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birth name

American  
[burth neym] / ˈbɜrθ ˌneɪm /
Sometimes birthname

noun

  1. the surname inherited by a person at birth, especially a woman’s maiden name.

  2. the first or middle name that is given to a person at birth, but which may be changed later according to preference, upon adoption, after gender transition, etc.


Etymology

Origin of birth name

First recorded in 1865–70 birth name for def. 1; 1975–80 birth name for def. 2

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.

The San Jose native, birth name Myha’la Herrold, also expressed gratitude to her family and friends for “helping make this day so very magical.”

From Los Angeles Times

Posting on social media, he said: "At my birth, believe it or not was Jamie Bigg. So in 2026, I'll be reclaiming my birth name and making some big changes."

From BBC

Rourke, whose birth name is Philip Andre Rourke Jr., received a three-day notice to pay rent or vacate the premises on Dec. 18 and had failed to comply, according to court documents filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday.

From Los Angeles Times

The Australian designer sold clothes under her birth name and had accused the California Girls singer of trademark infringement when she sold merchandise during her 2014 Australian tour.

From BBC

Namewee, whose birth name is Wee Meng Chee, was released until November 26 pending the results of an autopsy of Iris Hsieh, also known as Hsieh Yu-hsin or "nurse goddess" to fans, Kuala Lumpur police chief Fadil Marsus said in a statement.

From Barron's