"Ms.," "Mrs.," or "Miss"? (2025)

FAQs

"Ms.," "Mrs.," or "Miss"? ›

Ms. is a general title that does not indicate marital status but is still feminine. Mrs. is a traditional title used for a married woman. Miss

Historically, "Miss" has been the formal title for an unmarried woman, while "Mrs." refers to a married woman. "Ms." is used by and for unmarried and married women.

Mrs. is a title used for a married woman. The more neutral title Ms. can be used instead for a woman whose marital status is unknown or irrelevant or who expresses a preference for this mode of address.

After a divorce, if a woman keeps her married name, you can either use Mrs. or Ms. to address the guest followed by her first name and married name. If she is using her maiden name, then use Ms. along with her first name and maiden name.

Miss: Use “Miss” when addressing young girls and women under 30 that are unmarried. Ms.: Use “Ms.” when you are not sure of a woman's marital status, if the woman is unmarried and over 30 or if she prefers being addressed with a marital-status neutral title. Mrs.: Use “Mrs.” when addressing a married woman.

Even if you know that this person is married or unattached, when addressing a woman in business, the only correct title is Ms. To send an invitation to a female under the age of 18, use the title Miss.

You should only use Mrs when you are sure of a woman's marital status. If you don't know if a woman is married but she is too old to use “Miss,” you could opt for the neutral title “Ms.” This is far more polite than mistakenly using Miss or Mrs without knowing someone's marital status.

Ms. is the proper way to describe any woman, regardless of her marital status. It's a catch-all, neutral term that came about in the 1950s as women began to assert their desire to become known for something outside of their marriage, and took hold in the 1970s with the women's rights movement.

What does 'Ms' stand for? Ms is a title used before a woman's name, much like 'Miss' and 'Mrs' Unlike those terms, it doesn't specify whether the woman is married or unmarried. It's used as an equivalent to the masculine 'Mr' to refer to a woman without defining her by her marital status (e.g. 'Ms Gadd').

If she is young and unmarried, Miss is the way to go. If she is married, Mrs. is the correct choice. If you are unsure, Ms. is always a safe bet. If you know someone personally, it's okay to ask which one they prefer.

Can a widow still call herself Mrs.? ›

Widows, like anyone, ultimately have the final say about what they wish to be called, and there are certainly widows out there who prefer the title Ms. (or even Miss). But, when in doubt, stick with Mrs.

You might like to be called 'Mrs. ' even after divorce, or you may prefer 'Ms' or 'Miss'. If you don't change your surname, you don't need to complete any legal documentation to change your title - just start using it. If you do alter it by deed poll, then you can specify your new title in that document.

“Mrs.” is the traditional and official title for a married woman. This is the case whether a woman chooses to change her name after marriage or not. Many women prefer to keep their title as “Mrs.” if their spouse passes away or after divorce. If you're unsure, it's always best to ask.

The state of modern marriage notwithstanding, it generally specifies “until death do you part.” That is not to say that the widowed may not consider themselves still emotionally joined and prefer to use Mrs. socially.

You have several options for what you and others can call you when you decide to keep your maiden name after marrying. You can go by “Mrs.” as in “Mr. Jackson and Mrs. Smith.” You can also use “Ms.” if you would prefer your title not to be associated with your marital status.

There's really nothing to stop you using the title 'Mrs', regardless of your marital status. However, people who look at your title will naturally assume that you are a married woman because that's what 'Mrs' means. 'Miss' is rarely used these days. It has the connotation of 'unmarried woman', more than 'single woman'.

This depends on personal preference. Typically, women who have just got married will change their title to “Mrs.”. It indicates their new and exciting marital status, and also points toward the fact that they've taken their partner's surname. This is also the case if you're double-barrelling your name after marriage.

These women are still referred to as Mrs. A widowed woman is also referred to as Mrs., out of respect for her deceased husband.

There's really nothing to stop you using the title 'Mrs', regardless of your marital status. However, people who look at your title will naturally assume that you are a married woman because that's what 'Mrs' means. 'Miss' is rarely used these days. It has the connotation of 'unmarried woman', more than 'single woman'.