given name

American  

[giv-uhn neym] / ˈgɪv ən ˈneɪm /

noun

1. the name given to a person, as distinguished from an inherited family name; first name; Christian name.

   His given name is John.

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given name British  

noun

1. another term for first name

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Etymology

Origin of given name

An Americanism first recorded in 1820–30

Compare meaning

How does given-name compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• surname vs. given name
• given name vs. family name

Example Sentences

Notable: Given name is Bishard, but was nicknamed Budda as a baby because his mother thought he looked like a Buddha doll.

From Washington Times • Apr. 20, 2017

Given name, nationality, date of birth...she turned herself upside down.

From "Habibi" by Naomi Shihab Nye