How to show person went by middle name

[theKiwi]

Re: How to show person went by middle name

Didn't the original Reunion spawn Generations by Broderbund on Windoz? I had that for a while until I switched to Family Tree Maker.

Generations, based on the Windows version of Reunion 5 (I think it was 5) was published by Sierra Online, not by Broderbund.

Roger

[STEVE]

Re: How to show person went by middle name

Paul Bridges' thread "When is a name not a name" is close to my question but not quite.

As an example: Mary Joan Smith's birth, baptism and marriage records show her name that way. However, she went by Joan all her life and you want that to be acknowledged. What method do you use to get the point across with out it being confused as an nickname?

1) Mary (Joan) Smith
2) Mary "Joan" Smith
3) Mary Joan Smith - and just make a note that she went by Joan
4) Other options

This is how I indicate a nickname: William George (Bill) Smith. Any thoughts on that?

Thanks,

Bernie

I was taught: A persons name is: Mary SMITH. A nickname is Mary "Joan" SMITH. A "legal" name/a name used INSTEAD of the given name is: Mary (Joan) SMITH or Mary (AKA: Joan) SMITH; or Mary SMITH AKA: Joan SMITH.

Family names ONLY are UPPERCASED. So, you could end up with something like Mary "Barb" (Joan) GUMPA DARLILLY BROWN SMITH ne

[donworth]

Re: How to show person went by middle name

Generations, based on the Windows version of Reunion 5 (I think it was 5) was published by Sierra Online, not by Broderbund.

Roger

I stand corrected!

I remember driving by Sierra's offices in Coarsegold, California on the way to Yosemite and shaking my fist at Roberta Williams. Sierra and Broderbund were all the same to me back in the day - COMPETITORS! LOL

[Kaye Saunders]

Re: How to show person went by middle name

I put the name they are known by in the AKA/alias field and then have it as one of the fields shown in the information of each child and in the title box when they are a parent. This lets me know who they are really easily.

Kaye

[Wilfred Allan]

Re: How to show person went by middle name

When entering names in Reunion I use CAPS for a middle name if that is the one used. In a report where I have more extensive editing capability I underline the name. Any chance Reunion would be able to add an underline functionality in the name fields?

[kyuck]

Re: How to show person went by middle name

When entering names in Reunion I use CAPS for a middle name if that is the one used. In a report where I have more extensive editing capability I underline the name. Any chance Reunion would be able to add an underline functionality in the name fields?

I second your request. Perhaps you should put it on the Wish List.
Kevan

[jmayes]

Re: How to show person went by middle name

Why would people not use the proper GEDCOM tag of "NICK". Which is defined as: "A descriptive or familiar that is used instead of, or in addition to, one's proper name."

[Terry Medlar]

Re: How to show person went by middle name

Why would people not use the proper GEDCOM tag of "NICK". Which is defined as: "A descriptive or familiar that is used instead of, or in addition to, one's proper name."

My name is Theresa but everyone calls me Terry. I list AKA Terry. My father was named Vincent Joseph, but formally was called James (it's a long story). I list him as (Vincent Joseph) James. That is not an AKA.

[jmayes]

Re: How to show person went by middle name

My name is Theresa but everyone calls me Terry. I list AKA Terry. My father was named Vincent Joseph, but formally was called James (it's a long story). I list him as (Vincent Joseph) James. That is not an AKA.

I understand AKA, but it is not a recognized GEDCOM tag and could lead to problems down the road. My question was to the effect of why use AKA when there is already a tag of "Nickname - NICK" which is recognized by all genealogy programs.

[fmlyhntr]

Re: How to show person went by middle name

So, how do people handle individuals who's name switched depending on which record it is on? (I find this in both my Danish and Alsatian ancestors). Example Kirstine Rebekka M

[jmayes]

Re: How to show person went by middle name

So, how do people handle individuals who's name switched depending on which record it is on? (I find this in both my Danish and Alsatian ancestors). Example Kirstine Rebekka Møller--on some of her children's birth certificates it Kirstine, sometime Rebekka. Sometimes both, either way. I have a note in the child's record on which name was used.

Christina

Always difficult...

I use the name from the earliest available record as it is more then likely the name that was given at birth. Form there I note through the Nickname or Alias fields the variations of spelling (Alias) or a Nickname.

[Bruce Christopher]

Re: How to show person went by middle name

I understand AKA, but it is not a recognized GEDCOM tag and could lead to problems down the road.

You are correct that "AKA" is not part of the GEDCOM 5.5 standard, but "ALIA" is and stands for "alias." So check the Fields section of your Preferences and display the settings for the "Alias/AKA" Fact field. If the GEDCOM tag is not set to ALIA then you should change it to comply with the standard. That is my setup for using that field. I also use the ALIA tag for a custom Fact which I label "Alt.Spelling" in which I record spelling variations found in some of the source documents, though not necessarily spellings the person actually used themself. The only problem with that is that my "Alt.Spelling" label is not carried in the GEDCOM data, so an importer would not be able to distinguish my AKAs from my spelling variations.

And just for the record regarding the wider topic of this thread, I, like "jmayes," have taken the approach of entering the birth name or earliest documented form of the name, as the primary indexable name and use Alias/AKA for things like nicknames and changes made in the course of immigration and of course, documented legal name changes (other than due to marriage).

[richard.chamberlin]

Re: How to show person went by middle name

Bob, I've always been curious. What is the practical value of all-capping surnames? Seems like it would make more sense to store them in upper/lower case (to preserve deBishir and McBishir and stuff like that) in the database at least, and offer to all-cap the surname as a report formatting option. Just wondering...
Don

There is a small practical advantage if you have a fair number of entries with only a first/middle or last name: If the name field reads "Benjamin Franklin" it could be a first and last name, but it could also be a first and middle name of someone whose surname is not known -- both look the same on the person card and parent buttons (at least with my default settings). Capitalizing surnames distinguishes the two possibilities at a glance; otherwise you need to open the data entry field to check: Benjamin FRANKLIN vs. Benjamin Franklin [Jones, but unknown], respectively.

[Mary Arthur]

Re: How to show person went by middle name

...to preserve deBishir and McBishir and stuff like that…

Reunion does preserve the McC.... , I just checked my data base, but, interestingly, not the MacC... - I expect there is a preference I have not checked!