What is the correct title for a university president's spouse name badge?

Answer 1

The correct title is "Mr. __________" or "Mrs. __________" using the last name of the president to fill in the blank. This changes, of course, if the spouse carries a title. Dr., Reverend, Professor, or whatever the title may be, should be on the badge. Always check with the university president, or his or her secretary, to make sure. People prefer to have their hard earned titles attached to their names at professional functions. It would be a faux pas to leave a title off. They also generally prefer not to have nicknames used on badges.

That being said, I have several friends who are business professionals, and were licensed in their maiden names. As it is very difficult, and sometimes costly, to get these names changed and have new certificates sent to them, they choose to retain a maiden name for professional purposes.

Others I know are from countries or cultures in which the last name traditionally may not be the spouse's last name, or the names when written are in reverse. Still others are possibly on a second or third marriage and are known in their fields with a former spouse's name. They choose to keep those, rather than change their last names professionally. I even have a friend whose brother married a fellow member of the military with a higher ranking than his. He took her last name. Like I advised above, always check beforehand. Lastly, make sure you have the correct, or preferred spelling of a name before filling out that badge.