# Alternate name fact type sentence

**URL:** <https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/alternate-name-fact-type-sentence/16050>\
**Category:** RootsMagic\
**Tags:** feature-request, rootsmagic\
**Created:** [August 5, 2026, 2:22pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/alternate-name-fact-type-sentence/16050 "2026-08-05T14:22:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![tstrickland](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.rootsmagic.com/tstrickland/32/7122_2.png) [@tstrickland](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/tstrickland)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2026, 2:22pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/alternate-name-fact-type-sentence/16050/1 "2026-08-05T14:22:47Z")

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In my database, the **Alternate name** fact type sentence looks like:

```auto
[person] was also known as [Desc]< Date]>.

```

I believe that is the way the fact type is shipped in RM11. But, when adding an alt name, there are 7 alternative types of names listed in ‘Name type’ dropdown. That sentence phrasing works if the name is an ‘_AKA_’ type, but it doesn’t really work well if it is a ‘_Maiden_’, ‘_Married_’ or ‘_Other spelling_’ type.

I’ve looked at the ‘Help’ files, and can’t seem to find an easy way to apply the ‘Name type’ value to form the sentence differently. The only way to manage it today is to customize the sentence with each Alt name entry.

Since _Name type_ seems to only apply to the Alternate name fact, would it be possible to have a field option (similar to :plain or :casual) so we can have a different result for different alt name types?

_Side note_: When the RM11 software ships, the **Alternate name** fact type does not have the ‘Use description field’ option turned on even though it is used in the out-of-box sentence.

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**Author:** ![MadDog](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.rootsmagic.com/maddog/32/313_2.png) [@MadDog](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/MadDog)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2026, 2:44pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/alternate-name-fact-type-sentence/16050/2 "2026-08-05T14:44:03Z")

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> [@tstrickland](#):
>
> ‘Use description field’ option

There are a couple of others (burial) that have this unchecked

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![tstrickland](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.rootsmagic.com/tstrickland/32/7122_2.png) [@tstrickland](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/tstrickland)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2026, 3:21pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/alternate-name-fact-type-sentence/16050/3 "2026-08-05T15:21:54Z")

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Interestingly, it seems the name resulting at the right end of the sentence must be hard-coded. If the [person] is ‘_Timothy John Smith_’ and the alternate name is ‘_Tim_’ (given) and ‘_Smithe_’ (surname), as in an alternate spelling case, the resulting sentence is:

`Timothy John Smith was also known as Tim Smithe.`

The name appears at the right end even though there is no [given] or [surname] or anything in the template at that location. So, must be hard-coded.

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**Author:** ![rzamor1](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.rootsmagic.com/rzamor1/32/8_2.png) [@rzamor1](https://community.rootsmagic.com/u/rzamor1)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2026, 6:53pm UTC](https://community.rootsmagic.com/t/alternate-name-fact-type-sentence/16050/4 "2026-08-05T18:53:11Z")

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The name type isn’t used anywhere except on the alternate name fact for your reference. It has been requested to development for it to be supported further. I also reported the [Desc] field being included in the alternate name sentence template.