Hyphenated Names
If you write to a person with a hyphenated last name, the complete name needs to be listed in the salutation.
Example (letter is to John Smith and Jane Jones-Smith):
Dear Mr. Smith and Ms. Jones-Smith
If the name is not hyphenated, treat it as a middle name.
Example (letter is to John Smith and Jane Jones Smith):
Dear Mr. and Ms. Smith
Gender Unknown
Never, ever make a guess as to the gender of the person to whom you are writing the letter. If the name is not gender specific, or if it is an ethnic name that you do not know the gender rules, do not guess. There are many people named "Chris," for example, who are very annoyed by being called the wrong gender. When in doubt, play it safe and use the full name instead of a courtesy title.
Name & Gender Known
Courtesy Title Preference Known:
Dear Mr. Smith:
Dear Mrs. Gray:
Dear Ms. Simpson:
Dear Miss Wells:
Name Unknown, Gender Known
Dear Madam:
Dear Sir:
Name & Gender Unknown
Dear Sir or Madam:
Dear Madam or Sir:
To Whom It May Concern:
Name Known, Gender Unknown
Dear Marion Parker:
Dear R. V. Moore:
One Woman, Title Preference Unknown
Dear Ms. Malloy:
Dear Ruth Malloy:
Two or More Men
Dear Mr. Gelb and Mr. Harris:
Dear Mssrs. Gelb and Harris: (more formal)
Gentlemen: (more formal)
Sirs: (more formal)
Two or More Women
Dear Mrs. Allen, Ms. Ott, and Miss Day:
Dear Mrs. Jordan and Mrs. Kent:
Dear Mesdames Jordan and Kent: (more formal)
Dear Ms. Scott and Ms. Gomez:
Dear Mses. (or Mss.) Scott and Gomez: (more formal)
Dear Miss Winger and Miss Rossi:
Dear Misses Winger and Rossi: (more formal)
Married Couple--Husband Has Special Title
Dear Dr. and Mrs. ... (husband´s surname)
Married Couple, Wife Uses Maiden Name
Dear Mr. (husband´s surname) and Ms. (wife´s maiden name)
President of College or University
(Full name, followed by comma and highest degree)
President, (name of college)
Address
Dear President ...:
Dear Dr. ...:
Dean of College or University
... (Full name, followed by comma and highest degree)
Dean, ... (name of school or division)
... (name of college)
Address
Dear Dr. ...
Dear Dean ...
Married Couple, Both Have Special Titles
Dear Drs. (husband´s surname)
or
Dear Major and Professor (husband´s surname)
(or whatever the personal titles are)
Woman & a Man
Dear Ms. Kent and Mr. Winston:
Dear Mr. Fong and Miss Landis:
Dear Mrs. Kay and Mr. Fox:
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Green:
Several Persons
Dear Mr. Anderson, Mrs. Brodsky, Ms. Carmino, Mr. Dellums, and Miss Eustace:
Dear Friends (Colleagues, Members, or some other suitable collective terms):
Organization of Men
If there are "only" men in the organization:
Gentlemen:
Organization of Women
If there are "only" women:
Mesdames:
or
Ladies:
Organization of Men & Women
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Gentlemen and Ladies:
Writing to Teenagers
Girls:
Address them as "Miss" or "Ms." and respect the individual´s preference if you know it. For girls younger than 13, "Miss" or "Ms." may be omitted.
Boys:
Address as "Mr." For boys younger than 13, omit the title. ("Master" is now rarely used except with the names of very young boys.)
Married Couple, Wife Has Special Title
Dear Senator and Mr. (husband´s surname):
Sister
Sister ... (name, followed by comma and initials of order)
Address
Dear Sister ...:
Dear Sister:
Archbishop and Bishop
The Most Reverend ... (full name)
Archbishop (OR: Bishop) of ... (place)
Address
Your Excellency:
Dear Archbishop (OR: Bishop) ...:
State Representative or Assembly Member
The Honorable ... (full name)
House of Representatives (OR: The State Assembly)
State Capital, State ZIP Code
Dear Mr. ...:
Secretary General of the United Nations
His (or "Her") Excellency ... (Full name)
Secretary General of the United Nations
United Nations Plaza
New York, NY 10017
Excellency:
Dear Mr. Secretary General:
Dear Madam Secretary General:
Governor
The Honorable ... (full name)
Governor of ... (state)
State Capital, State ZIP Code
Dear Governor ... :
State Senator
The Honorable ... (full name)
The State Senate
State Capital, State ZIP Code
Dear Senator ... :
Judge of Federal, State, or Local Court
The Honorable ... (full name)
Judge of the ... (name of court)
Address
Dear Judge ... (surname):
Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court
The Chief Justice of the United States
Washington, DC 20543
OR:
The Chief Justice
The Supreme Court
Washington, DC 20543
Dear Mr. (or Madam) Chief Justice:
Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court
Mr. Justice ... (surname) (Or "Madam")
The Supreme Court
Washington, DC 20543
Dear Mr. (or Madam) Justice:
Board of Education Member
... (full name)
Member, ... (name of city) Board of Education
Address
Dear Mr. ...:
Pope
His Holiness the Pope
OR: His Holiness Pope ... (given name)
Vatican City
00187 Rome
ITALY
Your Holiness:
Most Holy Father:
Cardinal
His Eminence ... (given name)
Cardinal of ... (surname)
Archbishop of ... (place)
Address
Your Eminence:
Dear Cardinal:
Monsignor
The Reverend Monsignor ... (full name)
Address
Reverend Monsignor:
Dear Monsignor ...:
Priest
The Reverend ... (full name, followed by comma and initials of order)
Address
Reverend Father:
Dear Father ...:
Dear Father:
Mother Superior
The Reverend Mother Superior
Address
OR:
Reverend Mother:
Dear Reverend Mother:
Dear Mother ...:
Principal
... (full name)
Principal, ... (name of school)
Address
Dear Mr. (or Dr.) ...:
Teacher
... (Full name)
... (name of school)
Address
Mr. (or Dr., Mrs., Ms., or Miss) ...:
President of the United States
The President
The White House
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President:
Former President of the United States
The Honorable ... (full name)
local address
Dear Mr. ....
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
OR:
The Honorable ... (full name)
Vice President of the United States
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Mr. Vice President:
United States Senator
The Honorable ... (full name)
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
OR:
The Honorable ...(full name)
United States Senator
Local Address
Dear Senator ... (surname):
Cabinet Member
The Honorable ... (full name)
Secretary of ... (department)
Washington, DC (ZIP code)
Dear Mr. (or Madam) Secretary:
U.S. House of Representatives Member
The Honorable ... (full name)
House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
OR:
The Honorable ... (full name)
Representative in Congress
(Local Address)
Dear Representative ... (surname):
Mayor
The Honorable ... (full name)
Mayor of ... (city)
City, State ZIP Code
OR:
The Mayor of the City of ...
City, State ZIP Code
Dear Mr. Mayor:
Dear Madam Mayor:
Dear Mayor ...(last name):
Minister Without Doctorate
The Reverend ... (full name)
Address
Reverend Sir:
Reverend Madam:
Dear Mr. ...:
Dear Ms. (Mrs., Miss) ...:
Rabbi With Doctorate
Rabbi ... (full name), D.D.
Address
Dear Rabbi ...:
Dear Dr. ...:
Rabbi Without Doctorate
Rabbi ... (full name)
address
Dear Rabbi ...:
Hyphenated Names
If you write to a person with a hyphenated last name, the complete name needs to be listed in the salutation.
Example (letter is to John Smith and Jane Jones-Smith):
Dear Mr. Smith and Ms. Jones-Smith
If the name is not hyphenated, treat it as a middle name.
Example (letter is to John Smith and Jane Jones Smith):
Dear Mr. and Ms. Smith
Name & Gender Unknown
Dear Sir or Madam:
Dear Madam or Sir:
To Whom It May Concern:
Episcopal Bishop
The Right Reverend ... (full name)
Bishop of ... (place)
Address
Right Reverend Sir:
OR:
Dear Bishop ...:
Episcopal Dean
The Very Reverend ... (full name)
Dean of ... (place)
Address
Very Reverend Sir:
OR:
Dear Dean ...:
Name Unknown, Gender Known
Dear Madam:
or
Dear Sir:
Methodist Bishop
The Reverend ... (full name)
Bishop of .. (place)
Address
Reverend Sir:
OR:
Dear Bishop ...:
Minister With Doctorate
The Reverend Dr. ... (full name)
Address
Or:
The Reverend ... (full name), D.D.
Address
Dear Dr. ...:
