate. 

Remember, if you are trying to figure out whether a word is a common or proper noun, ask yourself if the word in question is a noun and whether or not it’s capitalized. 

If you are writing, ask yourself what message you are trying to communicate before using common or proper nouns. 

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Applying the Basics: Common and Proper Noun Review & Practice

Now that you understand what common and proper nouns are, let’s review how and when to use them, and how to tell them apart! Remember, every proper noun has a common noun counterpart, but not every common noun has a related proper noun. 

The Ultimate List of Common and Proper Nouns

Refer to the graphic below for an extensive list of example common and proper nouns:

This list, obviously, does not include all common and proper nouns and is meant to be used as a guide while identifying other nouns. 

Common Noun Exercises & Review

Now that you know the difference between common and proper nouns, test your ability to accurately identify common nouns. 

Select the common noun(s) in the sentences below. Remember, these are generic items that we encounter on a regular basis. They are not capitalized unless they begin a sentence.

1. You’ve probably used Google Earth to look at the roof of your own house.

• In this sentence, roof and house are both common nouns because they are not specific names or titles. They are just general, making them common nouns.

2. In New York City, for example, subways chug along 500 miles of underground track. 

• In this sentence, example, subways, miles, and track are common nouns because they are not specific names or titles. They are just general, making them common nouns.

3. Some people argue that the government should control what goes on underground, and private companies should not be able to profit from the land beneath your house.

• In this sentence, people, government, underground, companies, land, and house are all common nouns because they are not specific names or titles. They are just general, making them common nouns.

4. How would you feel about a public road going under your porch?

• In this sentence, road and porch are common nouns because they are not specific names or titles. They are just general, making them common nouns.

5. The way we answer these questions will help determine how our society grows and changes in the future.  

• In this sentence, way, questions, society, and future are all common nouns because they are not specific names or titles. They are just general, making them common nouns.

Pro tip: When evaluating whether a noun is common, ask yourself, “Is it general, and is it in lower case?”

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Proper Noun Exercises & Review

Complete the quick exercise below to assess your mastery of proper nouns. 

Select the proper noun(s) in the sentences below. Remember, a proper noun is a specific, unique person, place, thing, or idea. Unlike common nouns, proper nouns are almost always capitalized. This is true whether they begin a sentence or not. 

1. In 1890, long before your great-grandparents were born, the U.S. Congress established Yosemite National Park.

In this sentence, U.S Congress and Yosemite National Park are proper nouns because they are specific names or titles. When a noun is specific like this, it is proper and must be capitalized.

2. Before becoming a national park, the Yosemite area was home to the Ahwahneechee and Miwok people for many generations.

In this sentence, Yosemite, Ahwahneechee, and Miwok are proper nouns because they are specific names or titles. When a noun is specific like this, it is proper and must be capitalized.

3. Disney’s “Pocahontas” has a similar happy tone, but the actual life of Pocahontas was more interesting than what we saw on screen.

In this sentence, Disney’s and Pocahontas are proper nouns because they are specific names or titles. When a noun is specific like this, it is proper and must be capitalized.

4. Pocahontas was born around 1595 in modern-day Virginia.

In this sentence, Pocahontas and Virginia are proper nouns because they are specific names or titles. When a noun is specific like this, it is proper and must be capitalized.

5. Heralded as an example of the possibilities in the “New World”, Pocahontas and John Rolfe traveled to England with their son in 1616.

In this sentence, New World, Pocahontas, John Rolfe, and England are all proper nouns because they are specific names or titles. When a noun is specific like this, it is proper and must be capitalized.

Pro tip: When evaluating whether a noun is proper, ask yourself, “Is it specific, and is it capitalized?”

For additional practice, check out Common and Proper Nouns content on Albert.

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Try for Yourself: Common and Proper Nouns Quiz

Feeling confident in your understanding of common and proper nouns? 

Take this short six-question quiz to see what you’ve learned:

1. Is a common noun general or specific?

• Answer: General
• Correct Explanation: That’s right! A common noun is the general, non-specific term for a person, place, thing, or idea. Usually, common nouns are not capitalized unless they begin a sentence. 
• Incorrect Explanation: Sorry, that’s not right! Remember, a common noun is the general, non-specific term for a person, place, thing, or idea. Usually, common nouns are not capitalized unless they begin a sentence. 

2. Is a proper noun general or specific?

• Answer: Specific
• Correct Explanation: That’s right! A proper noun is a specific, unique person, place, thing, or idea. Unlike common nouns, proper nouns are almost always capitalized.
• Incorrect Explanation: Sorry, that’s not right! Remember, a proper noun is a specific, unique person, place, thing, or idea. Unlike common nouns, proper nouns are almost always capitalized.

3. In this sentence, are the underlined words common or proper nouns?

Adolescent brains are constantly rewiring and retraining to prune skills that are not being used to make room for the skills being used often. 

• Answer: Common
• Correct Explanation: That’s right! A common noun is the general, non-specific term for a person, place, thing, or idea. Usually, common nouns are not capitalized unless they begin a sentence. Brains, skills, room, and skills are not capitalized in this example.
• Incorrect Explanation: Sorry, that’s not right! Remember, a common noun is the general, non-specific term for a person, place, thing, or idea. Usually, common nouns are not capitalized unless they begin a sentence. 

4. In this sentence, are the underlined words common or proper nouns?

We enter our REM stage within the first 90 minutes of sleep and repeat this cycle several times throughout the night.

• Answer: Common
• Correct Explanation: That’s right! A common noun is the general, non-specific term for a person, place, thing, or idea. Usually, common nouns are not capitalized unless they begin a sentence. In this example, stage, sleep, repeat, times, and night are all general common nouns.
• Incorrect Explanation: Sorry, that’s not right! Remember, a common noun is the general, non-specific term for a person, place, thing, or idea. Usually, common nouns are not capitalized unless they begin a sentence. 

5. In this sentence, are the underlined words common or proper nouns?

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, plastic litter is of the greatest concern as it has the most widespread and harmful impacts on animal populations.

• Answer: Proper
• Correct Explanation: That’s right! A proper noun is a specific, unique person, place, thing, or idea. Unlike common nouns, proper nouns are almost always capitalized. In this example, the Environmental Protection Agency refers to a specific government entity.
• Incorrect Explanation: Sorry, that’s not right! Remember, a proper noun is a specific, unique person, place, thing, or idea. Unlike common nouns, proper nouns are almost always capitalized.

6. In this sentence, are the underlined words common or proper nouns?

What does NASA’s space program cost each of the 328 million people that currently live in the USA?

• Answer: Proper
• Correct Explanation: That’s right! A proper noun is a specific, unique person, place, thing, or idea. Unlike common nouns, proper nouns are almost always capitalized. In this example, NASA and USA refer to a specific organization and nation.
• Incorrect Explanation: Sorry, that’s not right! Remember, a proper noun is a specific, unique person, place, thing, or idea. Unlike common nouns, proper nouns are almost always capitalized.

For additional practice with common and proper nouns, check out our practice on Albert.io: Common and Proper Nouns.

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Teacher’s Corner

While it’s true that common and proper nouns are a foundational grammar skill, the Common Core English Language Progressive Skills Chart shows that even elementary-level skills “require continued attention in higher grades as they are applied to increasingly sophisticated writing and speaking.” 

For specific standards addressing common and proper nouns, check out the Common Core State Standards site! 

Albert’s common and proper nouns practice can be used for much more than homework! Our assessments can be used as pre-and post-tests to measure student progress. Our pre-made quizzes can be used as bell-ringers, exit tickets, and more! 

In addition to our pre-made assessments, you can also use our assignments feature to create your own quizzes and assessments.

Summary on Common and Proper Nouns

Common nouns are general, non-specific people, places, things, or ideas. 

Proper nouns are specific, concrete people, places, things, and ideas.

In writing, proper nouns generally provide the reader with a more clear, tangible image of what the author describes. 

Common and proper nouns can be used in tandem with one another or separately. Be sure to check out our grammar course for more common and proper noun practice. 

You can also access over 3,400 high-quality questions that address nearly every grammatical concept. 

Need help preparing for your Grammar exam?

Albert has hundreds of grammar practice questions with detailed explanations to help you master concepts.

If you’re wondering about proper nouns, and how to identify them, look no further. You are, in fact, a proper noun yourself! Proper nouns identify specific people, places, and things. Using proper nouns correctly clarifies your writing, and ensures that readers know exactly what you’re talking about. We all use proper nouns already, so making sure you have the ability to identify them and include them in your writing will make your writing and reading comprehension skills stronger.

A noun is a person, place, thing, animal, or idea. Basically, anything that needs to be identified can be done so with a noun. Nouns are one of the main parts of speech, and can be enhanced by adjectives. Some examples of common nouns are things like table, dog, city, love, movie, ocean, book. A proper noun is a noun that references a specific person, place, thing, animal or idea. Everything around you is a noun, and so learning to identify common and proper nouns is important for your writing. Let’s explore the difference!

What Is a Proper Noun? How Is It Different?

What is a proper noun? Here’s a simple proper noun definition: Proper nouns are nouns that identify a specific, usually one-of-a-kind noun. Proper nouns are always capitalized, no matter where they fall in a sentence. This helps you tell the difference between them. Every noun can be classified as common or proper. Additionally, most proper nouns do not have the word “the” in front of them in a sentence, the way common nouns do. “The” is a pointing word, and with a proper noun, the word has already been made specific, and there is no need to point.

For example I can say, “Please walk the dog.” or “Please walk Buddy.” Note that “Please walk Buddy” doesn’t have a “the” in the sentence since I’ve already identified the specific dog that needs walking. One exception is when you’re referring to a kingdom or a republic. So you would say the United Kingdom, even though the United Kingdom is a proper noun and the name of a specific country.

Let’s look at our common noun examples of nouns above. A common noun is city. A proper noun is New York City. You could say this dog is a good boy, or Buddy is a good boy. Book is a common noun, while The Great Gatsby is a proper noun. The difference is that nouns like city, book, and dog could be referring to multiple different things, places, or animals. Saying “book” is perfectly fine in a sentence, but you will want to specify further if you plan on talking about that book in depth. In that case, saying “book” will be confusing. On the other hand, it is perfectly acceptable to say ‘“I packed a book for vacation.”

Not all common nouns have proper noun counterparts, such as abstract nouns like love. Using proper nouns isn’t always necessary, but can help readers and listeners identify something more closely, or know that they should pay attention to a certain noun over others. Again, the difference between common and proper nouns depends on the specificity of the noun. There are lots of options for nouns and it’s up to you to decide when to use proper or common nouns. Proper nouns are used for specific things, so simply capitalizing a common noun won’t make it a proper noun.

Proper Noun Examples

Below is a list of some proper noun examples, as well as note whether they represent a person, place, or thing.

Proper Noun	Type
Mr. James	Person
Dr. Morgan	Person
UCLA	Thing
Amazon	Thing
Prospect Park	Place
Atlanta	Place

Now let’s use some of them in a sentence so you can see how they differ from common nouns.

Common Noun	Proper Noun
The teacher assigned us an essay that’s due next week.	Mr. James assigned us an essay that’s due next week.

In the example above, the common and proper nouns are different but the sentence is the same. In this case, you can see that the sentence doesn’t change in meaning when you change the noun. In the following sentences, some are the same regardless of whether or not a proper or common noun is used, and the meaning is the same. In others, the sentences are slightly different to show how a proper noun can change the meaning of the sentence. Take time to consider this when looking at the rest of the examples, and note which ones are common and which are proper nouns.

Common Noun	Proper Noun
I have to go to the doctor for these persistent headaches.	I should see Dr. Morgan for these persistent headaches.
I can’t wait to start college this fall.	I got accepted to UCLA.
I ordered a new computer online.	I ordered the laptop from Amazon.
We’re going to play baseball in the park.	We’re going to play baseball in Prospect Park.
We’re going shopping in the city.	Atlanta is one of my favorite places to visit.

Proper Noun Quiz

Identify all of the proper noun examples in this paragraph:

The Great Gatsby is one of the most famous works of American literature. In this career-defining novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, a wealthy man named Jay Gatsby throws elaborate parties to attempt to get the attention, and win back the affection of his past love, Daisy. Daisy is one of the social elites of East Egg, a fictional town in Long Island, New York, and hails from an old family. Gatsby, on the other hand, is newly wealthy and not from a reputable family. Though this book is filled with flashy cars and wild parties, through narrator Nick Carraway’s perspective. we see the pain of loss and the death of the American dream.

Quiz Answers

All proper nouns are in red. 

The Great Gatsby is one of the most famous works of American literature. In this career-defining novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, a wealthy man named Jay Gatsby throws elaborate parties to attempt to get the attention, and win back the affection of his past love, Daisy. Daisy is one of the social elites of East Egg, a fictional town in Long Island, New York, and hails from an old family. Gatsby, on the other hand, is newly wealthy and not from a reputable family. Though this book is filled with flashy cars and wild parties, through narrator Nick Carraway’s perspective we see the pain of loss and the death of the American dream.

Proper nouns are incredibly important in the English language, which makes identifying and using them correctly all the more important. If you’re unsure about whether something is a proper noun or not, ask yourself if that person, place, or thing is one of a kind. Remember, proper noun examples are always capitalized, which should make picking them out in sentences even easier. There’s always room to improve on grammar knowledge, so pay attention to how you’re using those nouns and don’t be afraid to play with sentences to get the hang of things.

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Looking for information about writing? Check out our guides on literary elements, sonnets, and similes vs metaphors.

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What is a Proper Noun?

Proper nouns have two distinct features: They name specific one-of-a-kind items, and they begin with capital letters, no matter where they occur within a sentence. Here, we’ll take a closer look at proper nouns, provide proper noun examples, and help you learn how to use a proper noun the right way.

Remember that all nouns are words naming people, animals, places, things, and ideas. Every noun can be further classified as either common or proper. The distinction is very easy to make once you see some examples and come up with a few of your own.

Proper Noun Examples

In the following sentences, proper noun examples are compared with common nouns. Notice that the proper nouns are specific and unique, while the common nouns are much more general in nature.

1. Common noun: I want to be a writer.
   

   Proper noun: Agatha Christie wrote many books.

2. Common noun: I’d like to adopt a cat.
   

   Proper noun: Cleopatra is the cutest kitten ever.

3. Common noun: Would you like a cookie?
   

   Proper noun: I’m craving Oreos.

4. Common noun: Let’s go to the city.
   

   Proper noun: Let’s go to San Francisco.

5. Common noun: My teacher starts work before sunup.
   

   Proper noun: Mr. Bell seems to understand what students need.

6. Common noun: I think that’s a planet, not a star.
   

   Proper noun: I can see Jupiter tonight.

7. Common noun: He’s always hanging out with his girlfriend.
   

   Proper noun: He never goes anywhere without Sarah.

8. Common noun: There are a lot of important documents in the archives.
   

   Proper noun: There are many important documents at The Library of Congress.

How to Use Proper Nouns

It’s easy to use proper nouns, once you know what they are. Simply place them in your sentences as you would common nouns, ensuring that you capitalize them. Here are some examples to help you get started.

• Brett had hoped for an easy teacher for his algebra class, but he got Ms. Boggs, whose unreasonable demands and short temper made the semester unbearable.

  → Teacher is a common noun. Ms. Boggs is a proper noun.

• Gloria had a craving, and not just any cookie would do. She went to the store and bought a box of Oreos.

  → Cookie is a common noun. Oreos is a proper noun.

• We wanted to try a new restaurant, so we went to Taste of Thai.

  → Restaurant is a common noun. Taste of Thai is a proper noun.

Proper Noun Examples

Identify the proper noun in each sentence:

1. The boy threw the ball to his dog, Wilson.
2. I’d like you to meet my friend Jeremy.
3. We’ll be vacationing in Aspen this year.
4. My second grade teacher was Mrs. Gilbert, an old battle-axe.
5. We went to Smith’s Furniture and bought a new couch to replace our old one.
6. Do you think the Dolphins will win the game?
7. I’m flying first-class on Emirate Airlines.
8. Thomas Jefferson was a president and philosopher.
9. My best friend moved to Israel to study.
10. When the Titanic sank, the captain went down with the ship.

Answers: 1 – Wilson, 2 – Jeremy, 3 – Aspen, 4 – Mrs. Gilbert, 5 – Smith’s Furniture, 6 – Dolphins, 7 – Emirate Airlines, 8 – Thomas Jefferson, 9 – Israel, 10 – Titanic