Do Not Capitalize Donald J. Trump's Name
Why Donald J. Trump's name is capitalized and why it shouldn't be
When written, the name “Donald J. Trump” does not qualify as a proper noun and should not be capitalized.
What is a proper Noun?
In the English Language, a unique person, place, or organization is designated as a “proper noun”. A “proper noun” has the first letter of each word in the noun capitalized.
Here is how the Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines “proper noun”, “proper”, and “noun”:
proper noun: a noun (such as Seattle, Joyce, or Empire State Building) that designates a particular being or thing, does not take a limiting modifier, and is usually capitalized in English
proper:
referring to one individual only;
belonging characteristically to a species or individual: peculiar
chiefly dialectal: good-looking, handsome
very good: excellent
chiefly British: utter, absolute
strictly accurate: correct
archaic: virtuous, respectable
strictly decorous: genteel
marked by suitability, rightness, or appropriateness: fit
noun: any member of a class of words that refers to a thing (book), a person (Noah Webster), an animal (cat), a place (Springfield), a quality (softness), a state (tranquility), an idea or concept (truth), or an action (reading)
Unqualified to be Capitalized
Other than “referring to one individual only” and “belonging characteristically to a species or individual”, the name “Donald J. Trump” does not refer to a person who meets the other definitions of the word proper: good-looking, handsome, excellent, correct, virtuous, respectable, genteel, or fit.
From this post forward, I will refrain from capitalizing his name in any of my writings.
For example:
The name donald j. trump does not qualify as a proper noun and should not be capitalized.