Avery Laser and Ink Jet Name Badges with Top Loading ClipOn my first visit to Singapore over 10 years ago, I couldn’t find anything in Tower Records. I was looking for artists under their last name when everything was alphabetized by their first. Back then, it seemed like a weird way of doing things but now it’s much more common. Take a look at the list of b5media.com bloggers on the sidebar. It threw me for a second.

The golden rule (and I so love rules) for alphabetizing names is to alphabetize according to the last name first, then the first name, then any initial. The Indiana Commission on Public Records has further details on how to alphabetize all the various permutations of names. None of the them alphabetize first names before last names.

There’s a good explanation for why music stores might want to alphabetize by first name - a lot of artists don’t bother using their last names at all. But, in my opinion, alphabetizing by first names in general signals a growing trend towards casual relationships. Or maybe it shows a de-emphasis in our society on familial affiliations. We are more independent than we used to be, less tied to our family identity. But what do I know?!

We address almost everyone we meet by their first names almost from the start of our relationship. Online, we often don’t know a person’s real name let alone their last name. The most confusing is explaining to kids how they should address me or other adults. I’m ok with them calling me by my first name but it seems a little awkward when they should be learning how to treat others with respect. I suppose as long as they’re not calling me a bad name, it should be ok. At Stephen’s age, we often just say Lucas’s mommy or Victoria’s mommy. And that, again, is only going by first name.

I can imagine one of these days not using surnames at all. We would have a firstname/nickname/handle and the way to really distinguish ourselves would be through an ID number like our passport or social security number. Maybe it’s a bizarre idea. Almost as bizarre as alphabetizing by our first names.