Does 'Pope' belong in the Prefix or Nickname field?

Question

I myself have put titles such as 'Pope' in the prefix field. In working on someone's Suggestion list, it was suggested to me that Pope should be in the Nickname field 'as the EuroAristo group does.' I read through this post about the topic where it was suggested it should go in the preferred or nickname field. I read the second footnote on the Help page about titles that can't be paired with first names. I read through the Help page for European Aristocrats. ... and a few other posts and pages.

After all of that, it makes more sense to put it in the nickname field so that it is paired with the correct name. I'd love to hear what others think.

Comments

this came up last year - see https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/407547/should-exception-guidelines-concerning-prefixes-suffixes (sorry, on deadline for a non-wikitree project, so I didn't read it to figure out if it was resolved)

Cheers, Liz

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Thank you Liz. I don't think they came to a total consensus, but Isabelle Rassinot had a good point: "I would put the official Vatican version in the Preferred Name field and the local (per each individual) version in the Other Nicknames field; more that one version could go in this field, if necessary."

Answer 1

It seems to me that in the case of Popes that it is more than a title and more like a part of his name he took upon his election.  Much like any other name change, it would work and look best in the Preferred name field IMO.  The appearance would be:

•  Karol Józef  (Pope John Paul II) Wojtyla
• Joseph Aloisius (Pope Benedict XVI) Ratzinger
• Jorge Mario (Pope Francis) Bergoglio

Comments

That presents well. And it is a name change, with this style being streamlined as possible, with the exception of the LNAB appearing as a surname.

As compared to women adopting their husband's surname, the treatment shown is similar, except reversed, right?

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Thank you Joe and Fann for your input!

Answer 2

Doesn’t it depend whether he uses his real name with?

If someone was called pope Joe, but real name was Robert Bloggs, then pope Joe would have to be nickname

Comments

I agree Marion. I believe in the EuroAristo help it states that if the title does not pair with his first name then it should be used in the Preferred Name or Nickname. For example "Pope Benedict XII" was born as Jacques Fornier. He was not called "Pope Jacues" so the Pope part wouldn't belong in the Prefix field.

I believe the Suggestion that pops up on the list is so that we will check and see which way it should be stated.