name
Americannoun
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names
plural
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a word or a combination of words by which a person, place, or thing, a body or class, or any object of thought is designated, called, or known.
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mere designation, as distinguished from fact.
He was a king in name only.
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an appellation, title, or epithet, applied descriptively, in honor, abuse, etc.
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a reputation of a particular kind given by common opinion.
to protect one's good name.
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a distinguished, famous, or great reputation; fame.
to make a name for oneself.
- Synonyms:
- eminence, renown, distinction, note
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a widely known or famous person; celebrity.
She's a name in show business.
- Synonyms:
- personality
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an unpleasant or derogatory appellation or expression.
Don't call your brother names! Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me.
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a personal or family name as exercising influence or bringing distinction.
With that name they can get a loan at any bank in town.
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a body of persons grouped under one name, as a family or clan.
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the verbal or other symbolic representation of a thing, event, property, relation, or concept.
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(initial capital letter) a symbol or vehicle of divinity.
to take the Name in vain; the power of the Name.
verb (used with object)
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names,
present (3rd person singular)
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named,
past participle, past
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naming
present participle
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to give a name to.
to name a baby.
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to accuse.
He was named as the thief.
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to call by an epithet.
They named her speedy.
- Synonyms:
- denominate, dub, nickname
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to identify, specify, or mention by name.
Three persons were named in the report.
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to designate for some duty or office; nominate or appoint.
I have named you for the position.
- Synonyms:
- choose
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Name a price.
- Synonyms:
- mention
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to give the name of.
Can you name the capital of Ohio?
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to speak of.
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British. (in the House of Commons) to cite (a member) for contempt.
adjective
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famous; widely known.
a name author.
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designed for or carrying a name.
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giving its name or title to a collection or anthology containing it.
the name piece.
idioms
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name names, to specify people by name, especially those who have been accomplices in a misdeed.
The witness in the bribery investigation threatened to name names.
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call names, to scold or speak abusively of or to a person.
Better not to call names unless one is larger and considerably stronger than one's adversary.
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by name,
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personally; individually.
She was always careful to address every employee by name.
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not personally; by repute.
I know him by name only.
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to one's name, in one's possession.
I haven't a penny to my name.
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in the name of,
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with appeal to.
In the name of mercy, stop that screaming!
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by the authority of.
Open, in the name of the law!
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on behalf of.
to purchase something in the name of another.
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under the name or possession of.
money deposited in the name of a son.
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under the designation or excuse of.
murder in the name of justice.
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noun
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a word or term by which a person or thing is commonly and distinctively known
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mere outward appearance or form as opposed to fact (esp in the phrase in name )
he was a ruler in name only
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a word, title, or phrase descriptive of character, usually abusive or derogatory
to call a person names
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reputation, esp, if unspecified, good reputation
he's made quite a name for himself
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a famous person or thing
a name in the advertising world
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( as modifier )
a name product
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a member of Lloyd's who provides part of the capital of a syndicate and shares in its profits or losses but does not arrange its business
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using as a name
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for the sake of
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by the sanction or authority of
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to have heard of without having met
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anything that is essential, significant, or important
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expected or normal conditions, circumstances, etc
in gambling, losing money's the name of the game
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belonging to one
I haven't a penny to my name
verb
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to give a name to; call by a name
she named the child Edward
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to refer to by name; cite
he named three French poets
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to determine, fix, or specify
they have named a date for the meeting
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to appoint to or cite for a particular title, honour, or duty; nominate
he was named Journalist of the Year
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to ban (an MP) from the House of Commons by mentioning him formally by name as being guilty of disorderly conduct
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to reveal the identity of a person or organization guilty of illegal or unacceptable behaviour in order to embarrass them into not repeating the offence
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to cite people, esp in order to blame or accuse them
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to choose the day for one's wedding
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whatever you need, mention, etc
Synonym Usage
Name, title both refer to the label by which a person is known. Name is the simpler and more general word for appellation: The name is John. A title is an official or honorary term bestowed on a person or the specific designation of a book, article, etc.: He now has the title of Doctor. Treasure Island is the title of a book.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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namernoun
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undernamenoun
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renameverb (used with object)
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namableadjective
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self-namedadjective
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undernamedadjective
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well-namedadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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namesimple
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namessimple
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have namedperfect
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has namedperfect
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am namingprogressive
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are namingprogressive
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is namingprogressive
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have been namingperfect progressive
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has been namingperfect progressive
Past
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namedsimple
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had namedperfect
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was namingprogressive
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were namingprogressive
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had been namingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of name
First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English nama; cognate with German Name, Gothic namô; akin to Old Norse nafn, Latin nōmen, Greek ónoma, Old Irish ainm, Polish imię, Czech jméno
Explanation
Your name is what you are called: Bill or Jennifer or whatever. Parents name their children, and children name their pets. Most of us have our first given name and our family name or surname. But name is also used more broadly: people who have made a name for themselves are well-known. Someone who calls us names makes fun of us. If you do something wrong that others find out about, you could give yourself a bad name — hurt your reputation. Someone can be named in a lawsuit or named to a committee. Naming is about identity — who you are.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
General Assembly—to change the name of A.I. to “super intelligence.“
From Slate ● Sep. 25, 2026
I know I can name about five New York City restaurants that are essential to me personally.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026
She did not name the member of the staff, and I never asked her who it was, or why she would believe such an improbable thing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026
The comedian and actor who made his name on an unprintable dirtbag-left-adjacent podcast made the case for tying private equity to bad sandwiches during a recent interview with sports journalist Pablo Torre.
From Salon ● Sep. 25, 2026
Loud was part of her, grating against a wrongness she perceived but couldn’t identify, something in her family that had no name or face but demanded to make a sound through her.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Despite holding stocks of some very familiar names, listed above, Wilhelm said that all companies in the portfolio he manages with Gogia are in industries “with moderate or high barriers to entry.”
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 25, 2026
The expedition team chose the names during a vote held at camp.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 24, 2026
Once the club's data departments have the brief, filters that grade a player's overall ability are applied to whittle down the 650,000-man database to 20-50 names.
From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026
Total brand value that the world’s top names in food could lose at the hands of GLP-1s, according to a report from Brand Finance, which called Lay’s the most exposed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026
‘Of course. It all makes sense now. We left him with the list. He must have made a note of all the names once we’d gone.’
From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler
He was just named to the roster of the United States Men’s National Team.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026
Two of the men named have had their charges dropped.
From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026
Assistant coach Mitch Johnson was named interim coach.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 24, 2026
"Cochlostoma dobrido," was named after the Dobri Do Plateau, located among the peaks of Durmitor National Park.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 24, 2026
If I narrow the options to five or ten places, I can call each one and ask for a guest named Julie Callahan.
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
He gave agents a 50-page document naming dozens of lobbyists, congressional staffers and members of Congress who he said helped him trade cash for contracts.
From Salon ● Sep. 23, 2026
After the same federal judge rejected the board’s latest naming workaround on Tuesday, the administration abruptly shuttered the building.
From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026
Bessent, who announced a maximum pressure campaign against Iran dubbed Operation Economic Outcast last month, previewed the latest sanctions on Friday without naming the target.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
A zoo spokeswoman said the error was "due to our default naming convention in our system", but it was "quickly changed".
From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026
Joey nominated himself then retracted it, naming Eric LoBianco instead and laughing through it all.
From "Firegirl" by Tony Abbott
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
