name
Americannoun
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names
plural
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a word or a combination of words by which a person, place, or thing, a body or class, or any object of thought is designated, called, or known.
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mere designation, as distinguished from fact.
He was a king in name only.
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an appellation, title, or epithet, applied descriptively, in honor, abuse, etc.
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a reputation of a particular kind given by common opinion.
to protect one's good name.
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a distinguished, famous, or great reputation; fame.
to make a name for oneself.
- Synonyms:
- eminence, renown, distinction, note
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a widely known or famous person; celebrity.
She's a name in show business.
- Synonyms:
- personality
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an unpleasant or derogatory appellation or expression.
Don't call your brother names! Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me.
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a personal or family name as exercising influence or bringing distinction.
With that name they can get a loan at any bank in town.
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a body of persons grouped under one name, as a family or clan.
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the verbal or other symbolic representation of a thing, event, property, relation, or concept.
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(initial capital letter) a symbol or vehicle of divinity.
to take the Name in vain; the power of the Name.
verb (used with object)
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names,
present (3rd person singular)
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named,
past participle, past
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naming
present participle
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to give a name to.
to name a baby.
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to accuse.
He was named as the thief.
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to call by an epithet.
They named her speedy.
- Synonyms:
- denominate, dub, nickname
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to identify, specify, or mention by name.
Three persons were named in the report.
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to designate for some duty or office; nominate or appoint.
I have named you for the position.
- Synonyms:
- choose
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Name a price.
- Synonyms:
- mention
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to give the name of.
Can you name the capital of Ohio?
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to speak of.
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British. (in the House of Commons) to cite (a member) for contempt.
adjective
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famous; widely known.
a name author.
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designed for or carrying a name.
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giving its name or title to a collection or anthology containing it.
the name piece.
idioms
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name names, to specify people by name, especially those who have been accomplices in a misdeed.
The witness in the bribery investigation threatened to name names.
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call names, to scold or speak abusively of or to a person.
Better not to call names unless one is larger and considerably stronger than one's adversary.
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by name,
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personally; individually.
She was always careful to address every employee by name.
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not personally; by repute.
I know him by name only.
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to one's name, in one's possession.
I haven't a penny to my name.
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in the name of,
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with appeal to.
In the name of mercy, stop that screaming!
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by the authority of.
Open, in the name of the law!
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on behalf of.
to purchase something in the name of another.
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under the name or possession of.
money deposited in the name of a son.
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under the designation or excuse of.
murder in the name of justice.
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noun
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a word or term by which a person or thing is commonly and distinctively known
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mere outward appearance or form as opposed to fact (esp in the phrase in name )
he was a ruler in name only
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a word, title, or phrase descriptive of character, usually abusive or derogatory
to call a person names
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reputation, esp, if unspecified, good reputation
he's made quite a name for himself
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a famous person or thing
a name in the advertising world
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( as modifier )
a name product
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a member of Lloyd's who provides part of the capital of a syndicate and shares in its profits or losses but does not arrange its business
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using as a name
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for the sake of
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by the sanction or authority of
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to have heard of without having met
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anything that is essential, significant, or important
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expected or normal conditions, circumstances, etc
in gambling, losing money's the name of the game
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belonging to one
I haven't a penny to my name
verb
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to give a name to; call by a name
she named the child Edward
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to refer to by name; cite
he named three French poets
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to determine, fix, or specify
they have named a date for the meeting
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to appoint to or cite for a particular title, honour, or duty; nominate
he was named Journalist of the Year
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to ban (an MP) from the House of Commons by mentioning him formally by name as being guilty of disorderly conduct
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to reveal the identity of a person or organization guilty of illegal or unacceptable behaviour in order to embarrass them into not repeating the offence
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to cite people, esp in order to blame or accuse them
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to choose the day for one's wedding
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whatever you need, mention, etc
Synonym Usage
Name, title both refer to the label by which a person is known. Name is the simpler and more general word for appellation: The name is John. A title is an official or honorary term bestowed on a person or the specific designation of a book, article, etc.: He now has the title of Doctor. Treasure Island is the title of a book.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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namernoun
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undernamenoun
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renameverb (used with object)
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namableadjective
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self-namedadjective
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undernamedadjective
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well-namedadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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namesimple
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namessimple
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have namedperfect
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has namedperfect
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am namingprogressive
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are namingprogressive
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is namingprogressive
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have been namingperfect progressive
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has been namingperfect progressive
Past
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namedsimple
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had namedperfect
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was namingprogressive
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were namingprogressive
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had been namingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of name
First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English nama; cognate with German Name, Gothic namô; akin to Old Norse nafn, Latin nōmen, Greek ónoma, Old Irish ainm, Polish imię, Czech jméno
Explanation
Your name is what you are called: Bill or Jennifer or whatever. Parents name their children, and children name their pets. Most of us have our first given name and our family name or surname. But name is also used more broadly: people who have made a name for themselves are well-known. Someone who calls us names makes fun of us. If you do something wrong that others find out about, you could give yourself a bad name — hurt your reputation. Someone can be named in a lawsuit or named to a committee. Naming is about identity — who you are.
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.
See Examples For:
Mr. Zelensky watched from the gallery as the Senate advanced a bill that now bears Graham’s name.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
An Irish fast food chain locked in a long running dispute with McDonald's has been told it cannot register its name as a trademark in the European Union.
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026
The college's head, Sonita Alleyne, the first black head of an Oxbridge college, has removed her name from a petition defending Arday.
From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026
Investors are looking past near-term financials as they consider Doximity’s potential to make a name for itself in the world of medical artificial intelligence.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 7, 2026
The Duke said to Sancho, "Sancho, my friend, I, in the name of the great Don Quixote, appoint you governor of one of my islands."
From "Adventures of Don Quixote" by Argentina Palacios
As the hulking antenna swivels into action, screens inside the control room light up with the names of objects the radar system detects: stars, satellites and abandoned rocket bodies.
From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026
"The league is getting stronger every year and you're seeing more and more big names joining," he said.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
Technology earnings are exceptionally robust so far this earnings season, but those results will create difficult year-over-year growth next year, particularly for the Magnificent Seven group of megacap names, according to Hackett.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026
On paper, it’s easy to dismiss it as another celebrity chef event, many of which have become exercises in exclusivity — expensive tickets, buzzy names and Instagrammable bites.
From Salon ● Aug. 6, 2026
I nodded along at each tap of the keys, though inwardly I sighed, wondering why I needed to know the names of the notes.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
Brookfield, its Singapore arm and a Brookfield-controlled entity are named as defendants in the lawsuit.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
While authorities have not named the type of explosive, unconfirmed media reports have said it was Semtex, a plastic explosive with industrial and military uses.
From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026
Preservation advocates have identified it as a culturally significant site, and in 2025 it was named one of the nation’s Endangered Latinx Landmarks, according to the Latinos in Heritage Conservation.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026
The attacker has not been publicly named, and police have not disclosed a motive.
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026
Two years ago, a girl named Jennifer Aaron sat at the head of the first row.
From "Firegirl" by Tony Abbott
The recipe calls for a pound and a half of frozen salmon; an on-screen graphic prices it at $8.99, without naming a retailer or indicating that the fish is on sale.
From Salon ● Aug. 5, 2026
We already have wills and powers of attorney naming our daughter for both financial and healthcare matters.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 29, 2026
But she was unsure how to begin, naming some obstacles, including self-doubt and frustration over ideas that never got put into practice at the companies she worked with.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
The Iraqi presidency, without naming the US and Saudi Arabia, denounced the strikes on the Hashed al-Shaabi as "an unacceptable attack and a blatant violation of Iraq's sovereignty".
From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026
Even before the weapon existed, people started naming it.
From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin
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.
