Multiple name fields mean there’s more risk that:
- a person’s name won’t fit the format you’ve chosen
- users will enter their names in the wrong order
- users will try to enter their full name in the first field
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Ask users for... Names
Contents
Use a single name field where possible
Use a single name field because it can accommodate the broadest range of name types and requires less effort for users to understand.
Example
HTML Snippet for full namel
<div class="form-group">
<label class="form-label" for="full-name">Full name</label>
<input class="form-control" id="full-name" type="text" name="full-name">
</div>The problem with multiple name fields
Labelling name fields
For single name fields, use ‘Your full name’.
For multiple name fields, use:
- ‘First name’
- ‘Last name’
Avoid asking for people’s title
You shouldn’t ask users for their title.
It’s extra work for users and you’re forcing them to potentially reveal their gender and marital status, which they may not want to do.
There are ways to address people in correspondence without using title, for example by using their name.
If you have to use a title field, make it an optional free-text field and not a drop-down list. Predicting the range of titles your users will have is impossible, and you’ll always end up upsetting someone.
Remember to deal with the name data sensibly in any resulting correspondence.