1.
your (honored) name; your good name
An extremely polite way to refer to someone's name, used in formal ceremonies, invitations, guest books, and official correspondence. Much more elevated than お名前.
Composed of the honorific prefix ご + 芳名 (fragrant name). The character 芳 literally means "fragrant" and is used here as an elegant honorific element. This word appears almost exclusively in written formal contexts.
Common collocations
- ご芳名をお書きください: please write your name
- ご芳名帳: guest book; visitors' register
- ご芳名を記帳する: to sign the guest register
Usage
Appears on wedding invitations, funeral guest books, formal event reception desks, and official correspondence. When replying to a wedding invitation, etiquette requires crossing out the ご and 芳 before writing your own name, since these honorific elements should not be applied to oneself.