"
No I am not missing the point; I am disagreeing with you. Since he still uses a regnal name, the ""other clergy"" argument doesn't fly. He was a pope and is pope emeritus, so his article's title should remain as close to the established convention as possible. The fact that he stepped down is not a compelling reason to drastically deviate. Nothing in what you say makes any logical argument for why ""Benedict XVI"" is the best form for a pope emeritus. In other words, in the formulation ""Because X, the unmodified regnal name is the most appropriate for a pope emeritus"", you have yet to supply X. This seems to be more about your personal preference than rules or logic. Also, since the article should match the other popes after he dies, what we are really talking about is what to call him while he is alive. Does it really make sense to drop ""Pope"" then add it back? What is the difference? Keeping the article where it is no more suggests he is the current pope than Pope John Paul II does or that Queen Victoria suggests she remains a current monarch. Even in the unlikely situation that someone arrived here from ""Random article"" and momentarily thought he was still pope, that would be cured immediately by the lead, the resignation section, and the discussion of his pontificate in the past tense. No case has been made for this change, so I don't see why you expect everyone to agree to make it. -  "