The possessive forms of names ending in “S” come with special rules that you might not expect. This article will look into the possessive forms of “Nicholas” and tell you which stylebooks teach us which rules before you use them yourself.
Nicholas’ Or Nicholas’s: Which Is The Correct Possessive Form?
“Nicholas'” is the correct possessive form when using the Associated Press Stylebook rules. We drop the extra “S” after the apostrophe when a name ends with an “S.” According to the Chicago and Microsoft Manuals of Style, “Nicholas’s” is the correct form, where the “S” is kept.
The AP Style guidelines are commonly taught in schools. However, you might be surprised to find that the AP Style isn’t the most popular choice in common English.
According to Google Ngram Viewer, “Nicholas’s” is the most popular choice of possessive forms. We use this more than “Nicholas'” because many people prefer the readability of the possessive form’s double “S” ending.
When To Use Nicholas’
Let’s start with the educational choice for the possessive form.
“Nicholas'” follows AP Stylebook guidelines. Schools teach this to show that names don’t need an “S” at the end of the apostrophe when they already end with the same letter.
Some people like to write this way because it helps their writing look more uniform. Removing the extra “S” is a good way of making your writing look sleeker, as you can see from the following:
- Nicholas’ bike
- Nicholas’s bike
The first example is much smoother in the transition from the subject (Nicholas) to the object (bike).
Examples of Nicholas’
- Nicholas’ bike was here just a moment ago!
- Where is Nicholas’ money? I was supposed to have it ready for him.
- This isn’t Nicholas’ house, and we need to find it quickly!
- What can we do about Nicholas’ problem? We should help him.
- Where is Nicholas’ town located?
“Nicholas'” is the possessive form, where an object comes directly after “Nicholas.” This puts “Nicholas” as the owner of the object in a sentence.
When To Use Nicholas’s
While the AP Stylebook rules are taught at schools, the more common style is “Nicholas’s.”
“Nicholas’s” follows the Microsoft Manual of Style and the Chicago Manual of Style. The “S” after the apostrophe is kept in these stylebooks even when the name already ends with an “S.”
This style is likely more popular because it helps with readability. While it looks slightly more clunky, it is definitely easier to notice the extra “S.” It helps people distinguish the possessive form when skimming through the reading.
- Nicholas’s laptop
- Nicholas’ laptop
The double “S” ending stands out on a page, making it easier for us to see the possessive form.
Examples of Nicholas’s
- Nicholas’s laptop was stolen from his office last night!
- We should go to Nicholas’s party before he gets suspicious.
- Have you read any of Nicholas’s novels?
- We would like to see Nicholas’s new movie if that’s okay!
- We should make sure that Nicholas’s bed is comfortable before he gets here.
The possessive form is the same for “Nicholas’s” as it was for “Nicholas’.” We use both to show that “Nicholas” owns a certain object in a sentence.
Is There A Preference For Using Nicholas’ or Nicholas’s In US vs. UK?
Finally, let’s check to see whether there are any notable differences in preference between the US and UK. Sometimes, the differences between the two languages can be quite telling.
According to Google Ngram Viewer, “Nicholas’s” is the most popular choice of possessive form in American English. This shows that they sway more towards the Microsoft and Chicago Manuals of Style rules.
Similarly, according to Google Ngram Viewer, “Nicholas’s” is the most popular choice in British English. They also prefer the Microsoft and Chicago Manuals of Style for their possessive form rules.
Both American and British English prefer “Nicholas’s” with the double “S” ending. This shows how much it helps with readability, which is a priority for most writers.
Final Thoughts
Both “Nicholas'” and “Nicholas’s” are evidently correct, and it entirely depends on your style as to which is better for you. However, it’s clear that “Nicholas’s” is globally the more popular choice, so you’ll have more luck using that in your own writing when you need to.
You may also like: Jones’ Or Jones’s? Here’s The Possessive Form (Helpful Examples)