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Clicky: "James" for Grammarphiles

Jaytee501Jaytee501 member
in Baby Names

We're naming our little guy James. 

It was my dad's name; I love it. That aside, I've always spelled the possessive "James's," as in "James's toys."

After some reading (out of curiosity), I believe there's no definitive answer; with a personal pronoun, it can be a matter of preference. Some people believe the number of syllables should determine use (two syllables, like Doris, would be Doris' toys and James, as one syllable, would be James's toys).

 A friend's son is James, she writes "James' toys."

How would you prefer to write the possesive of James?

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Re: Clicky: "James" for Grammarphiles

  • AnneShirleyBlytheAnneShirleyBlythe
    My married last name ends with S and we have the same issue. Everyone, even the very educated, has an opinion on it but it seems that there is a divide. I would probably do James'. 
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  • amanda~mmamanda~mm
    I know it is technically okay to say James', but to me, that means there are multiple James.... so I always do s's.
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  • artygirlartygirl member

    Both are correct, it is a style preference.  I like Grammar Girl's example regarding a recent Supreme Court decision:

    https://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/apostrophe-plural-grammar-rules.aspx

    My little one is Lucas and I write Lucas's. 

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  • jesakerjesaker

    Per Rule #1 from Strunk & White's "Elements of Style," it's "James's toys."

     https://www.bartleby.com/141/strunk.html#1

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  • kacellekacelle member
    From what I understand, James's would be correct.  I believe the only time that the apostrophe would be at the end would be if the word was plural (belonging to multiple James = James').
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  • Jaytee501Jaytee501 member
    imageartygirl:

    Both are correct, it is a style preference.  I like Grammar Girl's example regarding a recent Supreme Court decision:

    https://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/apostrophe-plural-grammar-rules.aspx

    My little one is Lucas and I write Lucas's. 

    Yes, I think of James' as plural possessive of James so I'll always choose James's for singular.

    I enjoy reading everyone's thoughts/style preferences!

     

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  • AmyLaurel89AmyLaurel89

    My DH is James so I was curious too. After researching it I found that technically (though grammar rules differ widely in many areas including this one) the rule is to end in 's unless the name ends in double S's.

    James's toys

    vs.

    Jesus' toys 

     

    But do what ever the heck you want to!!  

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  • ToledoDeuxToledoDeux member
    imagekacelle:
    From what I understand, James's would be correct.  I believe the only time that the apostrophe would be at the end would be if the word was plural (belonging to multiple James = James').
    No, if there were multiple people named James, the plural would be Jameses, and the plural possessive would be "the Jameses' books." The correct possessive singular is James's.
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  • UK2MEUK2ME
    American English may allow for James's, but I would have been strung up for using that growing up in England.  I would use James' toys, just as when I talk about something belonging to DH I use Chris' XYZ.
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  • ye77ow+letteye77ow+lette

    imageamanda~mm:
    I know it is technically okay to say James', but to me, that means there are multiple James.... so I always do s's.

    same here... if i see James' then i just assume that there is more than one James in the group

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  • Le OliveLe Olive member
    Possessive singular is always -'s, even if the word ends with -s.
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  • SwanLover08SwanLover08
    My maiden name was Jones. This always bugged me. I know the rules are fuzzy, but I always felt this was most correct: I'm at K Jones's house. I'm at the Joneses' house. I'm with the Joneses. Spacing fail, thanks Android.
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  • Jaytee501Jaytee501 member

    imageSwanLover08:
    My maiden name was Jones. This always bugged me. I know the rules are fuzzy, but I always felt this was most correct: I'm at K Jones's house. I'm at the Joneses' house. I'm with the Joneses. Spacing fail, thanks Android.

    My madien name ends in an "s" as well & I follow the same rule. Yes

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