Jr.

Abbreviation with 2 meanings

Jr.
Stands forJunior
Meanings2
CategoriesWriting & Everyday, Transportation & Travel
Also writtenJR

Jr. has two meanings. It stands for Junior (title and honorific) or Japan Railways Group (rail and transit).

Meanings of Jr. at a glance

#Jr. stands forContext
1JuniorWriting & Everyday › Title and Honorific
2Japan Railways GroupTransportation & Travel › Rail and Transit

1. Junior

Writing & Everyday · Title and Honorific Abbreviations · also used in business

Distinguishes a son who has exactly the same name as his father, placed after the surname. It is common in the United States, especially in legal documents, sports and politics.

Example: Martin Luther King Jr. delivered the "I Have a Dream" speech in Washington in August 1963.

Chicago and AP style no longer put a comma before Jr., although some people keep one by personal preference. A grandson with the same name is usually styled III ("the third") rather than Jr. Some juniors drop the suffix after the father's death, while many keep it for life. British usage prefers Jnr or Jun. and uses such suffixes far less.

2. Japan Railways Group (JR)

Transportation & Travel · Rail and Transit Abbreviations

Group of seven companies formed in 1987 from the privatization of Japanese National Railways, including JR East, JR Central and JR West, which operate the Shinkansen bullet trains and most of Japan's intercity and commuter rail.

Example: The JR Pass covers most Shinkansen, but not the fastest Nozomi trains without a supplement.

Six regional passenger companies and one freight company make up the group. The Japan Rail Pass, sold to foreign tourists, allows unlimited travel on most JR trains; its price rose sharply in 2023. JR East's Yamanote Line circles central Tokyo. The Shinkansen opened in 1964 for the Tokyo Olympics.

More title and honorific abbreviations

  • Hon. – Honorable
  • HRH – His or Her Royal Highness
  • HSH – His or Her Serene Highness
  • Insp. – Inspector
  • KBE – Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
  • Kt. – Knight
  • Lt. Gov. – Lieutenant Governor
  • M. – Monsieur

See all 54 title and honorific abbreviations →

More rail and transit abbreviations

  • HS2 – High Speed 2
  • HSR – High-speed rail
  • ICE – InterCityExpress
  • IRCTC – Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation
  • KTX – Korea Train Express
  • LIRR – Long Island Rail Road
  • LNER – London North Eastern Railway
  • LRT – Light rail transit

See all 78 rail and transit abbreviations →

Edited by the AbbreviationList.com team. Spotted an error or a missing meaning? Contact us.