Your name, Mr and Ms

Cambridge Dictionary says Ms is used before a woman’s name to avoid saying if she is married or not.

Telling someone your name is one of the first things you do in English. The most common ways are I’m Minji and My name is Minji. I’m is shorter and more natural in speech. My name is is clear and a little more careful, good for a class or a phone call. To ask, say What’s your name? With people you meet at work or in a formal place, Sorry, what was your name again? is a polite way to check.

First name and family name

In English, the first name usually comes first and the family name, also called the last name or surname, comes last: Emma Brown. In Korean, Chinese and Japanese, the family name comes first. So a form may ask for your first name and last name separately. Write your given name as the first name and your family name as the last name. When you introduce yourself to new friends, you can give only your first name.

If your name is hard for English speakers, you can help: It’s Minji, M, I, N, J, I. Some people choose an English nickname, but you do not have to. Many people are happy to learn your real name. If someone says your name wrongly, you can say kindly: Actually, it’s Min-ji. The stress is even.

Titles: Mr, Ms, Mrs, Miss, Dr

In polite or formal situations, people use a title before the family name. Mr is for a man: Mr Brown. Ms is for a woman. Cambridge Dictionary explains that Ms is used before a woman’s family name or full name to avoid saying if she is married or not, so it is the safest choice. Mrs is for a married woman and Miss for a young or unmarried woman, but if you do not know, use Ms. Dr is for a doctor or a person with a doctorate. In American English these titles are usually written with a full stop: Mr., Ms., Dr.

Titles go with the family name, not the first name. Say Mr Brown or Ms Emma Brown, not Mr Emma. Some people prefer to use first names. If someone says Please, call me Emma, it is polite to do so. Korean speakers sometimes add a title to a first name, like Teacher Emma. In English, say Ms Brown, or Emma if she asks you to.