Julie,

I don't know which style guide your writing environment follows, but the general publishing standard, as expressed by _The Chicago Manual of Style_, for the possessive form would be _Titus's_. (_Chicago_ 16, par. 7.16)

The alternate form (the apostrophe only, omitting the _s_ that follows) was typically applied to those cases of proper names of two syllables or more ending in an _eez_ sound, or of words and names ending in an unpronounced _s_. That's my understanding. This guideline is spelled out in _Chicago_ 15, pars. 7.20 and 7.21, and abandoned in _Chicago_ 16_, pars. 7.17 and 7.18.

The MLA handbook would seem to agree. In the 7th ed, at 3.2.7e, the guideline to add the apostrophe and an _s_ to any singular proper noun appears, with these examples --

     Venus's beauty

     Dickens's reputation

As for the plural form, I would think it would be _Tituses_.

Odile

What is the correct spelling of the plural and possessive forms of the proper name Titus?

Tituses?  Titus'?  Titus's?  Some handbooks favor the apostrophe here; others prefer the apostrophe and s.

Many thanks for your help!

Julie Suarez Hayes

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