`` Yours sincerely '' is a shorter form of the archaic `` I am yours sincerely '' , while similarly `` Yours faithfully '' is a contraction of `` I remain , Sir , your faithful and obedient servant '' `` Yours sincerely '' is typically employed in English when the recipient is addressed by name ( e.g. `` Dear John '' ) and is known to the sender to some degree , whereas `` Yours faithfully '' is used when the recipient is not addressed by name ( i.e. the recipient is addressed by a phrase such as `` Dear Sir\/Madam '' ) or when the recipient is not known personally by the sender .
Yours faithfully is used when the person who is receiving the letter is not known by name ( i.e. the recipient is addressed by a phrase such as `` Dear Sir\/Madam '' ) .