> There's no particular rule of when you use "the" before a name. In fact there are rules about when proper nouns require articles. While there are a few exce

> There's no particular rule of when you use "the" before a name. In fact there are rules about when proper nouns require articles. While there are a few exceptions, and the rules are sort of tedious, they do exist, as proved by the fact that you usually (90+% of the time) know whether to use the article on a novel proper noun. Native speakers don't even know that they know the rules. I only learned through ESL education. You can get started on the list of rules in a few places, this being one: http://usefulenglish.ru/grammar/part-8-articles-with-miscellaneous-proper-names http://usefulenglish.ru/grammar/part-8-articles-with-miscell...