Why Are People No Longer In Office Addressed As If They Are?

[firepoint525]

I have known a dozen people (or so) in my life that initialize their first names and it always sounded kind of snooty to me. Several people I've known initialize their first name but then use that name commonly when being introduced. I don't get that.
I suppose there are those who just prefer their middle name though. The only time I would use their first initial is if that was the name they were commonly addressed by. "F. Scott Fitzgerald" comes to mind.

You have (kinda sorta) hit on the reason why my mother insisted that my sister and I be referred to by our first names. Although we both used our middle initials for signing checks, email addresses, you name it. My mother was a "middle-namer," and didn't particularly like it. (I'm having to use my tenses carefully here, since my sister is deceased.)

My sister's mother-in-law is also a "middle-namer" but that apparently never bothered her, as both my brother-in-law and his sister are both middle-namers.

 

[oldiesfan6479]

In my state's history, one of our best-known native-son presidents, Andrew Jackson, actually preferred his title of "general" over that of President.

I think Ike also preferred "General."