birth name

American  

[burth neym] / ˈbɜrθ ˌneɪm /

Sometimes birthname

noun

1. the surname inherited by a person at birth, especially a woman’s maiden name.

2. the first or middle name that is given to a person at birth, but which may be changed later according to preference, upon adoption, after gender transition, etc.

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Etymology

Origin of birth name

First recorded in 1865–70 birth name for def. 1; 1975–80 birth name for def. 2

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

birth name

Under his birth name, Anthony Benedetto, he was also a painter, and he had in hand a portrait to present to the Librarian of Congress.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026

Posting on social media, he said: "At my birth, believe it or not was Jamie Bigg. So in 2026, I'll be reclaiming my birth name and making some big changes."

From BBC ● Jan. 1, 2026

Cain is half-Japanese on his father’s side, his birth name being Dean Tanaka.

From Salon ● Aug. 9, 2025

For starters, this was the year he became Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o and shed his birth name, James.

From BBC ● May 28, 2025

To her embarrassment, she could not remember the baby’s birth name.

From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng