Proper Nouns
Learn about specific names and how to use them correctly
What Are Proper Nouns?
Proper nouns are specific names for particular people, places, things, or ideas. They always begin with a capital letter and refer to unique, individual entities.
Unlike common nouns, proper nouns name specific, one-of-a-kind items and help us identify exactly what we're talking about.
Categories of Proper Nouns
People & Names
Specific names of individuals
John Smith, Mary Johnson
Albert Einstein, Shakespeare
President Biden, Queen Elizabeth
Places & Locations
Names of specific locations
New York City, London
Mount Everest, Pacific Ocean
Central Park, Times Square
More Categories
Organizations & Companies
Names of businesses, institutions, and groups
Apple Inc., Harvard University
United Nations, Red Cross
New York Yankees, Beatles
Titles & Works
Names of books, movies, songs, and other creative works
"Romeo and Juliet," "Star Wars"
"Mona Lisa," "Symphony No. 9"
"The New York Times," "Coca-Cola"
Days, Months & Holidays
Names of specific time periods and celebrations
Monday, January, Christmas
Independence Day, Thanksgiving
Easter, Halloween, New Year's Day
Capitalization Rules
Always Capitalize
The first letter of each word
John Smith
New York City
The Great Wall
Articles & Prepositions
Usually lowercase unless they're the first word
"The Lord of the Rings"
"Of Mice and Men"
"The Sound of Music"
Interactive Quizzes
Quiz 1: Identify Proper Nouns
Which words are proper nouns?
1. "I visited paris and saw the eiffel tower."
Answer: Paris, Eiffel Tower (proper nouns should be capitalized)
2. "My friend john lives in new york city."
Answer: John, New York City (proper nouns should be capitalized)
Quiz 2: Proper vs. Common Nouns
Classify each noun:
1. "I saw a dog in Central Park."
Answer: dog (common noun), Central Park (proper noun)
2. "The book was written by Shakespeare."
Answer: book (common noun), Shakespeare (proper noun)
Quiz 3: Capitalization
Correct the capitalization:
1. "i live in los angeles, california."
Answer: "I live in Los Angeles, California."
2. "my favorite book is to kill a mockingbird."
Answer: "My favorite book is To Kill a Mockingbird."
Quiz 4: Categories
Which category does each proper noun belong to?
1. "Mount Everest"
Answer: Places & Locations
2. "The Beatles"
Answer: Organizations & Companies
Important Notes
• Always capitalize the first letter of proper nouns, even in the middle of sentences.
• Some words can be both common and proper nouns depending on context (e.g., "church" vs. "Church of England").
• Brand names and trademarks are proper nouns and should be capitalized.
• When in doubt, ask yourself: "Is this a specific, unique name?" If yes, capitalize it.
Pro Tip
Think of proper nouns as "one-of-a-kind" names. If you can say "the" before it and it still makes sense, it's probably a common noun. If it's a specific name, it's a proper noun.