Determine the correct grammatical form for pluralizing the proper noun/first name 'Johns' | Step-by-Step Solution

1. What We're Solving:

We need to figure out how to make the first name "Johns" plural when referring to multiple people who share this name - specifically two people named Johns Hopkins.

2. The Approach:

This is a tricky grammar question because "Johns" already looks plural (it ends in 's'), but it's actually a singular proper noun - one person's first name. We need to understand the rules for pluralizing proper nouns, especially when they already end in 's'.

3. Step-by-Step Solution:

Step 1: Identify what type of word we're working with

• "Johns" is a proper noun (a person's name)
• It's singular, even though it ends in 's'
• We're treating it as a first name, not as multiple people named "John"

Step 2: Apply the rule for pluralizing proper nouns ending in 's'

• When a proper noun ends in 's', we typically add 'es' to make it plural
• This follows the same pattern as common nouns: glass → glasses, bus → buses

Step 3: Consider the context

• We have two different people, both with the first name "Johns"
• We want to refer to both of them collectively
• So we need the plural form of the name "Johns"

Step 4: Apply the rule

• Johns + es = Johnses
• This might look unusual, but it follows standard English pluralization rules!

4. The Answer:

The plural of the first name "Johns" is "Johnses" (pronounced "JOHN-sez").

So you would say: "The two Johnses Hopkins were grandfather and grandson" or "Both Johnses were named Hopkins."

5. Memory Tip:

Think of it like this: if you had friends named "James" and you wanted to talk about multiple people with that name, you'd say "the Jameses." The same rule applies to "Johns" → "Johnses." When a name ends in 's', just add 'es' - even if it looks a bit funny at first!

Don't let the unusual appearance fool you - you're following a perfectly standard grammar rule! 🌟