Personal Names Authority List

Personal Names is an alphabetical authority list of name forms for individuals identified in ICPSR's metadata records The following points describe the structure and logic of the list:

• The only reciprocal relationship established refers to non-preferred and preferred name forms. This is designated with Preferred Term and Non-Preferred Term notation where the term following Preferred is the preferred term and the term following Non-Preferred Term indicates the non-preferred term. In the alphabetical list, all non-preferred terms are followed by an asterisk^* which, when clicked on, will show the appropriate preferred name form to use.

• There is no hierarchy (broader term/narrower term) expressed in this list. The only reciprocal relationship established is Preferred Term/Non-Preferred Term.

  Examples:

  • Kennedy, Jack
  • Preferred Term: Kennedy, John F., 1917-1963
  • Non-Preferred Term:
    • JFK
    • Kennedy, Jack
    • Kennedy, John
    • Kennedy, John Fitzgerald
• The remaining labels present descriptions and dates. The description is descriptive information through a brief statement identifying some facet of an individual's life or career. The date(s) are birth and/or death dates. For living individuals, the date is expressed as an open date.

  DATE(S)

  • Dates (birth/death). For living individuals, the date is expressed as an open date: b.1937- .

  DESCRIPTION

  • Descriptive information. A brief statement identifying some facet of an individual's life or career.

  Example:

  • Carter, Jimmy
  • DATE(S): b.1924-
  • DESCRIPTION: 39th President of the United States 1977-1981.

  NAME VARIANT(S)

  • Includes other names and nicknames an individual may also be known by.

  Example:

  • Rabin, Yitzhak
  • DATE(S): 1922-1995
  • DESCRIPTION: Israeli diplomat and politician; Prime Minister of Israel 1974-1977, 1992- 1995; assassinated 1995.
  • NAME VARIANT(S): Itzhak Rabin

• Common usage is the primary criteria by which preferred name forms are established. Preference is also given to the use of full names as opposed to initials (e.g., Lyndon B. Johnson rather than LBJ).

Literary warrant for the Personal Names list is established through the following sources:

• Merriam-Webster's Biographical Dictionary. 1995. Springfield, Massachusetts: Merriam-Webster, Inc.
• Random House Webster's College Dictionary. 1999. New York: Random House.
• S9.com (preparer). The Biographical Dictionary. [online.]