“Alexis de Clérel, Comte de Tocqueville”, is the actual and full name of Tocqueville, which he himself shortened to “Alexis de Tocqueville”. In a letter to Sophie Swetchine from the year 1856, he writes regarding his noble title that he did not use it at the beginning because he found himself too young for it, but then got used to it and stuck with it (OC XV, 2, 301). Even though he did not completely deny his aristocratic origin, and especially certain ways of thinking and feeling associated with it, Tocqueville was aware that in a democratic age it is better to renounce noble titles and privileges that one could claim as a nobleman – such as a reserved place in the parish church.