"Our" is a possessive pronoun, and every major style guide capitalizes pronouns in titles. The short version: yes, capitalize "our" in a title, in any position, in any style. The longer version explains why people get confused, and the one edge case to watch for.
This guide covers how Chicago, MLA, APA, AP, AMA, the New York Times, Wikipedia, and Bluebook all treat "our", plus the small-word trap that makes some writers lowercase it by mistake.
Quick Reference: "Our" by Style Guide
| Style Guide | Capitalize "Our"? | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago (CMOS) | Yes | Pronouns are always capitalized in title case |
| APA (7th edition) | Yes | Pronouns are always capitalized regardless of word length |
| MLA | Yes | Pronouns are principal words |
| AP (Associated Press) | Yes | Pronouns are capitalized; the 4-letter rule does not apply |
| AMA | Yes | Pronouns are major words |
| New York Times | Yes | All pronouns capitalized in titles |
| Wikipedia | Yes | Pronouns are major words in article titles |
| Bluebook | Yes | Pronouns capitalized in case titles and brief headings |
There is no style guide that lowercases "our" mid-title. The rule is universal.
Why "Our" Is Always Capitalized
"Our" is a possessive pronoun. Every major title-case style treats pronouns as principal words. The standard list of words that get lowercased in title case includes articles, coordinating conjunctions, and short prepositions; pronouns are never on that list.
The confusion comes from "our" being only three letters long. Writers who memorize the AP or APA "lowercase words under four letters" shortcut sometimes lowercase "our" by mistake. That shortcut applies to articles, conjunctions, and prepositions, not pronouns.
Chicago Manual of Style
Chicago capitalizes nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs in headline-style titles. "Our" is a pronoun, so it stays capitalized in any position.
Example: Our House: A Family Memoir. "Our" is capitalized as the first word AND as a pronoun, so two rules support the same outcome.
APA Style
APA's 7th edition specifies that all major words are capitalized, including pronouns of any length. Even though "our" has only three letters, APA capitalizes it because the length rule only applies to conjunctions, prepositions, and articles.
For the full APA breakdown, see the APA title case rules guide.
MLA Style
MLA capitalizes the first, last, and all principal words in titles. Pronouns are principal words. "Our" is capitalized in every position.
AP Style
AP capitalizes pronouns regardless of length. The well-known AP rule that "words of four or more letters are capitalized" applies to prepositions and conjunctions, not to pronouns. "Our" is always capitalized in AP-style headlines.
AMA Style
AMA, used in medical and health journal titles, treats pronouns as major words. "Our" is capitalized in any title position.
New York Times Style
The Times capitalizes pronouns in headlines as principal words. You will see "Our" capitalized in every NYT title that uses it.
Wikipedia Manual of Style
Wikipedia uses title case for article titles. Pronouns are capitalized as major words. "Our" is capitalized in any Wikipedia article title.
Bluebook (Legal Writing)
Bluebook capitalizes pronouns in case names, brief titles, and law-review article titles. "Our" is capitalized in legal writing the same way it is in any other style.
Real Titles That Use "Our"
- Our Town by Thornton Wilder. "Our" capitalized as the first word and as a pronoun.
- The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. "Our" capitalized mid-title because it is a pronoun.
- A Wrinkle in Time, A Wind in the Door, A Swiftly Tilting Planet: The Time Quintet contrasts well with Our Family in showing how articles ("a") drop in case while "our" does not.
- The Sound of Our Voices. "Our" capitalized mid-title.
Common Mistakes
The most common mistake with "our" is lowercasing it because it has only three letters. That shortcut works for articles and short prepositions but never for pronouns. "The Story of our Town" reads wrong in every style. Marketing copy is the worst offender: "Sign Up for our Newsletter" should be "Sign Up for Our Newsletter." If your tagline is in title case, "Our" is capitalized.
Apply the Rules Automatically
Paste any title into the free title case converter at the top of the page. Pick your style and the tool capitalizes "our" along with every other principal word, while keeping articles and short prepositions lowercase.
