Single Name Handling

Overview

In many cultures, it is common for an individual to have only a single name (a mononym). The FrankieOne platform supports these cases, but correct data mapping is crucial as requirements vary significantly between different types of verification checks. This guide will walk you through the correct API implementation for handling single-name applicants to ensure successful verification and global compliance.

General API Implementation

The recommended approach for submitting a single name via the API is to populate the familyName and use a placeholder for the givenName.

Why this approach? familyName is the only name field the API requires — givenName is optional. Many downstream data sources also have a mandatory requirement for a familyName or “Last Name” field. Placing the single name here ensures the request is valid and gives the highest compatibility across our network of data sources.

{
  "individual": {
    "name": {
      "givenName": "-",
      "familyName": "Sukarno"
    }
  }
}

Do not submit the single name in givenName with an empty or omitted familyName — familyName is required, so the request will be rejected. If you have an existing integration that places the single name in givenName and a placeholder in familyName, it will still be accepted, but we recommend migrating to the format above: the critical factor is meeting the requirements of the specific end data source you are checking against, and most require a populated family name.

Verification Compatibility

Support for single-name verification is not universal. It depends entirely on the rules of the end data source. Submitting a single name to an unsupported service will result in a “No Match” or an error.

Verification Type	Single Name Support	Notes
Credit Bureau Checks	⚠️ Partial	Support for single names varies. While some checks will succeed, others require both a first and last name and will fail.
Government ID Checks (DVS)	✅ Yes (Conditional)	Support depends on the document type. See Australian DVS Formatting Rules below.
Australian Electoral Roll Checks	❌ No	This service requires both a first and last name and will not process a single-name entry.
Superannuation & Payroll Checks	❌ No	These services have mandatory first and last name fields with no available workaround.
Other KYC & AML Checks	Varies	Compatibility depends on the specific check and region. We recommend following the standard `familyName` + hyphenated `givenName` format.

Australian DVS Formatting Rules

The Australian Document Verification Service (DVS) matches the name you submit against the name held by the issuing authority. Because DVS is an exact-match service, a single name will only verify where the document itself records the individual under a single name. The general convention across all DVS document types is to place the single name in familyName and submit a placeholder in givenName:

Use a hyphen (-) as the givenName placeholder. This is the default and the format we recommend.
A full stop (.) is accepted as an alternative where a provider prefers it.
FrankieOne normalises the placeholder before the request reaches DVS, submitting a blank given name rather than the literal - or . character.

Document Type	`givenName`	`familyName`	Notes
Australian Passport	`-` or `.`	The single name	Supported. The placeholder is converted to a blank given name before the check is sent.
ImmiCard (`IMMIGRATION`)	`-`	The single name, exactly as printed on the card	Supported. Match the card’s case, spelling and spacing exactly.
Driver’s Licence	`-`	The single name, exactly as printed on the licence	Follows the general convention. The licence record itself must hold a single name.
National Health ID (Medicare)	`-`	The single name, exactly as printed on the card	Follows the general convention. The `supplementaryData.nameOnCardLine*` fields must also match the card as printed.
Birth Certificate	`-`	The single name	Follows the general convention. Apply the same convention to `supplementaryData.registeredGivenName` and `supplementaryData.registeredFamilyName`.
Citizenship Certificate	`-`	The single name, exactly as printed on the certificate	Follows the general convention.
Centrelink Card	`-`	The single name, exactly as printed on the card	Follows the general convention.
Marriage Certificate	`-`	The single name	Follows the general convention. Apply the same convention to the `supplementaryData.partner1` and `supplementaryData.partner2` name fields.
Name Change Certificate	`-`	The single name	Follows the general convention. Apply the same convention to `supplementaryData.registeredGivenName` and `supplementaryData.registeredFamilyName`.

A single name will return a No Match if the issuing authority holds the individual under both a given and a family name. In that case, submit the name as it is recorded on the document rather than as a mononym.

For the full field-by-field requirements of each document type, see Australian Documents.

​Overview

​General API Implementation

​Verification Compatibility

​Australian DVS Formatting Rules

Overview

General API Implementation

Verification Compatibility

Australian DVS Formatting Rules