A proper noun is the VIP of the word world. Unlike common nouns, which are generic, proper nouns refer to specific names of people, places, brands, and more. Think “Taylor Swift” instead of just “singer” or “Mount Everest” instead of “mountain.” Capital letters are their crown 👑 — they always get one.
In this ultimate list, you’ll find 500 proper noun examples sorted by type.
Famous People
When you think of proper nouns, celebrities and historical figures probably come to mind first. These names are brands, legends, and sometimes walking memes.
- Beyoncé
- Leonardo da Vinci
- Elon Musk
- Oprah Winfrey
- William Shakespeare
- Serena Williams
- Barack Obama
- Albert Einstein
- Marilyn Monroe
- Greta Thunberg
- LeBron James
- Frida Kahlo
- Taylor Swift
- Pablo Picasso
- Tom Hanks
- Mahatma Gandhi
- JK Rowling
- Adele
- Winston Churchill
- Rihanna
Geographic Locations
The proper noun examples below help us find ourselves—literally. Cities, countries, rivers, and mountains all qualify, and they’re always dressed to impress in capital letters.
- Paris
- Amazon River
- Tokyo
- Mount Kilimanjaro
- New York City
- Africa
- Antarctica
- Yellowstone National Park
- Great Barrier Reef
- Nile River
- Mount Fuji
- Beijing
- France
- London
- Grand Canyon
- Iceland
- India
- Lake Tahoe
- Sahara Desert
- Australia
Brand Names
These are the proper noun examples you see every day on your phone, your clothes, your cereal box, and your social media addiction.
- Apple
- Nike
- Coca-Cola
- Tesla
- Microsoft
- Netflix
- Samsung
- Amazon
- Adidas
- Starbucks
- YouTube
- BMW
- Sony
- Pepsi
- Lego
- Uber
- TikTok
- Ferrari
Fictional Characters
From books, movies, and video games, these names are etched into pop culture. They may not be real, but their proper noun status is very legit.
- Harry Potter
- Sherlock Holmes
- Darth Vader
- Katniss Everdeen
- Mario
- Luke Skywalker
- Frodo Baggins
- Elsa
- Spider-Man
- Spongebob Squarepants
- Wonder Woman
- Batman
- Pikachu
- Tony Stark
- Ariel
- Simba
- Yoda
- Shrek
- Hermione Granger
- Legolas
Days, Months, & Holidays
Time itself bows to proper nouns.
When you name specific days or celebrate a certain month, you’re using proper nouns — even if you’re just trying to survive Monday.
- Monday
- Tuesday
- Wednesday
- Thursday
- Friday
- Saturday
- Sunday
- January
- April
- December
- July
- Thanksgiving
- Christmas
- Hanukkah
- Easter
- Labor Day
- Halloween
- Valentine’s Day
- Independence Day
- New Year’s Eve
- Ramadan
- Passover
Books, Movies, and TV Shows
Titles of creative works are stuffed with proper noun goodness. They define entire fandoms—and sometimes, entire childhoods.
How many of these proper noun examples do you know?
- The Lord of the Rings
- Friends
- Game of Thrones
- To Kill a Mockingbird
- Breaking Bad
- Star Wars
- Stranger Things
- The Great Gatsby
- The Catcher in the Rye
- Titanic
- The Matrix
- The Simpsons
- Avatar
- The Hunger Games
- Pride and Prejudice
- Black Panther
- Forrest Gump
- The Office
- Finding Nemo
- Jurassic Park
Companies and Organizations
Behind every polished logo is a polished name—and that name is a proper noun.
- NASA
- UNICEF
- Harvard University
- World Health Organization
- FBI
- Red Cross
- Microsoft Corporation
- Amazon Web Services
- Tesla Inc.
- Netflix Inc.
- Ford Motor Company
- Mayo Clinic
- American Red Cross
- CDC
- British Broadcasting Corporation
- United Nations
- Google LLC
- Greenpeace
- MIT
- Yale University
Religions, Deities, and Sacred Texts
Even the divine prefers capital letters. From holy books to heavenly figures, these proper noun examples carry weight.
- Christianity
- Islam
- Judaism
- Hinduism
- Buddha
- God
- Jesus
- Allah
- Quran
- Bible
- Torah
- Shiva
- Vishnu
- Zeus
- Ganesha
- Yahweh
- New Testament
- Bhagavad Gita
- Saint Peter
- Prophet Muhammad
Languages and Nationalities
Languages are proper nouns with accents—on pride and identity. Nationalities too. These aren’t just words. They’re cultural passports.
- English
- French
- Spanish
- Mandarin
- Arabic
- Portuguese
- Russian
- Italian
- Japanese
- German
- American
- Canadian
- Mexican
- Indian
- Brazilian
- Chinese
- Irish
- Nigerian
- Australian
- Korean
Planets, Stars, and Celestial Bodies
The universe also has a name game, and it’s full of cosmic capital letters. Here are some celestial proper noun examples.
- Earth
- Mars
- Venus
- Jupiter
- Saturn
- Neptune
- Mercury
- Uranus
- Pluto
- Milky Way
- Andromeda
- North Star
- Sun
- Moon
- Halley’s Comet
- Orion
- Big Dipper
- Alpha Centauri
- Sirius
- Galaxy M87
Historical Events and Eras
When history gets official, it uses proper nouns. These names shaped the world and demand title-case respect.
- World War I
- World War II
- The Renaissance
- The Great Depression
- American Revolution
- Civil Rights Movement
- Industrial Revolution
- Cold War
- French Revolution
- Vietnam War
- Apollo 11
- Moon Landing
- 9/11
- Boston Tea Party
- Black Death
- The Holocaust
- Watergate
- Cuban Missile Crisis
- The Enlightenment
- Stonewall Riots
Buildings, Landmarks, and Monuments
When you visit these proper nouns, you usually take selfies. Some of them even have their own hashtags.
- Eiffel Tower
- Statue of Liberty
- Great Wall of China
- Big Ben
- Taj Mahal
- Empire State Building
- White House
- Mount Rushmore
- Colosseum
- Machu Picchu
- Golden Gate Bridge
- Buckingham Palace
- Sydney Opera House
- Burj Khalifa
- Christ the Redeemer
- Leaning Tower of Pisa
- The Pentagon
- Notre-Dame
- The Louvre
- The Alamo
Pets
Because of course your dog’s name is capitalized—he’s a proper good boy.
- Max
- Bella
- Charlie
- Luna
- Buddy
- Daisy
- Rocky
- Molly
- Cooper
- Sadie
- Bailey
- Toby
- Chloe
- Jack
- Lucy
- Duke
- Lily
- Leo
- Sophie
- Oscar
Restaurants and Chains
Hungry? The proper noun examples below serve up capital letters with your combo meals.
- McDonald’s
- Chipotle
- KFC
- Starbucks
- Chick-fil-A
- Domino’s
- Subway
- Olive Garden
- Taco Bell
- Wendy’s
- Panda Express
- Burger King
- Pizza Hut
- Panera Bread
- Dunkin’
- Five Guys
- Buffalo Wild Wings
- Red Lobster
- The Cheesecake Factory
- Cracker Barrel
Video Games and Consoles
Even pixels have prestige. These proper noun examples are basically digital celebrities.
- Minecraft
- PlayStation
- Fortnite
- Nintendo Switch
- Call of Duty
- Xbox
- Super Mario Bros
- Grand Theft Auto
- The Legend of Zelda
- Roblox
- Halo
- Animal Crossing
- League of Legends
- Final Fantasy
- Assassin’s Creed
- Pokemon
- Tetris
- Apex Legends
- Elden Ring
- God of War
Schools and Universities
From Ivy League towers to your local alma mater, schools get their name in lights (and in caps). These proper noun examples hit the books and graduate with honors.
- Harvard University
- Stanford University
- Yale University
- Princeton University
- Oxford University
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- University of California, Berkeley
- Columbia University
- University of Chicago
- Duke University
- Brown University
- Cornell University
- University of Michigan
- New York University
- Georgetown University
- University of Oxford
- Carnegie Mellon University
- University of Cambridge
- UCLA
- Johns Hopkins University
Stores and Retailers (Proper Noun Examples)
You know you’ve shouted these names across the parking lot or searched them frantically on your phone. These brands aren’t just places—they’re experiences.
- Target
- Walmart
- Best Buy
- Nordstrom
- Costco
- Macy’s
- IKEA
- Home Depot
- Lowe’s
- Sephora
- Walgreens
- CVS
- Kroger
- Whole Foods Market
- Publix
- H&M
- REI
- JCPenney
- Bed Bath & Beyond
- TJ Maxx
Musicians and Bands
When names become music and music becomes obsession. These are the rockstars, pop queens, and lyrical legends of proper noun examples.
- The Beatles
- Queen
- Drake
- Taylor Swift (yes, again—because icon)
- Ed Sheeran
- Billie Eilish
- BTS
- Nirvana
- Elvis Presley
- Metallica
- Ariana Grande
- Kanye West
- Imagine Dragons
- Dua Lipa
- Coldplay
- Kendrick Lamar
- Post Malone
- U2
- Green Day
- Fleetwood Mac
Technology Tools & Platforms (Proper Noun Examples)
These proper nouns are your digital playground—and sometimes your productivity nemesis.
- Zoom
- Slack
- Canva
- WordPress
- Photoshop
- Google Docs
- Microsoft Teams
- Dropbox
- ChatGPT
- Trello
- Notion
- Excel
- PowerPoint
- iMovie
- Final Cut Pro
- GitHub
- Spotify
- X (formerly Twitter)
- Substack
Restaurants & Local Spots
Not just chains: These are the mom-and-pop shops, hip brunch joints, and neighborhood cafés where memories are made (and so are proper nouns).
- Joe’s Coffee
- Mama Rosa’s Pizzeria
- The Blue Moose Tavern
- Big Al’s BBQ
- Luna’s Bistro
- Thai Orchid
- El Patron
- Sweet Tooth Bakery
- The Book Nook Café
- Tokyo Express
- Sunrise Diner
- Poppy’s Pancakes
- Garden Grove Grill
- Ocean Breeze Bar
- Neko Sushi
- The Ice Creamery
- Café de Paris
- Red Lantern
- Downtown Deli
- The Hollow Tree
Vehicles and Vehicle Brands
When you name a car brand or your actual car (looking at you, “Old Blue”), you’re using proper nouns.
- Toyota
- Ford
- Honda
- Chevrolet
- Mercedes-Benz
- BMW
- Audi
- Jeep
- Dodge
- Subaru
- Tesla
- Nissan
- Lexus
- GMC
- Volkswagen
- Volvo
- Harley-Davidson
- Ferrari
- Maserati
- Porsche
Famous Paintings and Artworks
These masterpieces are more than brushstrokes — they’re proper noun royalty hanging in the Louvre, the Met, or dorm rooms worldwide.
- Mona Lisa
- The Starry Night
- The Last Supper
- The Scream
- Girl with a Pearl Earring
- Guernica
- American Gothic
- The Birth of Venus
- The Persistence of Memory
- Water Lilies
- The Night Watch
- The Kiss
- Liberty Leading the People
- Whistler’s Mother
- The Arnolfini Portrait
- The Hay Wain
- A Sunday on La Grande Jatte
- Las Meninas
- The Great Wave off Kanagawa
- Christina’s World
Award Shows and Ceremonies
Cue the dramatic envelopes and awkward speeches. These proper noun examples are where stars shine and gold statues are handed out.
- Academy Awards
- Grammy Awards
- Golden Globes
- Emmy Awards
- BAFTA Awards
- MTV Video Music Awards
- People’s Choice Awards
- Cannes Film Festival
- Sundance Film Festival
- Pulitzer Prize
- Nobel Prize
- Tony Awards
- ESPY Awards
- American Music Awards
- Kids’ Choice Awards
- National Book Awards
- BET Awards
- Critics’ Choice Awards
- SAG Awards
- Booker Prize
Ships, Trains, and Spacecraft
The following proper noun examples travel across oceans, continents, and space — and sound awesome while doing it.
- Titanic
- Mayflower
- Apollo 11
- RMS Queen Mary
- Hindenburg
- Enterprise
- Discovery (Space Shuttle)
- Orient Express
- USS Enterprise
- HMS Beagle
- Challenger
- Spirit of St. Louis
- Columbia (Space Shuttle)
- Endeavour (Space Shuttle)
- Lunar Module Eagle
- ISS (International Space Station)
- HMS Victory
- Curiosity Rover
- Blue Origin
- Voyager 1
Check out this helpful video with even more proper noun examples:
Proper Noun Example Sentences
Let’s take these fancy title-case stars out for a spin in full sentences.
In this section, you’ll see 50 dazzling proper noun examples embedded in real-world context. This isn’t just grammar — this is gramm-art.
Each sentence includes at least one proper noun, proudly capitalized and standing tall.
- Beyoncé performed live at the Super Bowl halftime show.
- Elon Musk announced another update to Tesla’s autopilot system.
- We flew over Mount Everest on our way to India.
- Harry Potter was written by J.K. Rowling, who now lives in Scotland.
- I had lunch with Sarah at Olive Garden yesterday.
- Nike just dropped a new line of eco-friendly sneakers.
- The Great Gatsby is one of my favorite books by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
- Mona Lisa hangs proudly in The Louvre in Paris.
- Google updated its search algorithm again — cue the panic.
- Amazon delivered my Samsung phone two days early.
- My dog, Remi, barks every time the UPS truck goes by.
- Albert Einstein developed the theory of relativity in the early 1900s.
- The Eiffel Tower sparkled as we sipped wine at Café de Paris.
- We binge-watched Stranger Things on Netflix all weekend.
- Halloween is my favorite holiday because I get to dress as Batman.
- I studied abroad in Tokyo and fell in love with sushi at Neko Sushi.
- The Beatles changed the world of music forever.
- Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour is a cultural phenomenon.
- I visited Yellowstone National Park with Uncle Steve and Aunt Karen.
- We toured Harvard University last summer — super intimidating.
- Microsoft Word crashed again during my term paper.
- Serena Williams won her final match at Wimbledon.
- We drove our Honda Civic through Death Valley in California.
- Santa Claus is basically the CEO of Christmas.
- Frida Kahlo’s self-portraits are raw and emotional.
- We met at Panera Bread before heading to the Cannes Film Festival.
- I took French classes at the Alliance Française downtown.
- The White House is smaller than I expected.
- Barack Obama gave a speech at Columbia University.
- NASA is planning a manned mission to Mars.
- My little brother loves SpongeBob SquarePants and Pikachu equally.
- Adele’s voice gave me chills during her Grammys performance.
- Dunkin’ coffee is the only thing getting me through Monday.
- The Hunger Games trilogy gave me trust issues.
- Oprah Winfrey has one of the most powerful voices in media.
- My favorite painting is The Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh.
- The Cold War shaped global politics for decades.
- McDonald’s fries are a global treasure.
- Mount Rushmore is more impressive in person than in pictures.
- Greta Thunberg inspired millions to care about the planet.
- Spotify recommended a playlist called “Lo-Fi Chill by DJ Luna.”
- We watched The Matrix on Blu-ray — very retro of us.
- My best friend Emily just moved to Denver.
- Instagram reels have completely taken over my screen time.
- We’re naming our baby Atlas — yes, like the Titan.
- I saw Jurassic Park in theaters when I was ten.
- The Renaissance gave us amazing art and terrible plumbing.
- Walt Disney created a mouse that became an empire.
- The Bible has been translated into over 700 languages.
- Kanye West’s fashion line debuted at Paris Fashion Week.
Final Thoughts: Proper Noun Examples
Proper nouns are the divas of the grammar world — always capitalized, always specific, and often unforgettable. From Beyoncé to Blue Origin, they give language flavor, character, and a sense of place.
Now, excuse me while I go name my next dog “Comma” just to confuse everyone.