5 reasons I dropped the comma from my name

My name is Marshall Jones Jr. Note there’s no comma between “Jones” and “Jr.” – that’s on purpose.

I used to include the comma, but here’s why I stopped.

1. The Elements of Style by Strunk and White: It told me to drop it. I love that book for writing tips. I trust them. I dropped the comma.

2. Simplicity: In an effort to stay simple and not use things that I don’t really need (the way I just did), I dropped the comma.

3. Unity: The “Jr.” is part of my name. It’s not a title, like “M.D.” or “PhD” or “Associate Director.” I wanted the connection. I dropped the comma.

4. Online usernames: Commas don’t work so well for usernames online. Periods don’t always either, but I liked the period too much. I dropped the comma.

5. Commas are weak – periods are powerful: My name ends with a period. I dropped the comma.

That’s why I dropped the comma from Marshall Jones Jr.