Ursula von der Leyen

Names with small particles (von, van, de, der, di, le) cause repeated formatting errors: missing spaces, underscores, fused capitals, misplaced hyphens and awkward possessives. The patterns are predictable, so you can fix them quickly with a few simple rules and examples.

Below are clear rules, many ready-to-use corrections, step-by-step rewrites and quick checks you can apply whether you edit news copy, academic citations or casual posts.

Quick answer

Keep the particle as a separate word and follow the person's official form: e.g., "Ursula von der Leyen." Remove underscores, avoid invented hyphens, and keep particles lowercase in running text unless the person or your style guide specifies otherwise.

Correct: Ursula von der Leyen - particle separated, main surname capitalized.
Wrong: von_der_leyen, VonDerLeyen, von-der-Leyen.
Possessives: Ursula von der Leyen's office OR the office of von der Leyen.

Core rules for particles and spacing

Treat particles (von, van, de, der, di, le) as separate words. In English prose they are usually lowercase; the main family name is capitalized.

Put a space between particle and surname: von der Leyen.
Lowercase particles unless the person or style guide uses capitals.
Do not replace spaces with underscores or merge the particle into the surname.
Only accept hyphens when the individual officially uses them.

Wrong: von_der_leyen
Right: von der Leyen

Spacing mistakes and quick fixes

Underscores usually come from URLs or usernames. Concatenated forms like VonDerLeyen or vonLeyen need spacing and proper casing.

Step 1: replace underscores and remove stray punctuation.
Step 2: split fused words, lowercase the particle and capitalize the main surname.
Step 3: add a title or rephrase if the possessive sounds awkward.

Wrong: Ursula_von_der_Leyen announced the policy.
Right: Ursula von der Leyen announced the policy.
Wrong: VonDerLeyen will chair the meeting.
Right: von der Leyen will chair the meeting.

Hyphenation and compound surnames

Do not add hyphens to particle+surname combinations unless the person officially uses them. Hyphens change how names are indexed and parsed by software.

Keep legitimate double-barrelled surnames hyphenated only if that is the person's chosen form (e.g., Smith-Jones).
Change von-der-Leyen → von der Leyen unless the official form uses hyphens.

Wrong: von-der-Leyen issued a statement.
Right: von der Leyen issued a statement.
Right: Smith-Jones released the report.

Grammar: capitalization, titles and possessives

In running English prose, keep particles lowercase when used with a forename and capitalize the main surname: Ursula von der Leyen. Form possessives with normal English rules or rephrase to avoid awkwardness.

Possessive: Ursula von der Leyen's speech OR the speech by von der Leyen.
Formal salutation: Dear Ms. von der Leyen, - include a title in business contexts.
Alphabetization: follow your house style; some systems ignore particles.

Wrong: Von Der Leyen's announcement was live.
Right: von der Leyen's announcement was live.
Right: The announcement by von der Leyen was live.

Examples and common wrong/right pairs

These realistic pairs let you correct sentences directly. If in doubt, prefer the individual's official presentation.

Wrong: von_der_leyen
Right: von der Leyen
Wrong: Von Der Leyen will speak at 5.
Right: von der Leyen will speak at 5.
Wrong: vonLeyen announced new tariffs.
Right: von der Leyen announced new tariffs.
Wrong: VON DER LEYEN visited the campus.
Right: von der Leyen visited the campus.

Work - Wrong: Please forward the report to von_der_leyen's office.
Work - Right: Please forward the report to von der Leyen's office.
Work - Wrong: Meeting with Von Der Leyen scheduled 3pm.
Work - Right: Meeting with von der Leyen scheduled at 3 p.m.
Work - Wrong: Dear Von Der Leyen,
Work - Right: Dear Ms. von der Leyen,

School - Wrong: Citation: von_der_leyen (2022) argues...
School - Right: Citation: von der Leyen (2022) argues...
School - Wrong: Write about VonDerLeyen's policies for class.
School - Right: Write about von der Leyen's policies for class.
School - Wrong: Von Der Leyen supports the policy, according to the paper.
School - Right: von der Leyen supports the policy, according to the paper.

Casual - Wrong: saw von_der_leyen on tv last night
Casual - Right: Saw von der Leyen on TV last night.
Casual - Wrong: my friend met Von der leyen yesterday
Casual - Right: My friend met von der Leyen yesterday.
Casual - Wrong: is von-Leyen coming to the event?
Casual - Right: Is von der Leyen coming to the event?

Try your own sentence

Test the whole sentence rather than the isolated name: context often makes the right form obvious.

How to rewrite and fix a sentence (step-by-step)

Three-step fix:

Normalize spacing: replace underscores and remove wrongful hyphens and dots.
Correct capitalization: lowercase the particle and capitalize the main surname.
Adjust tone: add a title or rephrase the possessive if it reads awkwardly.

Templates: Ursula von der Leyen (full name); Ms. von der Leyen (formal); the office of von der Leyen (formal possessive).
If unsure, check an official source and apply the three steps consistently.

Rewrite:
Original: von_der_leyen's announcement surprised everyone.Rewrite: Ursula von der Leyen's announcement surprised everyone.
Rewrite:
Original: Von Der Leyen will visit, RSVP required.Rewrite: Ms. von der Leyen will visit; please RSVP.
Rewrite:
Original: Contact von der Leyen office for details.Rewrite: Contact the office of von der Leyen for details.
Rewrite:
Original: VonDerLeyen to join panel tomorrow.Rewrite: von der Leyen will join the panel tomorrow.
Rewrite:
Original: Send docs to Von_Der_Leyen.Rewrite: Send the documents to von der Leyen.

Real usage, tone and publication conventions

News headlines, academic citations and business communications follow different conventions. Adjust capitalization and titles to fit the context and the house style.

Headline: title-case outlets may capitalize the first element - e.g., "Von der Leyen Announces Trade Plan" if the style permits.
Email salutation: Dear Ms. von der Leyen, - use an appropriate title in formal contexts.
Academic citation: von der Leyen, U. (2022). Title of Paper. - follow the citation style used by your institution.

Memory tricks and quick checks

Use a short mnemonic and a three-second checklist before sending copy.

Mnemonic: particle = lower, surname = upper.
Three-second checklist: replace underscores → split fused words → lowercase particle and capitalize surname → add title if formal.
If copying from a handle, strip underscores and dots before applying capitalization.

Quick check: von_der_leyen → replace '_' → correct caps → von der Leyen.

Similar mistakes to watch for

Common slip-ups include swapping particles, dropping them, or assuming the same capitalization rules apply across languages. Always verify a person's preferred form.

Error: swapping van and von - confirm the exact particle.
Error: dropping the particle - retain it unless the person goes by the shortened name.
Error: applying headline title-case in running text - follow your style guide.

Wrong: van der Leyen commented on the budget (when the correct particle is von).
Right: von der Leyen commented on the budget.
Wrong: Leyen will attend (dropping the particle).
Right: von der Leyen will attend.

FAQ

Should I write "von der Leyen" with capitals on Von and Der?

In running English prose, use lowercase particles and capitalize the main surname: von der Leyen. Headline title-case may differ; follow the outlet's style guide.

Is "von_der_leyen" ever acceptable?

No. Underscores are a technical artifact from URLs or handles. Replace them with spaces and correct capitalization before publishing.

How do I form the possessive of a name with particles?

Use normal English possessive rules: Ursula von der Leyen's speech. If that looks awkward, rephrase to the speech by von der Leyen.

When should I use a hyphen in a surname?

Only when the person officially uses a hyphen (for example, Smith-Jones). Do not hyphenate a particle and surname by default.

How can I check the correct spelling quickly?

Verify the individual's official website, institutional profile or verified social accounts. For high-stakes copy, confirm with an authoritative source and then apply the spacing and capitalization rules above.

Want a fast check for a name or sentence?

Paste the sentence into your editor or a grammar tool configured for proper names, run the three-step fix (space, caps, tone) and, when possible, match the individual's official presentation.