For reference and transparency: We have created this report on Apple Bug Reporter on 8 June 2016 here: https://bugreport.apple.com/web/?problemID=26696591

Summary:
If you upload a contact group (X-ADDRESSBOOKSERVER-KIND: group), iCloud insists that the VCard must have a FN and a N (as specified in VCard 3).

iCloud seems to take the group name from the structured name (N) instead of the formatted name (FN). Additionally, it doesn’t only take the first component of the structured name, but the whole line as a string (which should not happen).

N represents the structured name and these representations mean the same:

N:Family Name,,,,
N:Family Name

When a group with the first version, iCloud will display “Family Name,” as group name.

Steps to Reproduce:

  1. Upload (PUT) a contact group with these properties:
N:Family Name,,,,
N:Family Name

Expected Results:
iCloud will show a group “Family Name,”

Actual Results:
iCloud should show a group “Family Name” (by FN, not N).

Version:
iCloud on 8 Jun 2016

Notes:
This problem was found while developing DAVdroid.

Configuration:
–

Update from 12 Oct 2018:

Typo in steps to reproduce. Should be:

N:Family Name,,,,
FN:Family Name