The original sin is assuming that names have a particular structure. But at least First/Last places the burden of that sin not on the user.
My partner has only given names. When forms ask for their “Family name”, my internal thought process goes like this:
1. WTF do I write here?
2. Why are they asking for Family name? Oh they are probably just Anglophone and assume this is how names are.
3. It’s okay, just lie on the form then.
Then I choose their final given name and write it in the family name field.
This kind of enforced microdishonesty grates on the user over time. It certainly makes me grumpy!
First and last name is better because it’s not imposing a structure that may not exist. The burden of that false structure goes on the service rather than the user.
First and last is worse because having first name registered as family name adds extra half a day to your schedule to be spent around support desk, and given/family nomenclature exists because it's just unnecessary pain.
Your partner and billion others from their cultural sphere with single-field name system is a testament that concatenated two-field name system is the problem and is actually not working due to the falsehoods, not that the first/last nomenclature is better than given/family which is much less ambiguous.
My partner has only given names. When forms ask for their “Family name”, my internal thought process goes like this:
1. WTF do I write here?
2. Why are they asking for Family name? Oh they are probably just Anglophone and assume this is how names are.
3. It’s okay, just lie on the form then.
Then I choose their final given name and write it in the family name field.
This kind of enforced microdishonesty grates on the user over time. It certainly makes me grumpy!
First and last name is better because it’s not imposing a structure that may not exist. The burden of that false structure goes on the service rather than the user.