---
title: "format(_:)"
framework: foundation
role: symbol
role_heading: Instance Method
path: "foundation/personnamecomponents/formatstyle/format(_:)"
---

# format(_:)

Creates a string representation from a person name components value.

## Declaration

```swift
func format(_ value: PersonNameComponents) -> String
```

## Parameters

- `value`: The person name components object to format.

## Return Value

Return Value A string representation of the person name components.

## Discussion

Discussion The format(_:) instance method applies the style to an instance of PersonNameComponent. After creating a style, you can use it to format multiple instances of person name components. For example: let customPersonFormatStyle = PersonNameComponents.FormatStyle(style: .medium, locale: Locale(identifier: "us_EN"))

var person1 = PersonNameComponents() person1.familyName = "Clark" person1.givenName = "Thomas" person1.middleName = "Louis" person1.namePrefix = "Dr." person1.nickname = "Tom" person1.nameSuffix = "Esq."

let customPersonString1 =  customPersonFormatStyle.format(person1) // Thomas Clark

let customPersonString2 =  customPersonFormatStyle.format(person2) // Maria Ruiz