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Synonyms

maiden name

American  

noun

  1. a woman's surname before her marriage.


maiden name British  

noun

  1. a woman's surname before marriage

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of maiden name

First recorded in 1680–90

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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.

One told me she has started using her maiden name professionally because her married name was used in a scam.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

The two married, both adopting the last name MacAskill—Askell’s maternal grandmother’s maiden name.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 9, 2026

The Journal Officiel shows Amal Clooney was naturalised under her maiden name, Amal Alamuddin.

From BBC • Dec. 30, 2025

“We have many great candidates, one in particular Eleni Tsakopoulos, whom I support,” Pelosi said, referring to Kounalakis by her maiden name.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 2, 2025

Her passport, which the Greek government had granted under the condition that she leave the country immediately, bore her mother’s maiden name, Aristos, instead of Stephanides.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides