namesake

noun

name·​sake ˈnām-ˌsāk 

: one that has the same name as another

especially : one who is named after another or for whom another is named

His grandson and namesake is the spit and image of him …

—Robert Graves

Examples of namesake in a Sentence

How much did President George Bush influence his son and namesake George W. Bush?

Recent Examples on the Web

Plant explorer and botanist David Fairchild, namesake of Miami’s premier botanical garden, believed the tree was too cold-sensitive to survive South Florida’s winters. — Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 24 July 2026

The backstory The hotel’s namesake is Evalina Fox, one of the original owners of the building back in the 19th century. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 July 2026

In the early 1980s, John DeLorean introduced his namesake stainless-steel sports car with gull-wing doors. — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 23 July 2026

Swelling from a razor-thin crescent into a cratered world before fading back into the darkness, Mars gave NASA's Psyche spacecraft both a spectacular view — and a 1,000-mph boost toward its namesake asteroid. — Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 22 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

probably from name's sake

First Known Use

circa 1635, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for namesake

• overtake
• rattlesnake
• shiitake
• undertake
• wapentake
• ache
• ake
• bake
• brake
• break
• cake
• craik

Kids Definition

namesake

noun

name·​sake ˈnām-ˌsāk 

: one that has the same name as another

especially : one named after another