deadname

American  

[ded-neym] / ˈdɛdˌneɪm /

Or dead name

noun

1. the previous name of someone who has changed that name, especially the pretransition first name of a trans person.

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verb (used with object)

deadnamed, deadnaming

1. to call (a person, especially a trans person) by that person’s previous name, as opposed to a chosen or preferred name.

Etymology

Origin of deadname

First recorded in 2010–15

Example Sentences

The Stark County Board of Elections said in a statement Friday that it stands by its decision to disqualify Vanessa Joy, a real estate photographer from Massillon, Ohio, because she did not put a name that no longer aligns with her gender identity — also referred to as a deadname — on the petitions used to gather signatures to get on the ballot.

From Seattle Times

Joy says the current law is a barrier to transgender individuals who want to seek office but do not want to disclose their deadname — the name a transgender person was assigned at birth but does not align with their gender identity.

From Seattle Times

Childrey, who legally changed her name in 2020, said she would have provided her deadname if she had known about the law.

From Seattle Times

Vanessa Joy, a real estate photographer from Stark County running for the Ohio House, who legally changed her name in 2022, was the first to be disqualified for omitting her deadname from petition paperwork.

From Seattle Times

But to the transgender community, revealing a deadname — or the name assigned to them at birth that doesn’t align with their gender identity — could lead to personal safety issues.

From Seattle Times