Jump To:

• first name
  first name

  noun

  given name.
• first-name
  first-name

  adjective

  of or relating to one's first, or given, name; familiar; intimate.

first name

¹ American  

noun

1. given name.

---

first-name ² American  

[furst-neym, furst-neym] / ˈfɜrstˌneɪm, ˈfɜrstˈneɪm /

adjective

1. of or relating to one's first, or given, name; familiar; intimate.

   They were on a first-name basis soon after meeting.

---

verb (used with object)

first-named, first-naming

1. to address (someone) by their first name, especially as a sign of informality or familiarity.

   The boss doesn't like the employees to first-name her.

first name British  

noun

1. Also called: Christian name.   forename.   given name.  a name given to a person at birth, as opposed to a surname

---

Etymology

Origin of first name¹

Middle English word dating back to 1200–50

Origin of first-name²

First recorded in 1300–50

Example Sentences

For so long, it has felt inconceivable to not have Heather Knight as the first name on the England team sheet.

From BBC • May 28, 2026

In testifying against Halem, the teen, who was sworn in to testify just under his first name, Daniel, revealed a subculture around newly created crypto wealth.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 29, 2026

Shamsuddin, a 43-year-old driver who gave only his first name for privacy reasons, was waiting since midnight at a Dhaka gas station.

From Barron's • Apr. 21, 2026

But he got his first name wrong, and the person he actually accused turned out to have a firm alibi.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

It sounded disrespectful to me—calling a woman old enough to be my grandmother by her first name, but I did as I was told.

From "The View From Saturday" by E.L. Konigsburg

Related Words

• given name