How to Pluralize Family Names
Quick Tip: Pluralize Family Names
Mignon Fogarty
The Joneses, the Alvarezes, and the Kennedys
I know the holidays are upon us when I start getting lots of questions about how to make family names plural. Clearly, everyone is working on greeting cards.
Add “es” to make names that end in “s” and “z” plural:
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The Joneses invite you to dinner.
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Season’s greetings from the Alvarezes.
Add “s” to make names that end in “y” plural:
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The Kennedys throw a great holiday party.
Never use an apostrophe to make a name plural! Apostrophes are for possessives.
About the Author
Mignon Fogarty is the founder of Quick and Dirty Tips and the author of seven books on language, including the New York Times bestseller “Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing.” She is an inductee in the Podcasting Hall of Fame, and the show is a five-time winner of Best Education Podcast in the Podcast Awards. She has appeared as a guest expert on the Oprah Winfrey Show and the Today Show. Her popular LinkedIn Learning courses help people write better to communicate better.