The nickname and full name fields may be stored separately. It is usually a mistake to synthesize one from the other. It is very easy to make assumptions abou

The nickname and full name fields may be stored separately. It is usually a mistake to synthesize one from the other. It is very easy to make assumptions about names that turn out to be unfounded, just like with calendars, dates, times, and time zones. If you even dip one toe into the rough waters of international variations, you will do as much as possible to keep other people's assumptions from becoming your problems. It suffices to say that a name should be a single field that accepts a variable number of unicode characters, and you shouldn't try to cleverly parse anything out of it. Just regurgitate back verbatim whatever the user told you whenever you need to use a name. If someone says their name is "Tarquin Fin-tim-lin-bin-whin-bim-lim-bus-stop-F'tang-F'tang-Olé-Biscuitbarrel" for the love of your own sanity, don't try to figure out which part counts as the surname. "Mister.... ah... Fin, is it?" "Oh no, 'Mister Fin' is my grand-step-uncle-in-law. I'm Frau Professor Doktor Doktor F'tang!" "And if someone were to address you informally?" "My friends call me 'Knughcentszhe'." "And that's pronounced...?" "Nuisance." "Never a more fitting nickname."