Frankly, the definition of what a signature is or is not is beside the point. IMO, the correct answer is "it depends..." because no one cares what you or I believe the definition should be. If there's a definition in one's state's notary laws, then that is standard number one. Short of that, it should be whatever the lender decides it needs to be - and that's not always going to be the same.
I think the rest was covered very well by Yoli and MW/VA. And for what it's worth, as I think I've alluded to elsewhere recently, I've had people sign their name in a manner that didn't even involve English letters (and from left to right, as some languages are written). They were consistent signatures and there was no problem. In some countries, in fact, even if their language is written in 'Roman' characters, it's customary for signatures to be more of a symbolic mark than a written name, even among the very literate. For most uses, that would be acceptable. But a lender can set their own rules and requirements - whether or not it means a person has to sign with something other than their 'legal' signature.
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