Avoid guessing from position
W3C’s internationalisation guidance documents different name structures and ordering conventions. It gives examples of family names preceding given names and explains that even people within one country need not follow one pattern. Its specification guidance cautions against assuming that a name can always be split into simple given-name and family-name fields.
For a viewing note, you rarely need to split it at all. Preserve spaces, particles, hyphens and diacritics as credited. A final word is not automatically the family name, and the first visible word is not automatically a given name.
Check identity using more than a name
Match the full name with the role, programme title and year. A director, performer and interview subject can share a name; an abbreviated credit may also omit part of it. Use the publisher’s biography or the creator’s own page to confirm the match before combining credits from different works.
If two official pages reverse the same components for different language audiences, retain each displayed form and link the pages in your notes. Do not change an original credit simply to make it match your preferred sorting order.
For a group list, keep a display-name field separate from any sorting choice. This prevents an organisational convenience from being presented as the person’s own preferred written name.
Make a searchable reference
Save the full credit, role, work title, episode if relevant and source link. If you add an alternate romanised form, identify where it came from rather than inventing a spelling. Search the complete name with the work title first; only then try documented variants.
When discussing a creator aloud or in writing, use the form they or their publisher use. If you cannot establish which component is appropriate for a shorter reference, repeat the full name. This small choice avoids both mistaken identity and an unnecessary assumption about naming traditions. It also keeps your watchlist useful when different catalogues sort or display the same person differently.
A surname-only search can return a different relative or collaborator; confirm the credited role before merging results.
Related questions
Is the last word always a family name?
No. Name structures and orders vary.
Should I automatically reverse an East Asian name?
Preserve the credited form and consult the person’s or publisher’s preferred presentation.
Sources and scope
Scope notes distinguish published documentation, supplied information and editorial methods. They do not report a hands-on service test.
- W3C: personal names around the world — Primary internationalisation guidance on varied structures and ordering.
- W3C internationalisation best practices — Cautions against assumptions about given/family-name components.
