A name should be just a string. Indeed. The real question is, why are you asking for their name in the first place? Consider these three scenarios: (a) You a

A name should be just a string. Indeed. The real question is, why are you asking for their name in the first place? Consider these three scenarios: (a) You are an airline, and the name you collect has to match their government-issue ID (b) You need to mail something to the user (c) You wish to create an account for them on your blogging website The requirements for you to understand what they are trying to tell you their name is very much depend on the situation (context matters, as I need to have tattooed on my forehead). For (c), screw what is their first name, or last name, or middle name, or whether they have such a thing. For (b) the only requirement is "write something down what the post office in their country will understand" - again, never mind whether you understand it. For (a), how is this going to be matched by TSA? Do what is right to conform to the API. Even in the US, people have very complicated names - here is a not unusual name from my local paper's birth announcements: Kalamanamananaueikalani Tomoko Namakauluhonuamea'ililamalama Wengler-Ioane Does anybody really, really need to deal with this in its full glory? It should come down to "What would you like us to call you" and "are you M/F" (if relevant).