Names: plurals and possession.
- Plurals
In general, to pluralize names, we follow the same rules as for pluralizing other nouns.
For almost all name endings, we simply add a plural “s” to the singular name:
All the Christophers in the team
All the Janes in the team
All the Janices in the team
All the Smiths in the team
However, when the name ends in “s”, we add “es” to the singular name:
All the Joneses in the team
All the Agneses in the team
All the Travises in the team
It has, however, become the custom NOT to add an “es” to the end of classical Greek or Biblical names which end in “s”. So, if we were looking at an ancient Athenian telephone book or an ancient Hebrew class list, we might refer to
All the Socrates in the book, rather than all the Socrateses. or
All the Moses in the Fourth Form. Not all the Moseses.
When a name ends in “y”, we do NOT replace the “y” with “ies” for a plural. So,
The Kennedys, and not the Kennedies.
NOTE: WE NEVER PLURALIZE BY USING AN APOSTROPHE. NEVER.
2. Possession
The general rule is to follow, exactly, the rules for possessives of other nouns. Hence, we have:
Christopher’s team
The Christophers’ team
Mrs Smith’s team
The Smiths’ team
When Biblical or Classical Greek individuals whose names end in “s” own something, we do not add an “s” after the possessive apostrophe. Thus
Sophocles wrote Sophocles’ plays, and
Moses led Moses’ people.
How about when two names are involved in the ownership?
Blake and Turner’s store (with one apostrophe, that on the second or last name) refers to a store owned by BOTH Blake and Turner. If, together, they own several stores, we would have
Blake and Turner’s stores.
Blake’s and Turner’s stores indicates that the ownership is not joint ownership. They both, but separately, own stores.