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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.

She is intensely private: almost no information, including her maiden name, is available online.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 30, 2026

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 writer’s earlier novels were published under her maiden name, Lizzie Pook.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 3, 2026

Until this month, she kept the title Sarah, Duchess of York - but she reverted to her maiden name of Ferguson after Andrew voluntarily gave up the usage of the Duke of York title.

From BBC • Oct. 30, 2025

Her maiden name is Gatte, from her father’s side and the Italian part of the family.

From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove

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