in the name of
Idioms-
By the authority of, as in Open up, in the name of the law! [Late 1300s]
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On behalf of, as in She made a donation in her daughter's name . [Late 1300s]
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; . With appeal to, as in In the name of God, stop that noise! or What in heaven's name are you doing? [c. a.d. 900]
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Under the designation of, as in They burned witches at the stake in the name of piety . [Late 1300s]
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Under the possession or ownership of, as in The certificate of ownership was rightfully in my name . [Mid-1900s]
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in one's own name . On one's own behalf, as in Mary signed the check for John in her own name . [Late 1800s]
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 ballots were sent in the name of her dog, Maya Jean Yourex, a boxer.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026
“The Church cannot remain silent when violence is justified in the name of security or when religious language is used to legitimize it,” saying that the church must “defend moral clarity.”
From Salon • Apr. 14, 2026
It’s a big part of what enables scholars, the public, to access these documents about decisions that were made in the name of the American people.
From Slate • Apr. 9, 2026
The statement “I have strengthened you in the name of God, oh Homeland,” is on billboards hanging from many homes.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026
Molly goes to Facebook and types in the name of Carmine’s son, Carmine Luten Jr. There’s only one.
From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
