manu-gurudath · Mar 1, 2026 · Mar 1, 2026 · Mar 1, 2026 · Mar 7, 2026 · Mar 7, 2026
diff --git a/app/controllers/event/applications_controller.rb b/app/controllers/event/applications_controller.rb
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ def application_params
     end
 
     def user_params
-      params.require(:event_application).permit(:full_name, :preferred_name, :phone_number, :birthday)
+      params.require(:event_application).permit(:legal_first_name, :legal_last_name, :preferred_name, :phone_number, :birthday)
     end
 
     def record_pageview

diff --git a/app/controllers/users/first_controller.rb b/app/controllers/users/first_controller.rb
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ def create
     private
 
     def user_params
-      params.require(:user).permit(:email, :full_name, affiliations_attributes: [:league, :team_number, :name, :team_name, :role])
+      params.require(:user).permit(:email, :legal_first_name, :legal_last_name, affiliations_attributes: [:league, :team_number, :name, :team_name, :role])
     end
 
     def user_ref_params

diff --git a/app/controllers/users_controller.rb b/app/controllers/users_controller.rb
@@ -576,7 +576,8 @@ def set_onboarding
   def user_params
     attributes = [
       # account
-      :full_name,
+      :legal_first_name,
+      :legal_last_name,
       :preferred_name,
       :phone_number,
       :birthday,

diff --git a/app/models/stripe_cardholder.rb b/app/models/stripe_cardholder.rb
@@ -128,15 +128,20 @@ def reset_billing_address_to_default!
   end
 
   def self.first_name(user)
-    clean_name(user.first_name(legal: true))
+    clean_name(user.first_name(legal: true), field: "first name")
   end
 
   def self.last_name(user)
-    clean_name(user.last_name(legal: true))
+    clean_name(user.last_name(legal: true), field: "last name")
   end
 
-  def self.clean_name(name)
-    name = ActiveSupport::Inflector.transliterate(name || "")
+  def self.clean_name(name, field: "name")
+    # HCB lets people go by a first name alone, but Stripe Issuing needs both names.
+    if name.blank?
+      raise Errors::StripeInvalidNameError, "A legal #{field} is required to issue cards. Please add it in your account settings."
+    end
+
+    name = ActiveSupport::Inflector.transliterate(name)
 
     # Remove invalid characters
     requirements = <<~REQ.squish

diff --git a/app/models/user.rb b/app/models/user.rb
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@
 #  email                              :text             not null
 #  full_name                          :string
 #  joined_as_teenager                 :boolean
+#  legal_first_name                   :string
+#  legal_last_name                    :string
 #  locked_at                          :datetime
 #  monthly_donation_summary           :boolean          default(TRUE)
 #  monthly_follower_summary           :boolean          default(TRUE)
@@ -48,6 +50,10 @@
 #  index_users_on_slug        (slug) UNIQUE
 #
 class User < ApplicationRecord
+  # Stripe Issuing only accepts latin names.
+  NAME_CHARACTERS_REGEX = /\A[a-zA-ZàáâäãåąčćęèéêëėįìíîïłńòóôöõøùúûüųūÿýżźñçčšžÀÁÂÄÃÅĄĆČĖĘÈÉÊËÌÍÎÏĮŁŃÒÓÔÖÕØÙÚÛÜŲŪŸÝŻŹÑßÇŒÆČŠŽ∂ð.,' -]+\z/
+  NAME_CHARACTERS_MESSAGE = "may only contain letters, spaces, hyphens, apostrophes, periods, and commas."
+
   has_paper_trail skip: [:birthday] # ciphertext columns will still be tracked
 
   include Hashid::Rails
@@ -199,6 +205,10 @@ class User < ApplicationRecord
   before_save :clear_pretend_is_not_admin, if: -> { pretend_is_not_admin? && !admin_override_pretend? }
 
   before_create :format_number
+  # The legal name columns are the source of truth; `full_name` is kept in sync with them.
+  before_validation :fill_legacy_legal_name, if: -> { awaiting_legal_name_backfill? && legal_name_parts_changed? && !full_name_changed? }
+  before_validation :split_full_name, if: -> { full_name_changed? && !legal_name_parts_changed? }
+  before_validation :sync_full_name, if: :legal_name_edited?
   before_save :on_phone_number_update
   validate :second_factor_present_for_2fa
 
@@ -217,13 +227,15 @@ class User < ApplicationRecord
 
   before_update :set_default_seasonal_theme
 
-  validates_presence_of :full_name, if: -> { full_name_in_database.present? }
   validates_presence_of :birthday, if: -> { birthday_ciphertext_in_database.present? }
 
-  validates :full_name, format: {
-    with: /\A[a-zA-ZàáâäãåąčćęèéêëėįìíîïłńòóôöõøùúûüųūÿýżźñçčšžÀÁÂÄÃÅĄĆČĖĘÈÉÊËÌÍÎÏĮŁŃÒÓÔÖÕØÙÚÛÜŲŪŸÝŻŹÑßÇŒÆČŠŽ∂ð.,'-]+ [a-zA-ZàáâäãåąčćęèéêëėįìíîïłńòóôöõøùúûüųūÿýżźñçčšžÀÁÂÄÃÅĄĆČĖĘÈÉÊËÌÍÎÏĮŁŃÒÓÔÖÕØÙÚÛÜŲŪŸÝŻŹÑßÇŒÆČŠŽ∂ð.,' -]+\z/,
-    message: "must contain your first and last name, and only contain characters in the latin alphabet.", allow_blank: true,
-  }
+  # Names are added during onboarding, and can then be changed but not removed.
+  validates :legal_first_name, presence: true, if: -> { legal_last_name.present? || clearing_existing_name? }
+  # Stripe Issuing requires a last name.
+  validates :legal_last_name, presence: { message: "is required for HCB cards" }, if: -> { legal_last_name_changed? && stripe_cardholder.present? }
+  validates :legal_first_name, :legal_last_name, format: { with: NAME_CHARACTERS_REGEX, message: NAME_CHARACTERS_MESSAGE, allow_blank: true }
+
+  normalizes :legal_first_name, :legal_last_name, with: ->(name) { name.squish.presence }
 
   validates :email, uniqueness: true, presence: true
   validates_email_format_of :email
@@ -238,7 +250,7 @@ class User < ApplicationRecord
 
   validates :preferred_name, length: { maximum: 30 }
   validates :preferred_name, format: {
-    with: /\A[a-zA-ZàáâäãåąčćęèéêëėįìíîïłńòóôöõøùúûüųūÿýżźñçčšžÀÁÂÄÃÅĄĆČĖĘÈÉÊËÌÍÎÏĮŁŃÒÓÔÖÕØÙÚÛÜŲŪŸÝŻŹÑßÇŒÆČŠŽ∂ð.,' -]+\z/,
+    with: NAME_CHARACTERS_REGEX,
     message: "must only contain characters in the latin alphabet.", allow_blank: true,
   }, if: :preferred_name_changed?
 
@@ -331,28 +343,40 @@ def make_admin!
     admin!
   end
 
+  # The legal first name may include middle names ("Donald Ervin").
+  # Otherwise, the first word of the name we greet the user by ("Hey Donald,").
   def first_name(legal: false)
-    @first_name ||= (namae(legal:)&.given || namae(legal:)&.particle)&.split(" ")&.first
+    stored = legal_name_split? ? legal_first_name : legacy_parsed_name.first_name
+    return stored if legal
+
+    display_name = preferred_name.presence || stored.presence || (email_handle if email.present?)
+    display_name&.split(" ")&.first
   end
 
+  # The legal last name may include particles and a suffix ("de la Cruz", "King Jr.").
   def last_name(legal: false)
-    @last_name ||= namae(legal:)&.family&.split(" ")&.last
+    return preferred_name_parts.last if !legal && preferred_name.present?
+
+    legal_name_split? ? legal_last_name : legacy_parsed_name.last_name
   end
 
+  # "Fiona H", shown to other users.
   def initial_name
-    @initial_name ||= if name.strip.split(" ").count == 1
-                        name
-                      else
-                        "#{(first_name || last_name)[0..20]} #{(last_name || first_name)[0, 1]}"
-                      end
+    first = first_name
+    last = last_name
+    # Only the first word, so a full name typed into the first name field stays private.
+    return first || name if last.blank?
+
+    # Initial of the surname itself, skipping lowercase particles ("de la Cruz" -> "C").
+    "#{first[0..20]} #{last[/[[:upper:]]/] || last[0]}"
   end
 
   def safe_name
-    # stripe requires names to be 24 chars or less, and must include a last name
+    # stripe requires cardholder names to be 24 chars or less
     return name unless name.length > 24
-    return full_name unless full_name.length > 24
+    return full_name if full_name.present? && full_name.length <= 24
 
-    initial_name
+    initial_name.first(24)
   end
 
   def name
@@ -748,6 +772,59 @@ def onboarding_contractor_positions
 
   private
 
+  def split_full_name
+    parsed = UserService::ParseName.new(full_name:).run
+    self.legal_first_name = parsed.first_name
+    self.legal_last_name = parsed.last_name
+  end
+
+  def sync_full_name
+    self.full_name = [legal_first_name, legal_last_name].compact_blank.join(" ").presence
+  end
+
+  def legal_name_parts_changed?
+    legal_first_name_changed? || legal_last_name_changed?
+  end
+
+  def awaiting_legal_name_backfill?
+    legal_first_name_in_database.blank? && full_name_in_database.present?
+  end
+
+  # A blank part keeps its legacy value, so a partial edit can't drop half of the name.
+  def fill_legacy_legal_name
+    self.legal_first_name ||= legacy_parsed_name.first_name
+    self.legal_last_name ||= legacy_parsed_name.last_name
+  end
+
+  # Saving a legacy name back unchanged only backfills it, leaving `full_name` (and any title) as is.
+  def legal_name_edited?
+    return false unless legal_name_parts_changed?
+
+    !awaiting_legal_name_backfill? || [legal_first_name, legal_last_name] != legacy_parsed_name.to_a
+  end
+
+  # Only checked when the name is edited, so rows awaiting backfill can still save unrelated updates.
+  def clearing_existing_name?
+    full_name_in_database.present? && (legal_name_parts_changed? || full_name_changed?)
+  end
+
+  # Preferred names are free-form, so everything but the last word is the first name.
+  def preferred_name_parts
+    words = preferred_name.squish.split(" ")
+    return [words.first, nil] if words.one?
+
+    [words[0..-2].join(" "), words.last]
+  end
+
+  # False only for rows awaiting backfill, whose names are still parsed from `full_name`.
+  def legal_name_split?
+    legal_first_name_in_database.present? || legal_name_parts_changed?
+  end
+
+  def legacy_parsed_name
+    UserService::ParseName.new(full_name:).run
+  end
+
   def create_legal_entity
     legal_entities.create!(entity_type: :person, name: full_name)
   end
@@ -777,18 +854,6 @@ def update_stripe_cardholder
     )
   end
 
-  def namae(legal: false)
-    if legal
-      @legal_namae ||= Namae.parse(full_name).first
-    else
-      @namae ||= Namae.parse(name).first || Namae.parse(name_simplified).first || Namae::Name.new(given: name_simplified)
-    end
-  end
-
-  def name_simplified
-    name.split(/[^[[:word:]]]+/).join(" ")
-  end
-
   def email_handle
     @email_handle ||= email.split("@").first
   end

diff --git a/app/services/user_service/parse_name.rb b/app/services/user_service/parse_name.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+module UserService
+  # Splits a legacy single-field full name into a first and last name.
+  # Namae handles commas, particles and suffixes; anything it can't read is split positionally.
+  class ParseName
+    Result = Struct.new(:first_name, :last_name, keyword_init: true)
+
+    # Credentials after a full name ("Jane Smith, PhD") aren't part of the legal name.
+    TRAILING_CREDENTIAL = /\A(\S+ .+?),? (?:m\.?d|ph\.?d)\.?\z/i
+
+    def initialize(full_name:)
+      @full_name = full_name.to_s.squish.sub(TRAILING_CREDENTIAL, '\1')
+    end
+
+    def run
+      return Result.new(first_name: nil, last_name: nil) if @full_name.blank?
+
+      names = Namae.parse(@full_name)
+      # Namae returns nothing for surnames on its title list, and several names for "John and Jane Doe".
+      return positional_split unless names.one?
+
+      parsed = names.first
+      return positional_split if trailing_word_taken_as_title?(parsed) || given_name_taken_as_particle?(parsed)
+
+      # Particles belong to the surname: "Juan de la Cruz" is "Juan" + "de la Cruz".
+      first = parsed.given.presence
+      last = [parsed.particle, parsed.family, parsed.suffix].compact_blank.join(" ").presence
+
+      # A lone name ("Madonna", or "Smith" from "Mr. Smith") goes in first_name.
+      first, last = last, nil if first.nil?
+
+      Result.new(first_name: first, last_name: last)
+    end
+
+    private
+
+    # "Jane W Elder" parses as given "Jane", family "W", title "Elder".
+    def trailing_word_taken_as_title?(parsed)
+      parsed.title.present? && @full_name.downcase.end_with?(parsed.title.downcase)
+    end
+
+    # "john smith" parses with no given name and "john" as a particle.
+    def given_name_taken_as_particle?(parsed)
+      parsed.given.blank? && parsed.particle.present?
+    end
+
+    def positional_split
+      words = @full_name.split(" ")
+      return Result.new(first_name: words.first, last_name: nil) if words.one?
+
+      Result.new(first_name: words[0..-2].join(" "), last_name: words.last)
+    end
+
+  end
+end
diff --git a/app/tasks/maintenance/backfill_user_legal_names_task.rb b/app/tasks/maintenance/backfill_user_legal_names_task.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+module Maintenance
+  class BackfillUserLegalNamesTask < MaintenanceTasks::Task
+    def collection
+      User.where(legal_first_name: nil).where.not(full_name: [nil, ""])
+    end
+
+    def process(user)
+      parsed = UserService::ParseName.new(full_name: user.full_name).run
+
+      # Scoped to still-unsplit rows so a name the user saved in the meantime is never overwritten.
+      User.where(id: user.id, legal_first_name: nil, full_name: user.full_name)
+          .update_all(legal_first_name: parsed.first_name, legal_last_name: parsed.last_name)
+    end
+
+  end
+end
diff --git a/app/views/api/v4/users/_user.json.jbuilder b/app/views/api/v4/users/_user.json.jbuilder
@@ -14,7 +14,10 @@ object_shape(json, user, created_at: false) do
     json.email user.email
   end
 
+  # Other org members only see `name`, which respects the preferred name.
   expand_pii(override_if: user == current_user) do
+    json.first_name user.first_name(legal: true)
+    json.last_name user.last_name(legal: true)
     json.birthday user.birthday
     if expand?(:shipping_address)
       json.shipping_address do

diff --git a/app/views/event/applications/edit.html.erb b/app/views/event/applications/edit.html.erb
@@ -122,17 +122,22 @@
 
         <div class="md:flex gap-2">
           <div class="field flex-1">
-            <%= form.label :full_name do %>
-              Full name <span class="text-primary">*</span>
+            <%= form.label :legal_first_name do %>
+              Legal first name <span class="text-primary">*</span>
             <% end %>
-            <%= form.text_field :full_name, value: @application.user.full_name.presence, required: true, placeholder: "Fiona Hackworth III", style: "max-width:100%", pattern: '^\S+.+' %>
+            <%= form.text_field :legal_first_name, value: @application.user.first_name(legal: true).presence, required: true, placeholder: "Fiona", style: "max-width:100%", autocomplete: "given-name" %>
           </div>
           <div class="field flex-1">
-            <%= form.label :preferred_name, "Preferred name (optional)" %>
-            <%= form.text_field :preferred_name, value: @application.user.preferred_name.presence, style: "max-width:100%", placeholder: "FiFi Hacks", maxlength: 30 %>
+            <%= form.label :legal_last_name, "Legal last name (optional)" %>
+            <%= form.text_field :legal_last_name, value: @application.user.last_name(legal: true).presence, placeholder: "Hackworth", style: "max-width:100%", autocomplete: "family-name" %>
           </div>
         </div>
 
+        <div class="field">
+          <%= form.label :preferred_name, "Preferred name (optional)" %>
+          <%= form.text_field :preferred_name, value: @application.user.preferred_name.presence, style: "max-width:100%", placeholder: "FiFi Hacks", maxlength: 30, autocomplete: "nickname" %>
+        </div>
+
         <div class="md:flex items-center gap-2">
           <div class="field flex-1">
             <%= form.label :phone_number do %>

diff --git a/app/views/event/applications/personal_info.html.erb b/app/views/event/applications/personal_info.html.erb
@@ -17,17 +17,22 @@
   <div class="card mb-6" x-data="{ minor: <%= @application.user.is_minor? || false %>, country: <%= @application.address_country.presence.to_json %>, disallowed_countries: <%= Event::Application::DISALLOWED_COUNTRIES.to_json %> }">
     <div class="md:flex items-end gap-2">
       <div class="field flex-1">
-        <%= form.label :full_name do %>
-          Full name <span class="text-primary">*</span>
+        <%= form.label :legal_first_name do %>
+          Legal first name <span class="text-primary">*</span>
         <% end %>
-        <%= form.text_field :full_name, value: @application.user.full_name.presence, required: true, placeholder: "Fiona Hackworth III", style: "max-width:100%", pattern: '^\S+.+' %>
+        <%= form.text_field :legal_first_name, value: @application.user.first_name(legal: true).presence, required: true, placeholder: "Fiona", style: "max-width:100%", autocomplete: "given-name" %>
       </div>
       <div class="field flex-1">
-        <%= form.label :preferred_name, "Preferred name (optional)" %>
-        <%= form.text_field :preferred_name, value: @application.user.preferred_name.presence, style: "max-width:100%", placeholder: "FiFi Hacks", maxlength: 30 %>
+        <%= form.label :legal_last_name, "Legal last name (optional)" %>
+        <%= form.text_field :legal_last_name, value: @application.user.last_name(legal: true).presence, placeholder: "Hackworth", style: "max-width:100%", autocomplete: "family-name" %>
       </div>
     </div>
 
+    <div class="field">
+      <%= form.label :preferred_name, "Preferred name (optional)" %>
+      <%= form.text_field :preferred_name, value: @application.user.preferred_name.presence, style: "max-width:100%", placeholder: "FiFi Hacks", maxlength: 30, autocomplete: "nickname" %>
+    </div>
+
     <div class="md:flex items-end gap-2">
       <div class="field flex-1">
         <%= form.label :phone_number do %>