A format for storing hierarchical names that displays the hierarchical attribute of each component of the name. For example, the canonical format for the name Reuben D. Smith/Ottawa/Acme/CA is: CN=Reuben D. Smith/OU=Ottawa/O=Acme/C=CA where: CN is the common name, OU is the organizational unit, O is the organization, and C is the region or country code.