Capitalize Compass Directions as Regional Names
Capitalization
Rulebase Summary
Capitalize north, south, east, and west when they name a recognized section of the country — the South, the Midwest, out West. Capitalize the derivative words Northerner, Southerner, Easterner, and Westerner. Capitalize recognized political sections and nicknames of places — the Bay Area, the Big Apple, the Loop, Tinseltown. Do not capitalize compass words when they indicate simple direction — traveling south, the east and west coasts. Do not capitalize uptown, downtown, upstate, or statewide.
Examples
A. My family moved from the south to the midwest in 1985.
A. My family moved from the South to the Midwest in 1985.
South and Midwest are sections of the country — capitalize them.
A. We drove South on the interstate for about 40 miles.
A. We drove south on the interstate for about 40 miles.
South here indicates direction of travel, not a region — keep it lowercase.
Transcript Notes
Capitalize the four directions and their derivatives (Northern, Southwestern, etc.) when they represent a recognized area or region — global (Middle East, Northern Hemisphere, Eastern philosophy), within the U.S. (Northeasterner, Southern hospitality, Midwest, West Coast), or local recognized regions (West Los Angeles, the South Bay).
Do NOT capitalize when they represent simply a direction (turn west, due north, the eastern edge of the county).
Applying these rules requires knowing the area — local research may be needed.
Style Guide References (5)
Morson's
Morson's
Morson's
BGGP
BGGP