jr

Jr., short for Junior, is a suffix appended to a personal name to distinguish a son who has the same full name as his father. It is used in many English-speaking countries to indicate generational difference, with the counterpart Senior referring to the elder.

The term derives from the Latin iunior meaning younger. In modern usage, Jr. signals that the bearer is the son of someone who shares the exact given name and surname. The suffix can be formatted in several ways, but the most common form in American English is Jr. with a period, though some contexts omit the period.

Usage conventions vary by family, culture, and legal jurisdiction. In many cases, a son who is named after his father may be addressed informally as “Junior,” in addition to the formal Jr. designation on legal documents or in publication records. Some families later designate the son as II or III instead of Jr., particularly when the father did not use Jr. during his lifetime or to avoid confusion with generational titles in formal contexts.

The suffix does not confer any legal status beyond naming, and it can be dropped or adopted as desired by the individual or in official records. In genealogical research, Jr. helps distinguish individuals within the same family who share identical forenames and surnames, and it is commonly reflected in library catalogs and civil registrations.

Notable examples include John F. Kennedy Jr., the son of U.S. president John F. Kennedy, who used the suffix as part of his professional identity. Overall, the use of Jr. varies by tradition and over time.